Homemade track
Rob Williams
My son and I just went to a local slot car place (for a birthday party), and
we got bit with the bug.....I have an OLD model motoring HO setup, but the
track isn't in very good condition. I've been looking at some sites around
the net, and it looks relatively easy to create my own track with a router
and a sheet of MDF. (I do woodworking as a hobby as well). My question is
that a lot of the layouts, etc are all geared toward the 1/32 cars, not the
HO (1/64th?) scale. If I make this track for HO cars, will a 1/8" router
bit work? That is the smallest I found. Any other hints/tips/suggestions
are greatly appreciated. We are thinking about doing a layout similar to
the one at http://www.gofastest.com/Courier.htm . We still haven't decided
whether we want to do a 2, 3 or 4 lane track yet. We are obviously still in
the planning stages, however I did go and purchase the MDF and a piece of
particle board (to practice on) tonight.
Thanks in advance for all your help, hopefully I will be posting pictures
soon!
Rob & Nicholas
Gregory Braun -- Software Design
Routing an HO Scale slot car track is difficult at best. Most commercially
produced continuous rail routed wooded track for HO racing are manufactured
using a CNC machine with a moving mill.
Routing the slot is only the first of your problems. You'll also need to
find a source of metal rail. This is normally held in place by routing a
narrow slot and placing the metal rail and a colored strip of plastic next
to it to form lane color-coding and to hold the actual metal rail in place.
There was a company selling metal rail and lane coding but they've gone out
of business, it was just too difficult for most home based router operators
to get good results.
My advice would be to either build a 1:32 scale track, or purchase plastic
Tomy AFX sectional track and build an HO track using that method.
Another choice would be the MaxTrak system, but even there you may be
disappointed. Lead times are well over 6 months on pre-paid orders.
Scale Auto will be selling a turn-key routed track for commercial use in the
near future, but it's going to be expensive for home use.
Visit my HO Slot Car Racing Web Site at:
http://www.HOSlotCarRacing.com
and check the [Links] section for track builders such as MaxTrack, and 21st.
Century (now defunct) for more information.
My [Layouts] section details several Tomy AFX tracks that you can build, and
the [Tables] and [Design] sections provide additional information.
Best regards from Milwaukee, WI U.S.A.
Gregory Braun
E-Mail: Gregor...@CompuServe.com
Web Site: http://www.gregorybraun.com
Slot Cars: http://www.hoslotcarracing.com
Telephone: 1.414.817.6508
-------------------------------------------------------
Ancient of days! august Athena! where,
Where are thy men of might? thy grand in soul?
Gone--glimmering through the dream of things that were.
--Byron
Rob Williams
> produced continuous rail routed wooded track for HO racing are
manufactured
> using a CNC machine with a moving mill.
Is it difficult due to the smaller tolerances of the smaller cars? Or is
there other considerations? I'm not looking for perfection, just something
we can play around with and have fun with, and not spend a lot of time
keeping going. That is the problem I had with the old track, is that it
would take hours to put it together (clean up the track, make sure all
sections had good connections, etc), and then we would invariably have
problems with sections of track cutting out.
> Routing the slot is only the first of your problems. You'll also need to
> find a source of metal rail. This is normally held in place by routing a
> narrow slot and placing the metal rail and a colored strip of plastic next
> to it to form lane color-coding and to hold the actual metal rail in
place.
The things I've seen have said you can use either the metal "tape" used for
alarms on windows, or use copper tape used in stained glass windows for the
conductors.
> My advice would be to either build a 1:32 scale track, or purchase plastic
> Tomy AFX sectional track and build an HO track using that method.
Hmmm. I have a sheet of particle board I can play with, so maybe I'll try
some and see how the cars run on it (by hand). 1:32 isn't out of the
question, but it raises the price of the whole thing (since I have to buy
new cars), along with getting less track in the 4x8 space.
> Visit my HO Slot Car Racing Web Site at:
>
> http://www.HOSlotCarRacing.com
I've seen it. It is REALLY neat! You've done a GREAT job with it! If I
end up going the track route, I'll probably use one of your layouts.
