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Yet another new track!

12K views 39 replies 19 participants last post by  condomondo 
#1 ·
Hi all, my first post!

And my first track!



I was made a present of a Mini Cooper Scaley for christmas, plus I bougth a load of track from a guy I work with.

The track is 3x3.5m.......the attic is being converted at the weekend!

 
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#4 ·
Hi Eric,

I used adobe Illustrator CS! I drew a scale version of the parts
and basically copied the objects into place!

Im a designer by trade - I suppose you can guess!

Plus, I use a mac and I didn't like the interface with the 2 mac track apps!

The yellow boxes have information such as track description, length and part number so when I print it off I can see what I need.

Before working out the layout I added and invitory of objects corresponding to what I have and moved the parts around until I was happy with the layout.

I have 8 straights, 1 power base and 1 R2 Quarter left over! see the bottom left corner.

Though I can see exactly where I can utilise them, ie extending the straight to the hair pin!!!
 
#5 ·
QUOTE (condomondo @ 25 Jan 2005, 17:15)Hi Eric,

I used adobe Illustrator CS! I drew a scale version of the parts
and basically copied the objects into place!

Im a designer by trade - I suppose you can guess!

Plus, I use a mac and I didn't like the interface with the 2 mac track apps!

The yellow boxes have information such as track description, length and part number so when I print it off I can see what I need.

Before working out the layout I added and invitory of objects corresponding to what I have and moved the parts around until I was happy with the layout.

I have 8 straights, 1 power base and 1 R2 Quarter left over! see the bottom left corner.

Though I can see exactly where I can utilise them, ie extending the straight to the hair pin!!!
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

AHA! another Mac user on this forum. (mines an iMac G5, also an iMac G3- yep I do know this is a Slotcars forum not a Mac forum - , where do I find those Mac Track apps?) I used 'rule of thumb' to build my MDF track though.................
 
#7 ·
Greeting fellow Mac user!
I am also a Designer by trade but doing lowly Ad Production at the moment!


Firstly, being one of the few people here who actually prefers to put in cross-overs & chicanes, I love the circuit!
A nice fast & smooth layout (IMHO) but with a good mix of technical sections & plenty of road manners needed for that well timed past before the next cross-over. Great work!


Secondly, I really like your approach to the use of Illustator. I've done pretty much the same thing, in the early days, but due to the fact I'm on a PC at home I tend to do my layout design in Scalex RMS, then do a 'sceen grab' and then trace them in Illustrator to colour code the lanes (I'm doing 4 lane layouts (not bragging, honest
)) and add the track borders and any building or bridges. Your numbering system if a great idea for us Illustator users and I definately adopt this system next time. Thanks.

Oh, and welcome to the forum. Hope you get as much out of it as I have. They really are a great bunch here and very helpful.

Good luck &
,
BacardiBeast
 
#9 ·
Morning yawl!

Without highjacking the thread to a Mac thread, yeah, mine too is a new flat panel g5 imac! Hubbahhubbah. I decided to retire my blueberry G3 iMac in favour of the 20" with blue tooth and a DVD RW!!!!!

Any who, back to the track!

Last night my brother helped me fit 2 sets of twin power points to the Attic, which is getting floored tomorrow, ad a Velux window fitted!!!!




As you can see, I have to proberly survey the area to take into account the positioning of the support struts for the roof.

Another option would to build a 'floor' on the cross beams with a couple of holes in it to poke your head through and build the track at waist level. The only thing is you'll need long arms!!!

The track was also designed in mind that not only will I be using it but my 4 year old and later my (current) 2 year old. Plus, I had coughed up for the extra kit I bought from the guy I work with, so I didn't realy want to spend more cash for R3 and R4 curves!

As for the cross overs, my kids like to see the cars crash! Truth be told ..... me too!
 
#11 ·
QUOTE Welcome mate,I`ve got a mac but I only wear it in dodgy cinemas or at swapmeets!

Anything to cover those Knees..................

Back to topic....Welcome Condomondo, nice layout and very neat track design software.

The only problem I had with a layout in the loft space was the temp. difference. In the end the only solution was to build an "inner loft" for the layout. Your window may help to though.

Best of luck with your project, and make the most of your kids playing with you!...

Regards

Alan
 
#12 ·
QUOTE (condomondo @ 26 Jan 2005, 08:40)Morning yawl!

Without highjacking the thread to a Mac thread, yeah, mine too is a new flat panel g5 imac! Hubbahhubbah. I decided to retire my blueberry G3 iMac in favour of the 20" with blue tooth and a DVD RW!!!!!

Any who, back to the track!

Last night my brother helped me fit 2 sets of twin power points to the Attic, which is getting floored tomorrow, ad a Velux window fitted!!!!




As you can see, I have to proberly survey the area to take into account the positioning of the support struts for the roof.

Another option would to build a 'floor' on the cross beams with a couple of holes in it to poke your head through and build the track at waist level. The only thing is you'll need long arms!!!

The track was also designed in mind that not only will I be using it but my 4 year old and later my (current) 2 year old. Plus, I had coughed up for the extra kit I bought from the guy I work with, so I didn't realy want to spend more cash for R3 and R4 curves!

