Talk Me Out Of This Test Track

DIY tracks.
bloard
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Talk Me Out Of This Test Track

Post by bloard »

Getting ready for districts in a few weeks and have gotten the bug enough to know that I need to test. But, knowing me the way I do, I also know that after a month, any track I buy/build is going to collect dust until this time next year. I've read the various material options here but haven't seen this one mentioned.... Drywall (don't laugh)

Sitting in my basement are about 20 sheets of 4x12 sheets which I have been meaning to hang on the unfinished side of the basement "one of these days". Obviously drywall makes a mess, is fragile, can easily dent etc., etc.... I know all of that. But it's there, so I'm tempted. Also, it bends pretty easy (to a point).

Except for the timer, this would be meant as an entirely disposable track. If I gouge it or break it my testing is over with for this year. (or I cut another sheet). If it works and this PWD thing keeps mine and my son's interest, I build a real one.

All I want is one lane. I'm also thinking that I could make it just 16 ft long and 2 ft starting height. Isn't this essentially half scale to most real PWD tracks? I'm thinking that at 16 ft I would only have one joint and that could be on the flat part. The joint would be the butt end (not factory rounded edge) of two sheets. Thinking I could secure these together from the back side and then find some kind of tape (not drywall tape, maybe packing tape) to smooth over the seam a little if I have the sheets really well squared.

Also, I happen to have a bunch of framed walls downstairs where the drywall hasn't gotten around to hanging itself for the past few years. I'm thinking that I could just nail some wood supports or shelf brackets to the existing studs to hold the track. It would essentially rest against and be supported by the stud wall.

I simply take the carpenter's knife and rip a piece of drywall several inches wider than the track surface, perhaps run duct tape down the edges of the drywall to keep the dust particles from falling out during use, secure a center strip to it (gotta find something), make the joint, secure it to the wall, build a starting gate and PRESTO... I have a half-scale test track.

When I'm done with it I turn it on edge, remove the center strip, screw it onto the wall and tell my wife "see, I finally got around to hanging a little drywall in the basement." If I build one every year for 5 or 6 years I might have one wall finished by then.

Talk me out of this before I drag a sheet of drywall out this weekend.
doct1010
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Re: Talk Me Out Of This Test Track

Post by doct1010 »

:lol: Necessity the Mother of invention?! :lol:

I guess it would work, 4X12 I'm guessing it's 1/2". Double it up and have a go. How do you plan to attach center guide and what material would you use? Beveled edge of sheetrock might work but you only have it on one side once cut. Other than glue not sure what might hold a center guide.

On second thought, just hang it on the wall.
bloard
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Re: Talk Me Out Of This Test Track

Post by bloard »

Thanks... you probably talked me out of it. I know I can buy 10 ft strips of 5-1/2 inch wide MDF at HD pretty cheap so no sense in making the drywall mess. It's just the fewer materials my wife sees walking into the house for this PWD addiction the better.

The consensus here for material for a center strip that doesn't start out as a 4x8 sheet is what? (meaning it's going to go over to the neighbors basement to be ripped to correct size so not dying to carry over a 4x8)

Still thinking I will secure it to the stud walls to avoid building and leveling support stands that the kids can kick around.
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joe
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Re: Talk Me Out Of This Test Track

Post by joe »

Here's what you do to kill two birds with one stone. Put up a few sheets of the drywall so it looks like you're actually getting some work done. Then recess a track into the wall behind a moveable secret panel of drywall. It can fold out on a moments notice, and back up into the wall in no time!
bloard
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Re: Talk Me Out Of This Test Track

Post by bloard »

Don't tempt me Joe.

