[Lucky_Strike]

Due to my job etc, like most of you guys, this has taken me forever to get to this stage.

..And I'm still only halfway in laying the "foundation" for the track. I'm planning on experimenting with the first half before I get more 10mm Styrofoam and some Woodland Scenic grass carpet... If there are other ideas about putting grass on Styrofoam, can ya's tell me?

The problem I'm having at the moment is the ugly looking lines that come off the plastic that the grass sits on when you stick it to the styrofoam... Not to mention the sightly gaps that I've tried to paint over with latex grout and paint to give it that weathered, dry/wet muddy look

..Other sections i've tried adding some Woodland Scenic loose grass to hide the lines, but no real success... Does look better though

I've also had a go at making my own ripple-strips using "Selleys Need-it", sanding it off and then chequering it

If you guys have any suggestions, believe me... I'm open all ears. Any criticism would also be appreciated... I love ripping things apart and having another crack at it

 

[loadstone]

I think the tyre barrier in the first picture needs more work

 

[ronMcRain]

Hi there Lucky Strike ..

I´ve began experimenting with different stuff in the same field as you, how to make neat track-to-scenic joint. Is the track "permanently" set/fastened to board/subroad? Is the grass glued down for good? If not you could try this ..

I´ve cut strips of a sort of foamy or more a rubberlike matt [used as underlay for sleepingbags but not the modern sort. it might be a 30 year old Fjällräven-stuff but have no sigs of bristles or to brake apart. actully it seems impossible to rip apart] It´s graphite grey and 10 mm. thick [8mm. would in fact have been even better!] So I´ve cut strips of it, same width as height of track [Scaley Classic] 8 mm. Adjust this to your own track!

When happy with a track layout [I change them frequently as I do rugracing], I´ll make some cardboard/foamboard strips [50-60 mm. wide] that goes on outside of the curves as borders. [Have yet to find a good way to attach them to the underside of the track, when only on one side] BUT you leave a 18-19 mm. gap to the track. A ditch if you like. Put track in place, then push down the [two] rubberstrips on both sides of track and you should have a clean flush joint to track. I´ve glue down one of the strips [the outer], and have one closest to track loose, thus it´s very easy to make changes or remove track. Here´s a schematic cut-up view --

The matt I´ve got takes both paint [acryls] and glue [white PVC] very well, I think it´s because of the tiny air bubbles in the material. They give "a good bite" to both. The usual soft foamy stuff is way too soft. This kind of material cuts quite easy or best with a steel ruler/template and a REALLY sharp hobbyknife.

.. cheers ..

-( R )-

 

[SpaModeller]

Lucky Strike, the track is looking good. Let me chime in with what I did with my Old Spa track. It parallels in some respects the process outlined by Rain Man, but uses a different material. Mind you, this only works if your layout is intended to be permanent. I glued model railroad cork roadbed to the benchwork, but tight up against the edge of the track. For Scaley track, the combination of one section of HO and one section on N-scale cork exactly equals the height of the Scaley track, so the joint can be made flush as it were. If you wanted to have a ditch beside the track, you can forego the N-scale roadbed, if you want a deeper ditch, forego the HO and just use the N, and so forth. The cork roadbed will also give you a beveled edge that can be useful in as you define how you want the "look" to be. The cork roadbed will give you the appearance of a graveled road edge when painted (doesn't look bad just left its natural corky brown). You can add a sprinkling of model railroad ballast if you want a more defined "gravel" edge. The cork is particularly good in this application in my opinion for several reasons; it is not terribly expensive, it glues easily, it bends smoothly around all but the tightest radius curves, and it accepts all kinds of paint-ground foam-gravel ballast, and lastly, since it is cork, you can easily drill it to accept barrier posts (they glue right in and fairly securely. jmswms posted pictures earlier on this forum in Tracks and Scenery of the Old Spa track, and you can see the results of this process. One added benefit is that the cork roadbed edge, being relatively dense material, will really act to secure your track laterally. The textured nature of cork also provides some vertical adhesion. I can remove my track without disturbing in anyway the roadside scenery, since I haven't fixed my track in any way to the benchwork. Anyway, it worked for me and it might be of some merit in what you are trying to do.

