New track

Plenty of rain around today. Plenty of time for the work to continue on the track. Time to start the bridges. Firstly the stone bridge at the back of the layout to give the impression of a more modern bridge, and then in front, a timber plank and pylon bridge with a newish asphalt road laid over the top and a footpath and handrail on one side. Typically in a moment which best defines me as a planner with vision, I've forgotten to allow any space to do this on the side which would best suit the layout.

Both bridges will look as if they have water running underneath. I've considered having a real running water stream underneath with a pump system generating the water flow. Given that I can water-proof where ever the water might get to, that wont be a problem. But I'm guessing that will look a little fake and right now I'm probably starting to lean more towards using a furniture polish layered water pond stream thing. Which I've never done.. !! Besides I have enough little hands around here that will play in the water more than they would use the cars so... my mind is leaning towards a practical solution that doesn't involve a slot car track being used as a water theme park.

so here goes, a bank of photos of the part finished bridge section...everyone feel free to give me any advice about the water concept and dont be afraid to drop the odd idea in anywhere.

Heres the track

What a super bridge! I love it.

I'm going to try using dappled glass for the bottom of my valley. I'm not sure whether to paint the river base in various shades of green, blue and brown, or use something like cling film and a small fan to 'motivate' it. On the other hand several layers of plain glass under the dappled might have the right effect. You could even put real water under in a sealed box and 'motivate' that

Heres one thing we haven't mentioned yet Graham. Master 9 wandered down to the shed, took one look at the "gap" and said, Cool! A JUMP!!

The water thing appears to be a sort of trial and error thing. Some things work well for some and then exactly the same proceedure appears to not work for others. So some experimentation appears to be the way to go. I never thought of a ripple effect. Thanks very much. It sounds difficult and should be a complete pain and therein lies the challenge that gets me every time. If I had modelled the track on an Australian theme, I could have used a dry creek bed complete with dust.

Thanks to Doug as well for sorting out my last post. Hit a button twice somewhere and could not edit my post. Where would we be without the mod's.

If anyone was wondering how to get so many stones on a wall in a hurry, I bought a plastic stone square at the model shop, filled the back of it with plaster and just made some casts on a piece of mdf board not forgetting to align the courses of stones and just cut out the shapes I needed. It was quite simple and the MDF was about the right size for a stone wall thickness. The plaster I thought would give me a crumble type effect.

Spent the day doing sport with kids so not much progress. The water under the bridge is still an issue but not todays problem. I have one or two things already brewing in the shed to see whether or not they dry clear enough to pass for water. We'll see.I prepared the two arches in the bridge to take the arch supports. I'm sure these have proper names but I don't know what they are. They are made from cardboard and should look ok when finished. They wont be the feature of the bridge but it will look a little unfinished if something doesn't fill in the hole underneath.

The next problem is the timber bridge. It will have to be made out of one piece of MDF and shaped up.
This way I can put the supports underneath and keep it in one piece, no doubt it will have to come in and out a few times before I'm finished.

The bridge below is an old one from a rally layout I did years ago. As you can see, one side had to put up with a few handrail intrusions. Still, it allowed me to get to see what kind of room I had to work with.

More work done today. I took advantage of having tools scattered all over the shed to keep on pumping in the work. Started on the timber bridge. Thought I would try it as an timber planked bridge first. That way if I dont like it I can always lower it to the same thickness as whatever I replace the roadway surface with. Ripped down the joist on the saw and set out the joist on three bearers.



These were made a little extra deep in case I need to adjust the slot. They are a little out of scale but its for strength in case someone leans on it. Which will no doubt happen. The bridge supports are easy enough so I'll build them later. The trick for the moment was getting the groove/ slot in the right spot. It was more fiddly than I thought... I ended up using the planking as the edge of the slot.





Then I had to run a grinder with a cutting wheel down the slot to get the depth just right as well as undercut/bevel the slot because the guide caught on every joist as the car moved along the bridge... and for the slightest little reason if the joist stuck out into the slot cavity it would only ever snap guide blade fixing off. But once I got it right I was able to use the grinder to shape up the lanes to good effect.
Now the cars fly along the bridge without even a whisper of contact with the joist. Thanks goodness.





Powered up and with a couple of willing volunteers to drive the cars, I took some photos. Alterior motive, if anyone can find something to brake a car on, it would be one of my kids. Happy to report.. all good

Always think of David Lawson ( if thats really his name) from here when a Brooklands idea pops into my head. At the Brooklands track in its heyday, they used corrogated iron sheets to make up fences. So I've found the perfect use for the excess roof sheets,



As well as the water effect. I looked for the water effect stuff and it costs about $40.00 bucks for slightly less ml than a can of Coca-Cola. So need an alternative.

I experimented with a product called BONDCRETE. Its going ok and drying nicely but its been so wet here this weekend, nothing will dry anyway. So my patience will get a work out while I wait to see if this works. So far so good, its tacking off and I think judging by the look of the small amount I spilt on the rock while I was pouring it in, it might just work out. And you can but 5 litres of this stuff for about $20. I'm going to try to clour the next batch and get a little more organized to see how it goes.

