[Riddell Racer]

Well after many moves over the last few years for work, have finally achieved some semblence of stability. So after an aborted attempt at getting a track up & running last year, have made mods to the table (read expanded the useable area) & surprised myself

by actually getting the track down & driveable for some sighting laps to make sure it performs the way I want it to.

It's around 17 metres long, has 12 LC's of various sorts, a bit of elevation, & eventually will be painted & have some scenery laid down. Need to pull some pics out of the archives to post & include the current layout, should be able to sort that tonight after work. Then I expect to keep adding pics & posts until I have it completed.

Hope the posts to come are of interest.

John.

 

[MrFlippant]

I'm already interested!

 

[Coldblood]

QUOTE (MrFlippant @ 9 Sep 2011, 05:01) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I'm already interested!

Ditto

Get those pictures uploaded

 

[Kellerkind]

Yapp! Pictures please!

Thanks Jens

 

[Ember]

RR, I think I can hear a slow clap starting.

 

[GregK]

edit: no longer relevant.

 

[Riddell Racer]

oops, cant find pics. Will have to check in an external hard drive my daughter borrowed when she brings it back tomorrow.

Think your right Embs, hope the mob doesn't lynch me for not getting pics up tonight. Definately here tomorrow though.

 

[Coldblood]

Ahhhhhhh You tease

Saw you had posted and thought yeah pics.

But no just an excuse for not posting pictures

I hope for your sake your daughter has that external drive with some pics on it tomorrow

Failing that you could always take some new photos

 

[Ember]

Southern trees bare a strange fruit...
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root...


Hurry up RR. The natives will get restless. They're probably off gathering their rope and pitchforks now.

Where abouts in the Macedon Ranges are you?

Embs

 

[Billy_Cart]

QUOTE (Ember @ 10 Sep 2011, 13:08) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Where abouts in the Macedon Ranges are you?

I'm guessing Riddells Creek going by User Name, I might have to get off the train next time I'm going to the footy and do a door knock around town to get a look at the track if the photo's aren't posted soon

 

[Ember]

Yeah. Ok. That is probably deserving of a big, fat D'oh!

 

[Riddell Racer]

Ha ha, no door knocks needed, got the hard drive back but a little disappointed in the pics. Thought there was more & better quality too. Not to worry camera in hand & will take some more later today.

Just to sate the appetites of those who are interested I put these one's up to fill the void.

Ok, s'pose I should start with the layout itself, wasn't sure how it would drive, but hey ...gotta start somewhere. The table is a bit of a jigsaw puzzle made up from the original 2 halves I'd built before our last move. Pulled the halves apart & added 2 metres to the middle taking it out to 5metres long. Being a little narrow @ 1.5 metres, I doubled it to give a 5x3M final area. You will notice a rectangular outline in the upper middle part of the plan, thats a cut out to help with marshalling. Became apparent very quickly that unless you have inspector gadget arms, you're not gonna pick up a deslotted car in the middle there.
Cars run anti clockwise on track as is customary on most local tracks here.

One of the original table halves with assorted mess on it, whilst the 2 metre extension was being built.

A look back down the front straight from just before turn 1, the high impact stunt porsche can be seen bravely waiting for it's next leap to the concrete floor, all part & parcel of making sure a circuit drives nicely.

Shot of the final turn, pit entry in the background. Have liked the look of Savages painted track on the forum so have experimented with different primers on parts of the track to see how it sticks to the plastic. Get a little excited & can't resist experimenting even though I should be doing other things (easily distracted I think the old school report card said). I'm using a stone textured paint which looks better in real life, However am a little concerned that it may turn out too abrasive.....time will tell I s'pose, could always run hard tyres exclusively.

Looking back down to turn 1, & the climb up the hill. Gotta remove the clutter.

Ok, this is where the pics all start going wrong. Was sure I had some finished article pics, but this one is from playing with elavations down the hill, about a week before both ends were joined up.

