That's awesome! Could it be packed away when you still had it? Carnival rides are on trucks (in case your thinking duh), so could you put it down on the truck like the real Zipper. I want to give a tidbit about the Zipper, if you didn't know.
The Zipper is a pretty easy ride to set-up. The entire ride goes down on the truck, and I seen Windy City put straps to keep the cars from moving. Many carnival rides are packed away to fit the trucks and reassembled later. Usually Tilt-A-Whirls don't usually have a truck underneath them. The pieces come from a truck, but the ride is not a truck itself. It's one of a few rides that are like this. The Spider is another one.
That's enough carnival speak. Good job.
"I've been staring at the world, waiting. All the trouble and all the pain we're facing. Too much light to be livin' in the dark. Why waste time? We only got one life. Together we can be the CHANGE. So go and let your heart burn bright"
When it was still built, it couldnt be folded down like the real zippers at carnivals. I originally intended for it to be able to do that, but it ended up sacrificing too much strength from the structure. I also designed it with the intention of having it operate. Technically, and schematically, it did actually work, however the added weight of the chain and passenger cars made it impossible to run. It only ran when those parts were not attached, but the gears on the end spun realistically.
"Wow, look dad! They got 8 packs o' Kidneys!"
"Ya, but you gotta buy the cooler too, that's where they getcha..."
-FAMILY GUY
Coasterfreak, those coasters are pretty cool, keep up the great work!! I used to really want the screamin' serpent and other k'nex coaster sets, but personally, I think K'nex quality has been on a steep decline for the last 5 years or so. When I first got K'nex, they only had 3 sets, with 18 different types of pieces, and they were the original roygbiv color scheme. They were the coolest because they showed that you could build anything out of them if you put your mind to it. Nowadays, they make new pieces for every set, in all sorts of different colors (so you can't gather many of any single color) and I have found that it diminishes your building freedom. Also, K'nex has gotten way more expensive than it used to be, if you compare the part count and challenge level of newer sets (like ss and big air ball tower) to older and (in my opinion) better sets, the big ball factory and original roller coaster. Don't get me wrong, I think the new coaster track system is cool, but I think K'nex has made their recent products wayyy too easy to build.
"Wow, look dad! They got 8 packs o' Kidneys!"
"Ya, but you gotta buy the cooler too, that's where they getcha..."
-FAMILY GUY
I first got K'NEX when they had the yellow (small), orange (medium), and blue (large) set. I had the blue set. Later, I got the original Roller Coaster Set (not Screaming Serpent) and Trampoline Tower (similar to the Big Ball Factory).
You can't do nearly as much with the original Roller Coaster Set as you can with Screaming Serpent. The track was as wide as a red stick, and you could do really one type of inversion - a vertical loop.
I was thinking of making shockwave. First of all what coaster set did you use. Second, did you use any of those launchers that come with the launching coaster set? Last, did you have any problems having the trains being able to make it up all the hills and stuff?
Thanks. I have lots and lots of sets. I don't have problems w/ it making it up the hill. Just design it well and it will work. I did use the boosters to launch my Rip Tide model. I modifed the booster and put the track over it to make the Screamin Serpent car go through it. It works really well.
Also, if it used to make it through the circuit and doesn't have enough speed anymore then apply WD40. It does lots of wonders!
I would say you need about 4 screamin' serpent sets. Ebay is your friend. No I do not suggest boosters because if you design it well enough, it should work. You can spray paint the track, I just wouldn't suggest painting the tubing. As for setting up block sections, I really dont know. I would just add the straight away for looks. Looks are everything in building if you plan on showing it on the internet.
A stupid thing is that the Screamin' Serpent coaster can't go through the boosters.
Also I actually have been thinking about putting the two tracks together but I've been trying to think of the track design... I've got a few ideas though.
Im going to talk my mom into buying at ebay, because she would be willing to spend about $80.00 probably. So i could get at least two sets maybe 3 with that amount. Maybe 4 but i doubt it. If i get the sets in a week. I could probly have shockwave completed in 3 weeks. Hopefully this topic wont get locked.
You can make the SS train go through the booster. You must cut the boosters and put the track above the booser, rather then through the bottom of it. Pictures are at http://www.bgtguide.com/~sscoasters/forums
Hmmm.... All of this is starting to give me some good ideas. I have an idea for a coaster, but i don't want to say it because somebody my steal it. I also have an idea for a thrill ride but I might not have enough knex to finish it, but actually I probably will be able to have the both of them up at the same time.
But knowing my parents I'll eventually have to take them down.
Because i have mood swings alot, i decided not to make my mom spend her money on that, because my six flags plans for tomorow are slowly dying, so im mad about that. Have fun with your ss homemade coasters though.