Knex Double Helix Lift

Since lots of people like this lift, I decided I would make an Instructable of it. This is the first Knex spiral lift that has two spirals instead of one. This allows twice as many balls to be lifted up into the tower than the original spiral lift. It's also the first to use tubing for the spiral, which makes it perfectly round.

This lift is a copy of the one I used in Wipe Out, except it's shorter, it uses a battery-powered motor instead of an electric one, and the tracks going in and out of the tower are different. It can be built with only one spiral, but the bottom where the balls come in might have to be changed. A cool thing about this lift is that the platform and shaft can be on any side of the tower because the double helix is in the center. It's also easy to modify.
This is my first Instructable, and it took me a long time to make because the pictures took a very long time to upload.

Here's all the pieces you'll need to build the double helix lift:

Rods:
Green-104
White-54
Blue-43
Yellow-39
Red-56
Tan (rigid)-1
Gray-10
Total rods:307

Connectors:
Dark Gray-54
Light Gray-0
Orange-18
Red-21
Green-8
Yellow-23
White-26
Blue 3D-41
Purple 3D-71
Total connectors:262

Other:
RC Tubing- 2 pieces, each 3 feet, 5 1/2 inches long
Battery-Powered Motor-1
Black Y Clip-17
Tan Clip-10
Blue Spacer-40
Silver Spacer-28
Small Tan (or Blue) Gear-4
Red Gear-1
Large Yellow Gear-1
RC Tubing Splicer-2
Total other:106

Grand Total: 675 pieces

If you have all these pieces, let's get building!
I hope you like it!

Here's a video of the lift in action:

Click here to view the original double helix lift, used in Wipe Out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4Y1k7d9vPk

Step 1: The Double Helix, Part 1

To start out, let's build the core of the double helix. The red rods that help make it sturdy are in a repeating pattern all the way up. The tubing will go on it in the next step.

Comments

[cooljupjup]

i`am going to build this soon :D

[cooljupjup]

works this lift with the newer balls?

[Shadowman39]

I think so.

[KGuy]

Can you use the other type of motor, not the pack?

[Shadowman39]

Yes, but the speed will be different.

[sandroknexmaster]

Cool, it works realy good!

[Shadowman39]

Thanks, glad it works well. :-)

[Gnmar2723]

Shadowman could you make this really tall like 8 red boxes or so? Also please check me out on youtube @ Youtube.com/user/Gnmar2723.

[Shadowman39]

It probably wouldn't work if you made it that tall, since the helix wouldn't be strong enough. And I've seen your Youtube channel before, you have some good ball machines. :-)

[Gnmar2723]

Ok i decided to build the inverted helix instead because its stronger. Thanks a lot i was totally inspired from cataclysm and wipe out! :D

[Shadowman39]

Cool! I'm glad you like them :-)

[Gnmar2723]

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[Gnmar2723]

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[Gnmar2723]

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[Gnmar2723]

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[Gnmar2723]

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[Gnmar2723]

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[Gnmar2723]

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[Gnmar2723]

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[Gnmar2723]

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[jameshond]

can i use big air ball tower balls

[Shadowman39]

I never tested those types of balls, but they will probably work.

[jameshond]

it works i test it and i build this lif it is an cool lift

[Shadowman39]

Cool, thanks!

[MegaMetal8]

Would build this if i had the Large Yellow Gear :-(

[Cristiano Ronaldo]

You don't have a large yellow gear. Ihave six of them.

[MegaMetal8]

Thankyou for that. (Sarcasm)

[Shadowman39]

You could try to hook up the motor to the axle of the double helix, without using any gears. But the helix will spin around much faster.

[MegaMetal8]

Ok

[Sorunome]

you can still gear it down with red gears..

[MegaMetal8]

Cool

[Sorunome]

just smalll gear leding to a red gear is enouth...

[MegaMetal8]

Ya might use it

[tytiger33]

Where can you get the big yellow gears these days?

[Cristiano Ronaldo]

Knex .com

[Shadowman39]

Try eBay.

[tytiger33]

Thanks knex dosnt sell them any more soo..... yaehhhhhh...........

[bartluke]

try knex user group ,they sell everything

[Cristiano Ronaldo]

REALLY KNEX SELLS ALL PARTS!!!!!

[tytiger33]

They don't sell them anymore.

[MegaMetal8]

If I made this single would I put tubing connectors (Dark grays ) only on the 2 opposite sides

[Shadowman39]

The dark gray connectors will spiral around on one side.

[MegaMetal8]

If this is the tube will it go

-I-
-I-
-I-

[knexpeople]

Balls constantly fall out,i think im am going to build te tower again.

[k-n-e-x(leaved ibls)]

maybe you used wrong balls,:-p

[Shadowman39]

Yeah, you must have done something wrong. It worked perfectly for me.