 

[ronMcRain]

Hi again ..

Yeah, I agree with you, SpaModeller. Cork roadbed has been an opition I´ve considered too [actually, I´ve run out of it, have to go shoppin´, eh]. But once properly glued down, it´s there for good. I´ve had to chisel it away ..

The plastic is slightly more forgiving. I´ve succeeded ripping it off both from wood and board. Cardboard doesn´t work, though, as it shreads easily.

In either option there´s an asset .. When have laid/glued down the cork roadbed [or foam] you can remove the trackparts in between, or only parts of the track and finish the scenics [or do it in sections]. And never spill a drop of paint or glue on the track!

Btw. Lucky Strike .. Nice space you´ve got there for your track, and a good beginning right there! A lots of room to experiment with scenics too! I´d go for [if it was my track, I wish!] a slightly raised backstraight. [b.s., 4"-6"] and make perhaps 3-4 different scenic areas. One could be a grassy slope towards the b.s. One a cliff face that also goes up behind the b.s. And leave the front area free or for some pitbuildings and such. Let the track run through "different kind of scenic enviroments". If I recall it right, bleep´s "Hawaiian Tropic .. " is a good example. SpaModeller´s of course .. there are lots of them here!

-( R )-

 

[SpaModeller]

Again, I agree with Rain Man regarding the elevation suggestion. I think one idea would be to replicate the climb up the hill at Le Mans (if you have the S. McQueen film you'll see what I mean) leading out of the pit area to pass under the first Mich. Bridge, breaking over the top for the series of dropping esses. It doesn't have to be much of a climb- the 3-4 inches would probably be about right. I can't quite see how the track works around at the other end, but a bit of view block (be it a building(s) or trees, or a little knoll) would really change the dynamics of that straight. Again, a bit of inspiration might be found by taking a look at the old pit board section of the old LeMans, and then the sand trap on the other side would make for a neat contrast. Again, there are photos on the net that show some of this. And then the movie of course. Anyway, I can "idea" you to death-the point is that you really have a great plan going-can't wait to see further developments.

 

[Lucky_Strike]

Just thought I'd keep you guys updated with some pictures of The Quarry.

I found these at Acorn Models (my local model shop) and made them a feature at the start/finish line. Fluro rods... They were on special, so I figure I'd make a feature. The sizes range and symbolise 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

My trees and grass are all Woodland $cenic and i'm using what's left of the matt grass on the other half of the track... Still working out what to do with that side, whether or not to build it up to a hill climb or what... Oh yeah, the stuff at the bottom of this picture is moss from the lawn.

The fencing I used long finishing nails as mentioned on here before, but I left the heads on the top... Don't really notice them. The netting I used is a metal mesh I found at Bunnings Warehouse (my Australian counterparts know where that is) and it only cost me $9.00NZ a metre. Still a fair amount of "marbles" on the track though. The Motorola sign was made out of balsa wood with the logo off my V3 old box (nothing like recycling

)

Other logos around the track were ones I found off the net, got my sister to create them, put them onto sticker paper and print them. I then transfered the sticker onto a cereal box and cut around it. The glue gun has come in handy so much... It's stuffed now basically after so much use and overheating.

The downside to all this of course is having exposed finishing nails without Scalextric railing and fencing...

Thank you for your help and feedback previously guys... and I'll keep this updated

QUOTE (loadstone @ 11 Sep 2006, 00:05) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I think the tyre barrier in the first picture needs more work

Just worked out what you meant

Duh!

 

[astro]

Track's looking really good, the fencing came out well, shame it doesn't protect the cars

The trees, the feature and the signs came out really well too

 

[madtrav001]

Thats some high quality work there great job

.........want....more........pics!

 

[scaleymatt]

QUOTE (madtrav @ 21 Sep 2006, 12:44) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Thats some high quality work there great job

.........want....more........pics!

I totally agree!! Great work and we need more pics!!

