[Swissracer]

QUOTE "Hey Dad ? I am bored!"
"Well what do you want to do? and DON'T say watch the TV again!"
"Hmm........................ Well it is too cold to go out so how about design the rally track?...you said I coud do it ages ago"
" Ok, well how about we do it in 3D ?"
" COOL!...erm what's 3D?"

So that's what we did, a few drawings, a bit of explanation and a lot of collecting of materials later we began to build..

This took around 3 hours and so far has not been extended to actually seeing how Scalextric Classic track will adapt itself but I don't see too many problems and it certainly helps to visualise how it is going to turn out. PLUS! I have one VERY happy and proud little boy here who is busy showing a neighbour as I type

Toby drew the track, I adapted and suggested realistic changes, we both built together and the following is the result..

It isn't to scale, nor do I have any idea of the size as yet. It is totally a little boys imagination and Dads suggestions based on what was first drawn.

Ok driving right to left, we begin the course at the end of a tarmac road (by 'timing and control') and enter the first stage with a mountain climb. Screaming past sheer drop offs and a waterfall..

Onto the summit and round onto a rickety wooden bridge over the gorge floor far below..

Surviving the bridge we career across snow covered Alpine fields, dropping sharply downwards, snaking round the hilly 's' bends as we fall below the snowline at last and the track changes from ice to mud..

Reaching the valley floor at last, the course takes us across a sandbank and through the ford (whoa! wet feet!). Out the other side and into a hairy section along the cliff face, through the fields and then a struggle for control as we fly over the stoney bridge. A sharp left leads immediately into a sharp right, compensating for changing traction as we hit the tarmac for a final race toward the finish!

I don't know how the final track will pan out but I have ideas with Toby to paint the track in colours to match the surroundings, plus we will use clear resin for the stream, cutting slots through it for the guide so enough power will have to be built up to get across or your engine will flood and stall

.

 

[Scatman]

We must be thinking the same. I have the track set-up almost like your model. I see my track cut into a mountain and down into the valley.

Scatman's Raceway

 

[Wankel Ickx]

Er? Can I put myself up for adoption?

 

[Swissracer]

Ok, I started laying it out in Scaley Classic this morning, to see what pieces I need extra, if any.
It is coming up around 4 Metres square

and whilst this isn't impossible to do (Our new track premises is 190 Sq Metres)...

HOW THE HELL DO I GET CARS FROM THE MIDDLE SECTION???????

Bear in mind if I build it like the model and it sits on a 1 metre high table, the valley sides and the back by the bridge are going to be about 2 1/2 metres from the floor

Ideas please? Polite only!!

Swiss'

 

[Tropi]

This is really too obvious but don't use a metre high table!
Even for normal racing, that is higher than normal - my experience is that a comfortable height is somewhere between 750 and 900 mm in height.
In this case, I would suggest starting with the lowest level no more than 300-400mm above floor level.
You might consider reducing the total elevation change in the layout, just a little.

Alternatively, start the layout right on the floor and work it up the front face of a table of some sort.

Other thoughts - at 4 metres square, there will likely be room for some access to the track inside the circuit.

 

[dtypebrownmark]

swissracer-you can get 'grabbers' from invalid mobility shops here in the uk-they're basically a reach and grab device for those who cant reach tins off shelves ect,and can easily be adapted for the purpose of reaching a car across an unaccesable stretch of circuit

failing that a bleeding long piece of 2x1 wood with a big magnet taped to the end of it mate!!

 

[Scott B]

...and the luckiest boy in the world is..., Toby Wakefield!

 

[Monaro]

QUOTE (Swissracer @ 18 Nov 2003, 02:59 PM)Ok, I started laying it out in Scaley Classic this morning, to see what pieces I need extra, if any.
It is coming up around 4 Metres square

and whilst this isn't impossible to do (Our new track premises is 190 Sq Metres)...

HOW THE HELL DO I GET CARS FROM THE MIDDLE SECTION???????

Bear in mind if I build it like the model and it sits on a 1 metre high table, the valley sides and the back by the bridge are going to be about 2 1/2 metres from the floor

Ideas please? Polite only!!

Swiss'
Well to get your cars out of the middle, suggestion is to have the track to go straight down and then straight back and the end cut out so you can get to your cars, I find that tracks that are to windy get boring quickly, and as for your stalling in the water get some braid and glue it onto your routered groves because you'll have to put two grooves, one for the braid, good luck, oh the cheapest way to make mountains, is to loosely fold news paper into squares and use them like bricks and then cover them in a sheet of news paper soaked in a mixture of flour and water, and when that is set paint on a sloppy coat of moulding plaster, then paint, hope I help a little.

 

[Mecoprop]

I find the notion that "tracks that are too windy get boring quickly" to be rather strange! How can a twisty section be more more boring than an equivalent replacement straight? This IS a rally track, after all! I am sure Swiss will answer for himself, but I had assumed that the idea of a braidless section through the stream wasn't out of laziness, but to deliberately simulate a real-world hazard.

I love the cardboard 'mock-up' - a great way of getting a feel for the whole circuit without committing self to a huge amount of construction work in expensive real wood! A lot easier to correct any bad mistakes at this stage.

It does seem to me that the best way of dealing with the height problem would be to start lower than usual. This would almost certainly save on both construction time and expense and probably be easier for the little guy to work with too. But the idea of the 'lazy tongs' is an excellent one anyway.