[Fr-Pa-Co]

could you make it any harder

[Shadowman39]

Yes, I could certainly do that.

[Fr-Pa-Co]

Nah im kidding by the way did you make the single helix lift cos i asked 'could you make it a single helix lift'

[Shadowman39]

Making a single helix lift is simple, just take out one of the strands of tubing. So yes, you can make a single helix lift with these instructions.

[Fr-Pa-Co]

ok

[Fr-Pa-Co]

is it possible to make a single helix lift and join the tubing to make it higher ????????????????????????????? and also ive seen like every video of your ball machines and ive seen cataclysm about 10 times

[Shadowman39]

Yeah, you could make a single helix lift by doing that. Just be sure not to make the lift too high.

[elite lukeyboy]

can i use a differnet moter as i don't have that one that u are using?

[Shadowman39]

Yeah, you'll just have to make some changes.

[fuzi]

can i use loopin lizard tubing

[Shadowman39]

Yes, it just has to be the same length.

[fuzi]

the tubing is 1 meter is that alright

[Shadowman39]

You need 2 pieces, each 3 feet, 5 1/2 inches long.

[looney1023]

The balls reach a certain level and then all of a sudden they fall down to the next "rung" of tubing, then it works, then they fall one rung down again over and over and over again. I've re-tubed the whole thing twice and I get the same thing! Do you have an idea what could possibly be wrong?

[Shadowman39]

Did you make it taller? Try strengthening the double helix.

[looney1023]

I figured it out. I made it too tall. Thanks. I'm gonna go back and do it EXACTLY how youy say to do it eliminating any chance of error (hopefully).

[Shadowman39]

It should work if you make it the same height as mine. Good luck!

[Orangeprofessor]

what the hell it dosen't work

[Shadowman39]

What part doesn't work?

[Orangeprofessor]

the shaft

[DELETED_storm391]

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[DELETED_storm391]

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[Shadowman39]

If the big yellow gear doesn't touch the smaller gears, lower it a bit.

[Orangeprofessor]

when i made your knex thingy the balls always fall off the side

[Shadowman39]

You must have done something wrong then.

[DELETED_storm391]

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[Orangeprofessor]

how the heck did you get it to work

[Luke4ever]

waaaaaaaahhhhh hard!

[Randomguy65]

I'm making this right now! Then I will make a ball machine with a Yin Yang element! :D

[Shadowman39]

Cool, thanks!

[Randomguy65]

Ugh! I made it hoping It will work with bendy rods but it does not! :( :(

[Shadowman39]

So I'm assuming you don't have any tubing. :-P

[Randomguy65]

No I dont. :(

[stickguy7]

 Works great. You should try to revise step 10 into 2 steps because it was very hard.

[Shadowman39]

Thanks, sorry if that part was hard. This was my first Instructable.

[knexpeople]

Maybe it has something to with the fact i extended it

[knexpeople]

But making step-to step of this

[knexpeople]

Dude why don,t you make step-to-step?

[Shadowman39]

I did. This is step 10.

[knexpeople]

waaaaaaaahhhhh hard!

[knexpeople]

I used bendies with orange connectors!
 

[Tornado96]

You can also use a micro knex rod instead of a splicer.

[Shadowman39]

This also helps because I'm running out of splicers (I have about 12 of them).

[Shadowman39]

Cool, I never thought of that.

[Orangeprofessor]

thought of what

[Shadowman39]

Using a micro Knex rod in place of tubing splicers.

[Orangeprofessor]

oh

[Tornado96]

Can I use this on scorpion's rock if I don't design another new lift. By the way I've got two new lifts working. One's the modification of your ball launcher and the other is a surprise. :-)

[Shadowman39]

Yeah, you can use it. Hopefully your surprise won't be one of my ideas, lol.

[Tornado96]

Hopefully not. I will be making a preview on it sometime this week.
Your my 96th comment. I'm almost on 100!!!

[Shadowman39]

I'm your 100^th commenter!

[Shadowman39]

Almost there...

[Shadowman39]

Cool!

[Shadowman39]

Really?

[Tornado96]

Thanks!!!!!!!!
You should check out my new roller coaster full throttle.

[Shadowman39]

I did, looks great. :-)

[Tornado96]

thanks (go me!! I'm getting more known) :-) 

[Shadowman39]

Yep. :-) I got known from joining lots of websites, lol.

[Tornado96]

I just got another lift idea!!!!!!!

[Shadowman39]

Lol, I have lots of lift ideas. :-)

[Tornado96]

By the way have you seen the trailer for THE LAST AIRBENDER?

[Shadowman39]

Nope.

[Tornado96]

Do you know about the nickelodeon show AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER?