Unfinished hill top.

Run down the hill.

Well I guess thats my cue to take some more pics.....where's that camera?

John.

 

[Billy_Cart]

Looks good John, nice size table with a great main straight plus good technical areas (lots of CLC's) and a great pit area.

Look forward to seeing more photo's and the scenary development.

If your ever up this way and want a race let me know, not too many big SSD tracks in Central VIC (our table is 5.5m x 2.5m with 40m track length) and your right about the inspector gadget arms however Bunnings have some great cheap grabbers that work well.

Do you use a PC with SSDC race management software, I reckon it would be fantastic on your layout.

 

[Ember]

Yay. Came back in from the toy room to find some pics posted. Nice big track you have going on. Going to be plenty of room for landscaping.

Been recently talking paints with a friendly 'spert as I'm trying to find the time (and cash) to paint my track. You may find the stone look paint far too heavily textured. A better option and gentler texture would be the suede look. The paint 'spert from Dulux has suggested acrylic "One Step Primer/Sealer/Undercoat" followed by 2 coats of Suede or Tuscan (exterior version of suede). This can be topped by a low sheen or matt clear coat if you want to see tyre marks build up on the track. He also suggests adding a coat of oil based paint into the mix somewhere will serve to lock the matrix to the plastic better to ensure no pealing. The suggestion was either use a second primer coat of the oil based version of the One Step before painting on the coloured layers or use an oil based clear to top off.

If you get the chance do go and play on Billy Cart's track. It's enormous. Still my only experience at running digital.

Embs

 

[Riddell Racer]

Thanks for the encouragement B_C, looking forward to adding to the track when I can scrounge the time. I am certainly planning on using SSDC, was thinking a monitor just behind the run down the hill might be a good spot for it. Not sure whether I need it or not, but was going to pick up the pit lane game to allow tyre changes & refuelling to the racing.

Also need to fix up the timing for the inside lane on the straight/pit exit. Figure I might be able to rob a sensor from a spare sensor track to fit into the hole on pit exit. Happy with the way they all line up at the S/F line.

Maybe the pit lane game sensor is what I should put in there, but not too familiar with the way it works just yet.

Found a pic of the finished back end of the straight, slight change was made to straighten it up a little to allow for a little more speed down the hill.

Till next time

 

[Riddell Racer]

Just missed you Embs. Think you might be right about the stone. Pulled one of the V8's apart today, I reckon I've run maybe 50 laps with it to see how it flows. With only 3 points on the track painted (all R2 curves), I was surpised at how much rubber was inside the body. The very same car was clean before I used it, had lubed & greased prior to running it on the track.

Looks like I'm buying some suede effects to trial very soon. Thanks for the info on the recommended blends. Get around all over the state for work, not to mention SA & Tassie. Reckon I should be able to arrange a visit to Billy's track next time I'm out that way.

By the way, just came back from Mt Gambier recently & noticed what you meant about foliage on gum trees, surprisingly all the trees around here look much different. The Hamilton trees look to be the elder statesmen of the eucalypt genus, all bushy & gnarled, whereas our locals must be the whipper snappers mostly straight & not as bushy.

John.

 

[Billy_Cart]

QUOTE (Riddell Racer @ 11 Sep 2011, 23:03) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Reckon I should be able to arrange a visit to Billy's track next time I'm out that way.

No worries just PM me if you want phone number to arrange visit anytime and you can have a look at the Pit Pro setup with SSDC for fuel stops and pitlane speed limiting etc. I'm still using PB Pro at present with my APB still in its box waiting on the power upgrade mod which will have to wait until my new glasses arrive before I get brave enough to attempt it.

As for the PC monitor I put my old 19 inch screen on the back straight of our track and found I couldn't see across the table to set up races etc

so had to get a 24 inch screen for the back straight and put the 19 inch screen back close to the start so I could see it again.