The bigger building sets intrigue me and I was a little surprised at what I found to be the biggest K’Nex set available. I expected it to be a roller coaster or perhaps the mini golf set. Instead I found a set for a fully functioning grandfather clock!
This set is definitely going onto my wishlist for a future purchase. It is a HUGE set so I will wait for my children to be a little older otherwise I might have to build most of it myself. It will make a great family project that we can work on together.
Let’s take a closer look
The K’Nex Grandfather Clock
Number of pieces: more than 9000
Finished size: completed model stands over 6 feet tall
Features: stylish working clock, swinging pendulum and chimes
Recommended age: 16+ (younger children will need help)
List price: $999 (almost half that price on Amazon)
Average Customer Rating: 4.1 out of 5 (based on Amazon reviews)
The image above shows just how much goes into this awesome building project.
Click on one of the images to go to Amazon
Working grandfather clock
Is the K’Nex grandfather clock easy to build?
This is a huge project and you can expect that it will take at least a few weeks to build. A great idea for a holiday project! I would not class it as an easy build, it will take time and patience.
Most customers have been happy with the set and thoroughly enjoyed the build.
There were a few complaints, but they don’t seem to be serious.
One customer commented that the clock does not chime on time (haha, that rhymes), but another commented about inserting the clock mechanism the correct way for the clock to chime correctly. There seems to be a difference between the written instructions and the pictures. For the clock to chime correctly the mechanism needs to be inserted with the battery compartment at the bottom as per the written instructions and not the pictures.
The other complaint was about the pendulum being a bit noisy and a bit jerky. It is a plastic toy building set after all, I don’t think we can expect it to be perfect.
Who is it for?
This set is great for older teenagers and adults. It will take time and patience to build and will need a reasonable amount of space while the project in is progress. I have read about a 13-year old building the clock. You know your children best, so you can decide if they are ready for such a large project. The younger they are, the more likely it is that you will have to chip in and help them to build it. This will not be a problem if you intend buying it as a family project.
Overall this looks like a really good project for the family. Somehow I can’t image anyone breaking it apart to build again so it will most likely be a once-off build. At least it is functional and would be a great conversation piece in the home. I am already thinking about where it will stand when it has been built and I am not even planning on buying it in this year (but who knows, temptation might get the better of me).
As the biggest K’Nex set I think it is a worthwhile buy even though the price tag is a little hefty. Not only are you getting a working grandfather clock, but also many hours of entertainment.
Have you built this set or seen a completed build? Would you consider purchasing the set and who would build it?
Here is a short video showing the finished working model.
I would love to hear your thoughts about this model. Please share in the comments below.
I had K’Nex when I was a kid. When I was in 5th grade, I remember my dad and I spending a Saturday building a power plant out of K’Nex for a school project. The great thing about K’Nex is that when your done, you still have a TON of K’Nex pieces to build anything you want. There are lots of books out there to show you how to build a lot of cool stuff. When you look at the price, it’s really a pretty good deal consider the shear amount of pieces you get.
The price on Amazon is not as bad as the list price. If you take other sets and the number of pieces into considerations then this is not bad value. On top of that there are all the clock mechanisms. I don’t think these pieces will be used for other projects though. It will stay as a working clock once it is built.
Oh my… this is just incredible.
I was actually looking into lego – some of my friends (we are in our 30’s) have started buying lego sets and reliving the models we never actually built properly as kids!
Now that I’ve found this though… I think this is going to keep us all very busy 😛
Nerdy group project!
Thanks for this!
Thanks for stopping by.
If you do go ahead and get the set I would love to hear your experience with it. I honestly don’t know if I am going to be able to wait for my children to get older before I buy this set, it looks awesome. A great set for adults and older children.
Hey Lesley,
I love you post about the K’nex grandfather clock. When it comes to building blocks, I really didn’t know there were other options besides Legos.
My wife just bought a puzzle that we need to complete. Once that’s done, I think I have an idea as to what project we’ll be working on next.
Thanks for sharing
I am sure that you and your wife will enjoy building this model grandfather clock. It might take a while longer than a puzzle. Let me know how it went, your feedback would be great.
Wow this looks amazing! What age group can build this? It looks like a perfecct present for my nephews.
Although it quite costly, I think it looks great and can keep my nephews busy for their birthday. I think that this is a great alternative to lego which my family love to buy.
Thanks for stopping by. The recommended age for this set is 16 years or older, but younger children have built it. It really depends on the child and whether they will persevere and carry on building until it is done. If the parents and other family members are willing to help then the age will not be too much of an issue.it makes a great family project.
Yes, it is pricey. Check the Amazon price – it is a lot less than the manufacturer’s list price.
I have built the grandfather clock and it gets a “ oh wow” when anybody comes to my home. I have all the parts for the six foot tall ferriswheel. I counted them and I made the metal rod for the set. I have yet to build it.
My question is. Are there any other “ mega build sets” I call them? I have all the roller coasters, but I want more. Like design a working train set that really moves and freight cars.
Six foot tall Eiffel Tower. Just an idea.
Hello and thanks for stopping by.
I have not come across any other really big building sets other than those that you have already mentioned. If I do come across any I will make sure to write a post about it.
Thank you for your feedback on the grandfather clock. It is quite an impressive model.