New Track for the Pack

DIY tracks.
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Hurly64
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New Track for the Pack

Post by Hurly64 »

Here are some photos of the track that I just built for my son's pack. The beauty of this system is that it doesn't rely on the flatness of a sheet of plywood to maintain an even running surface. It is 1/4" MDF panel that is vinyl-coated. Its sits in a grooved frame, and that is what keeps it flat and lined up. Even though we didn't have a timer, the results were pretty consistent from heat to heat with the same cars rotating lanes. Everyone was happy with it, and I got a lot of good comments about it. The guidestrips are also MDF, and the cars rub on the factory edges, so no sawmarks to throw off the fairness of the lanes.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/17660367@N04

Now, Even though my son transitions to boy scouts this month, I have an excuse to show up for the Derby next year, since I have the track :wink:
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Go Bubba Go
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Re: New Track for the Pack

Post by Go Bubba Go »

Hurly64 wrote:Here are some photos of the track that I just built for my son's pack. The beauty of this system is that it doesn't rely on the flatness of a sheet of plywood to maintain an even running surface. It is 1/4" MDF panel that is vinyl-coated. Its sits in a grooved frame, and that is what keeps it flat and lined up. Even though we didn't have a timer, the results were pretty consistent from heat to heat with the same cars rotating lanes. Everyone was happy with it, and I got a lot of good comments about it. The guidestrips are also MDF, and the cars rub on the factory edges, so no sawmarks to throw off the fairness of the lanes.
Looks very nice, and looks like you put a lot of thought into it.

I'm familiar with stops sections where the track drops down underneath and the cars slide to a stop on the rail, but it looks like your track disappears entirely. Any issues with cars sliding off the rail and onto the floor?
Hurly64 wrote:Now, Even though my son transitions to boy scouts this month, I have an excuse to show up for the Derby next year, since I have the track :wink:
Any old excuse will do :wink: My boys have 2 derbies left (currently Webelo Is), and then I believe there is either a 1 or 2 year gap before our youngest starts up as a Tiger.

However, we do have an Open Class race Friday night before the Pack races on Saturday, and several of the Boy Scouts (and siblings and moms and dads and grandparents and etc...) participate in that event. At this rate, we can easily pull off a "Derby Decade" before we're done. :D
"Who's Grandpa's neighbor?"... Phil Davis, Down and Derby
Hurly64
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Re: New Track for the Pack

Post by Hurly64 »

The track was untested before the event, so, yes, some of the cars would drop down onto the floor in between the guides. Before the next event, I plan on making the stop section about a foot longer, and keeping the track underneath it. What the heck, I'll probably just add another 8 foot section, and make the race section 4-foot longer, with a 4 foot stop section. The stop is now about 3-foot-six. We still had to have a pillow as insurance.

I've had a 2-laner with a similar system kicking around in between the yard and the garage rafters for 3 years now, and its held up really well. I'm thinking about making some 24' test tracks just like it and marketing it for the holidays. My son had a potato derby on it for his birthday party and the kids had a blast!
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