by mattb » Tue Jul 10, 2018 4:21 pm
A little different using braid, but I am doing all wood work, banks and elevation changes, then the walls. That's where I'm at now. Since I am doing a commercial style track, with the walls glued/nailed on, the elevation and banking should not change much when I take it all apart for paint and then braid. Walls are kind of a pain, but it will all work out. I am using 1/2 mdf on all outside curve and straight walls. I need to get a sheet of 1/4 for the inside curve walls. The commercial builders use 2 layers of 1/4 on inside of tight curves as it bends to the small radius so much easier. I am going to make router or jig saw guide to cut the side walls using the track surface as the the guide. probably 1 inch on straights and inside corners flowing up to 3 inches on outside of corners. Then either tape a line or use the top of the wall as a guide to cut the bottom.
I think you'll be running before me, but at 90+ in the garage I work in, I don't go very fast.
I got you on the wiggles. I thought you had issues with the router rocking. I rout left to right, fence behind router, me in front of router. As you say the router will want to pull toward the wall. I Will need to make a flexible guide like you use for my last section of track. I have left a small piece 2-3 foot square out of the track. After I get this stage done, I will cut a piece to fit that opening and then rout it. I may be able to use my router base guide, not sure.
I am keeping good notes on this as I find my original plans and thoughts for some of the build are not the best, and I have found better ways to do it as I go along. I have this setting on my old track table and it would sure be tempting to just mount it to that table and braid it all in one piece, but I'm not going to do it. I will put it on legs and braid it in sections so it can come apart. This does take a bit longer, or maybe I just getting old!