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Long time lurker, first time poster.(Stoney Creek)

65K views 525 replies 43 participants last post by  MJE 
#1 ·
As per the title, I've been snooping around here for a couple of years now, & finally plucked up the courage to make my first post. I have managed to build my first permanent track using Scaley Sport Track. It resides in our conservatory which measures 17' x 10' & pretty much fills it. I have to say that most of it would not have been possible without all the helpful info harvested from the craftsmen & women that frequent the forum, & whose ideas I have shamelessly "copied". The layout is mostly sceniced, although it's not finished yet (If a track is ever finished?) I'll try & post a couple of pictures to give an idea of what I'm trying to create as & when I can work out how to.

The main reason for posting is to convey my gratitude for the inspiration you guys have given me.

Thank you all !

Nik B
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
Thanks Nik, although Iv'e just recognised my first mistake, this should have gone into the Tracks/Scenery section.

Like I said, it's my first time on any forum, & that includes Facebook & the like, so it may take me a while to get the hang of it.

Nik B
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
Hi Southwestscorer.

Thanks for the "Invite", but it's funny you should mention that, I'm going to be there as part of a party tomorrow evening. I have been once before, but we only got to race the 6 lane Scaley track with the SCX Escorts. I'm expecting that will be the case again tomorrow, but it makes a change to have somebody to race against. I'm one of those "Lone Racers" you see, hence the anologue track.

Do the members have a wood track hidden in there somewhere?

ATB

Nik B.
 
Discussion starter · #13 ·
Hi, & thanks for the replies. Sorry it's taken till now to post again, but I was unable to log on at during the weekend.

Southwestscorer, had a great time at the mill on Friday night. I met with Warby, who was good enough to show me the Club Track. It's certainly a very different experience!

MJE, Glad you like the pit buiding. It was the first thing I built, that was a couple of years ago now & it's beginning to look a little tired now. But I'm happy with it, sort of matches it's surroundings.

Gysse, you wanted more pictures? Well, you asked.

Eastern End.


Eastern End........ again!



Front.



Eastern End............AGAIN.



View from Western end.



& anothe veiw of the Pit/ Paddock.



Hope you like them, cos I'm pretty happy with it up to now.

ATB,

NIK B.
 
Discussion starter · #16 ·
Thank guys,

Ian B, I was lurking, more than hiding. I was a little nervous of putting it up next to the works of art that appear on the forum. But, like I said, they were an inspiration & an education. It's my first attempt at this sort of thing & it's still work in progress.

Mr O, the track is a blast to drive, although a little tricky in parts. My aim was to get as big a lane length in the space available whilst leaving room for a bit of scenery. Some of the pictures are from above, which kind of exaggerates the amount of track. The lane length is around 20 Mtrs, & lap times average around 12-13 seconds. Some of the faster cars can be hustled round in 10 seconds & the lap record is 9.2 seconds. That's held by a Slot-it GT40, sadly not mine!

ATB

Nik B.
 
Discussion starter · #18 ·
Thanks indeed Richard IV. Can't see myself leaving anytime soon, this hobby is just so addictive. I'm not sure I've got much to contribute ATM, seeing as how I'm still a beginer & everything I've managed to do so far has been with the help of all the good people here. I hope to give something back though, even if it's only encouragement.

Can't resist another picture while I'm here..............Sorry.

Bit of lights out action. Oo-Err



ATB

NIK B.
 
Discussion starter · #20 ·
Hi again MJE, Thanks very much, I'm glad you like it. Still loads to do though, it's finding enough time. It's taken me 2 years to get to this point.

It's got a lot to do with the Missus demanding that I pay her more attention than the track! Can't see the problem myself!! (Good job she's not likely to be reading this!) Lol.
 
Discussion starter · #22 ·
Hi Allan, glad you like it. As for't mill....not sure yet, it's not that don't want to, more about consulting the social secretary, if you get my drift? (No pun intended).

Quick question though, if you have loaners available, do you have controllers too? I don't own a club type controller, just bog standard Scaley Sport ones with the 3.5mm jack.

ATB
 
Discussion starter · #31 ·
Hi all,

A bit more of the "big dipper" part of the track. You wouldn't know it from these pictures, but it's actually a pretty steep climb up this part of the circuit.





Hope you like them.

ATB

NIK B

BTW no, I haven't anything better to do today.
 
Discussion starter · #34 ·
Hi again,

This photo is of what is to be the "Water" feature of my track, The foundations are set (I think), although the the rock in the centre may be removed first.



