[UshCha]

Gentlemen and Ladies, I may have made my one and only contribution to slot cars. Today I have a prototype 3D print pit lane exit track leading into the inner lane of an R2 45 deg curve. It is a cut and glue insert using an R2 for connection to the main track. It does have some design flaws being a prototype, but It does work. The main flaw is that due to the relatively tight radii it needs to be wider than a standard bit of track to keep the car on the track. These are simple fixes. I have checked with a scaley Porsche 956 and a similar Slot.ot version. Both work. The track needs to be supplied with power bey the tracks either side or cross feed from the intact track but that makes it Digital Only (not an issue for me.

Why you ask? The pit lane exit and entry on small tracks is a major limiter to track design. Having got round the exit (which needs no sensor) the scope for different track designs and longer pit lanes especially on small (8 by 4 tracks) is much improved and it saves buchering expensive CLC's that are out of production.

Pictures Hopefully on Wednesday when my Tablet is charged.

 

[Kommandant33]

This sounds interesting... Although you do need a sensor if you want your lap counted - but Smart Sensors will fit in your track, no doubt!

I look forward to seeing pics.

 

[UshCha]

Pics sooner than I thought.

The bits were there to kepe the car on track.. Version 2 will have wider track. Underside is crude and now it works Version 2 will have recesses for the wires.

This bit of track is unsutable for an exit sensor that need to be in the straigt bit before the exit track.

The design will always need some mods to the attaching tracks as not enough space on the narrow side and not sure a protruding tab on the other side is practical. Also the metal tab needs to be removed as its not practical to print a recess as there would be insufficent support for the braid.

 

[RikoRocket]

Nice!

 

[injectorman]

Nice mod. I think I need a 3D printer.

 

[QRphil]

That is a great space saver!

 

[Twigman]

That'd make exiting a speed limited pitlane exciting. - accelerating into the inner radius of an R2

 

[UshCha]

OK so I have now set up a small oval to test it properly with a range of vehicals. It works with scaley F1, Slot.it and scaley Porsche 962's and scaley Trucks. The minimum speed to pass the dead section is acceptable. You cant exit at high speed due to the radious of the curves. However it is now deemed feasable so I will now move onto the production version. It does beg the question given that this was not as difficult as I expected what other unique track poeces could be made. Currently active lane changes that fit under scaley sized tracks and are portable don't seem to be avalable. Some sort of fusion between smart sensoe, and ardino and a cheap micro servo would seem to be the way to go,

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-2g-Plastic-Gear-Micro-Digital-Servo-For-RC-Models/263375215536?epid=12011084200&hash=item3d5262dbb0:g:vDIAAOSwyGZaMmqL

bit expensive bit VERY thin ( 6.2 mm) so would fit inside typical scaley track thickness.. Onterestingly many Train systems are begining to use servo's for points operation.

 

[RikoRocket]

That'd make exiting a speed limited pitlane exciting.

- accelerating into the inner radius of an R2

I think that final 45 degrees looks closer to the inner radius of an R1

But you will be going slower than track speeds

 

[Twigman]

Let me clarify Colin:

On my track, now that I have PitPro working (HURRAH!) I limit pit speed to 20% for most cars...this encourages drivers to hold full throttle down the pitlane - when the power returns one has to react to the sudden restoration of full power.

My track has a R1 45R followed by 2 R2 45R immediately after the pit exit track (Inner lane) and it makes pit exits exciting (and demanding).

This would be similar.

btw Scaley sent me a gratis replacement C8515 (RevG) for the chip that rubbed the top off the bulb and stated that they had recently used a different supplier for the chips - almost an acknowledgment that some RevH chips are flawed!

 

[UshCha]

Ricko,

Yoiu are right the radii were aimed at no tighter than an R1 inner. I did look at Fisshy's site and there could be some use generally for these as on an 8 by 4 with pits two CLC's willl be expensive now.

 

[dvd3500]

I have been searching for years for a way to automate the Scalextric classic pit lane.

Would those do the trick:

https://www.ebay.de/itm/NEW-2g-Plastic-Gear-Micro-Digital-Servo-RC-Models-/263375215536?clk_rvr_id=1429754788361&rmvSB=true

?

My thought was to mount it on a piece of board so I could deepen the slot for my many non-Hornby cars and that would give me more "thickness" for the servos (turnout motors? or whatever they are called)

The idea was to run the pit lane at say 6 volts to the rest of the track.

That way it could be used as a "joker lap" ala Rally Cross or as a real pit lane as a penalty or similar...

I am an absolute dunce when it comes to this though...

 

[RikoRocket]

Analogue or digital?

Analogue could work but voltage to your "6 volt" section would need to be fed by the controllers so add a resistor at the start and end of the pit lane

Digital, that doesn't make sense so just use an existing pit lane changer

 

[dvd3500]

Analog...

I may be a dunce but I usually don't come up with things that make absolutely no sense.

I was thinking of using a separate power source at a constant voltage ...

 

[RikoRocket]

Yeah, I knew you couldn't mean digital, but this is a digital thread....

So no control? Where is the ooo-eerrr that's sounds a bit dodgy emoticon?

 

[dvd3500]

I never said I come up with ideas that work!

 

[UshCha]

OK so the production one is now complete and installed. Got a good number of laps in and there are no problems. Its got copper braid on one side and tinned copper on the other. I recycled the copper from the first prototype and then found the tinned braid. Looks much better with tinned braid.

There is a picture but not really up to speed with posting a video although I do have one.

This is version 3. Actually there is a Version 4 where I put some fixes in to make it better fit with less fettling. Currently its Left hand. If anybody was interested I could do a RH version. I can provide an STL file for the part free to Forum members for personal use only. I could provide a print at some cost (not worked it out) so pm me if interested'.

Afterthought The part should fit a 90 degree R2 and could in some ways be less hassle. Limitations still apply.

The limitations are:-

1) It needs to take power from the near rail.

2) The last bit of the exit from the piece (scaley rail) needs power from the track downstream.

3) It's a a tight raddi so no full blast into the curve. But it does work for F1 and Trucks as well

4) It needs the border beyond to get a smooth flow into the curve. If anybidy was desparate I could do a sutable STL and or print of a suitable boarder in the same material.

5) You need to "Butcher" a single lane piece by removing the male connection as its not possible to make a hole for it in the printed piece (the section would be to thick). This also menas you need a good flow of power upto thei piece. Again I di this with an upstream crossie as its a long pit lane now.

Don't let this put you off its not as bad as it seems. In setting up I always struggle withthe final connection but it does prove that with careful (not mad kid) handeling the track poece looks to be robust enough for Rug raceing use.

The future

This was a bit eaisyier and succeeded far beter than perhaps I though it mightt. Next question is, could it be possible to make a better crossover for pits. The Classic Cossover is long. so not ideal. I have a rusty Lemans Start and a quick look indicates its a much tighter raddii tan the crossover. This could make 2 space pit possible even on such a small track. Currently its beyond me to make other than passive bits of track, fitting in electronics is beyond me.