[chris99]

Hi
I'm a lazy rug racer and like to change the layout often but during the hols I want to put an SSD track on the pingpong table.
The last time I did it the cars would occasionally fly over the stock Scalextric border/barriers to a sickening crack on the floor. So I'm looking for suggestions for ways to stop the cars leaving the table - something which can be put on the table temporarily and without spoiling it. Tips on height & materials would also be welcome. Unfortunately, turning the power down or taking the magnets out is not an option as the kids always want max speed.

Cheers
Chris

 

[chris99]

Thanks for the replies.
In fact the fences became secondary and I started focussing on squeezing the best layout on the table, starting with MrF's school track above and then modifying it to fill the table following all the golden rules about positioning the APB & xlcs & varying the curves. I'm quite happy with the result as it flows quite well & at 75% power the magnet/urethane cars stay on most of the time but are just enough of challenge such that you can't go flat out all the way round. I've got 4 R4's on order but the table area may be too small to incorporate them; I've managed to get a couple of R1s in (to keep MrF happy) and borders on curve-outsides everywhere except near the PB. My chicane R1 hairpin lasted all of 5 minutes - time enough to see a car fly off the table but just dislodging the back axle

Here's a top down view of to see the layout and the end view shows three feeble attempts at fences with masking tape

using the pingpong net at the near end and some plastic garden trellis fencing along the side and at the far end some rubber netting (under-rug nonslip material) with a heavily masking-taped wooden posts. The main problem is fixing them temporarily but sufficiently strongly. I think anything stronger than masking tape risks taking the paint off the table. I think I need to find some sort of clips or clamps.

As you can see I pushed the track borders right to the edge so the table cloth/duct tape suggestion wouldn't be so easy.
Any layout improvements or more fence suggestions welcome.

 

[chris99]

Thanks MrM - some good ideas. I suppose I was loathe to do anything to the table but I hadn't thought about the sides so that's definitely a goer. I'm also game to try the woodworking solution but that will be a bit of learning curve for my pen-pushing hands.

Cheers
Chris

 

[chris99]

Updated layout - Managed to get 4 new R4 curves in which has smoothed it out a bit. Another ping pong net & clamps on order.

 

[chris99]

Hi Joe,

As you have resurrected the thread, here's the latest mod putting all the R4s together to get a nice sweeping R4/R3/R2 curve at the end of the straight. Also the 4 lane bit wasn't really long enough to overtake and I don't use refuelling, plus I run in analogue most of the time now as many of my new cars have higher speed motors which may blow the chips:

In fact, I did put the extra ping-pong net up round one of the corners but the cars rarely go over the Scalextric fences except when there's a sudden surge of power if my wireless controller disconnects unexpectedly and I have a 20k rpm plus car on the track. Most of the time it's just me and the pace cars. For frantic racing, I think it'll go back on the floor and with a longer track - the straight is a bit short for a good full speed thrash..

I haven't tried the other way round yet because of the lane changers, but I have removed the curved one now as I tried to convert it to an in-out without success and screwed it up trying to pull out the flipper locking pin.

Cheers
Chris