Repugol Tracks
 

we had begun a good discussion on Repugol tracks which i would like to see continued here.

repost of reply from Mugler
 

what about using this surface from the post below. Interesting rubber material with what seems mad grip from the racing videos.

repost of reply from -J-
 

Repugol rubber is an interesting surface. I've seen tracks made from it, but never personally run on it. The couple tracks I've seen made from this have been permanent, and I think it would get old running the same layout quick. I also think it would be hard to incorporate this into RCP's existing design. Lastly, I think it would be difficult to use one company's product when making another company's product. I'm not sure, but I'd think it'd be complicated.

This surface always comes up when a discussion is started about which track surface to run. I'm interested to see what RCP has to say about it.

repost of reply from Mugler
 

Me too.

The simple way of thinking about it would be to have some sort of a modular rail system designed for this surface, I mean just like the carpet surface . I'm thinking some RCP foam rails with some used D sized batteries in the pin holes to weight the tracks down in and keep in place would be the fast solution but a super narrow and slick material like the worm rail system would be ideal if possible to pull off. On carpet there's the velcro securing system, not sure if that would work for this surface too, until RCP chimes in. Interesting that Kyosho didn't go with this surface.

repost of reply from myself
 

i don't see why kyosho would even consider a general building construction product mostly used (and only in a few places) for rc in the EU? are there tracks in asian using this?
i doubt they even considered it.
i imagine you could use some tiny rail pins like finish nails, if the rubber is self healing. then it's just like landscaping trim with pegs.

repost of reply from Mugler
 

Peg's are a possibility. Another would be tracks like the Kyosho barriers with rubberized bottoms so rubber on rubber would keep the barrier from moving. Yet another system would be a micro version of the CRC's click track and that would work on all surfaces like painted garage floors, super smooth asphalt etc.

With Kyosho I meant I thought they would have scoped for surfaces all over the world & maybe they did and still settled on the carpet. But in the videos the quality of the drive on this surface looks dead on. Closest to the level of 24th scale slot car action I've ever seen the MZs at.

Just to add to this thread ... I will be extensively testing about 5-10 different surfaces (especially grades of Ozite and smooth racing carpets) in order to find what works best, and with what tire combinations.

With the dNano, we have a very promising car that is way over its scale MPH in relationship of its scale size; thus special attention needs to be given to the running surface, CG/weight distribution and tires.

As I have some money tied up in this project, you can be assured that I want to get it right; my main goal is to find a roll-up surface that works well for our in-school racing leagues, for which the dNano is perfectly sized.

15-20 minute setup/tear-down (max) is the main design goal, with a forgiving surface that grips well. I expect this project to take the better part of June.

I'm also going to do some work with foam tires on less grippy surfaces to see how the dNaNo performs; I think foam is overlooked and will solve many of the grip problems cited in earlier threads. Banked corners will also help on less grippy surfaces and adds an additional speed/skill/realism element to a small track. And if I have time, drifting, although my driving skills may not be up to that, and I would need someone to retro-fit a small heli gyro between the receiver and steering servo.

Mugler, I do have a question about the Repugol ...can it roll up and then lie perfectly flat? (the website seemed to indicate that it did come in rolls, but that may mean that it wont lie flat unless glued or nailed. If not, it's not really worth testing, as the main drawing point of a well-designed dNaNo track is convenience. If so, then I'll test some of that too: in theory (which rarely leads to what works) it seems like a smooth, grippy and thin surface, with one small advantage over foam in that it (may) have flatter seams.

Stay tuned for more of my findings as I progress in the testing. - Lorne

there are some very good threads on this material on mini-zracer

HERE

HERE

a brief snipit...
lorne,
be mild with the banking. my dnano didn't respond well to compound curved surfaces. i believe it's caused by the limited suspension travel due to scale size. it did well on a flat banked turn but anything that had rise and fall around a turn caused it to behave unpredictably. it's much better in training mode but even full speed with the stock motor is actually VERY fast for a car this small. i really don't see the need for faster motors unless your racing on a full size mini-z track with ample space.

the american website has completely changed since i last looked. years ago it was building supplies, now it's activity flooring. to my knowledge, the eu guys were using the roofing material which is sold in rolls.

from a supplier website...

http://www.stylepark.com/db-images/c..._336_336-1.jpg

01 Material Profile

material description
The most versatile product to protect membranes and insulation. Made of PUR-bonded rubber granules and fibres. Meets the requirements of DIN 18195, part 10. In comparison with protective screed, concrete, brickwork etc. Regupol 6510 has clear technical, physical and financial advantages. It is easy to install and can be optimally bonded to any kind of subbase by means of hot bitumen, special adhesives and plastic adhesives.

Elasticity
The material adapts to any uneven subbase, eliminating the need for any complicated cutting.

Corrosion resistance
Regupol® causes no build up of static electricity, chemical reactions between metals are prevented.

Resistance to corrosive agents
Regupol® is almost completely resistant to contaminated water or other agents in soil and air.