Thanks Count. I'm not sure what look it will end up with. I need it to look very old and almost falling down to depict the fact that the new brick bridge is the new one and it supposed to make the timber one look very dated and due for replacement. The track is meant to capture the feel of a tucked away circuit that just gets forgotten. Certainly not good enough for a Grand Prix Circuit. . I made the planks run parallel with the direction of the cars. Like some old turn of the century board tracks before they worked out that when the boards broke they just speared straight up into the cars travelling over them. Then of course the bridges that where made this way had the new boards placed over them in an alternative manner running east west, if you like.

I'm very happy with how the board bridge track turned out. It's such an unusual feature. The cars bounce onto it and bounce up back into the roadway so it's a great effect just like a 1:1 scale bridge constructed in this manner.

I'll have some more photos up later on tonight. Thanks again for looking.

Finally finished the bridge. It took some doing but the cars run on all lanes great. I'm very happy with how the track part of the bridge is working.



I increased the strength of these fences a little. Still its about 1:32 size of about an 8x3 so a pretty fair hunk of timber. The boys will crash test it tomorrow. Its also in close proximity to the edge of the track and unfortunately, in easy reach of little fingers.

What a great track, your lads must be pretty pleased with you

It not only looks like a fun track to drive, but the modelling and attention to detail are a real treat. I especially like the pits and that bridge is just brilliant Keep up the good work, and more photos please

cheers,

Rob

Thanks boys. That's a compliment coming from two of Slot forums finest track builders.

But heres where the fun begins! I have to get both bridges out of the way now to start on the river banking. I'm going to use cornice cement (plaster) because of the price. I can get 20kg of it from the builders supply for about $12AU. It's the same as the modelling stuff as far as I can tell but a fair bit cheaper.

Also thought I might throw in a few more of the hedging. It's surprising how well it's been working. I thought at the beginning I would be just picking all the bits out of the cars, but it's been able to catch the cars without too much carnage.

That is the most wonderfull build I've seen in ages!
QUOTE I can get 20kg of it from the builders supply for about $12AU
You're in Oz? Please tell me you're in Melbourne somewhere... I'd love to see this track!!! (I thought the shed frame looked local...but reading about all that rain, I'm guessing Brissie?)
your plank bridge looks great, are you using just PVA?
What is the wood you're using?
Can't wait to see how you build the supports. The pit building is fantastic.... and I love the corrugated iron fence... very Sandownish, Motorcraft corner...?

Are the hedges Scotch Brite pads and Woodlands Scenics Fine Turf? I've got some lying around, meaninmg to get onto that... if they look that good, I'm onto it tonight!!!!

Thanks for such detailed pics... keep em coming!
Sorry for so many Q's!
Dick

No photos for a day or so Rob ( Taxi). The plaster will be pretty messy and I won't be able to handle the camera. The bridges were removed without any problems. I made the cuts through the roadway on an angle so it slots in snug when fitted from one side. Lucky, because when I was building it, I was hoping I could get it out. Time to start on the plaster rock walls of the canal/creek.

Yes Knoath, I'm a QLD'er in Bris. And I'll shout for the beer when you come here. I thought the Gum Trees on your track were spot on and I'll need to make some up for when I put together the Lakeside Raceway later this year. Grab your sun screen and head on up.

The bridges were made using basic Hoop pine but I usually cut the dressed stuff away and get into the meat of the timber. I find it absorbs the detailing paint further and gives you a better overall result. The supports for the bridge will go in soon. I have some rock detailing to do before I look at the water thing. If I put the wooden roadway in now I won't be able to fit my hand in there for the water and I think I'm going to try the running water effect.

The hedges were made from the woodlands scenery hedges but I've had them so long I can't remember what they were called. I sprayed CONTACT over the hedge and then another woodlands scenery product was stretched over them. The scotch brite stuff would probably work but its different to the stuff I used.

The corrugated iron was an easy fix. Its cardboard from the craft section of a large $2 outlet. I took it home, primed it, then simply painted it. It must be popular. I went back two days later and it was sold out. When I enquired where it had gone, the store assistant said that it seemed to be mostly old men buying it for modelling. Figures!

QUOTE Yes Knoath, I'm a QLD'er in Bris. And I'll shout for the beer when you come here. I thought the Gum Trees on your track were spot on and I'll need to make some up for when I put together the Lakeside Raceway later this year. Grab your sun screen and head on up.
The way prices are atm, I could head up for a day, fly home that night... I see what happens!

QUOTE the store assistant said that it seemed to be mostly old men buying it for modelling. Figures!


Keep the pics coming mate!
Love this build.

Dick

Look-a-like Rock foundations are going in at the moment. Its taking a while. Its also looking pretty good. Very happy with results although its alot like real 1:1 scale work. Still, it will be worth the effort.







Heres the new brick retaining wall going in.





....more soon!

This track is lining up to be one of the classics here, no doubt about that!