New 4x12 track Design - Critique Please!

[Nevadazielmeister]

[Nevadazielmeister]

[GRUNZ]

I have seen some people using screws to mount the track on to the boards and then use 10mm foamboards to make borders.
RacingLine on SlotForumInternation is one of those. You could PM him (I see that you are active there as well).
This could be another nice track from a club in Wales to look at and ask some of the club members: https://www.slotforum.com/forums/index. ... pic=113401
I personally do not like poking holes through the track but if they did it might mean that the scalex clips suck...again a PM to MrModifier or Mcewan should give you some good answers.

Another less intrusive approach is to use a double-side foam tape but I do not have the links to where I saw it used.

[Nevadazielmeister]

Okay, after digesting the suggestions here and other places, I made the following updates, indicated in white:

PROPOSED Spaghetti Western International JPEG.jpg

After trying some elements of my current track setup and trusting you all, I decided to make those changes. After looking at it, it seems to flow really well and I suspect will make for better racing.

Thank you all again for your input and suggestions. They make a huge difference in my building a good track.

[slothead]

This looks nice and has a smooth flow to it. Should be a fast track, but also be manageable by inexperienced drivers. Use an adjustable power supply and I think you're good to go.

Thanks for sharing your design process with us. It pays to be thoughtful at this phase. I did that and have a fun design, but then rushed building it and have some issues that could have been avoided with a little patience.

[Nevadazielmeister]

[bobbyraz49]

[slothead]

I routed the track downstairs in the barn where the dust wasn't a concern, then got help carrying it in 3 pieces upstairs to my mancave in the loft. I should have primed both sides of it before moving it because once upstairs and on the table I could only primer the top. No problems so far, but know I goofed.

I sanded the areas repaired with Bondo but not as well as I thought now that they show through the grey road surface. I was in a hurry to get the track running so I put the copper tape down after just one coat of paint on the racing surface. I should have held off and done several coats. The single coat of light grey paint lightened over time and isn't the darker asphalt color I wanted. I have to pretend not to notice the beige Bondo spots showing through.

The track works great, but with another week spent on prep before wiring it up it would look better. No scenery yet, but when I start on that these details are going to bug me even more.

[mattb]

Mask that tape and add another coat of paint. Prime the back side? Not sure how necessary that is. I started out doing that, but after carrying some scrap mdf around in the back on my truck for a month,. I could find no water damage after it sat out in some hard down falls.

Might be the mdf we buy today is a little better than what was available 20 years ago or more.

[slothead]

This was my first mdf track so I asked on HRW if I should prime top, bottom, and sides and it was suggested I do it. After hearing stories of tracks swelling up due to moisture over time I intended to do that - then got eager to start running laps so I didn't. I could still prime most edges which I think are most likely to be affected if exposed to moisture. The barn is over 150 years old but in good shape with a metal roof, so no moisture issues so far.

The lack of enough sanding for the Bondo repairs and track surface painting shortcut are my biggest regrets. I will redo those things when starting on the scenery.

[Nevadazielmeister]

Okay everyone, I wanted to share some information and photos. The track table is complete and ready to the track lay out. The layout:

FINAL SPAGHETTI WESTERN INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY.jpg

And the table build completed (more or less):

IMG_0172.JPG

The table is set on hinges so I can fold it up and out of the way:

IMG_0174.JPG

Thank you for all of your help friends!!

[slothead]

Looks like a solid fold up table. I had an HO oval set up like this in the basement years ago. I used an old cigar box mounted to the top of the table to hold the wall wart transformers and controllers. Rather than putting legs on it it hung from chains that connected to S hooks in the ceiling and on the corners of the table.

Have you considered any sort of bracing for the legs? As is one might easily have it's hinge bent if inadvertently kicked.