I've been back into slots just under a year now and i think i jumped in head first.It all started with a Tomy Big Block Battlers back in early January.I was looking for some fun to battle the winter blues.Called a good buddy up that i use to run slots with as a kid.We set up the track in the stock configuration and the race was on!One thing lead to the next and this is what i have accomplished in the last 10 months.I built a new 4'X11' table to get started with.I got a deal on ebay for a new Tomy Super International and started looking for a good configuration to get the most out of the table dimensions.I built the International 39 of off Greg Brauns website.Theres a wealth of information to be had at Gregs website.Thanks Greg!!! I wired in four Parma Econo 35 controllers with the brake setup.(What a difference brakes make)At first i had the four Tomy wall-warts powering the layout (they did there job)but wanted something adjustable to run various cars.I purchased a Pyramid PS32Lab 0-30V & 5amp power supply(ebay again).The PS too made a much more pleasant racing experiance with its adjustability to find a good voltage that suits particular cars.In the mean time i have bought several cars to run on this track i've been building.I have tuned alot of the cars with different hop-up.Now that winter is just around the corner i'm gonna try to get a bunch more buddies together and run a winter series for points.I need to get some basic car class rules made up.Any way-id like to here some of your stories and builds on how you got back intothe wonderful world of SlotCars!!!

Some have asked how i did the wiring on my layout.Heres what i did.First i soldered 3-16GA lengths of wire to each of the four power track sections.These wires are for the three wire brake connections to the Parma controllers.You can kinda see on the botom of the power track i labeled the rails R-B-W for the correct placement of the three controller wires.I ran these wires to some bolts i ran through the face edge of the table.With some crimp-on eyelets the hook-up for the controller was a breeze.I am using the Tomy power connector to get power from the Power Supply to the track.I am using two four slot power blocks to wire each lane to a Positive-Negative source.The two red wires coming into the power blocks is from the Pyramid Power Supply.Its a pretty simple setup.Works very good.I do not have any power taps as i havent seen that i need them.I test the track all the way around with a high quality digital volt meter and its real consistent all the way aroud the track. :)

Heres some more shots of the Pyramid PS and the cars that i run.Theres some Tomy Sg+'s mostly and some BSRT G3's and some Wizzard cars.I also have some Tomy SRT & Turbo SRT's.A few pancake cars thrown in too.I mostly like the magnet cars to run some smokin' laps on this long layout.My next move is to get a lap timer/counter system to use with my laptop.Then maybe some landscape and lighting.Its a work in progress!!! :thumbsup:

This is almost exactly the way my track started (http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=197484). I even added additional 'power terminal tracks' to the farthest point to get some extra power around the track.

After I finally decided no more changes were going to be made to the layout, I 'hard wired' the track with power wires that come up from below. In retrospect it was much easier than modifying the standard 'power terminal' track pieces (http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showpost.php?p=2110120&postcount=13).

Good work, looks like a fun track!

Nice layouts!... You guys laid a lot of track when all was said and done. I'm planning a new layout myself right now. (much smaller though).... RZ, what will you use for track borders/turn aprons? tjd

Welcome back to the hobby! If you think you have any kind of willpower, it disappears after logging into epay and seeing all the cars, parts, and accessories for sale.

Nice looking layout! You can't go wrong with some good controllers and power supply like you purchased.

Always good stuff to learn from everyone here.

Z, do you have have photos and/or tips on how the Tomy power plugs are connected to heavier gauge wiring? Do these things open? I've never really looked.

Hey guys-thanks for all the kind words about my layout.I really enjoyed building this table & track setup.Although there will definately be more done to it with scenery.As far as track borders/aprons go i really had'nt planned on adding them.Although they do add to the looks and function of a track.The Tomy power plugs i used are not modified with larger guage wire.I think the wire size from the factory is sufficient in size to carry the volt/amp load.I just cut them to shorten them and added a crimp-on connector to be able to connect them to the power blocks mounted on the underside of the table.I did this kind of "How To" to give new hobbyist a little incentive & know how to be able to build a nice slotcar track of there own.After all this is what a hobby is about-enjoyment & helping others.This is slotcar racing at its best.Enjoy All!!! :)

By the way ic-racer you too done a fantastic job on your track.Looks smooth & fast.My next addition to my layout will be a lap timing/counting system that i can use with my laptop.If you could do a tutorial on installation & setup of this type of system would be real helpful. :)

Nice looking track you have going there! Its not huge but its a good size for having fun and you wont have to walk a mile to get the car that flew off the track. Your layout is screaming for scenery. I think it has a lot of potential!

I just got back into the activity last christmas actually so Im right there with you. I grew up watching my dad and his buddies race on sunday nights and they really had fun. I never got to play with them because I was too little so surely anything I touched was destroyed heh. So I spent the bleak winter months last year in the basement making scenery and laying out a track. I bought a box with over 200 pieces of tyco track and all kinds of power packs, controllers and scenery so I had a lot to go on. My table is 4x10 and its only 2 lanes for now. In a couple years I would like to use tomy track and go 4 lane but the banked sections are tough to find. Anyway here is where Im at now:
Pic 1 (http://www.designbydan.com/pt/hotrack16.jpg)
Pic 2 (http://www.designbydan.com/pt/hotrack18.jpg)

Good luck with your track, keep us posted on the progress!

