[slotcrazy]

This has been underway for about 3 months, so I'll post various stages up to today, altogether, then update it periodically as I begin the scenery.

Turn 1 - Assymetrical opening out from apex when driven anti-clockwise. Run-out on top of turn will be under the elevated Monaco, giving plenty of tail space if needed.
Turn 2, very gentle sweep, may morph with following straight into something a little more "Essey"
Turn 3 shown assymetrical, but may reverse that symmetry, or make it more constant radius in the middle, with equal lead in graduations. Am a little concerned that running ACW, it may cause too many deslots under bridge in the configuration shown.
Straight 2, boring straight, rising from baseline to 150mm from part way along
Turn 4 Monaco, no more need be said.
Straight 3 Mirrors straight 2 declining elevation for half way, then rises again to 150mm at bridge
Turn 5 bridge gentle sweeper continuing rise intoo turn 6 with peak elevation at exit 350mm.
Straight 4, dropping to baseline by entry to
Turn 7 Gentle sweeper onto front straight, with graduated entry and exit

The squeezes at turn 4 and 6 each result in obstruction between one lane and on adjacent to it, but not the other 2 lanes. A wee challenge. This also aids in creating enough radius to get two sets of turns of 4 lanes into my limited space.
I plan to have a CAD "layer" which will perform "undercuts" on the MDF to make it easier to form the elevations.

I actually think it is a bit boring as drawn, . . . so now it needs some clever ways to tart it up, but I am a lot happier with this design than my first take on it.
There is 19.2 metres (63ft) of racing, with mostly 90mm lane spacing, potential to create some interesting flow and appearance using the elevation changes, and with some tweaking, I should be able to makle all corners unique, drivable, but with some technical challenges which reward "learning"

 

[slotcrazy]

I should mention that I am very limited by garage size and location of side doors into the house, and directly outside to the "boat park" beside it. So 4.8 metres (two sheets of MDF) is my absolute maximum length.

I recruited of a professional CAD guy who recently developed a rather sad, intense, incurable, and fortunate slot-addiction. Here is the final version of Oakland V2. It doesn't REALLY have 11 turns, 3 of them are just identifying the slight inverse meander of a straight.

I think we have it fairly flowing now to drive well in both directions. Space limitations also meant design limitations, overall it is about 150mm wider and 250mm longer than my current 3 lane track. - plus the extension at top right.
Table size

Length 4750mm
width 2260mm

 

[slotcrazy]

Day One - ex the CNC shop. They were still cutting the last sheet (2 weeks late), as we began the frame.

One of our local club members has been busily toiling away today on my track.

Thankfully all the sections lined up off the CNC machine.
It's good to finally see how the layout looks in real size. It LOOKS a lot bigger than the original Oakland Raceway, but is only 250mm longer, 200mm wider, plus the small extension at back.
I gain a 4th lane, and 70cm in running length.

 

[slotcrazy]

Lid removed, and main driver panel done, track pre-wired, driver stations for 2 middle lanes (red & yellow) duplicated at back of track, so all drivers can stand at a marshalling point if needed. Driver stations and main control panel tested . . . about 200 metres of string in there.... good grief, it all works first time...

Main console panel components pre-wired, and 13 LED lighting circuits for track lighting, plus the timing bridge. Just need a few more cable clips to tidy up the LED wiring. Everything needs clipping in place so it doesn't hang down, as the underside of the track will be crammed full of 'stuff".

 

[slotcrazy]

Half a day today with Grant and the table is finished, ready to route the rebates tomorrow, finalise elevations and fix it all down ready for painting.
I had a few dramas with the main control panel. Discovered something I didn't know. - Not all auto 12 volt switches are created equal. Some of them with indicator lights create a dead short while switching on and off. This kept tripping out my power supply. It took an hour of trial and error to figure that out.

Had to disconnect the indicator bulbs on 2 switches on the main panel, will replace them with some of another type later.
I wanted to test all this wiring before screwing down the track, as it is so much harder to trace and fix later.

The "holes" in the centre will have removable panels of scenery, so I can work on those panels anywhere I want, and also so I can reach the middle parts of the track easily with them removed, by standing in "the hole" in the middle, to do other scenery work.

 

[slotcrazy]

Hmmm, not sure this looks much different when I see the pics, but the gains are rebated and the roadway is now all glued togeether. I used a "back-block" system, 20cm wide stips of 12mm MDF running across the width of each join, glued with a polyester glue "Gorilla" for the NZ guys; clamped and screwed down. I started off with a loose join that had 0.1 - 0.2mm uneven surfaces at the join despite my best attempts, but got better after 2 or 3 joins. By the end, they were pretty good, but I went back over each join with the orbital; ran it dead flat, then re-routed the "gain" for the braid across the joint just to make sure that was flat as well.

Now have the elevations partly done, waiting for a glue and clamp session to harden off, then I'll go a bit further tonight, and should have that part all finished sometime tomorrow before the wet weather sets in again and stops me cutting outside. I only have 6 "D" clamps, so that is a limiting factor on speed. should have sponged some off munter, only just thought of that......