 

[dtypebrownmark]

You could also use a dog 'pooper scooper' on a longer rod to scoop up those out of reach cars,..and by my driving standards that would be fairly appropriate

 

[Monaro]

QUOTE (Mecoprop @ 19 Nov 2003, 11:33 AM)I find the notion that "tracks that are too windy get boring quickly" to be rather strange! How can a twisty section be more more boring than an equivalent replacement straight? This IS a rally track, after all! I am sure Swiss will answer for himself, but I had assumed that the idea of a braidless section through the stream wasn't out of laziness, but to deliberately simulate a real-world hazard.

I love the cardboard 'mock-up' - a great way of getting a feel for the whole circuit without committing self to a huge amount of construction work in expensive real wood! A lot easier to correct any bad mistakes at this stage.

It does seem to me that the best way of dealing with the height problem would be to start lower than usual. This would almost certainly save on both construction time and expense and probably be easier for the little guy to work with too. But the idea of the 'lazy tongs' is an excellent one anyway.
Well he could put his windy bits where his straight bit is, just swap them over, and rallies do have straights and we are not driving real cars and if you can't hold the thing flat for a bit is boring for me, I like speed (going fast).And as for the braid through the water hazzard was just an idea, But I'm in the process of making a real water hazzard with real water, and the cars and track wont get wet , but I'll have a water spraying into the air, thats if everything works out, and it should.

 

[Tropi]

Hi Monaro and welcome!
QUOTE I'm in the process of making a real water hazzard with real water, and the cars and track wont get wet
I hope you can update us on this - it sounds interesting and quite difficult!
Any chance of you taking a few pics as you progress?

 

[Monaro]

QUOTE (Tropi @ 20 Nov 2003, 06:32 PM)Hi Monaro and welcome!
QUOTE I'm in the process of making a real water hazzard with real water, and the cars and track wont get wet
I hope you can update us on this - it sounds interesting and quite difficult!
Any chance of you taking a few pics as you progress?
Well I wasn't going to tell anyone how I'am gunna try and make it, but what the hell, basically make a piece of straight 2 straights long out of a reasonable flexi perspects (so the weight of the car will flex the track to activate the switches) grove it, braid it, and along the sides of the track run plasic tubing with holes running along them, and under the track have little push on switches which turn off when the pressure is released(i've got some out of a old VHS video recorder) to activate a little water pump, I'm going to try and use a water pump of a windscreen washer bottle, but the track will have to have a catch tray and sides for the water, and so the water can run back to the water pump pick up, theoretically it should work but it will take a lot to fine tuning it I hesitate to say.

 

[Monaro]

PS I'm also looking at a electronic sensor to turn the water pump on, similar to a door bell in a shop when the beam is broken, but any ideas to make it better and simpler, very welcome, because the sensor you could place it at any part of the track without having to make a special track, if you know what I mean, make it so you can place the made drop tray under any part of the track and move your sensors that are only conected by, say on speaker wire so you can place them where it suits your track. And how do I place pictures on this site, so I could possibly give you a bit of a mud map (blue print). You sound very interested and your feed back and any ideas would help.

 

[Swissracer]

Sounds great Monaro!

I think your last suggestion, about using light sensors to trigger the pumps is easiest, they are already available for use with timing equipment, designed to fit into existing tracks. You could also look into 'dead' sections for control of the pumps.

For water, simply make sure you use 'distilled water', it isn't less corrosive but reacts better with electrics.

I know of sites in Italy and Spain where they actually drive through water features using distilled water. Thomas (at least) has also raced outdoors in the rain, you will find pics on his site www.132er.de

keep us upto date with pics!

 

[Tropi]

QUOTE how do I place pictures on this site
The Dummies Guide to Posting Pics is listed in our SlotForum Resources

The guide itself is at Posting Pics (with Screenshots)

Photo Hosting available at Star Photo

Please don't hesitate to ask questions - we will always try to help.

 

[Swissracer]

The morning was not too cold for once - mild November!! - so we decided to transform the cardboard rally layout into track...

Here is the comparison between a cardboard idea and how it realistically transforms into Scalextric Classic..

The goodwood chicane will be a skirt around a rockfall. The bridge of the gorge looks like it will be a tough job, I have a hump back bridge coming for the stream crossing and for the ford I am adapting a high hump bridge. I could not get many turns coming down the field area on the right si I might model it to be a 'skirting the field type section', rather than a 'rip up the crops' bit

. There are also a couple of sections of banked turn in there to aid the incline up the mountainside.

So..ideas and suggestions (clean only!) for improvement /design guys?

 

[Monaro]

QUOTE (Swissracer @ 21 Nov 2003, 09:13 AM)Sounds great Monaro!

I think your last suggestion, about using light sensors to trigger the pumps is easiest, they are already available for use with timing equipment, designed to fit into existing tracks. You could also look into 'dead' sections for control of the pumps.

For water, simply make sure you use 'distilled water', it isn't less corrosive but reacts better with electrics.

I know of sites in Italy and Spain where they actually drive through water features using distilled water. Thomas (at least) has also raced outdoors in the rain, you will find pics on his site www.132er.de

keep us upto date with pics!
Thanks for the water idea, but I'm going to be a bit busy over the next few weeks so I'll probably wont be spending much if any time on it, but I'll keep you posted on how thing go, but it'll be cool when up and running properly.

 

[Intergrali]

I was thinking along the lines of water in a bowl or something with very flexy perspex, the water would then splash you the sides..

oh Swiss, if you want one of the gabber thingy me jigs, give us a shout I can send a couple over their about 20 squid a peice tho

Rob.

 

[Monaro]

Yeah thanks Intergrali, but I'm going to try and keep all the electrics dry, I could see your way working without the electrics getting wet though, with a bit of working out, but I'll give my way a go first while thinking about yours, might end up making the two and see which one will end up working the best and easiest.