[joegraphix]

so, i go to the local hobby store, "to buy my kid a present" come home with a sweet figure 8, 2 IRL cars, about to watch the last indy race of the season and play with "the new toy".
lucky, the hobby store was still open after the track went together, um, honey, i think we need more track... next set comes home, oval speedway...picked up another IRL set...and one more set with stock cars... when's next payday?? buying odds and end pieces in a pack of 2 for the next few weeks, i had to find a room for this monster! after some talks with the wife... the "spare kitchen" in the basement became "joe graphix mountain valley road course"... still have tons to do... but this is what i got so far in 9 weeks. i will update often! enjoy!! -joe

 

[GlovemanP510]

What a cool idea to mount the boxes on the wall. Love the look of your track although you are a braver man than i including not one but two crossovers - double the carnage!

What was thwe name of your business by the way, i couldnt quite tell from the photos! - let me guess you made the signs yourself - a man after my own heart.

keep the pics coming

Cheers Gloveman

 

[rooster364]

Thats looking very nice mate. The scenery is great. I bet your cars fly around there. Nice pics too.
Keep up the excellent work & i will watch your progress.

Regard,R.

 

[joegraphix]

haha yes i made the signs. more on the way! joe graphix is my company name. 2 crossovers... honest, i didn't want to do it, but with limited space for the track, i wanted to add as much track on the table, and it gave me a easy way to add lap time...it hasen't caused to much trouble yet, the only time you have to be on the look out is if you are a half a lap down... after i smashed my brand new gt40 into 6 pieces, i let off the gas when i approach... because i know the other guy will not, expecially if it's my car.

yea R, the cars go around quick... standing in the center of a giant U shape gives your neck a workout, it's a avg. of 10 sec per lap, done it in 8.96 one time, then flew off one of the top curve...better walls are now in the works.

thanks for all..
-joe

 

[bacardibeast]

In 9 weeks!!! That looks fantastic!

You've done a great job on the scenery. And I love the crashed IRL car. The only thing I would say is: have you thought about leaving some room between the road and barrier, for a bit of 'tail out' action?

Finally, have you run without magnets yet? You may find it a bit daunting, but it's worth it and you'll find you get to re-master your track in a whole new driving style.

Cheers,
BacardiBeast

 

[joegraphix]

bacardibeast...
thanks, it's been a long 9 weeks! i don't sleep much... work all day, put my 2 kids and wife to bed, and i play.
crashed irl car... let's just say, i am a HUGE danica patrick fan!! poor girl gets some bad breaks. most of her crashes are not her fault, wrong place wrong time bad luck that seems to follow her, so i wanted to show that on my track. did you catch the surfers race this past weekend? poor girl trys to get around a caution, safety crew member points her in the wrong direction towards a wall, a stalled car and a dead end, then she stalls, and looses a lap, she went nuts in her car...she seems to do that, maybe that's why i like her, anyway, thats what gave me the idea for that "scene"... i plan to put some safety people around the car pointing her towards the mountain...lol
room between road and barrier... if you have some suggestions, i'm all ears! the pre-made stuff takes up so much room on the table, and i couldn't use as much track, plus, it's crazy expensive, and looks to fake! i added some train table cork around most turns about 1 inch wide, and all the insides have it where the tires wanted to leave the track, but i am very limited on table space, and i still want to add so much more detail, i just can't seem to find the room. the main outside curves have a pvc barrier that hugs the track and the car just glides along with it. when you are on the inside of those turns, you have slide room. i boiled it down to, the course has some getting used to... you have to know what lane will let you get away with a fast corner, and when to slow down. your finger is always moving on the trigger... i got it down to a science, i can close my eyes and just listen to the car, and know when to speed up and slow down. the back straights are the best! i have 2-5ft. 1- 10ft 1- 9ft and the main back that goes a shade over 13 feet long. the main goal is to switch to digital and have the entire back straight lane change pieces, that seems to be where most passes come anyway, so this should really add to the fun. i also allowed extra room on the back straight to add a 3rd lane... i can't wait till i get that added!!
no magnets... very tricky course for sure with no magnets!!! yes i have done it... much slower lap times lol i am however bound to master it because the next "build" is to be in the garage, much much bigger, and wood w/ copper tape.