Top of the hill is 330mm above base level. Other end just rises about 55mm to create a little visual interest.
The MDF is feeling "somewhat stressed" right now, - it is going to feel a lot more stressed when I attack it with trailer strops and a ratchet later tonight. 12mm has more give than I expected.

So far I haven't screwed through from the top at all, will try and fix everthing from below, so I don't have fill holes to "puff up" later in the paint.
Also unsure whether to fill the seams at the joints, as paint may not fill, but the joints are smooth and won't disturb the cars, so maybe better left alone rather than have bondi cracking at the joints later. - Opinions on that much welcomed.

Bit concerned about visibility of the two inside lanes far side of hairpin as you come out of the under-pass, but not much I can do now apart from trim the roadway a little. It should improve a bit when the elevations are finished and I correct the camber of the roadway above/in front of that part. "She'll be right"

 

[slotcrazy]

After a week of rude interruptions (work), I finally got back to the track and made some visible progress.
I have fitted the in-fills between roadway sections, and cut most of the barriers which fit on the base level sections of roadway.

One thing I struggled to find when I was researching, so copy here, was how to fit barrier walls to raised track areas.
My solution has been to glue and screw 40 x 20mm section dressed pine under the MDF at regular points.
The MDF walls can be screwed to that.

I cut bits roughly to length - excess can be trimmed after fitting with a jigsaw to flush with the edge of the treack roadway. Plenty of stong glue, then clamped in place.

One layer clamped in place, when they had fixed, I added the ones seen sitting on the roadway, and will leave that lot to harden tonight while I go racing.

I am using one on the flat as a fixing point for the 6mm MDF walls, then anohter underneath that, protruding further, for the walls to sit on. The protrusion comes out to the "square edges" of where the sheet of MDF began before I cut out the roadway.

So right now it looks like this.

Next step tomorrow will be to build up on top of the extended pieces of pine, with enough height to bring the top plate of MDF up to the height I want. In my case, that will be to bring it flush with the outside edge of the top of the MDF barrier wall, giving the effect that the track is a roadway running through a cutting.

 

[slotcrazy]

This week has been finishing barrier walls, then laying down silicon gap-filler all over the show. Final light sand yesterday, then the undercoat today.
The rough wide yellow stripe is the platform for a yellow line to mark the edge of the "roadway"
The stripe is just rough positioning, the tape that masks the line to keep will wander around on that wide stripe to create the illusion of a narrower roadway than the cars will actually use, and more extreme in some corners than the actual slots.

The idea is effect, and to reduce the dominant appearance of the roadway on the overall table.
I'll lay down 3mm masking tape tomorrow for the line, then start painting chicanes/ripple strips in red and white in some corners.

 

[slotcrazy]

And the grind continues......

Laid a 3mm masking tape wandering around track which will eventually define the official edge of the roadway, then masked against it another 3mm gap on the "inside" of selected turns, then painted white, then masked alternately to roughly 10mm and painted red, 2 coats, then sanded back to near level until the "red lines" look a bit worn and are smoother for cars to travel over, then masked off the area I want to keep as red and white ripple strips.

Drivers station area is finished apart from a little touch up colour and fitting the controller holders.

Masked off all the walls which are now top coated white ready for advertising panels.
Then the big day.... first top coat goes on. I have gone for a darkish grey main roadway.

Okay, I confess; Grant is doing the top coats for me.... I think he wants to ensure he has a decent racing surface to run on

 

[slotcrazy]

Finished the control panel, pretty happy with the results. The Black panel at centre houses a large DC volt meter, a Track-call kill switch, a power over-ride for driving cars home when track power is off between heats etc, and a couple of switches for track lighting.
Controller holders are from SlotcarCorner in The US/Canada, they look good, and simply work.
The white "holes" are for safe placement of bottles of driver-lubricant.

Some time later . . . in a cul de sac far far away there was ....... paint wars

Okay, you can say it Mel . . . British Paints [email protected]#^@*(#[email protected]#^@*(#!*&#@!.......*&#@!# &#*(#&

The orange peel was deep enough to break a leg falling into the crevasses....... some hours and a couple of sanding discs later. . . . the great Granti won Kenoby returned and a coat of Resene acrylic enamel was applied..... much better looking result.
Then I set about painting over the edges of it just outside the masked yellow line that will denote the official edge of the "virtual/visual roadway" the eye will see (as opposed to the line of slots which the cars will follow, charging as they go over run-off areas, ripple strips, and a few other bits and bobs I'll add later. )

Oh "dash and darn" Resene's "Pencil lead" was based on a Wattyl colour, not at all like the .BP. Pencil Lead I had previously.
It was a hideous chocolate brown, very un-road-like.

So back to B.P.'s version of Pencil Lead. Painted some concrete . . . nope... now that looks too blue against the roadway.... "whistle whistle" - -

Back to Resene. Picked a suitable grey, back to scene 50, take 3.

I also painted up the same lighter grey onto the two hairpin turns simulating a "concrete" insert on those corners.

