Anybody Use ZNAP Pieces to Make Bridges Etc.?

[DLuders]

Has anybody used Lego ZNAP pieces in their MOCs? According to the Wikipedia article http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Znap ,

"Znap is a Lego theme that was produced from 1998-1999. It is similar to K'nex and can also be used to build objects in a frame-like way. The plastic it is made of is slightly flexible yet strong. The back page of the instructions featured a small boy sitting inside a large Formula One racing car made from Znap.

"Bridges and structures using Znap are often integrated into train layouts at shows. One challenge of doing so is that different parts came in different colors, and certain key connector parts were available only in strange colors, like purple, making uniform color bridges difficult to construct."

Bricklink's catalog has all of the Znap parts on a single webpage: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?q=znap . The frames are interesting to build bridges with, and (according to http://news.lugnet.com/znap/?n=277 ), there's even a way of MIXING regular Lego System bricks with Znap pieces:

"Znap was designed by Lego to be fully integrateable with system elements. The znap stud circumference is tangent to a brick stud circumference at the 4 cardinal points, meaning you can mount a system brick on a znap connector stud. The height of a purple 4 ay connector is one plate above znap beam height, so you can build bricks over a znap girder by mounting a brick along the znap studs and clicking a plate beneath the brick between the studs. Results in a nearly seamless flow from znap elements to brick elements. The socket at the end of a znap brick will take a system stud side on, meaning you can mount say a double arch to a vertical lego wall by incorporating two headlight bricks into the wall. These are all mathematical characteristics Lego would have exploited in 3rd and 4th year sets, if the Znap line had been continued."

Have YOU ever used Znap, or have seen a Znap MOC "in the flesh"? Why do you think that it never caught on with the buying public, like K'NEX has?

[prateek]

I have some Znap, but not so much to build a bridge. It is a good bridge building system IMO, because the pieces are very strong. I think Znap only lasted one year because Lego was known for bricks, not K'nex type pieces.

Here's a folder of Znap bridges

Edited March 18, 2010 by prateek

[cbt]

Has anybody used Lego ZNAP pieces in their MOCs?

Sure!

I found the Znap Grids quite useful as booms on my liqiud manure spreader:

(More pics on Brickshelf )

And I used the Znap Triangular Beams for a ripper:

(More pics on Brickshelf )

Edited March 19, 2010 by cbt

[DLuders]

There are some online instructions on how to make various Znap creations: http://www.worldbricks.com/znap . Some of them are Technic-like.

Edited March 19, 2010 by dluders

[Jameson42]

I made this last Novvember:

[Davey]

There are a lot of LEGO Train Clubs who incorporate ZNAP elements into their bridges for structural support and them shroud them with other SYSTEM or TECHNIC elements. Some examples can be seen here:

Znap Bridge #1

Znap Bridge #2

Znap Bridge #3

Znap Bridge #4

I could go on and on, but as you see there are a number of them out there. If you do a search on Google, Lugnet, or Brickshelf for the terms "Znap Bridge" you will get a whole host of examples. I personally have never built a bridge using Znap just because I don't have more than maybe 10-20 Znap pieces. It is a great (and relatively inexpensive) way to build large bridges.

Hope this helps!

-Davey

[DLuders]

Here are some really cool Znap models: http://build4fun.com/ . There are 2 carousels, a construction crane, 2 suspension bridges, 2 Ferris wheels, 2 elevators, & an 8 foot (2.5 meter) tower.