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Les, I just constructed a helix. The above suggestions for grades and radii will support you in those areas. But for the actual physical constructruction, forget the notched wood and used continuously threaded rod instead. Here in the Canadian construction industry we call it ready-rod. It's like a ten foot 3/8" bolt that can be cut to length. I mounted the lenghts of ready-rod to support the inside and outside radii of the helix in four locations around its circumference. Then I set the plywood subroadbed (like a giant spring with roadbead and track already mounted) into the eight rods. I then cut several pieces of thin sheet metal into supports that would fit between the two rods in each support location. Using nuts threaded down the rods I was able to custom adjust the elevation of the sub-roadbed at each rod location. I hope this helps - a picture would be worth a thousand words - but alas I can only type. Later, Dwayne A.
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