Anyone have CNC track building experience?

[Ember]

Nothing should be an issue providing you can work with something that spits out a DXF file. Illustrator, CorelDraw, any of the CAD packages. the DXF is a standard format. No real issues between flat track or intended elevations either, that all comes afterward.

[SlotCarCorner]

What Ember said. Our shop track was CNC-routed - no mess (e.g. MDF dust), the sections all match up perfectly (slots, gains) - would definitely go this "route" (ok, ok...very bad pun...) again. Be sure the cabinet shop has a CNC router table large enough to handle the MDF sheets you plan to use.

You might also want to touch bases with Christian at SCCC - he's about to have a new track CNC-routed.

:D

[Wolseley Hornet]

Luf Linkert (Old Slot Racer) very kindly mailed me the CAD file of his 8x4 rally track.It needed conversion to DXF.- which was done with a free download.

A local small factory with a CNC router cut it out after I gave them the file on a memory stick.They charged £80 including supplying the MDF. (A sheet of 18mm MDF is £16-20 from one of the DIY supermarkets.)

This produced a perfect replica of Luf's track,easily taking the small gradients necessary to finish it.

The real crunch, especially for old farts that aren't very good with computers, is getting the initial CAD file done. I bought a "teach yourself CAD"course on a disc; it makes a good if rather expensive coaster to stop my tea mug making rings on the kitchen table!I might have been better finding a cooperative teenager to do it for me - if there is such a thing as a cooperative teenager.( I'm sure there is; they're just somebody else's).

For those who are good at writing CAD files, I'm sure that like music to musicians, it isn't that difficult; and I'm surprised that no-one has made a cottage industry out of selling a range of slot tracks on ready-to-use CAD files, that people all over the World could buy and take to their friendly local CNC router shop.



David.

[munter]

Another point is to check that the routing shops router has a floating head...not all mdf sheets are created equal.