Nice looking track Bewstd..I notice your threadmill look sa lot like mine, but with less stuff hung on it lol.....

Hmm Wonder if maybe I should hook the controlers to it and the faster I saunter on the threadmill the faster the cars go? (Won't a be a lot of deslots!)


Dave

BewstdGT,
Your post could not have been more "on time". I was just at the Home Depot recently looking at I/O carpet. Been considering the possibility of using it as table cover instead of homasote. Oddly enough, my thinking took a twist when I found they had it not only in green, but also in a "brownish" color with some accents. I thought "Hmmm, that looks good and would be very different."

Then you post pics with the same exact color. First time I've seen someone use carpet other than green. It looks awesome!! How would you rate the carpet as a sound deadener?

Also, what did you use as wall material in the twisty section of your course?

i have used carpet in the infield of several tracks I have built over the years but a little different than you might think. I look at the bottim of the crapet vs the top and look for something that looks like asphalt. Then I flip it over lay the track on top cutout the infield and remove the carpet under the track. It is normally when done this way the same thickness as the track.

Roger Corrie

By the way ic-racer you too done a fantastic job on your track.Looks smooth & fast.My next addition to my layout will be a lap timing/counting system that i can use with my laptop.If you could do a tutorial on installation & setup of this type of system would be real helpful. :)

I use the SRM software because it is free and the DOS screen looks good, without any menus or other Bill Gates inspired distractions on the screen.

For some reason I could not get the infra-red LEDs to work right, so I went with the conventional Red LEDs as a light source. I have a 'wall wart' power supply that was lying around and this powers the 4 leds.

The sensing cells came from Radio Shack and they are wired to a telephone/communication jack. A CAT-5 Cable (like a phone cable, but with more wires) plugs into the com. jack on the track and this goes to a plug I got from Radio Shack. This plug goes into the computer's printer port and has a place for the CAT-5 cable to plug in. You wire up the plug so that the wires go in the right places (the plug does not come pre-wired). I don't recall off hand, but there is a ground and up to 5 sensors can go to pins 10, 11, 12, 13 and 15 (SRM website has full details http://www.cenobyte.nl/slotracemanager/hoofdframe.html).

The biggest problem I had revolves around the lack of standardization of the printer port specs of IBM clones. The computers don't seem to have a standard for how much resistance across the pins on the port cause it to sense (1) or (0). My problem was that I couldn't get input pin 11 to work so I had to use 10, 12, 13 and 15. Fortunatly SRM software can be configured to use any of the 5 pins for any of your lanes.
A lot of people have made and hooked up these sensors, so if things are not going well, just post, and things can get worked out.

Very nice layout BewstdGT.Thanks for the lap timer/counter info ic-racer.I've been checking out Greg Brauns website and will probably go with his system.He sells everything needed to get up & running.Hopefully soon! :)

Something I read one time concerning IR lights used in conjunction with photo cells is that the distance can't be greater than about 4" between them.

I use an IR light bar built and sold by Trakmate along with Greg Braun's software on a Win95 computer. It's then hooked up with a printer port cable bought off epay that was designed around Trakmate specs. It works without fail.

I got started again last year after being away for awhile (no room to play). I finally got a basement and so I jumped right back into it. I got the newly aquired 1/32 stuff up first then started into my HO stuff and have been attacking it ever since.

I'm still using stock power packs at the moment. All are wired from under the table with a total of five taps. the driver stations are made using rebar tie wire. All four lanes are hot, just pick your station and tap into your lane.

I use blue, yellow, green and orange for lane colors.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO111507V.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO111507VI.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO111507III.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO111507VII.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/HO111507VIII.jpg

Nice pics TA, but can we get a closer look at this side of the layout and the changes in elevation, scenery details, etc. ,,,, They're very nice and rate a closer look! thanks...tjd

Tycoarm, you need to come over and wire my track up. Pa. isn't that far away. :)

Nice pics TA, but can we get a closer look at this side of the layout and the changes in elevation, scenery details, etc. ,,,, They're very nice and rate a closer look! thanks...tjd

Here ya go tjd241,
You can also go here for more info.
http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=193164


http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/DSCF2616.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/DSCF2619.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/DSCF2620.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/DSCF2623.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/DSCF2627.jpg

Notice how the rumble strips don't wrap around the curb completely. After watching plenty of F1 racing on Speed Channel I noticed that the rumble strips don't follow the curb completely or in some areas it's not even present. So I took that route when adding in the curbing.

I also fired up the PS3 and ran a few laps of F1 and watch the reply from different camera angles for ideas on scenery and curbing placement.

Have a look,
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/13310.html

Hey RiderZ,
I really like your layout.:thumbsup: You've got room for scenery and there's plenty of room in the infield area for garages and pit lanes.

Lot's of luck on your build.

