Best Track Storage Box

Commercial tracks.
msurebel
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Best Track Storage Box

Post by msurebel »

I've seen Best Track's plans for a box, but ours is a 4 lane track and the curved section, is well, throwing me a curve! I've played around with placing the curved section on it's edge besides the 4-7' sections and I end up with a 16"x22"x84" box. What I don't like about that is being wider and needing more room to move or store the box. I've looked at it on top of the other sections, removing the small legs and having it cradle evenly which makes my box approximately 16"x16"x92" and I would build filler support pads to support the curved section. Problem here would be somone loosing the filler panels and the curve section being subject to damage. (I added 8" to the length to store the timer box) Anyone have any better ideas or comments on what is the best plan for a box. My plan was to build it out of fiberglass/foam to make it light, but I may revert back to plywood just to be done with it.
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Re: Best Track Storage Box

Post by *5 J's* »

msurebel wrote:I've seen Best Track's plans for a box, but ours is a 4 lane track and the curved section, is well, throwing me a curve! I've played around with placing the curved section on it's edge besides the 4-7' sections and I end up with a 16"x22"x84" box. What I don't like about that is being wider and needing more room to move or store the box. I've looked at it on top of the other sections, removing the small legs and having it cradle evenly which makes my box approximately 16"x16"x92" and I would build filler support pads to support the curved section. Problem here would be somone loosing the filler panels and the curve section being subject to damage. (I added 8" to the length to store the timer box) Anyone have any better ideas or comments on what is the best plan for a box. My plan was to build it out of fiberglass/foam to make it light, but I may revert back to plywood just to be done with it.
I have yet to design a storage box, but our pack purchased a 4 lane 42' bestrack w/Microwizard timer. I am going to design a box to hold our, a timer, and some tools to assemble and repair the track.

I have seen a design on a Pinewood forum, just cannot remember which one (I'm not as resourceful as FS). Anyway it looked like a good starting point for a design. I will look for and post a link.

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pack529holycross
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Re: Best Track Storage Box

Post by pack529holycross »

msurebel wrote:I've seen Best Track's plans for a box, but ours is a 4 lane track and the curved section, is well, throwing me a curve! I've played around with placing the curved section on it's edge besides the 4-7' sections and I end up with a 16"x22"x84" box. What I don't like about that is being wider and needing more room to move or store the box. I've looked at it on top of the other sections, removing the small legs and having it cradle evenly which makes my box approximately 16"x16"x92" and I would build filler support pads to support the curved section. Problem here would be somone loosing the filler panels and the curve section being subject to damage. (I added 8" to the length to store the timer box) Anyone have any better ideas or comments on what is the best plan for a box. My plan was to build it out of fiberglass/foam to make it light, but I may revert back to plywood just to be done with it.
It is my recommendation you build boxes necessary for a six lane track... First, your boxes wil be ready for track expansion. Second, you will have plenty of room for storing decorations, banners, etc. third, the lids of two six lane boxes work great as a pit area.
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Re: Best Track Storage Box

Post by *5 J's* »

Here is the post I was remembering. I also like Nicholas' suggestions.

There are some good links in that post as well. A search on "storage" will yield a lot of posts on the subject as well.
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Re: Best Track Storage Box

Post by BallBoy »

I built two boxes for a 42' BestTrack. One holds the 4 straight sections and the other holds the start, end and curve sections plus some other race materials (stadium, spectator barrier, to name a few). The inside dimensions are about 2" longer and wider than the track and 9" high. One thing to keep in mind when building storage boxes is both the weight of the track and the boxes. If your box is too heavy then you may need a committee just to move it. My goal was to store the track so that each box could be easily moved and loaded into a pickup truck by one person.

A full sheet of 1/2" plywood weighs 50 lbs, so if you use two sheets in the construction of your box then the box alone will weight around 100 lbs. Add the ~125 lbs that a 4-lane 42' BestTrack weighs, plus handles, casters and other hardware and your box is suddenly up to ~230 lbs. Then if you plan to throw in some of the supplies, power cords, cables, etc. your box will easily exceed 250 lbs.