Matt

 

[Lucky_Strike]

Hokay!

I've just had a go at making a retaining wall using balsa wood, Plaster and the good ol' glue gun. Pictures will be arriving soon on how this is done using my pissy VGA Camera.

Here is the finished product up against the Porsche.

The idea came about with the walls they use at Bathurst... This is what they look like. Building a hill climb with a tunnel and I'll have these beside the track with the hillside growing onto them. Plenty of colour and sponsors on these suckers as well. Sure cars will be scratched up, but when you're racing up to 6 on two lanes what are you going to expect??

 

[Tabasco Red]

I'm a bit of a tool nut but they come in handy trying things out on my track. I run soft wood through my small wood planer to make the track shoulders. Lots of saw dust but they are just the right thickness. I use a piece of track and tract the edge then cut it on the band saw. 1/4 inch holes accept the scaley guard rails and I can make them to wander closer or farther from the track as needed. Small wood screws, double stick tape or hot glue holds them down and they are easy to move as the track design changes. I use laytex paint to color and a router bit or carving tools to make ditches. To model concrete barriers or retaining walls you can use a dense closed cell insulation foam. The blue stuff 2 inches thick works well. If cut with a fine tooth blade and the saw base set at 2 or 3 dregrees you will have a close shape for single slope barrier. A little sand paper work and a coat or two of a thick paint will make it look like concrete. Hot glue will hold it in place and banners can be attached as needed. Its a little softer and more forgiving than plaster. By the way- you are doing some nice work.

 

[Lucky_Strike]

Cheers for the reply... I'll give it a go

Yes, it's all still coming along well... I've just completely changed everything where the arrow is pointing.. This is where I've lifted up the track and now laying down some chicken-wire and aluminium mesh with the plaster rolls on top. I can't wait to get it done... Yet again, it'll never get finished!!

 

[Lucky_Strike]

Well, I've been having fun lately building the new part of my track. The far end as I mentioned before I have lifted to create an underpass and then going round a volcanic type of hill. So far it's been going great... I've been using Woodland Scenic's plaster cloth and some aluminium mesh glued to the outside of the track and rolled up newspaper into balls then taped up with masking tape. Here are some before photos before painting and grouting commenced

...And after adding some acyrllic paint, Woodland Scenic pine trees and some balast
HEY PRESTO!!

Yes, yes.. A little more tidying up around this part, but just to give ya's an idea

Status quo... More on the way.

Thanks for looking again guys!!

 

[Lucky_Strike]

I've made an addition to the track and built the overpass as mentioned previous. I didn't take any photos of it back then because it was sagging so badly. I've fixed this problem by cutting into the beams of the garage (it's alright, the garage is mine

) and adding supports for the track along the wall. This overpass is reasonbly long and ends with a hairpin then going down to a quick S bend and then down again to the last hairpin before the start/finish. Got me a Nokia 6234 (2megapixel) and got rid of the Motorola V3 (0.3Megapixel). To my disgust Vodafone the tight bastards didn't get me a data cable for the computer... And my phone resizes them when I sent to email. I think they're nicer photos.

Cheers guys

Mike

Almost full track view (with tools etc on table).

Heading onto the overpass

Straight (reverse). Motorola wall

Fly 2003 Macau Grand Prix BMW

 

[Lucky_Strike]

Well. It's been almost 3 years and this NZ Kid is back. I have two little kids now and a new track being built with my 2 year old in mind. Appreciate the management of the Slotforum keeping my pictures up of the track I had back in Halswell, Christchurch. It was great fun and was sadly ripped up when we sold the house and moved to our new location. It wasn't worth keeping as it had mold and moisture on the track from being in a rotting weatherboard garage and the cat had gone and peed on it when I was away from it.
Looking at it now, I got really carried away with it and should have kept things simple, which is the goal for the new one (hahahaa, we'll see). This will be another Plastic Track and built on a 120mm x 200mm table. I've developed it using Scalextric's Track building program and will continue to use Digital.
Looking forward to it and showing you guys the progress

Mike