Citadel Knex Ball Machine

This is absolutely INCREDIBLE!! Our jaws are on the floor here at K'NEX HQ. Bravo!!

This is a video of my childhood. Good to have saw it again!

Hey Shadowman. Been a ball factory enthusiast since I was 8 and can't believe there are so many people still dedicated to the machine. This is really the most epic build I've ever seen. There are others that are bigger and take up larger spaces, but the sheer density of what you've done in a single tower is really impressive. The mechanics are unprecedented. Motions are very smooth, gravity is used in almost all downward motions, and most of the mechanisms (or elements) seem totally original. The ball raising mechanisms are similarly smooth. It looks like you have a very, very low rate of 'unintended drops' which is impressive with so much complexity. The gimbal really stands out to me. The aesthetics are amazing. Sometimes with so many parts you don't see as much attention to detail, color-coding, etc. but that was clearly a major consideration here. There doesn't appear to be much non-Knex pieces at work here either. Your use of non-perpendicular angles on some of the gravity arms is impressive and I think I saw some 3 and 4-bar links in there which are very difficult to get right. What was the hardest element to perfect? Also, nice job on video editing.

Some of these mechanisms really had me in awe. I've been designing all kinds of mechanisms for over 20 years (just for fun, I like to design and build stuff, none of it is online unfortunately), and this really gives me some stuff to think about. The way you approach basic mechanical properties inspires me sir!

As a designer who had worked at Knex, I salute you.

This... actually brought me to tears several times. I can't believe I'm only finding this machine until just now! please never EVER stop what you're doing. Don't let this absolutely amazing talent go to waste!

In-sane. Just insane. 3,5 years, yeah I am not surprised. All the structure is just sweating intelligence, physics knowledge n creativity. Thumbs up.

My kids received a roller coaster set for Christmas. We built that, and after having some fun with that, we watched this video, and now they (and me) want more K-nex lol.........This build is ridiculous! My two boys keep saying "How do they do that!?" HAHA, man, this is epic. Such an incredible job dude! SUBSCRIBED!

This belongs in a museum

This is one of the most satisfying videos on youtube.

this is the single most greatest knex creation I have ever seen. the amount of engineering and planing that went into each path and element is astounding. many parts were like the movements of a clock. others were just simply engineering amazement.

this is amazing, i just cant even imagine how you could come up with some of these ideas. i mean sometimes when i see rolling ball machines or rube goldbergs ill see like 2 or 3 novel ideas, but theres at least like 10, 15 things in here i havent ever, ever seen. amazing dude. really.

I'm impressed with how many of these mechanisms are just clever use of counterweights. Some of those fancy arms swinging around I had to look at multiple times just because they were so elegant.

Big Ball Factory, the heart of this machine

Wow, was just watching this over a fresh pot of morning coffee, and got so pumped I shed a few tears! If you were a gangster, you would be the Godfather! Amazing model and video. Thanks for sharing.

It gives me nightmares just to think about the hell that must've been designing and building this thing. This is amazing; nothing else like it. You really deserve more attention.

I just been cleaning out the shed.. Come across boxes & boxes of the stuff.. Good memories with the children back in the day..

Unbelievable! This has to be the best great ball machine I have ever seen.

WOW!!! I've been fascinated with Rube Goldberg's and rolling ball sculptures since childhood. I started out by using marbles, cardboard chutes, paper towel tubes and paper cups with holes cut in the bottom, supported by tinker toy structures and when I got older and had more money, I'd buy Spacewarp kits and all kinds of odds and ends, like plastic funnels, plastic marble chutes and employ these pieces in more elaborate contraptions. I guess this is a peculiar form of insanity that possesses some of us...lol. This is the most ingenious rolling ball sculpture I've ever seen! I am just in awe! Thanks for sharing.

This is flat out, the best knex ball machine I have ever seen, very creative ideas and engineering man