Monday, October 25, 2010
BOARDMAN
Not many middle-schoolers have a 7-foot tall Ferris wheel in their living room, and probably even fewer could say that they built it.
“It took me three months and 4,000 K’NEX pieces to make,” said Quinton Currier, 13.
K’NEX, a brand of construction toy, sponsors an annual Club K’NEX K’NEXpert contest.
Quinton is a finalist for his Ferris wheel, which he’s dubbed the “Wheel of Thunder.” Online voting in the contest ended Oct. 18, and the winners will be announced Nov. 12. The grand prize package includes a $10,000 scholarship.
“When my friends come over, they say, ‘How did you do that?’ And sometimes it’s really funny watching their expressions when they notice it,” he said.
Originally, he planned to add a motor to make the wheel spin, but the structure was too heavy to turn.
Quinton’s mom, Cara, said her son always has liked building, from Legos to K’NEX, which resemble Tinker Toys.
“This one surprised me,” she said. “It is a ‘wow’ factor having it in the living room. It was just too big to finish in his bedroom.”
Quinton began building with K’NEX about seven years ago when his father, Zach, brought home a container-full before Christmas. This is the first year that he’s entered the contest, and the process has inspired his younger sister, Caitlin, to build with K’NEX.
Although Quinton plays soccer and participates in Boy Scouts, he still finds time to experiment with K’NEX. His next project likely will be a long suspension bridge. He might even need to take apart the Wheel of Thunder for pieces but said right now, “It’s hard to think about it disassembled.”
As for the scale of the bridge, Cara said she thinks Quinton will go big.
“He likes to supersize,” she said.