The track we use is stored in someone's garage, which is not a good environment for the track electronics. Depending on your storage location you should consider whether or not your box(es) should include space for electronics.
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Re: Best Track Storage Box

Post by rpcarpe »

Our shared track stores in a cubmaster's personal attic. Electronics are boxed up, but the track is not. Just clean it up, check the alignment etc.... kind of a pain. But he and I are getting better at setting up a smooth track.
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Re: Best Track Storage Box

Post by msurebel »

We stored ours inboxes at the church and were having problems with the track. I did a close inspection of the track and notice the guide rails with a slight mushrooming at the ends. The track had been stored in the mechanical room in the corner stood up on the ends. Since we can't guard the track 24/7, we need to protect it.
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Darin McGrew
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Re: Best Track Storage Box

Post by Darin McGrew »

Ours is a home-built wooden track, but it does have the same fixed-curve design. We have a large storage box that lives in the church attic. The straight sections stack flat, and then the "other stuff" fills the top of the storage box: the finish gate and display, the brake section, and the curve section.
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Re: Best Track Storage Box

Post by Humvderby »

BallBoy wrote:I built two boxes for a 42' BestTrack. One holds the 4 straight sections and the other holds the start, end and curve sections plus some other race materials (stadium, spectator barrier, to name a few). The inside dimensions are about 2" longer and wider than the track and 9" high. One thing to keep in mind when building storage boxes is both the weight of the track and the boxes. If your box is too heavy then you may need a committee just to move it. My goal was to store the track so that each box could be easily moved and loaded into a pickup truck by one person.

A full sheet of 1/2" plywood weighs 50 lbs, so if you use two sheets in the construction of your box then the box alone will weight around 100 lbs. Add the ~125 lbs that a 4-lane 42' BestTrack weighs, plus handles, casters and other hardware and your box is suddenly up to ~230 lbs. Then if you plan to throw in some of the supplies, power cords, cables, etc. your box will easily exceed 250 lbs.

The track we use is stored in someone's garage, which is not a good environment for the track electronics. Depending on your storage location you should consider whether or not your box(es) should include space for electronics.
BB, I wish I would have thought of making several boxes small enough to carry on my own before I had my Storage Box made. I had a Storage box made by a Company which builds Equipment Storage and Shipping boxes. It was large enough for a 4 lane (I only have a 2 lane Best Track so I have no idea why I went so large). I ended up selling it because it was just to big to handle on my own. I think the larger boxes are great for a Pack or an organization which typically has more than one person transporting and setting up the track.

At this point I'm looking into light weight materials to make several smaller boxes, each one large enough to hold 2 sections of track. I would like to find a material light enough and strong enough to build a box this size (or two smaller boxes) so it would be light enough to handle on my own. Below are photos of the Track Case I used to have. A great case (The Best) however just to big to handle on my own.

Humv

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Last edited by Humvderby on Wed Feb 06, 2013 12:25 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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Re: Best Track Storage Box

Post by rkibby »

Here's the Box my Webelos built. It was built to hold a 49' Best Track

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rpcarpe
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Re: Best Track Storage Box

Post by rpcarpe »

Beautiful storage boxes.... I just wish the track and boxes did not require so much muscle to move them.
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Re: Best Track Storage Box

Post by gpraceman »

rpcarpe wrote:Beautiful storage boxes.... I just wish the track and boxes did not require so much muscle to move them.
That's why you get a mover's dolly (or install casters). Only lift when you need to and roll it around the rest of the time.
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Re: Best Track Storage Box

Post by birddog »

We installed casters on our storage box. Seems to work pretty well. Very little lifting ever required.

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pack529holycross
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Re: Best Track Storage Box

Post by pack529holycross »

I may recommend you build a duplicate box and split the load between the two. Another benefit is that if you expand the length of your track, you will have additional height within the boxes interior to stack more sections.

I also recommend you keep an eye out for anyone remodelling or installing carpet, and obtain the thinner multicolored carpet padding. I was able to get more than enough as my previous condo complex remodelled units WITHOUT PETS ( important ) :), and now each section of track is insulated from any other during storage movement or loading.
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Re: Best Track Storage Box

Post by SirStorm »

We bought the 6 lane. I used the website plans as the start and built 2 boxes as suggested. I am great for "overkill" but I am planning on driving the track to other locations in a trailer and need to be sure it is protected. I built a "crate". The edges are wood reinforced and the two stack. I bought 500 lb polyurethane casters (mechanics tool box casters) so they would not develop flat spots over the years. There are some places that sell road box metal corners for better protection.

I will post a pic soon.
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