Masked all that off, then the GGWK returned and painted another skin of roadway.
"wait till tomorrow Mark, let the paint harden"

BAH Humbug.. I waited 6 hours, and started peeling very late last night when we got back from the Avalanche City concert..... PS great band.

RSCLIO - Yeah, you and me too!!!!

I could see right away the 3mm masking tape for the yellow had done a great job, as had the 10mm modelers masking tape I used for the first couple of ripple strips. As for the painters masking tape from the hardware stores. "RUBBISH" It bled like a stuck pig, so I'll have some fixing to do.

Fortunately all the "lips" of the various layers need sanding to level them out before the clear-coat goes on, and it turns out this is enough to turn the leakage into something that vaguely resembles worn concrete and tarmac. So It think it will be all right in the end.

I hazed this turn with black spray paint to make it look less "pristine and plasticy", then hit it with the orbital. Pretty happy with the visual effect.

Two lane colours painted. That's me done for the day.

A bit of an overhead for clarity

 

[slotcrazy]

Now it gets interesting

Painting is finished, GGWk put the clearcoat over all flat surfaces today. Cabot's acrylic (water-based) floor clear, same as I used on my last track. It looks milky in the tim, and even when you put it on, but dries clear in about 15 minutes. When hard in about 24 hours, it is a finish hard enough for wooden floors which are walked on every day.
The finish is very glossy, and promises high grip for sillies and soft rubber, medium grip for urethanes.

The light grey "concrete" areas are heavily weathered, with cracks, patches, cut lines for "slabs" etc, but they don't show up much in this wider shot.
Face to face, or should that be, face to track, I am pretty happy with the effect. The roadway also appears less dominating than it would be otherwise given that it takes up 70% of the track surface.

Tomorrow afternoon I hope to tape one lane, any maybe even get it braided. The electrics are all finished, so all I need to do to go live is solder two wires to the braid tails on each lane, and plug in a controller.

A light bridge might be handy . . . but that can wait a few days.

 

[slotcrazy]

It lives

And that's where I am up to as at mid August 2011

 

[phil_the_spoiler_killer]

GREAT TRACK !

Which glue or tape did you use for the braid ?

 

[slotcrazy]

Hi Phil, I taped it mostly using the normal formulation of 3M/Scotch brand VHB tape.

Talking with Steve at SlotCarCorner in the USA, he tells me they have had no success with getting tape slit, and they now only supply 1/4" tape slit by 3M and sold as a finished product - but that is only available in 1/4"

So I had tape custom slit to 4.6mm to mate up with the 3/16th inch braid I used (narrower than the usual 1/4", for aesthetic reasons.)

In my case I just decided this was the way to go. I have a dodgy back to "manage", and the previous Oakland Raceway was only 60% the amount of braid, took a week to glue and braid, and nearly put me into a back board and ambulance LOL

A guy on "another forum" helpfully put me onto a company in Australia that is able to slit tape successfully.
HOWEVER, it is not cheap......... at all. About 20% dearer for me to buy than the retail price for 1/4"

I have also trialed a section of my track using a different tape formulation which is cheaper, but some of it hasn't taken peroperly. It MAY be just the strip I did without de-oiling the braid, or it may be something else. I did a short section with extra "tails" so I can just re-lay any of the test sections which lift.

I have used the 3M factory tape for other folks tracks over the last two years, so I am now pretty familair with how it performs.
The company that did this slitting made a nice job of it, - I couldn't tell the difference between their material, and material straight from 3M except the different width, and a little moisture on the tape when it first arrived. Either they used water jets for slitting, or water jets as coolant while blade slitting (They have both types of equipment)

I am going to visit them when I am in Australia in a few weeks on a "slot sojourn"; have a look a their setup, and buy a bunch of rolls at 3/16th, which I'll toss into a shipment of stuff to send home by seafreight while I run off to China on business.

 

[Ichabod]

Wow, that looks great. Of course, putting so many updates back to back makes the entire thing look far too easy!

 

[slotcrazy]

Well it's alive now, so thought I'd put up a couple of vids, says more than still pics.

What it is

And here's a few seconds of the semi-serious opening night - - okay, actually it wasn't very serious at all.

 

[Mike Buettner]

Sweet! Just awesome. Very nice layout, superb construction and most all great documentation. You are an inspiration.

 

[GTR XU-1]

Awsome track...Great workman ship!!

3/4 of your track looks very similar to mine...but just in reverse and yours has a bridge!!!

Dave

 

[Kellerkind]

Great! Thanks for sharing! Regards Jens

 

[PINHEAD69]

wow, being a newbie, this is the first time ive really seen a track made in this way , so i guess you can just buy the metal strips for the track ? or are these made aswell ? looks great and i like the way it flows, sadly ive never used a router so i'll stick with my early stages of scenery making ;-) would love to get my hands on a platform like that, after my first try ive learnt so much, but mine only took 3 weeks, so ive yet to dable in the world of super highway making, cant wait to see the finished version, extremely nice work...big up