K'Nex Smooth Ball Path 04: JOR

This fourth smooth path is a double-side version of the Smooth Path 03. This includes a center support which stabilizes the entire structure. This center support also makes this path easy to support from the bottom or the top.

This can be made with any length of rods. When made with yellow rods, two sections are about 8 5/8 inches long or about 22 centimeters.

The length of any segment can be changed by simply changing the six rods that connect it. Segments of differing lengths can be attached together. However, changing the connecting rods will require a different center support.

This list is for two segments using yellow rods.

Rods:

• 15 yellow
• 4 blue
• 11 green

Connectors:

• 2 white
• 2 blue
• 10 yellow
• 6 purple
• 1 red

Put two purple connectors onto the blue connectors. Connect the other four purple connectors to make two pair.

Add the green rods as shown. Two green rods for each purple assembly, three for each blue/purple assembly, and one for center of the red connector.

It is important that on the blue/purple assemblies, two green rods are at an angle and one is out of the side. These two assemblies should be mirror images and not be identical. The rods out of the side will be connected to the red connector later.

Put 8 of the yellow connectors onto the green rods that are at an angle. Do not yet connect to the green rod that goes straight out from the blue connectors. Put a yellow rod on one end of each of the yellow connectors and on the purple or blue assembly. This should make a "V" shape for the ball to roll on. Connect one purple/yellow assembly to a blue/purple/yellow assembly.

This should complete two paths which are each side of this double path.

Connect the red connector to each of the two remaining green rods. This will continue to be very flimsy until you have added more segments to this structure (not shown).

Connect the two white connectors with a blue rod. Add two more blue rods to make an "N" shape. Add a yellow connector, then a blue rod onto that. Connect a yellow rod on both sides of the center white connector which should also connect to a yellow connector.

Connect the center white connector to the green rod on the red connector. This completes the assembly.

If there are only two segments, this is very unstable. This becomes more stable as additional segments are added.

Enjoy, and smooth rolling!

I currently have one of these double-path runs spanning 6 feet or 183 centimeters. This span is using red rods so I had to change the center support to match. This image shows the adjustment I chose to make for the different length. Two blues connected is the same as one red.