Thanks for the info, I look forward to learning more!
Rob
Gregory Braun -- Software Design
Copper tape works well for 1:32 scale tracks where the cars have soft copper
braided pickup brushes, but HO cars, with their copper pickup shoes would
wear out copper foil tape in a matter of weeks. The tighter radius turns
that the HO scale requires would make laying the foil on the curves
difficult.
Particle board and MDF are not the same material. MDF is a board made of a
sawdust like material bonded under high pressure. MDF can be worked to very
fine tolerances, while particle board can not. Commercial tracks normally
have a layer of Formica bonded to the surface prior to routing. MDF is also
much less susceptible to dimensional changes due to heat and humidity.
Also, MDF, like particle board, or chip board needs to be reinforced to
avoid breaking.
If you want to try it anyway you might use a Dremel Moto-Tool fitted with
the available router base and small diameter routing bit. The slot needs to
be uniform in width, and not too wide or the car will wobble as it travels
along the slot.
If you want to employ copper foil for the power rails you could purchase
some Slider Guides, these are normally fitted to HO cars to allow them to be
raced on 1:23 and 1:24 scale tracks. These guide would preserve your copper
foil.
The guides cost a few dollars and snap in where the guide pin is normally
fitted. They can be found at North Coast Performance Hobbies.
in the 1:64 scale section of their web site.
I'm not trying to discourage you, but rather make you aware of the pitfalls
you may encounter along the way. If HO tracks were easy to make more of us
would be doing it. If you can work out all of the details please share your
findings, as I'm sure many other HO racers, myself included, would be
willing to build our own tracks.
Tomy AFX plastic track when properly mounted to a fixed table top is quite
reliable. The extra time spent prepping each section's rail joints before
joining them together makes a raceway that should work for many years. Take
a small flat bladed screw driver and pry the "Z" portion of each rail out
just a bit to make a tighter fit when track sections are joined.
Mounted track maintains its joints much better than temporary circuits.
Tyco/Mattel track, due to its overlapping rail joint system is not nearly as
good as the Tomy AFX system. If you've had bad experiences with Mattel track
that may be the problem. Tyco track can also be tweaked before assembly but
the nature of the overlapping joint used makes joining the section more
difficult, but it can be done.
Rob Williams
copper
> braided pickup brushes, but HO cars, with their copper pickup shoes would
> wear out copper foil tape in a matter of weeks. The tighter radius turns
> that the HO scale requires would make laying the foil on the curves
> difficult.
What about the aluminum tape? I've read that it works well, too, and since
it isn't as soft a metal as copper, I would think it would last longer.
Laying the foil could be interesting.....
> Particle board and MDF are not the same material. MDF is a board made of a
> sawdust like material bonded under high pressure. MDF can be worked to
very
> fine tolerances, while particle board can not. Commercial tracks normally
> have a layer of Formica bonded to the surface prior to routing. MDF is
also
> much less susceptible to dimensional changes due to heat and humidity.
I know MDF and particleboard are different, but PB is about half the cost,
so I bought it to play with and learn on. Once it seems to work, I will use
the MDF to create the track.
> Also, MDF, like particle board, or chip board needs to be reinforced to
> avoid breaking.
Braces underneath should do the trick. I'm using 1/2" MDF (and BOY is it
heavy!)
> If you want to try it anyway you might use a Dremel Moto-Tool fitted with
> the available router base and small diameter routing bit. The slot needs
to
> be uniform in width, and not too wide or the car will wobble as it travels
> along the slot.
I checked the 1/8" bit with my model motoring track, and it is slightly
wider, but not much. I would estimate maybe 1/32" wider, if that. The cars
seemed to do OK just running them through the groove.
> If you want to employ copper foil for the power rails you could purchase
> some Slider Guides, these are normally fitted to HO cars to allow them to
be
> raced on 1:23 and 1:24 scale tracks. These guide would preserve your
copper
> foil.
>
> The guides cost a few dollars and snap in where the guide pin is normally
> fitted. They can be found at North Coast Performance Hobbies.
>
> http://www.NCPHobbies.com
>
> in the 1:64 scale section of their web site.