I've posted a few pics in the past, I have made some little upgrades here and there to liven up the scenery. Here are a few pics from my last big race in September. We did a Can-AM class race with G-Jets with 16 guys turning out for a great day of racing.

Thanks TA. Gonna soak these in... Marty I can't see yours?? nuther Dave

I can't either. I have problems seeing photos linked to fotki with this computer but those aren't fotki based.

Just figured it out, please take a look again, sorry guys.

Where did you get those billboards. Those are AWESOME!!!!

The Goodyear and Shell lighted ones? Right here:

http://www.microstru.com/

The billboards on the side of my track I got here:

http://www.racelinecentral.com/Decals.html

Hey TycoArm, how about more info on this wonderful item.This is a great idea
Thanks, Bill. I mean the shelf. :wave:
http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x309/wheelszk/HO111507VIII.jpg

Awesome billboards! I saved that link. :cool:

Way cool looking track Marty! Very clean. :thumbsup:

Hey TycoArm, how about more info on this wonderful item.This is a great idea
Thanks, Bill. I mean the shelf. :wave:
http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x309/wheelszk/HO111507VIII.jpg

Wheelszk,
There done using drawer guides that you can buy at any home center.

The trick is to cut the drawer out on the side of the table, just mark the area I used a straight piece of wood clamped where my cutting line was and let the jigsaw ride against it to get a nice straight cut. Then used the cut piece for the drawer front.

A couple of 2X4's cut to size, held in place with screws from the top of the table with attach guides to them.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/DSCF2632.jpg


The drawer was made from a piece of particle shelving cut to size, then I just added the terminal track and wired it.
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/tycobro/DSCF2634.jpg

Hope this helped.
Tycoarm

Marty B,
Love the track the carpet color looks fantastic. :thumbsup:

Tycoarm, you need to come over and wire my track up. Pa. isn't that far away. :)

Uh-Oh Road trip! :woohoo:

Then you post pics with the same exact color. First time I've seen someone use carpet other than green. It looks awesome!! How would you rate the carpet as a sound deadener?

Also, what did you use as wall material in the twisty section of your course?

Rudy, thanks for the compliments. I did buy my carpet at home depot. It was like $26 for enough of the 12 foot roll to do it. Not to bad! I did it the HARD way and wouldnt recommend it. I had already secured my track and never intended on doing the scenery side of things. After seeing some of these other guy's setups I had to! So I cut out cardoard as templates to cut out sections of carpet and tacked them down to the table. But as for deadener it didnt do much since the track isnt actually resting on the carpet. But overall I would say it made it less "echoy" if thats a word heh.

For the wall sections thats just poster board that I glued to the side of the track. I actually dont like the way that turned out but it works very good. I would have rather been w/out the walls and had no rails at all so people couldnt lay on the walls thru that section. Most all my walls were a thick posterboard though, its flexible and can be formed easily. I knew I would eventually be making a 4-lane setup but now that probably wont happen on this table since its too small. Anyway thanks to those who complimented. Tycoarm's setup is fantastic looking!! I want to trade heh.

Tycoarm, I have to give my props to you for your drawer. I've been thinking about how to make driver stations and I think I just found my answer. That it slicker than snot.

I don't understand the wired terminal track. Whassup with that?

I don't understand the wired terminal track. Whassup with that?
It's there for working on your cars. Your choosen lane powers the terminal and it keeps you off the main track if others are running practice laps.

Tycoarm

Hey Guys,
Has anyone had problems with trackmate 5.5 just randomly stop working? Sometimes it works fine for 600+ laps without a problem and other times it stops timing before you can complete one lap. Frustrating as hell!!! I'm using an IBM R40 laptop running XP. Relay is from Trek. What is even more frustrating is I've had no luck with Daniel returning emails.
Any ideas?
Thanks

I've posted a few pics in the past, I have made some little upgrades here and there to liven up the scenery. Here are a few pics from my last big race in September. We did a Can-AM class race with G-Jets with 16 guys turning out for a great day of racing.
Hey Marty is that a Brad Bowman built track or a version of his Champion track? I based my layout on the Bowman Champion. Its an interesting and fast layout. Kudos to everyone!! Lots of great pix, ideas, and inspiration. More please! mj

Hey there, it's a Brystal track built by Bryan Henden in Portland, OR. But you are correct, it is based on the champion layout, it's actually the A2 layout he has for his modular designs. It's a great layout for T-Jets and G-Jets, tons of fun. Glad you like it!

Pike Creek Raceway is born. It is a humble beginning, but hey, we all gotta start somewhere, right? Anyway, I'm going to be tracking my progress in another thread with due thanks and credit to all who have helped and inspired me to take on this project. Here is a link to the thread. Enjoy.

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=202439

http://lonewolftribe.net/Gallery/albums/joe-joes-photos/IMG00013.thumb.jpg


See if this works,it's a 56 foot tyco on a 4 by 12 foot table with lap timer 2000 and infra red.picture stinks but so does my camera.best time is 3.650 with a modified life-like.

I've posted a few pics in the past, I have made some little upgrades here and there to liven up the scenery.


That's a really nice looking track you've got there ...

Cheers

Richard