 

[joegraphix]

hey gang, did a few updates, and one more possible mountain...

finally got poor danica some help to get her car back on track...

i may bring the 13 foot back strait up-hill... not to sure if i want to bust out more plaster cloth... but it may be worth it.
the back corner gets lost behind the "waterfall section" without the lift. worth it, yay or nay???

 

[joegraphix]

some changes...
added area for garage...

built with pvc sign board, and vinyl...

still have inside walls to add, and a top area, but i had to set it up and get a preview...

 

[GlovemanP510]

good to see you are spending way too much of your time at work thinking about what you are capable of doing with the stuff you work with in relation to your slot car track - I have access to a vinyl cutter and man is it cool

check out my tyre barriers they are done with an old hose some gaff tape and you guessed it vinyl cut stickers look a million bucks and really easy to do.

you may already have them all anyway but check out www.bestbrandsof the world.com as they have a heap of vector image of all the brands you can think of and there are even easy search categories like motor sport.

keep the ideas coming

Cheers Gloveman

 

[X1/9]

9 weeks?!! It's been 9 months for me and all I've done so far is talk about it. I'm ashamed.
I like your advertising idea though - I might have to incorporate that too!

 

[Mark0]

Here's the link for Best Brands web site to save some of a few clicks.

http://www.brandsoftheworld.com/

Thanks for the link GloveMan

=-=-=

 

[joegraphix]

more work on garage area...
since this whole build has been made from scraps i have around my shop, i kept that theme going with floor tile for the floor

i printed some cool racing posters to hang inside the bays.

next to come, more detail above the garage, steps to get above garage, lights for each bay and a tower to the right of garage.

thanks again to everyone for all the great ideas!!

 

[joegraphix]

thanks gloveman, your work is awsome!!

love the idea for tire barriers!!!
and going to use the advice for your hills... already started the very back section with 2 humps going down hill about 13 inches.
thanks again!! yep, vinyl plotters are the best! getting used to the small scale still! it takes me longer to make a 3 inch banner then it does to make a 3 foot one

 

[joegraphix]

made a new boarder...

new building...

started some track bending, when i get it right, i need to buy more plaster cloth...

 

[Mark0]

Oooh oohh. Tell me those "Cars" cars are slot cars! Even if not I can't recall seeing them in that scale before....

Mark0 <--has a 6 year old who'd love a Lighting McQueen slot car

 

[joegraphix]

gift for me, i got a new car today... out of the box and runs great!!

finally got one light put under a tunnel. so much to do, yet i find myself racin' more then working.

 

[Nigel Pendrigh]

Love all the company banners which adcertise your business to a new market place (the slot forum) and makes the track tax deductable?

 

[joegraphix]

mark0, yep, they both run, but they are a bit bulky on my small scaly track. i made them from cars i got from the disney store, a great match in scale! i used a hornby gt40 base for both. fit real snug with no mods needed, just a dab of glue. i did switch out the tires to the originals off the toys. i'm in the works of clearing my garage for a mdf 3 lane... i'm sure that is when i will see these cars shine!! for now, i have to use them as decoration, and modivation to get the custom track done!!

 

[joegraphix]

haha thats funny nigel,

the banners are up because it's located in the back of my shop, so it just fits, and i love to have the door open for customers to get a glimps and ooohh & ahhh.... i wish it was tax deductable!! the track would be much bigger!

 

[GlovemanP510]

I was wrong then...

you arent just spending time at work thinking about this addiction you have taken it one step further and are working on it at work

oooh the envy

Keep the pics coming

Cheers Gloveman