Better known as TheKnexMaker on YouTube, Ryan has turned his passion for K'Nex rollercoasters into a huge online following. From recreating famous rides to building towering outdoor structures, his creations have captured the attention of coaster fans around the world.
K'Nex is a construction toy made from plastic rods and connectors that slot together to create all kinds of structures. Its dedicated rollercoaster components allow builders to create miniature coasters complete with track for trains to run on.
But how do you go from building with plastic pieces as a kid to recreating some of the world's most iconic rollercoasters? And what does it take to build a model that stands 27 feet tall?
We caught up with Ryan to talk about his journey, his favourite creations and what it's like having giant K'Nex rollercoasters in your garden.
The Theme Park Daily HQ has a small K'Nex rollercoaster, and it took us plenty of concentration and hours to build. How do you pull off such large, complex designs?
With a lot of practice over many years. This isn't something I started during lockdown; it's something I've done for almost my entire childhood. I started with Micro K'Nex and later took up regular K'Nex. I stopped at around 13 or 14, then restarted at 22 in 2020.
Over the years, you learn different building techniques for the various shapes of track you're trying to make, and you can implement those same techniques in future builds.These days, it's less about figuring out how to build something and more about working out which techniques will work best for a particular element.
You've recreated some seriously iconic coasters. Which real-world rides have you built, and which is your favourite?
I've built many over the years, including Stealth, Colossus, Kingda Ka, Top Thrill Dragster, Hyperia, Hyperion and Rattlesnake. My personal favourite was Hyperion because I built it only a few months after riding it in real life for the first time.
Do you design your own rollercoaster layouts, or do you prefer recreating existing rides?
I've built a few custom layouts before, but my favourite thing is recreations. They tend to perform much better as YouTube videos because lots of fans of those rides already know what the video is about.
What's the hardest coaster element you've ever built?
My 27-foot-tall Kingda Ka top hat took me three weeks just for that one part, and it used an estimated 60,000–80,000 pieces. I had to rent scaffolding to put it up.
That's some serious dedication! With builds this big, do you ever get neighbours coming over to see what's going on?
Yes, all the time! Every time it happens, it reminds me of how little we talk to our neighbours and friends nowadays.
What's the longest you've spent on a single coaster, and how long does a typical build take?
About three to four months for my Hyperia recreation, around 12–14 weeks or more. A normal build would take six to eight weeks.
What's next on your list? Is there a coaster you'd really love to build?
You'll just have to subscribe to find out!
Fair enough! Let's finish with some quick-fire questions.
What's your go-to post-theme-park-day snack?
Cinnamon churros.
Nice! If you had to wear merchandise for one coaster EVERY day for a year, what would you choose?
Hyperia.
Solid choice! Finally, where can people find you?
You can find me on YouTube as TheKnexMaker or join my Discord server. I no longer use short-form platforms.
Want to see these builds in action?
Search for TheKnexMaker on YouTube to check out his incredible rollercoaster recreations for yourself. Just be warned: your little K'Nex project might suddenly feel a bit underwhelming!
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