Check out the site Slot racing with Chris Frost and click on Building slot car tracks. That should answer a lot of your questions. cheers steve

 

Simon
its for the kids - right! Yeah!

Here we go I hope this helps some feel free to come back and ask more.

track plan (got something in my head)----------------- OK

MDF board - Q:What is the best thickness? I used 12 MM but you can get away with less say 9mm

Router - (Argos £20)-------------------------------------OK

Router Bits - Q:What size, type?-----------B&Q do a titanium one about 3mm but check that I can't remember I'm sure I wrote it down somewhere?

Copper Tape - 7/32" Q:Is this self-adhesive or do I need glue?---------- Its self-adhesive

Power Bases - going to use Scaley as shown in Alan's Midford Combe circuit----- Yes

More Q's:
I'll probably have elevation in the circuit, so would thinner MDF suit?----- 12mm worked fine for me.

How deep should the slot be, I'll be running mostly Scaley? ----7mm

When you lay the tape do you 'fold' it into the slot or cut it to the slot edge? ------Run it along both sides.

Suggestions for paint, for say, woodland rally stage. Thats not so easy I used a rubberized undercoat.

I think that's all for now, but I'm dumb, so expect more. Ask away I'm sure you'll get answers we've all been there. Ask away

Check out mine!

Good luck and remember we want to see the pictures

Ian

Just added this bit below if it helps from my blog

QUOTE I thought I would post some links/resources that have been helpful in some way towards the construction of my track.

http://www.oldslotracer.com/ for guidence

http://www.slotcarman.co.uk our very own Taxi

Trinity

cf7/32 Venture tape £3.80 best to ring them up get the price and then use the postal sytem they dont seem to be very good with e-mails?

Trinity Stained Glass
103 Ber St
Norwich
Norfolk
NR1 3EY
Tel:01603 622099
Fax:01603 622099

Cholton Found these you can contact them via the internet!

https://www.creativeglassguild.co.uk

Jexy1 found this today
Cheap Mod Rock

 

hi i'm also building a wooden track, What other way of powering a 1 lane layout is there without a proper scaley box?

 

The routing bug seems to be affecting a lot of people recently!!

I followed Beejay's advice and bought router bits here

Copper tape came from here

Both places accept online orders, and I received the goodies within a couple of days.

Hope this helps, have fun

Rob

PS Buying more MDF tomorrow!!

 

Simon....Don't lay the tape right up to the edge of the slot or inside it, leave a small gap so that car tyres don't rip the tape as they slide accross it.

Elevation changes can be difficult in 12mm MDF, unless you are very strong!. Wetting the board helps, but try some shallow cross cuts (at 90 degrees to the slot) on the bottom of the board but be careful as the board could split.

good luck and lets see some photo's.

regards

Alan

 

I have only built a small track which I call 'Excerpt Raceway'. I did use 12mm MDF with some elevation, 13 cm, and it worked for me. I didn't use any crosscutting, but if you want to make banked curves or similar, crosscutting will be necessary.

Good Luck and keep the pictures coming!

 

Rob
QUOTE PS Buying more MDF tomorrow!

Yeeha! this could be the start of something BIG!

Thats the same size bit I used too 3.2mm I knew it was somewhere around there (it's an age thing).

Them online places look much better than the place I bought my copper tape from, and the price is no different.

Ian

 

Luf's how to VideoLuf's site & info

Bending MDF

Lufs video

Hot Shoes AdviceTips

Luf sells a video and some uesful tools for routing tracks

 

QUOTE (taxi @ 7 Jul 2006, 16:38) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>The routing bug seems to be affecting a lot of people recently!!

I followed Beejay's advice and bought router bits here

Copper tape came from here

Both places accept online orders, and I received the goodies within a couple of days.

Hope this helps, have fun

Rob

PS Buying more MDF tomorrow!!

Thanks for all you do to promote Slot Car Racing. I checked out your website -- you have a serious Slot Car jones, man.

-Mark0 <--green with envy

=-=-=

 

I'm going to build a rally circuit with one lane running a series of tight hairpins up a steep slope. Would it be a good idea to use two thinner layers of MDF, routed then glued and clamped together afterwards. It should be more flexible.

 

Hi Graham,

On the Dakar Track, I have made very steep elevations with only 1 layer of 8mm mdf.
This method is a lot of work, but it makes very steep bends possible.
You can find the topic of the Dakar Track here:
http://www.slotforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=19068
On the Swedish Track, I use the same method.
I hope, this will help you.

rallyhub

The first half of the track ready.

Driving uphill.

 

Graham - mine is 3mm MDF which is as pliable and flexible as you want it to go. Therefore, allowing easier manipulation of the track.
You can also join this up to normal 9-12mm MDF if you wish.

 

Having seen Rallyhub's work I have used his jigsaw method it works a treat.

 

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm working on my design and might well make a model first to get a feel for it.

 

Hi

cf7/32 Venture tape £3.80 best to ring them up get the price and then use the postal sytem they dont seem to be very good with e-mails?

Trinity Stained Glass
103 Ber St
Norwich
Norfolk
NR1 3EY
Tel:01603 622099
Fax:01603 622099

Bleep, Ber Street is not to far, if you want me to go into the shop?

Jon

 

I will second Lufs website. I have used his routing strip/router jig setup and I gotta say my routing job looks pro even though it was my first track. I just wish I made my slot deep enough.

 

QUOTE (rallyhub @ 19 Sep 2007, 10:52) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Graham,

Driving uphill.

Awe...and....then....some!

 

Simon --

I created a blog of my entry into creating routed track. While the blog is focused on scales other than 1/32, the techniques, etc., apply to all. There is quite a bit of information in there, the earliest entries have my first experiences with routing.

Please feel free to check it out at: http://wmbrant.spaces.live.com/

-- Bill