Show Me YOUR Tracks (and videos) Please! - Page 3

smb53 · #31 11-08-2002, 01:55 PM

I just found this site and thought I'd share my track building experience. First, a short story. When I was a kid, I had one of those slotless race tracks and my friends and I raced for hours. Then came Atari and it was hard to get new cars or parts, so 6 cars became 4, which became 2, and then one and finally the last pickup shoes were completely shot and that was it. Twenty years passed and then I saw these cool tiny remote control cars at an airport in Japan. It was kind of expensive, but I got one (Yen seem like monopoly money anyway). I now have a zip zap as well. I have a movie of the zip zap racing on my track, but it may be too big for this site.

Track info (everything was bought at home depot). The design is based on distant memories of the slotless set up I used to have. The track is made of 1/8" thick particle board (the kind that is rough on one side and smooth on the other). The rough side gives great traction for the cars - unlike dusty hardwood floors which are great for doing endless donuts. The particle board comes in 2'x4' pieces (I think they were $1.87 ea). These can be easily cut with a coping saw (I had one, but they're about $8). The tricky part was the guard rail. I originally tried to use vinyl tubing (I see others on this site have had success with this). It was easy to bend around the curves and seemed fine, but when I raced the cars, they tended to get stuck to it and not bounce off. I got some plastic window trim that works great (about $2.50 for 8'). It gives a hard flat surface that the cars can slide against without losing much speed. I used 1" machine screws coming up through the bottom of the track as posts for the guard rail. For most of the turns, the trim is flexible enough to just bend around, but for sharper turns, notches can be cut in the back to create more bending. I found a $3 can of grey paint in the paint discard section to make the track look more like a roadway. The lanes are all 8" wide (a little less due to guard rail width). The total cost of materials was about $30. Now that I know how to do it, I could probably make the track (no painting) in one afternoon. Hope this is useful.

john · #32 11-08-2002, 05:08 PM

That looks like a fun track! I especially like the underpass. Oh, and the Chia Pet is cool too!

Chia speedway! Now that gives me an idea for grass on a track....

Supra-00 · #33 11-08-2002, 07:09 PM

Where do you get this Track Maker program you guys are talking about?

beetyii · #34 11-13-2002, 07:34 PM

Some of mine - just the begining...

DensityMan · #35 12-24-2002, 03:14 PM

I need details Beetyii!!!

What are those "gurad-rails and how are they held on for starters... *grin*

What is your surface and how does it drive?...

Etc, etc, etc...

beetyii · #36 12-25-2002, 05:07 AM

Hello D.M. ,

ground : 2000x1200x19 mm MDF (wood)

outside guards : L - profile plastic (ABS) 40x10 mm

inside guards : aquaristic clear tube 8mm and 6mm to put two 8mm ends together

nails 1.2x20mm are holding the inside guards

The paint is normaly used on beton grounds in your house - the grip is very well. You can get this in different colours.

Look here for more details :

http://www.tinyrc.com/forums/showthr...ighlight=track

Hope that i can help you - if not ask...

beetyii

#37 12-27-2002, 11:57 PM

This is my new track. The wood is Chalkboard ($10au) the rails are corner molding ($7) and glue ($3). cheap track but it's the best one that I've raced on.
http://www.geocities.com/tastoymuseum/teck4.html

DensityMan · #38 12-28-2002, 05:03 AM

Thanks Beetyii!

Tech-Nik: nice idea... I've been wondering where to get BB paint around here... never occured to me to just look for pre-made BB sheets... *smacks his forhead*

#39 12-28-2002, 05:09 AM

plus it's cheaper (and a heck of a lot easier) than spraying paint on in consistant layers as you'd use two cans to get the quality.

what did u think of the corner molding idea?

DensityMan · #40 12-28-2002, 05:23 AM

I dig the mouldings... I have some of that (the tall stuff) left over from remodelling the kitchen.

Think I may be using that kitchen moulding for the exterior "walls" and something like Beetyii has used for the interior.

Pre-drill some different layouts into the BB panel and use "pegs" instead of nails for quick disassembly (on the interior tubes AND the exterior walls...

Shaping up to be a fine track... in my head... *smirk*

Still want to work on a quick to assmeble/disassemble "elevated track" area, that is still stable, to add extra racing room with out having to add on to the garage...

ripper7777777 · #41 01-08-2003, 02:07 PM

I think I've posted this before, if so here it is again

fatdoggy · #42 01-09-2003, 12:26 AM

Hey ripper that track is kickarse. Nice work.

DensityMan · #43 01-09-2003, 08:43 AM

VERY nice, Ripper7...

UPDATE on progress to date: It's been DAMN cold in Indy... so I have done little to prevent issues with paint and/or glue drying properly. I HAVE however, purchased all supplies for my grand design:
- 4 2x4 sheets of "hardboard" also heard it referred to as "mitor" board
- 2 spray cans of BlackBoard paint
- pile of scrap wood (to reinforce the bottom on a fram and slimmer pieces for the top-side to support the rails
- 16" of left-over gray rubberized kitchen-floor moulding (for rails)
- 1 can of "Great Stuff" to make some terrain (I just love any excuse to use spray-foam)
- 1 4x8 foot piece of 3/4" sub-flooring to use as a hinge-down base from the garage wall

Wish me luck... *GRIN*

sessiz10 · #44 01-18-2003, 06:05 PM

Sid I can't see your vids, I click on them and all I get are pop ups what gives man?

( I am only kidding sid )

Nice track.

Sid · #45 01-19-2003, 04:02 AM

hehe when I read the first lines got damn irritated with the server then i saw u were kidding. r u the sessiz from **********s (or *************) forum? thanks anyway