Helix Lifts

These lifts use what resembles an Archimedes screw that rotates in the center of a tower structure, or the screw is placed on the tower itself. The helix can be built in different ways, either with tubing or with flexi-rods. They can have trouble if made too tall, since the helix can’t be made very strong.

Standard Helix Lift


First used in a Knex set, the helix lift is one of the most popular lifts aside from the chain lift. The original used a helix made of orange flexi-rods (a video can be seen here). It was later improved with the version in Wipe Out, which is also known as a double helix lift. It uses tubing placed in dark grey connectors and runs smoother, and lifts twice the balls due to the double helix. The helix structure was later improved with Tornado96’s machine, Uprising.

WARNING

Even with the improved helix, this lift can’t be made very tall since the helix can only be held in at the top and bottom of the tower.

Tower Helix Lift


It’s similar to a regular helix lift but the tower around the helix spins, and the helix is stationary. This requires a smaller helix which isn’t as strong or smooth as the original.

Inverted Helix Lift


Instead of the helix spinning in the center, the tower spins in the center, with the helix outside. This lift is much more efficient than the traditional single/double helix lift, because it can be made taller, since the tower in the middle is stronger than a helix (I wouldn’t go more than 4-6 feet tall). An improved version of this lift was made for Citadel V2, known as the Industrial Helix Lift since it was designed for reliability.

TIP

If made slow enough, you can use only one strand of tubing instead of two. More info can be found in the instructions.

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