I saw them, but don't quite understand how they work. The pictures were
pretty small....
> I'm not trying to discourage you, but rather make you aware of the
pitfalls
> you may encounter along the way. If HO tracks were easy to make more of us
> would be doing it. If you can work out all of the details please share
your
> findings, as I'm sure many other HO racers, myself included, would be
> willing to build our own tracks.
It is exactly what I wanted to know. I'm still confident I can make it
work. If I can make it work, I'll most definitely post pictures, etc.
> Tomy AFX plastic track when properly mounted to a fixed table top is quite
> reliable. The extra time spent prepping each section's rail joints before
> joining them together makes a raceway that should work for many years.
Take
> a small flat bladed screw driver and pry the "Z" portion of each rail out
> just a bit to make a tighter fit when track sections are joined.
Probably the advances made in the last 40 years....<G> My track is the
original Aurora model motoring track, with the pins and clips to hold the
track together. I did use some old AFX track (20 years ago) that snapped
together, but I always seemed to break the "ears" off.
> that may be the problem. Tyco track can also be tweaked before assembly
but
> the nature of the overlapping joint used makes joining the section more
> difficult, but it can be done.
I'll have to look at that track to see what it looks like. I may still opt
for the track, but I'm still going to try making my own I think. It is only
my time and money, right?
Thank you for your advice and counsel.....It is most appreciated!
Rob
Kent Killam
I understand your reasons for wanting to go with HO. I used to be HO,
but I made the leap to 1/32. I'm glad I did.
I hear what you ae saying about wanting to build a routed HO layout.
I hate to think of you placing all that time and effort (not to
mention $) into an HO routing project, and not have it work to your
liking.
If you have financial concerns about having to buy new cars in a
different scale, then run away now. This hobby can get get expensive.
I wish it really did only cost the "few dollars" I tell my wife. LOL
Good luck in what ever you decide.
Kent
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So Many Hobbies
So Little Time
And Even Less Money!!
Kent Killam
sobe...@mediaone.net
Gregory Braun -- Software Design
The best of luck to you. I'd be interested in seeing the results.
The Slide Guides are designed to work with newer Tomy AFX, Tyco and
Life-Like cars employing a steel guide pin. I don't think a model is
available for the older T-Jet chassis though.
The guide snaps into the chassis where the metal guide pin is normally
located, and entirely replaces the existing metal pin.
I think Particle board would work if you first bonded a Formica surface to
it.
After my last post I thought about the Dremel Moto-Tool routing method and
now wonder if the little motor in there is really up to the task. I think
the tool would get too damn hot to even hold after a while. A full-size
router may be a better choice.
Copper or Aluminum foil is going to be difficult to shape around the tighter
radius turns an HO track would normally use, but it may be possible.
You may find that Micro-Scalextric HO cars work well, as they use the same
braided pickups their larger 1:32 scale brothers use.
Here's a hyperlink to a pair of guys building what I think are the nicest HO
tracks available. You might find some useful design ideas at their site:
http://www.origin8.com/bradstrack/slotcar.htm
One other thing I thought about... If you can hold tight tolerances on the
slots that you cut you may be able to route a pair flanking the guide pin
slot and press a large gauge copper wire into the grove you've cut.
Heavy gauge copper wire in the 6-10 gauge range might work. After seating it
perhaps you could heat it and "tin" it to allow solder to fill the small
voids created by pressing a round wire into a squared slot.
If you filled the lower portion of the slots you cut with a thermoset glue
the heat from the soldering iron would also activate the glue. Older 1:24
scale routed wooden track used a braid coated with thermoset glue on the
underside of the braid. but I don't think tracks are built that way
nowadays.
Good luck in your endeavor, and keep us all posted.
Rob Williams
> but I made the leap to 1/32. I'm glad I did.
May I ask why? What big advantage does 1/32 have over HO?
> I hear what you ae saying about wanting to build a routed HO layout.
> I hate to think of you placing all that time and effort (not to
> mention $) into an HO routing project, and not have it work to your
> liking.