Resistance to chemicals
Regupol® is highly resistant to acidic and alkaline solutions.

Resistance to micro-organisms
Regupol® is fully resistant to termites, insects, microbes and fungus.

Taint free
Regupol® can safely be used for drinking water containers,
refrigeration chambers, food storage rooms etc. as it is physiologically harmless, odourless and contains no health-damaging substances.

Anti-ageing
Regupol®’s resistance to decay is extraordinary. It maintains its elasticity and all other properties for an almost unlimited period.

02 Technical Data

technical description
Dimension:
Sheets: 2300 x 1150 mm
Rolls: width 1250 mm
Thicknesses 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20 mm,
other thicknesses upon request

03 Material Properties


form
form
foil
optics/haptics
appearance
high gloss, opaque
colour
black
haptics
rough, soft
light transmission
no transmission
properties
classification by standart: DIN
DIN 14501, DIN 18195, DIN 4102 B2, DIN 52123, DIN 53571, DIN 53577, DIN 9000
classification by standart: EN
EN 14001, EN 9000
classification by standart: ISO
ISO 14001, ISO 9000
material type
plastic
PUR polyurtheane
04 Dimensions (available Sizes)


Dimensions (available Sizes)
Width
1150 - 1250 mm
Height (thickness)
6 - 20 mm
Length
2300 mm
05 Weight


Weight
Weight per cm³
0,73 g/cm³
06 Tags

PUR-bonded rubber granules, membranes, PUR foam, production of floor coverings, Corrosion resistance, fibres, numerous colours, colour combinations, construction industry, BSW, recycable, Recoflex, impact loads, impact sound absorbing, packaging, anti-slip characteristics, Elasic floor covering, furniture production, comfortable cushioning effect, Everroll Endurance, substitute for cork, sports industry, Anti-ageing, particle boards, insulation, point loads, PUR bound rubber granules, brickwork, resistant to mechanical, non-light reflecting, concrete, anti fatigue, rounded surfaces, protective screed, Regupol Resist, Elastic Particle Board, shipping industry, wear resistant, selected raw materials, Elasticity

Not to digress but
 

Prior to the release of RCP I had good luck with PVC pond liner.

arch, yes banking is a gentle art. Too much bank wont work with rear-drive cars (AWD is a bit better). I had so-so success with EVA tiles because of their thickness and inability to get a true parabolic shape (without building a frame underneath). I kept it at only about 10 degrees max.

Carpet was a bit easier to work with, although not always wrinkle-free, no matter how tight I had the rails pull the sides. 15 degrees or so was more than enough and even 7 or 8 degrees really helped. The essential corner to bank was the fast corner off the main straight. I do remember that the Mini-Z monster trucks were a lot of fun with a banked corner on the track before the obstacles.

I contacted the Canadian distributor for Repugol, I'll try and get down to see it in person and order a roll or two.

lornecherry

I've never run on Repugol nor seen it up close but wanted to drive the subject to the forefront for exploration by people just like yourself. This was based on a couple of discussions and videos which I came across on Mini Z racer. Looks like arch has amassed more technical info than the Repugol headquarters in Europe right here:-)

As far as the ultimate quick set up track, I would like to see soft fabric bottomed boards of approximately 6' x 4' (or the largest dimension that can be stored under a queen sized bed) with the material of choice (say Repugol) on the racing side already permanently installed. The sections can line up side by side via pegs in holes and the side locking latches will finish holding everything secure together. For the barriers I would like to see a micro version of the CRC's click track with rubberized bottom to prevent it from moving. I think that combo would make for quick set up and dis assembly of a quality racing track and can be as large as you would want it, with variable layouts etc. I have a feeling any material that is going to be rolled will eventually exhibit bumps and the dnano being so tiny will not love that.

PS - arch2b thanks for creating the thread.

i happened to be digging thru my gallery and came across a picture of one sample i managed to get from repugol long ago that i've since lost

SEE THIS you can really see the texture in this CLOSE UP

There's a "new" track surface that's been popping up that might work VERY well for this purpose... Kyosho's Route 241 raceway uses it, and I think it's the same stuff that's used on all of the HTUSA tracks... and it's also what's used at the Underground Mini-z speedway in Korea (see video below), and THOSE cars look HOOKED up...

It's called Pytex carpet... it's the same stuff that is used in convention booths. The fibers don't com out and foul the drivetrains of the dnanos, it's smooth and has a very scale driving feel for Z's and 'nanos, you can AWD drift on it w/o flipping it over like RCP tracks, and I swear after running my dnano on it at 241, my car came off cleaner than it went on...

Someone (John at RCP... LOL) should look into it....it might be a viable option for Mini-Z and dNano alike

High grip Mod race:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-RAS2W6dHE

Dnano:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdUwukbaRCU

Drift:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cPcJMC0uLw

All on the same surface....

that is not the prevailing opinion expressed by those running at hobby town tracks. they often complain of the mess and need to constantly clean out the wheels.