Subduction-A Knex Ball Machine
by MechanicalCreationMaster in Living > LEGO & K'NEX
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Subduction-A Knex Ball Machine
![SUBDUCTION, First K'nex Ball Machine.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F79/RD0X/H5035GKT/F79RD0XH5035GKT.jpg&filename=SUBDUCTION, First K'nex Ball Machine.JPG)
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So I made my first ball machine...Subduction! (Subduction-a process dealing with tectonic plates sliding under each other) It has four paths. Anyway, it's not so great perhaps because my elements (those I had) aren't so original. But I did invent my own version of the wheel lift, and I designed a new pathing type I haven't seen yet. So, here goes...
The Lift
![SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 4.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FYG/SROA/H4VQNPXM/FYGSROAH4VQNPXM.jpg&filename=SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 4.JPG)
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![KPL (K'nex Plane Launcher) 47.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FCB/QANU/H4VQDI7D/FCBQANUH4VQDI7D.jpg&filename=KPL (K'nex Plane Launcher) 47.JPG)
![K'nex Ball Machine Wheel Lift 26.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FE1/JZCR/H51ASBJR/FE1JZCRH51ASBJR.jpg&filename=K'nex Ball Machine Wheel Lift 26.JPG)
![K'nex Ball Machine Wheel Lift (From SUBDUCTION).JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FYS/YZTP/H51ASBJU/FYSYZTPH51ASBJU.jpg&filename=K'nex Ball Machine Wheel Lift (From SUBDUCTION).JPG)
![K'nex Ball Machine Lift Modification (Ball Regulator) 2.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FY5/EYOV/H4ZN53XM/FY5EYOVH4ZN53XM.jpg&filename=K'nex Ball Machine Lift Modification (Ball Regulator) 2.JPG)
This is the wheel lift...or is it an arm lift? At any rate, the balls come in through the bottom track, are whisked upward by the wheel, and deposited at the top. I made a "gate" of sorts to control ball flow, but it didn't work as well as hoped. And for those of you wondering, I have no Knex motors, so I have to make do with a crank. (If you build this, feel free to add a motor)
Path 1
![SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 16.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FOE/L2X2/H51ASBV6/FOEL2X2H51ASBV6.jpg&filename=SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 16.JPG)
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![SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 44.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FK0/0AJS/H4VQNPZE/FK00AJSH4VQNPZE.jpg&filename=SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 44.JPG)
![SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 43.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F87/TYYY/H4ZN53Y7/F87TYYYH4ZN53Y7.jpg&filename=SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 43.JPG)
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![SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 37.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FLC/KLXW/H4ZN53YC/FLCKLXWH4ZN53YC.jpg&filename=SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 37.JPG)
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This path starts with some of the Red Stairs, flips through one of floris2burn's U-turn elements, crosses a chain, and then goes through a tiny spinner to return to the lift.
Path 2
![SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 15.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F2P/VI4T/H51ASBVA/F2PVI4TH51ASBVA.jpg&filename=SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 15.JPG)
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This path consists of nothing but a simple blue tower spiral path.
Path 3
![SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 14.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FTC/3IIL/H51ASBVC/FTC3IILH51ASBVC.jpg&filename=SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 14.JPG)
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This path has a classic spiral and my new path type: the Green Flex Path. It looks very clean-cut and is nice and sturdy. The Green Flex Path also can be twisted into almost any desired curve or inversion, up and down or side to side (or from level to sideways!) The path then empties through the spinner on path one.
Path 4
![SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 5.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F6E/OG5Q/H4ZN5409/F6EOG5QH4ZN5409.jpg&filename=SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 5.JPG)
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![SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 8.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F3O/44J5/H51ASBUU/F3O44J5H51ASBUU.jpg&filename=SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 8.JPG)
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The final path has Mr. Muggle's dumper element and a "curtain".
That's All, Folks!
![SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FO3/F04U/H4VQNQ8G/FO3F04UH4VQNQ8G.jpg&filename=SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine.JPG)
![SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 2.JPG](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FU9/L5YO/H4VQKN9M/FU9L5YOH4VQKN9M.jpg&filename=SUBDUCTION, Ball Machine 2.JPG)
Thanks for looking at my machine! Hope you like it. I will soon have my second machine posted, but until then this is...Subduction!