The $$$ isn't too much, and I enjoy doing woodworking stuff, so....I'm not
too worried about it not working out.
> If you have financial concerns about having to buy new cars in a
> different scale, then run away now. This hobby can get get expensive.
I don't really want to get into it hardcore, I'm looking for a good
father/daughter/son hobby we can share. It seems like ALL hobbies can get
expensive. It isn't the big costs that kill you, it is the nickel and dime
stuff that seems neverending that makes it expensive. I've done R/C planes
and cars, and those BOTH nickel and dime you to death.....
> Good luck in what ever you decide.
Thanks, we are still working on what direction we are going. We did get a
track laid out on the PB last night, and are going to start attempting to
rout it. We'll see how that goes before we invest more money in foil tape.
Thanks for your insight!
Rob
Kent Killam
>May I ask why? What big advantage does 1/32 have over HO?
>
For me the two biggest advantages are realism & drivability.
Some of the magic was gone for me after timing my HO cars, and doing
the math. Cars running at almost 500 MPH is even a little hard for me
to choke down. This wouldn't be so bad if you could slow them down
some. My cars only had three speeds. FAST, REALLY FAST and FLYING
ACROSS THE ROOM, TWO FEET OFF THE FLOOR.
Second, drivability. There is something really exciting about racing
a car around the track, just on the edge of control. I find the FEEL
of 1/32 cars unlike the HO cars. You get to know the track, know your
car, and when you know what the two can do together, well.... There
is such a rush as the ass of your car swings out as you take a corner,
and the front end comes up, and you can see that there is only a tiny
length of guide pin left in the slot. Well baby, now we are racing!!!
Don't get me wrong. I am not bashing HO. HO does have it's place. I
happen to be a 1/32 man. Ford or Chevy, you know what I mean? I'll
take Mopar!!!!
Larry Keller
Rob Williams
YES, YOU can route your own track, using MDF.
I built a tri-oval with 30 degree banking in the corners, 15 degree in the
tri-oval & back stretch.
1/2" MDF is a pain to work with, 3/8" is better IF you can find it. Copper
Braids in a relief, Slide Guides on the cars.
Build a four LANE for HO & you can run 2 1/32 cars the best of both worlds!
????????'s I got answers!!!!!
Regards,
Larry
Rob Williams
permanent yet (still playing with my practice piece). I was planning on
using copper tape for the conductors. Lots of sites I've read said it works
great, and doesn't require another rout for the braid.
I'll be interested to hear anything you have to tell me. Experience is the
best teacher, you know!
Thanks much!
"Larry Keller" <l.g.k...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:DoRa7.32561$gj1.3...@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
R.J
Well if your going to use copper tape, and run HO cars..heres what I found
out..I only tried one tho..slider guide works pretty good...but that little HO
car hops down the track like a rabbit, not much fun. The magnet is just along
for the ride..on plastic track where the magnet helps stick the cars to the
track plus hides all the defects of the car....and pretty much for the same in
1/32 scale...
If you use copper tape...work has to be done on getting the cars to run without
the help of the magnet....I found out this can be come alot of work and
expense...new tires,new gears, and even a new axle....I sometimes think I may
just go back to plastic to save the added expense of re-doing a new car...R.J.
Rob Williams
along
> for the ride..on plastic track where the magnet helps stick the cars to
the
I figured that the magnets wouldn't do a whole lot on the routed track.
> track plus hides all the defects of the car....and pretty much for the
same in
> 1/32 scale...
So, you mean that the 1/32 scale cars also jump around on the track? Or do
I misunderstand you?
> If you use copper tape...work has to be done on getting the cars to run
without
> the help of the magnet....I found out this can be come alot of work and
> expense...new tires,new gears, and even a new axle....I sometimes think I
may
> just go back to plastic to save the added expense of re-doing a new
car...R.J.
I'm currently re-thinking the whole plan, and probably either going to re-do
a 1/32 scale only track, or do the HO thing with new plastic track. I can't
decide which way to go yet. The 1/32 stuff looks pretty neat, but we would
be starting over from scratch. Although the HO route we would only be
salvaging some cars. And then there is the financial considerations......
