My Finished Fully Modular Track!!
 

Well, after 1 week of hard work, I finally finished my fully modular vinyl tile track.

I was inspired by everyone many people who made tracks. I appreciate everybody for answering my question(despite have ing alot). I really liked the tracks that people made, but I really liked modular tracks because you can make many different track combinations. So about 2 weeks ago, I started the planning process.

My Materials were as follows:

45 Armstong Commercial Viny Tiles ($.82each) $36.80
2 2*8 polystyrene blue "foam boards" $16.90
1 Lepage 1L contact cement $16.57
Total $72 with tax Canadian ($45 US)

I started by penciling the different pieces onto the polystyrene. Then I would cut it with an exacto knife, using a laminate board(left over from my kitchen counter) to guide the cuts. Unfortunately, the polystyrene has to be cut with the exacto knife fully through it. Meaning, you can’t cut it on a board, you have to cut it leaning over an edge. This was note much a problem though.

After I had cut all of my pieces, I laid out all of the tiles and the corresponding piece that would be placed on.

I used LePage Contact cement and was EXTREMELY pleased with it. What I did was paint a certain piece with the adhesive. Then I would imprint the tile by placing the “painted” piece on it and then removing it. I would paint the tile fully, with a thin coat of the adhesive, and repaint the piece, since some of the cement was lost due to the imprint.

You have to wait an hour for the adhesive to air dry. Then I had to carefully place the piece onto the tile. Instantly, they bond. It is VERY strong, and I highly doubt it will come off without some effort. So you have to be very careful when this happens. It allows for a very tight fit though.

Can't wait to see pix, your a good track maker...

-Bob

Next, all I had to do, was trim the extra foam and the side. And I was finished with a fully modular track.

If anybody is wondering, this is the amount of tiles I made:

16 cures
16 straight
6 three ways
1 diagonal
2 narrow
2 blank
2 blank, with islands
45 total tiles

Also my track is 10.5 inches wide.

Finally, I get to have some fun.

Actually, I have the blue polystyrene. The cars seems to get stuck on it.

I was getting really frustrated with spending all of this time on a track. However, I have finally solved my dillema!!!

My cars would always get stuck on the barriers. This is because the cars have corners, which ever so slightly, "dig" into the polystyrene, despite the polystyrene being so hard. I was so mad at spending all of this time and effort. However, I am now rejoicing!

I decided that I needed to make the front of the car "smoother" I didn't want to file it down, since that would be such a waste to beautiful cars. So I took a little bit of polystrene and cut it into a semi round shape. I then took this smooth tape stuff, and attached it to the front of the car. Now the front of the car, is smooth.

More problems occered with the barriers, since the car would get stuck, since the barriers are rough. I found some electrical tape and put some on. VIOLA!!! Problem solved. Now, the car may hit the barrier at 0 - 40 degree agles, and just slide and keep on going! My car only stops about once or twice when I run into a wall dead on.(I love harpins)

Here is a pic of my CONCEPT car. I will make the design more sleek, and add some logos.

I did this in about 1 minutes, so it looks bad, but it is pretty sweet. There is about 1mm of clearance and it works perfectly! I can't wait to mod it.( I'm thinking of having some kind of clamp, or clip I could put on the car, maybe underneath it.

Another pic.

I really think this idea could help people with their tracks, where they stop dead in their tracks.

THAT IS THE BEST IDEA I HAVE EVER SEEN, OMFG, WHERE DID YOU GET ALL OF IT, PLEASE TELL!!!

Oh, and hey, do you have any problems with the track moving when you crash into a wall, as in the tiles becoming off-set?

-Bob

Here is a pic of my latest track. It is so fun. There is a big hairpin, to several little harpins, and then 2 straight aways, and a small, s type corner.

Come on, Give me the Details, I'm so eager, I wanna start makin' a track just like that one, TODAY!

-Bob

actually, there is no problem with the tiles becomming offset. Sometimes if you hit the same wall dead-on, full speed with a 2.6, yes, it will move about .01mm. However, the track pic above, I have played an hour on, with no adjustment. There is a little bit of a crack, since I hit a wall every time, but the cars, don't seem to mind at all.