Now I'm not expecting to replicate anything close to uksqueeza's Quay Scene, I'd just like something that looks like water. I'm not even looking at creating ripples unless it happens accidentally. I'd just like some advice on which "water" product is easiest to use, I've seen some stuff in Hobbycraft that is granular, and needs melting & pouring into place. Does anybody out there have any experience with this product? Any tips will be gratefully received.

Thanks in anticipation,

NIK B

PS, If any of the mods could move this thread to the Tracks & Scenery section I would really appreciate it.
 
Discussion starter · #40 ·
Thanks Guys,

Wow, I wasn't expecting such a positive response, thank you!

Mr F/Ade:- Yeah, it's not the first time I've been prodded with the "digital" stick. Thing is, I just cannot justify the expense. This whole project has been created on a fairly tight budget & it would probably set me back as much as I've already sunk into it to turn it into digital. If I'd known at the outset, what I know now, things would have been very different! Routered wood, BLST....etc etc. I have plans on the drawing board, but that's for another day
.

Sealevel. Where to start? Well here's the short version.

The scenery is "carved" from a medium density polyurathane foam blocks, here's a photo of some before painting began.



The bridge.



Created from a slightly higher density foam on a CNC router for the piers, & the sides were cut by hand with printed card applied before assembly.

Sorry, I haven't any pics of the process to hand, but I'll try and dig some out.

ATB

NIK B.
 
Discussion starter · #42 ·
Ade,

I have virtually unlimited access to CNC routers unfortunately, it's what I do for a job. Or at least creating the prorams for them.

2440x1220mm max, but they should be big enough to build a good sized layout


But as I said, all that's for another day. For now, I just want to get this one finished


It's not that far off really......................


Here's another little something done on a router:-



Simple enough to draw & cut, but a rather larger effort required to paint.

ATB

NIK B
 
Discussion starter · #44 ·
QUOTE (nik kerswill @ 1 Dec 2013, 11:27) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Nice collection of cars there Nik.

Cheers.
Nik.

Sorry Nik, I must have missed your comment in the commotion.

Thank you, I'm glad you approve. I just love american muscle cars, so the Trans-Am & Can-Am stuff is the best stuff, ever...........for me, at least. I'm a fan of other 70's stuff too, hence what you see in the pit lane. I do, however, get sidetracked with anything else that's easy on the eye, so that just opened a whole new can of worms!!

I've had a couple of attempts at re-liveries & kit builds, one of which is in the rally/raid category (show us your rally/raid cars) if you want a peek? I think it was the last post, certainly the last page.

At the end of the day, I'm just an incurable petrol head, always have been, & always will be. I dare say that would apply to 99.99% of the folk here.

I can't think why the 00.01% are here, but live & let live & fair play to them.

ATB

NIK B.
 
Discussion starter · #45 ·
QUOTE (gokartride @ 1 Dec 2013, 19:52) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Did you figure this out? I have used artist's gloss medium in the past. Very controllable...stipple (not brush) into place for slightly choppy water. It is sold here in smaller tubes, too. Doesn't creep up sides either like some products.

Not got there yet gokartride. "artist's gloss medium"? Is that something I can put in the search engine, does it have a manufacturers/trademark name. I'm intrigued as to how much surface area it can cover in one application, & to what thickness..........you get the idea. Please, tell me more!

In Anticipation.

NIK B.
 
Discussion starter · #46 ·
Here again, trying to graduate from Tea Boy.


A threesome of Can-Ams ready for the pit lane to open.



I had to remove the snow plough from the MGV Stewart Lola. It was ruining the asphalt on my track
.

NIK B.
 
Discussion starter · #48 ·
Hi Kev,

No, there are no blinds at present, hence the wheelie bins in some of the pics. It doesn't really need them as it's north facing (that's the only reason I got to use it for a slot track. The missus said it was a waste of space. To which I replied, leave it with me, I'll put it to good use
) . So it only gets direct sun at sunrise/sunset during the summer months. Now given that I live in Stockport, the only summer I've seen that happen was the one just gone, so no worries for the next ten years then eh? But, as you say Kev, just a short burst of direct sunlight one evening did turn the main straight into some sort of fairground ride, & didn't do much for the continuity either. Touch wood, that has only happened once. I would stay well clear of building a plastic slot track in a conservatory that gets any more sun than mine does.

I have toyed with the idea of blinds, with some sort of "backdrop" printed on them. But they are prohibitively expensive, plain, or printed. Lets see, SSD, or blinds? That's a tough call.

NIK B
 
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