[Shadowman39]

Yeah, I remember that. I don't have that TV channel anymore.

[Tornado96]

Their making a real life movie of it. It looks really cool. Check it out on youtube. Also Spiderman 4!!! WOOOOHOOOOO!!! 

[Shadowman39]

And Iron man 2. :-)

[Tornado96]

I havent even seen Iron man 1 yet. Is it good?

[Shadowman39]

Yeah, it's a great movie. You should watch it.

[Tornado96]

Ok I'll try and see it

[Tornado96]

lucky!!!

[Shadowman39]

People will probably come up with the ideas before I even get to post them. :-P

[Tornado96]

I hope my idea isn't one of yours.

[Shadowman39]

The lift I'm working on is in this album. I decided I would take some pictures of it. :-)

[Tornado96]

nice house :-)

[Shadowman39]

Thanks. It's not very big, but at least it's bigger than my old house. :-P

[RNB]

VERY nice idea! Is it possible to make this on a yellow tower? plz help...

[Shadowman39]

Maybe, but you would have to modify this design to do that.

[escalayer35]

Thank you very much!!!!

[Shadowman39]

You're welcome!

[KnexFreek]

 AWESOME 5 STARS!!!

[Shadowman39]

Thanks!

[Jesus.]

Do You Need A Big Yellow Gear?

[Shadowman39]

For this design, yes. But you could probably modify it to fit other gears.

[Jesus.]

Cool, tanks!

[Senior Waffleman]

awesomeness

[shadowninja31]

your cat looks like one of mine. maybe mine went to your house for a while

[Shadowman39]

There is a another cat that isn't mine that hangs around my yard that looks like my cat. All three of my cats are kept indoors.

[shadowninja31]

Okay. Mine go outside. I probably live nowhere near you though. We have 2 cats Merry and Pippin. Gosh I wonder where we got those names... jk

[Shadowman39]

Mine are named Toby, Misty, and Shadow. :-)

[shadowninja31]

nice

[the_me_man]

terrific! great! cool! 5* me like you! me build it!

[Shadowman39]

Thanks!

[the_me_man]

me have question, shadowman39.does the lift work with the motor from the sawblade thrill ride?thats the only motor me own with a cord.but anyway, if it was possable, 10*.

[Shadowman39]

Yeah, it'll work with any motor, but you may have to change the motor holder section.

[ravilis]

Here is my path for this thing! I love the lift! 5*!!!!!!!!

[Shadowman39]

Looks good. :-)

[tjdtjd1]

This is awesome! I didnt know you could do this!

[mettaurlover]

in theory you could have eight balls on it at the same time-two per side!

[fishhsifboy]

doesnt work

[Shadowman39]

What doesn't work?

[fishhsifboy]

dont mata now sorted it out

[The_Lost_Carrot]

thanks so much for posting instructions for this

[wanny]

Damn, you've made this Instructable too late. :(.

I have worked on it for 2 days and then I made 1. I've watched your vid 10 times I think and I was so proud that it worked and now you just post an instructable of it lol =P.

BTW very nice instructable!

[Shadowman39]

I actually took the pictures for this instructable before I made the video. But uploading all the pictures took a very long time (each one is 8 MB).

[Killer~SafeCracker]

Why don't you use the low setting on your camera??

[Shadowman39]

The only other setting on my camera is to take a tiny avatar-sized picture. There might be more, but I haven't had time to read through the huge owner's manual.

[Killer~SafeCracker]

Oh ok.

[I_am_Canadian]

Why this doesn't have many more comments and ratings is beyond me.

[Killer~SafeCracker]

I know, this is one of the best. Not that yours isn't good or anything.

[knexpert#10829476]

Ill take that at my own risk. Where did you come up with this idea?

[Shadowman39]

I wanted to find a way to make a spiral lift perfectly round, and this was the best idea I could come up with.

[knexpert#10829476]

Is it possible to use flexi rods? I dont have rc tubing.(SOB)

[Shadowman39]

Yes, but it may not run as smooth as RC tubing.

[Tom Buckey]

i love this lift its so innovative and im gonna use it in my next ball machine!! its fantastics 5* and subscribed

[Oblivitus]

Good job, it must have taken some work to keep a ball from getting stopped by uneven edges.

[pimmy65]

cool !!!
nice!!!
awesome!!!
brilliant !!!

I like it,
its a very cool design !
5* and and faved.

[Killer~SafeCracker]

Wow, I might do the same as IaC. Anyway I'm so glad you posted

[DJ Radio]

wow, it boggles me.

[I_am_Canadian]

So...Awesome... This is really brilliant! I may use this lift in my next ball machine. Great work, and keep it up!

[Shadowman39]

Thanks, good luck building it!