Home Racing World

Most of us remember how excited I was to have the original track from our group when it started, before my time. Removed from storage, carefully reassembled, and up and running ready for scenery in just a few weeks, things looked pretty rosy... Apparently, that storage might have been moist, because soon after it was all done, the elevated sections began to droop, even with twice the number of supports, and then other signs of moisture damage began to show up. It had never been painted underneath and it was made from thin MDF. It was fortunate that it lasted the 17 years that it did, and I had to take it apart and toss it.

So, my old track, which was built like a battletank, is going to be my only track now. It needs renovation, and I am thinking about slight banking, and maybe an elevated section, all with the same footprint it has now. Does anybody have an idea about how to "lift" the lanes from an already routed track?

The existing track is 3/4 inch MDF, and very stable. I wonder if I could safely rout out a rectangular space in the 3/4 inch material to insert an elevated section made from 12" material? The lanes that would be under the new section could be redesigned to connect elsewhere- I think. I'm still daydreaming this one.

I don't think you will get much in elevation with what you have. There is no way I know of to tell without (you guessed it) actually taking it apart. Unless you can raise some of the table legs and see what flex you can get?

I am thinking that maybe I can insert an elevated loop into the existing track without actually disturbing the old track elevation at all. I'm hoping I can dig out a hole to put the ramp upward in, and do the same where the downward ramp falls. If it fails, I will set a record for Bondo, I guess.

Looking further, I realize I would only gain about 6 feet of lane length after all that work. There are only two places where I can put the loop and avoid blind spots, and neither of them is worth it. I'm going to go with better scenery and leave the track alone.

I like that "KISS" method :)

Dont fix it if ain't broke whippersnapper! :)

Having made my decision I went back to work taking the old track and framework down, and BONK! I hit myself in the temple with a 38" prybar. I was prying a couple of 2X4's apart , the wood on one of them failed, and I took the other end of the bar right in the temple on my left. Now I'm grounded (stuck in the house) while my nurse wife has me "under examination and observation". Phooey. I finally get a weekend afternoon to myself and this happens. Here she comes with an ice pack...

Way - I've never seen your track but relate to the post in 2 ways.

First, when I finally decided to build a road course I planned for 3 levels of elevation. The start/finish straight and pit area at table height, then intermediate areas with 6-8 inches of elevation in the middle of the layout and at the left and right sides, building up to 12 - 16 inches of elevation on the back straight. Cars gain altitude for about 2/3rds of a lap then wind their way back down. I routed it flat on the main level of the barn and moved it up to the loft and gradually raised the elevated sections up. At one point a connection between 2 sections of 1/2" MDF snapped, so I lessened my plans a bit. I ended up with about 75% of the elevation I hoped for.

Second, every once in a while I think about putting more elevation in some sections. That's when Harry's perspective wins out - it woks and I have a lot of fun with it as is, so leave good enough alone. The racing experience will be enhanced more by how the scenery 'explains' how the track was build to incorporate hills on 3 sides.

Slothead

Way - I just saw your 'pry bar' post. Take it easy - health always come first. Remember it was a wack to the temple that David used to slay Goliath. My mother was big on Bible stories.

Over the years I've acquired a healthy fear of applying too much pressure to anything. Learned it from working on cars and losing skin when a wrench slipped, or pulling up on something and having it wack you in the face when it broke free.

Get well.

Slothead

If you have a flat track and want to add an elevated section you will end up with a gap that is equal to the height of the elevated section. Adding a dip in the track will also cause a gap. You can't compensate for an elevation with a dip!

One of the greatest slot car movies of all time!

Its becoming uncomfortable to think about how close I came to serious injury, which is doubly awful since I have been a tool guy for over 45 years. No kidding. People call all the time to say, "Since you have every tool known to man, I called you first." when they need to borrow a tool. This was one of those situations when it just couldn't go wrong, and it did. As of this morning, it left a welt and bump 1/2 inch from the center of the thinnest spot on the human skull. When I was a boy, a kid at my school was killed by a baseball thrown at him ("Think fast!"-- remember that?), because it hit the exact center of his temple and his brain bled inside his skull, killing him in 3 hours. Part of his death was that we lived in a rural town in Mississippi, and the closest hospital that could handle his injury was 125 miles away in Jackson, the capital. This was a much harder hit than that. I keep staring at the end of that pry bar... (shiver).

Hey I know how those accidents can happen. I'm just kind of getting back to where I was. You got lucky this time. Like me you're going to have to be more careful. I know I'm not as young as I used to be.

Yeah, Ken. I think I remember we are about the same age.