As for the materials, you can get the vinyl tiles at HomeDepot(or Revy in Canada). The tiles do not have the sticky back. They are hard.

I also got the blue polystyrene at Revy as well as the Lepage contact cement. I'm sure you can find them at hope depot. Also for the contact cement, I had about 45 tiles that needed it, but I used maybe, 200mL, so it is possible to get the small size.(unless your crazy and put a super coat on. but it is not thick).

Also, I shoud add electrical tape to the list, since if you have that and my car "front bumper", the cars won't get stuck on the rails, since the polystyrene is a little bit soft.

That is friggin' AWESOME!!! I'm Just so AMAZED at it, I can't get over it... Can you store it easily? I'm guessing yes, because they are all single tiles that you can move around. Jeez, I am soooo jealous, What did you use to cut out the barriers? And did you use a template or anything? Or was it just you and your pure genius...

-Bob

... Have you read my post? I didn;t really use a template though. I just drew about 10 3/4 inch barriers and started cutting, and took it from there. I used a T-square, and then I would cut.

However, with my turns, I made them have a 10.5inch radius, and I did use my first one as a template.

Sadly, I can't take all the credit, I had some help from the people at *************.

Hah, silly me, I did read that, however I failed to remember what it had said when the question popped into my head, okie, I gotta find places to buy this stuff, and who are the ppl that helped you out?! I gotta get some of their expertise on this...

-Bob

Well, right now I have the most expertise on this track. I was just asking them about designs(1/2 or 3/4inch barrier)and(amount of different pieces, corners, etra) and if( the track should be permanent or modular).

I pretty much cam up with the desgin. Thanks for the comment sthough.

Pretty much they told me to do whatever, I wanted.

Oh, okie then, I thought that they were super-secret track making people, lol...

-Bob

that's a pretty slick idea for a modular track. that way you're never married to one design. i suspect you had to prep the tiles pretty well. i know, fresh out of the box, they're pretty dusty. probably really good for drifting, but i bet if they were waxed like on an installed floor and clean, you could get some real tight turns. do you find the tiles brittle? anyways, nice work.

It truly is a great idea, I am either gonna do that or a fatty rally track with a train that goes around it...

-Bob

actually, the tiles were not really dusty out of the box. They only had a little dust sinc ehte backside of each is a tad bit dusty, brand new. So all I did was vacumn the tiles, and now they are prefect. I wouldn't wax them since you might loose the grip.

The tiles are not brittle, they are industrial type quality. However, I kinda cracked one about an inch, since they do tend to bend over time if you leave them not level. So I tried to staighten it by forcefully bending it. I bent it way too much, and it got a very small crack.

However, they are very good quality, and will only break if you REALLY bend them.

Also the grip is amazing.

Geez, I wanna make this sooo bad... But I'm broke :mad: ...

Oh well, maybe when I get some cash...

-Bob

That is ONE AMAZING track i MUST say!!!!
I need to save up some $$ then go buy tiles!!!
omg....i need to make something like that....
*drools* SUPER accomplishment dude!!!

It is VERY GOOD, and in America, costs a total of $40, everything coming from Home Depot, of course, except the glue, don't know where to get that...

-Bob

the last pic looks lyke u used photoshop

If you mean the one with the close-up of the two cars, then I agree...

-Bob

I used Corel PhotoPaint. It doesn't look very good though...

It looks reasonable, just a little choppy with the smudging...

-Bob

Here is my latest track me and my friend made, with multi levels:

Here is an example of a lap, that I race with.

differenet shortcuts:

On the right of the screen, there is a downward harpin, which is tricky and fun. If you going down toward it, you can hear your car speed up, the car partially fishtails too.

OMG THAT IS THE BEST THING EVER!!!!!.....
VERY VERY nice work
hopefully i can do that when i get money

How did u make the "upper levels" ? what supports it?

It is truly a masterpiece, all of it...

-Bob

I just used some extra foam pieces I had. This was truly an awesome GT track.

I just think that the whole thing is Crazily awesome!

-Bob

nice job

PWalk, how's that rally track comin' along?

-Bob

I don't even want to say how awesome that track is, Ill just get more jealous , and rememeber that I don't have a track, and need a new body preferably VW.