K'nex Bottle Yard

This build comes to you on the heels of feeding an infant and going through bottle after bottle, whether because of formula feeding or just supplementing with already pumped breast milk. I know most of you probably have no interest in a build of this sort, but I have found it to be a lifesaver during the first ten weeks of my little guy's life! I did boil the knex rods to make sure they were sanitized before using my bottle yard, and that is why you may notice some discoloration, particularly on the red rods. Turns out, k'nex rods do sometimes lose color! I was not aware of this because my k'nex have done really well around most elements (rain, sun, heat, cold, etc). I didn't build it around the bottles that I chose, but the Playtex Ventaire is the only bottle my little guy really likes. It just so happens that my bottle yard is perfect for all the little parts that come with that particular bottle! Without further ado, here is my bottle yard (which you may notice sits on top of a drying mat).

As you can see, it has become a permanent fixture on my counter as I do tend to go through a lot of bottles. I don't know how else I would've gotten my bottles to dry out aside from buying a bottle yard. But you know my motto! Why buy something when you can make it out of K'nex?! Thanks for reading my blog! If you have any suggestions for future builds (whether you think them mundane or not), please let me know! I am always looking for more ideas.

Storage Cubbies II

I realize it's been quite some time since I updated my blog. My husband and I welcomed a baby boy in March, and most of this year has been spent in preparation for our little one. I am hoping that I can update much more often in the next few months.

However, today I bring you another storage creation! For those of you who are familiar with all of the builds I have done, you may remember that I made a storage cubular a while back. Well, this one is much improved from the last one. It is structurally sound enough to be able to hold much more weight, and it shouldn't bend under pressure. I will warn you that it takes a massive amount of k'nex pieces as well as a good chunk of time to make. Without further ado, here are the pictures!

I got the plastic storage bins at the Dollar Store, and the smaller ones fit quite easily into the cubes. 

As always, if you have any suggestions for builds, let me know! I would love to be challenged by different types of builds. Also, I am willing to try and answer any knex or building-related questions you may have. I have been building with k'nex for many years now, and I would love to share my knowledge with others. Happy building!

Knex Fixes: Kitty-Proofing a Feeder

Today, I bring you a fix that I made for our cat feeder. We've got a feeder that dispenses food 3 times a day, every day. It's quite handy for portion control and whatnot. However, our gluttonous cats have figured out how to tamper with it. While we were gone on vacation (and a friend was watching them), they were able to knock over the feeder and pry the lid off. So, this build was meant to 1) keep the feeder standing, 2) keep the lid on, and 3) prevent them from sticking their grubby little paws up behind the food dish to get more food to fall out (they figured out how to remove the dish in front).

Here's what I got:

By adding the water bowl holder onto the side, I believe I made a more stable base that will prevent them from knocking it over.

They can't get the lid off without unhinging the 4 navy rods. Win!

As you can see, the food dish is now firmly in place, and now the cats can't get at the mechanism that drops food. 

Have anything around the house that you could use a fix for? Comment and let me know!

Turkey Napkin Holder

I have been feeling quite festive lately, and so I made a napkin holder that looks like a turkey. =P I know the head/face is lacking a bit, but I couldn't figure out how to make it look quite right! This is one of my first builds to feature micro k'nex, actually, because I couldn't find any regular pieces to accent the face. 

Hobo Cat House II

So, for those of you who have been following my blog since it's iteration, you may remember that I made a little hobo house for the stray cat, Gus, in our neighborhood last year. Well, it served its purpose, but I didn't think it was my best invention ever. Since colder weather is coming, though, I decided I would try and make Gus an even better shelter this year. We've tried to get him adopted by other people (because he really is a sweet guy) but to no avail. I found an Amazon box sitting in our garage that I thought would be just the right size for the hobo house this year. So the K'nex infrastructure will actually fit *inside* the box this year (instead of the box going inside the knex, like last year). I plan on trying to get some materials put in the house that will help to keep Gus warm during the winter months.

The knex house measures 5 red rods by 2 red, 1 grey rod.

It did end up being lengthier this year, but Gus will enjoy the extra room as he's a big cat.

I left a door in the front and cut a hole in the cardboard box so that he can get in, but the wind can't.

It's fairly sturdy.

I left the floor clear of knex parts because I plan on putting in bedding/insulation for him, and this way, I don't have to fight to fit things through tight spaces. I will simply put in the bedding, and then I can place the infrastructure right down in the box.

I plan on decorating the cardboard exterior so that it's not an eye-sore or anything on our front porch. I will try to post a picture of the finished product!

If you know of anyone that wants a sweet cat (I believe he is neutered and front de-clawed), let me know!

Knex Knitting Loom

This is for all you crafty people out there! I was inspired to make a knitting loom when I saw a knex rainbow loom. Well, since I am not interested much in making bracelets, I decided it'd be fun to make a loom for scarves and such! It took me a few tries to create one that wouldn't buckle under pressure, but I think this one should work quite splendidly! As you can see, I've already started knitting a scarf on it using two different colors of yarn. The grey connector there is handy in keeping the yarn taut if I leave my work for a little while. Now, this one is only 18 pegs (9 on each side), but it could be made longer or shorter. I got a set of loom knitting tools, a needle and a hook, that are perfect for this loom. The hook works well because the k'nex already has built in grooves to help get up under the yarn. I may have to try and make a round loom at some point. ^_^

I will try to post the finished product once it's complete! =)

Knex Silverware or Junk Drawer Organizer

Finally I have a new build! YAY!!! Not that this build is super extravagant, but it is helpful and handy! The following build is a tray organizer, similar in form to a silverware holder. However, I think it would also be quite helpful to organize a "junk drawer." It has compartments you could put highlighters, permanent markers, rubber bands, twist ties, pens, pencils, etc. Also, it's super easy to make!

Here it is with silverware!

I'm still alive! Just busy...

Hello, my faithful (or not so faithful) blog readers!

I am still here, yes, but I have not gotten the time to create a new build for you. I do have a couple builds in the works, but I keep getting distracted from one build to do another build and so on. I just need to stick with a build to completion, I know. :P I've also been getting a horrible case of "builder's block" lately, where I don't exactly know what to build. It's rather annoying. However, don't take my blog silence as a bad sign! I've got a roller coaster in the works (in fact, it's my first one that I've tried custom-building!), and I hope to have a lot more time to work on it this weekend. In the meantime, I'd love to see your k'nex builds or even some knex memes (because we all know that memes are hilarious xD). Just post it in the comments! I will try and check back in with a roller caoster update soon!

-Knextravagant (Follow me on Twitter! @knextravagant )

Card Game & Deck Building Game Organizers

I realize it's been quite some time since the last build, but as you all know, life can get hectic sometimes! I built the start of what I hope to make into a K'nex ball factory, but got builder's block (kinda like writer's block). :P So instead, I made these card holders, specifically for when my Hubby and I play Dominion (which is a deck-building game). In Dominion, you have 10 stacks of action cards, 3 stacks of coin cards, and 3 or 4 stacks of victory point cards. Also, another deck may be added if you are using curse cards. As you can imagine, trying to keep 18 stacks of cards neat and organized can be a real chore. I created two card organizers for the game. Each one holds 9 decks: 3 on bottom, 6 up top. I could see one of these also being useful for Settlers of Catan, LIFE, and other games where you have to use upwards of 5 stacks of cards.

I hope you enjoyed today's Knex Kreation! Let me know if you've got any ideas for items that you would like to see made solely out of knex!