Thanks for your input!
Rob
R.J
Rob Williams wrote:
> > car hops down the track like a rabbit, not much fun. The magnet is just
> along
> > for the ride..on plastic track where the magnet helps stick the cars to
> the
>
> I figured that the magnets wouldn't do a whole lot on the routed track.
>
> > track plus hides all the defects of the car....and pretty much for the
> same in
> > 1/32 scale...
>
> So, you mean that the 1/32 scale cars also jump around on the track? Or do
> I misunderstand you?
Rob,
There not as bad as the one HO car I did with the slider guide...but yes you
will have to do some work on them...match tires to track surface for one..
Ckeck Fantasy World for slots..has a good section on making cars run on a wood
track with copper tape...talks about wheel hop and how to fix that problem..
If your still thinking between HO and 1/32 scale...and plan to start with new
stuff (plastic track) a Artin set (1/32)from J.C. Penneys is the same price (or
cheaper) as a HO set...
I myself have been using Artin cars on my wood track..re-did three of them...new
tires..new gears..new axle..and yes they run pretty good after all of that..
Here's my problem..hate to order new cars and then come to find out I have to
re-do all of them just to get them to run on my wood track....then you have to
sit down and try and figure out which tire size for which car...which axle size
fits that car. To me that part gets old real fast....
Anyway please check with others here..... this is just my two cents..others here
may not agree with all of this...R.J
Rob Williams
The HO cars without the guide slot don't work too well, but they do go
around the track!
> > So, you mean that the 1/32 scale cars also jump around on the track? Or
do
> > I misunderstand you?
>
> There not as bad as the one HO car I did with the slider guide...but yes
you
> will have to do some work on them...match tires to track surface for one..
Yes, I just found that out today.....I went to the local slot car track and
bought a cheap 1/32 car, just to test out my test track. It has sponge
tires, and even running it on the track at the dealer, it was pretty
squirrely. He said better tires would make a lot of difference. For the
time being, I don't really care, I just wanted to make sure my track would
work. I now feel MUCH better about proceeding. I do need to get a couple
of those guide slots, though....
> Ckeck Fantasy World for slots..has a good section on making cars run on a
wood
> track with copper tape...talks about wheel hop and how to fix that
problem..
I'll check that out, thanks. There is a LOT of info out there on the web.
I've been reading a lot, but sometimes finding a good site is half the
battle.
> If your still thinking between HO and 1/32 scale...and plan to start with
new
> stuff (plastic track) a Artin set (1/32)from J.C. Penneys is the same
price (or
> cheaper) as a HO set...
> I myself have been using Artin cars on my wood track..re-did three of
them...new
> tires..new gears..new axle..and yes they run pretty good after all of
that..
Now that I have my test track working, I think we will proceed with that
plan (homebuilt wood track), at least for the time being. My son is getting
excited, but we still have a LOT of work to do.
> Anyway please check with others here..... this is just my two
cents..others here
> may not agree with all of this...R.J
I'm trying to get as much input as possible from the experts. I know very
little, and the voice of experience can save a LOT of time and money...
Thanks again
Rob
Volt
people may have some advice
http://www.slotcargarage.com/
"Rob Williams" <nob...@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:tmph6js...@corp.supernews.com...
R.J
Sounds like your on your way...good idea to pick up a 1/32 car just to see how
things work..yes tires do make a difference...I found out that silcone tires
work the best for me..with the Artin cars anyway....sponge tires are the
worst....
Check around with all the home pages of slots...can always come up with good
ideas on track design and cars.
R.J.
Rob Williams
see how
> things work..yes tires do make a difference...I found out that silcone
tires
Already did that last night. It has sponge tires, but at least I can play
with it to see how the track works. I'll be ordering the slot guides soon,
too, for the HO cars.
> Check around with all the home pages of slots...can always come up with
good
> ideas on track design and cars.
I think we got that figured out now. See my previous posting.
Thanks for your insights!
Rob
P.S. - I couldn't find the Artin set on the JCPenney site. The only one I
found was some other truck set (don't remember the name right now....)