As for the cross overs, my kids like to see the cars crash! Truth be told ..... me too!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Mines a mere 17 incher........ (makes me feel kinda insecure y'know), back to the thread, as I ask any new starter at work (on their first day, on their office walk around/introductions tour) "have you got an old Scalextric set up in your loft?" (usual reply is "they said before we came in here, you'd ask me that!!)
By the way, any new electrical work such as extending ringmains etc in a domestic property now has to be tested and a certificate issued to comply with 'Part P' of the Building Regulations. I do hope that your brother is a) a qualified Electrician,
you'll send a cheque for about £115 (+VAT) to your local friendly Building Control Office so they can test the new installation and issue a certificate to prove its all OK. (Your house insurer will use any excuse not to pay out if the roof now burns off - all that lovely moulded plastic on our toy cars- sorry detailed scale electric racing models - ahem- goes up ever so well.........)

Your local planning office also have an interest if you alter the appearance of your roofline, and as for planning approval for a new 'playroom'?.

Yup. Mines up in the loft too, extended socket and lighting circuit of course, velux roof lights et al. When?, "years ago matey, building regs? never heard of'em. Have a cup of tea, while we are up here, would you like a go? against the clock alright for you? by the way did you ever have a set when you were young officer?, is it still up in your loft in a cardboard box?"

Good luck with your ideas,
 
#13 ·
B1rac,

Its a Tie alright, but the others are an A-Wing and the Slave 1. The X-Wing and Milennium Falcon are out of shot!

scalexkid, yep, he is a qualified sparks. I was going to run the cables my self, by splitting the feed from the light switch, but has the brother pointed out......ah, I cant remember, something about the neutral coming from somewhere else! So he ended up taking the live from a source not used and the neutral from the sunk lights from the celing below.

As for planing permission, im not actually altering the roof in any way, with the exception of the window. Here in Ireland you can fit a rear facing velux provided the room is not being used as a permanent living space, without requiring plannin permission.

As for the Mac, I was going for the 17", but when I added all the extras like the bigher HD and the ram, it was 'only' €300 more for the 20"!!!
 
G
#14 ·


High condomondo
nice to see someone else went the long way round!

I used Photoshop (G5 17"), Down loaded the track images from the Ninco site and made up my track. Not very technical as tracks go but very race able with flow lines. My first version was very complicated and racing with my friend, we found we were stopping far to much to put the cars back on that it spoilt the racing.

TTRaceway

 
#15 ·
Nice track, I had a look at the site - real nice

Im not sure if it really took me any longer using Illustrator - barring (of coure) the drawing of the parts.

I found it was quicker and less frustrating to use illistrator to move pieces around until I was happy or they fit, rather than using the software, I was glad I didn't cough up for the unlocked versions!

The flooring should be in by the time I get home from work, so I'll probably have ago in fitting the track tomorrow or over the weekend.
 
#16 ·


Ta dahhhh!

Track is in place and by shear fluke, the original design fell within the beams holding up the celing below!

In some cases there is only 5mm clearance fro the track, but the car seem to go around no problems!

There is only 1 modification to the original design, I had to remove a lenght of striaght either side of the hair pin, as the wall was in the way.



Having said that, it now gives me the option to add straight to the cross over loop and extend it over the final bend, and rais the whole section from the top right bent until the hair pin????
 
#17 ·
You'll need Quasimodo to marshall that


Cheers, Tom U.
 
#18 ·
P.S. Brilliant photo stitch. What application did you use - or just own skill??
Cheers, Tom.
 
#20 ·
I have the children to fetch the cars when they fly off the track, no need for Quazimodo!!!!



Actually its not as quat as the photos may suggest.

As for the hockneyesqe montage, as mentioned in a previous post, Im a graphic designer, so very basic photoshop skills were uitilised!

I have to tweak the inclie to the hair pin as Im finding the Corvett gets stuck between the join of the 2 hair pins or between the last 1/2 hirpin and the exiting side swipe.

I'll probably use a few layers of Kappa poard to support the hair pin which hangs over the 'back straight'

Though Ive hooverd the place twice, there is still bits of saw dust everywhere, I'll probably end up painting the floor
 
#21 · (Edited by Moderator)
Ive modified the track, Ive changed the curves on the end of the straight to be a mix of R4, R2 and half striaght, as it slows the cars down as you exit the end of the curve.

I was spending more time actually putting the cars back on to the track than racing them, and this corner was at furthest point from where I was sitting. It comes a point where your 4-year old sez "get them yerself!".

Ive addes a mix of striaght and half straights to the loop past the crossroad and extended the final bend by adding some straights and 2 esses either side of the final bend.

Oh! Nearly forgot, I also added 2 of the R4 curves to the bend before the back straight and there for had to change the angle of the aproach to the bend before the back straight.

Amazing how addign 4 pieces of curved track can add to the overall shape and also speed up the track and minimise the amount of deslots.

I'll add photos and a new diagram later!
 
#25 ·
Its a bit of fun!

Iv only been into slot cars since my good lady bought me a mini cooper set for christmas...and coincidentially I moved job and there was a guy there floggin essentially what was 3 sets of track....so I practically over night got all the track you see here.

I only added the R4 curves as mentioned problems with grip as leaving the back straight


I tried banking but that lead to other problems such as the cars getting jammed in the cross over. Which if you compair the 2 tracks the cross overs are in differnt positions!

The next stage is adding some scenery, Ive added the scalextric contol tower, I suppose a few stadia and lights would be good! And I picked ip a couple of hills yesterday from the Games Workshop - boy was the guy pissed off when he asked waht games I played and I pointed out it was for a scalextric set!!!!!!!


I'll add a photo stitch over the next couple of days!
 
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