[Mike(^RacerX^)]

I havent posted pictures of my track in a long time.Actually,not since I first laid out the track on the table.
Here's a few quick pics I just took.Ive been dabbling in the landscaping here and there.And now that I went back to racing totally "old school" chassis,I fing that the little clicks and uneveness between track pieces that didnt matter so much with magnet cars makes a big dif in the cars that slide through the turns.
So I am slowly smoothing things out,using electrical tape for now.

Here is a shot down the long straightaways:

And a few shots of the more "technical" driving section.The turns on the far ends of the track are the 18" ones by the way:

You can go like hell on the straights,but this section of the track youd better watch out.

I looked at the "Commercial 68" on Greg Brauns site,and took it from there.

A fun track to drive,Im really happy with it.

Mike

 

[micyou03]

Looks great. How wide is your table?

As for the clickity clack and uneveness, if its Tomy track, there are little nubs on the joint tabs, they don't line up good so you get uneven joints. If you flaten these nubs by shaving them off wit a razor knife or dremmeling them or other means your track will be much smoother. I just did mine yesterday. I'll see if I could find the picture from when someone told me how to do it and post the link.

Here's the link.

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=156375

 

[Mike(^RacerX^)]

Its 4X16.Im thinking 20' for my next track,but I dont know.I dont think my eyes can handle it.

Yeah,I did do the thing with most of the nubs on the track.Now that every joint is soldered,Im looking for other waysto smooth it out.
Dremeling it down with the sanding barrel,and then covering it with electrical tape seems to be working out ok,for now that is.

Mike

 

[Hornet]

Nice layout Mike.
Looks like a musicians basement in the background,or else a bomb went off :wave:
Just kidding Mike, :wave:

Rick

 

[Mike(^RacerX^)]

Nice layout Mike.
Looks like a musicians basement in the background,or else a bomb went off :wave:
Just kidding Mike, :wave:

Rick

Or an insane person if you notice the movie poster from the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre on the door.That hung over my bed until I got married.Was always a hit with the chicks. :freak: :freak:

Its a musicians basement.Slightly off to the left are my guitars and my other musical WMD.
:hat:
Mike

 

[sethndaddy]

WOw, Texas chainsaw, 28 Days later, hot wheels on the other wall.......ARE YOU IN MY BASEMENT, LOL.
actually The Devils Rejects poster is up now. the others are gone.

 

[DCG]

Slot track, horror posters, music gear = my basement too! Great setup!

 

[BewstdGT]

I just noticed this thread, the track looks great. The layout does look like a fairly even and fun track.

What material did you end up using for the turn walls? They look kinda low insome places, have you had any problems flying over the walls yet? Regardless I like how they look!

And where did you find that grass stuff to roll out on the table? Ive been all over town and I have yet to find anything even close to that other than somce really expensive remnant at home depot. I see the lap counter running in the background too so you've got the complete package going on there. Hopefully someday I will finish mine too so I can enjoy it.

 

[Mike(^RacerX^)]

What material did you end up using for the turn walls? They look kinda low insome places, have you had any problems flying over the walls yet? Regardless I like how they look!

I slats from an old set of vinyl vertical blinds I had over my patio doors.

I made the walls low in spots so that no matter what drivers station you are at,there would be no blind spots.
They are held in place with a hot glue gun,and then I put bushes on the glue while it was still warm to hide the glue.

Some of the fences are butted right up to the track,some have a border on the outside.
I was going to put borderd on all of the outside turns,but I thought it would be interesting to mix it up a bit.

And where did you find that grass stuff to roll out on the table? Ive been all over town and I have yet to find anything even close to that other than somce really expensive remnant at home depot. I see the lap counter running in the background too so you've got the complete package going on there. Hopefully someday I will finish mine too so I can enjoy it.

I didnt use a mat.I bought the powdered do it yourself grass.They have it here:

http://www.woodlandscenics.com/

I thinned some white glue just a tad with some hot water.I then rolled the glue on with a cheapo paint roller I got from the dollar store.
Then I sprinkled on the grass.I then thinned out some white glue and put it in a spray bottle.I then sprayed down the whole area one more time to make sure everything was well doused in the glue.

The far end where the semis are parked was an experiment.
Same thing as far as the glue is concerned,but I used grits(yeah,the kind you eat) instead of the grass.
Then I had my 14 year old son go to town with his air brush,and some acrylic enamals,fading different shade of green,and brownish dirt colors.
It came out pretty well I thought for a wacky experiment.

Mike

 

[Bill Hall]

Kiss mah grits.

Great layout! The eight lane front chute looks like fun with cars flying in both directions. The technical portions do look treacherous. Did the grits swell up with the glue/warm H2O mixture? Where did you pull that idea from? I know that recipe is "not" on the back of the box. LOL. Hows the texture close up? Very convincing in the photo. MMMMM Strangely I'm hungry. BH

 

[Mike(^RacerX^)]

Great layout! The eight lane front chute looks like fun with cars flying in both directions. The technical portions do look treacherous.

Hello again Bill.....

Thanks for the compliments.
I like everything from skinny tired tjets to polymer magnet cars.
I felt that my design covered the bases pretty well for all of them.

Did the grits swell up with the glue/warm H2O mixture? Where did you pull that idea from? I know that recipe is "not" on the back of the box. LOL. Hows the texture close up? Very convincing in the photo. MMMMM Strangely I'm hungry. BH

As to where I got the idea,Ive worn a lot of different hats in my day.From a mechanic at a Ford dealership,machinist,welder,and for the last 25 years Ive been a chef,soon to take ownership of one of the busiest restaurants in the area.

So that explains the grits thing.

Yes it did swell up a bit,as I expected.But it is VERY durable,and impossible to chip off.

As to the texture,see for yourself:

I think it looks ok.And my kid did a decent paint job.

Mike

 

[Bill Hall]

Thanx for the close ups! Nice air brush work, not just OK. Interesting organic chemistry goin on with the white glue and the grits when you actually think about it! Hence the unchippable force field. Truely bonded unlike many other products. Undoubtedly a great per square foot production cost as well. BH

 

[roadrner]

Thanks for the pix. Great looking layout! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: rr