Seriously though, any downside to using some shelf brackets or 2x4's to secure the track to the wall and skip having legs on it. (I might support the flat on the floor obviously)

Also, I assume I'm going to be able to get good data out of a 2 foot by 16 foot track? I know the physics won't be exactly the same, but for the most part will it move me in the right direction? About where in the 16 foot length should the apex be and how sharp the curve?
bloard
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Re: Talk Me Out Of This Test Track

Post by bloard »

Just walked down to the mess I call a basement planning the drywall track and what did I discover tucked up in the floor joists above? 3 pieces of MDF baseboard trim that has a flat primed surface of 3 1/2 inches wide. (I think it's called "colonial" and the detail doesn't start until after the 3 1/2 inch point) I'm pretty sure (but not positive) that this is wide enough... correct? Best news yet is that when I built this house I bought the base trim in 16 foot lengths. So... the main section of the track (pre run-off) will have no seams.

Only problem I see is that it's pretty flexible laterally but perhaps I can glue two pieces back to back to firm it up.

Now... someone give me the best (meaning easiest) thing to use for the center rail guide.
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Re: Talk Me Out Of This Test Track

Post by parrot_racing »

Bloard, I used masonite which is very flexible, so screws cross beams across the back every 10 -12 inches. Then put two 1x2s on the back of the ramp section lengthwise for stability on the ramp. I then pulled out the top drawer of my file cabinet, and the crossbeam on the top rests on it, about 3 feet from the floor. Build it....build it...build it...
bloard
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Re: Talk Me Out Of This Test Track

Post by bloard »

Thanks. I have the perfect stuff left over from another project for cross beams and all. Just missing something for the center rail but I'm headed to Home Depot here in a few mins.

Should I just raise one end up off the floor 2 feet on one end and let it make it's natural curve to the floor without any more support between the raised end and the floor? Or should I try to hit some specific angle from my raised end to the floor?
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Re: Talk Me Out Of This Test Track

Post by Go Bubba Go »

joe wrote:Here's what you do to kill two birds with one stone. Put up a few sheets of the drywall so it looks like you're actually getting some work done. Then recess a track into the wall behind a moveable secret panel of drywall. It can fold out on a moments notice, and back up into the wall in no time!
Joe, you ROCK!
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ichiban
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Re: Talk Me Out Of This Test Track

Post by ichiban »

12' of wood lattice for the guides will cost around $9 from Home Depot. I'm making a one laner 1/2 scale track based on the original BSA track.

I'm assuming you already have an alignment board. Whatever one lane track you put together will be good enough to measure the difference between a base car and a car with changes made.

For our local derby race I used an alignment board for the steering and a 28 foot crooked lane of BSA blue track. The few cars I tested finished in the same order on both the blue track and the pack track.

I picked up a timer for cheap off ebay with six lane sensors. I'll be changing the cable lengths and laying some of them out over the distance of the one lane wood track I'm working on. If it works good, I'll get an aluminum track and do the same.
bloard
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Re: Talk Me Out Of This Test Track

Post by bloard »

Lattice options at Home Depot are strips either 1-3/8 or 1-3/4 inches wide. As I understand it the official BSA size is 1-5/8. I know that I could buy the 1-3/4 and rip it but I'm not dying to drag out the table saw and make the mess unless I have to.

Is there anything in particular that I'm not going to be able to accurately test by using a 1-3/8" center strip? I will only be testing rail riders and I realize it might take a fraction more to get to the rail and also realize that the narrower rail won't show me if my rear tires also hit the rail. Assuming that I can keep the rear tires off the rail on a standard track is there any real reason to drag out the table saw?

It also seems like the narrower strip might highlight alignment issues a little more which could be a benefit.

Thoughts?
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davem
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Re: Talk Me Out Of This Test Track

Post by davem »

I just bought a 1 5/8" lattice strip from Lowes (8 ft. length) ~$6.
In the molding section (not the lattice section).
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Re: Talk Me Out Of This Test Track

Post by ichiban »

Dont know, I found 1&5/8" at my local home depot.
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Re: Talk Me Out Of This Test Track

Post by bloard »

Thanks. My HD doesn't have it but sounds like it's worth a quick trip to Lowes or Menards. Sounds like it's a fairly common size.
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Re: Talk Me Out Of This Test Track

Post by bloard »

I guess it must be a regional thing. I called every lumber yard within 30 miles (about 10 of them) and all of them only carried 1-3/8 or 1-3/4 inch lattice strips.

So, I need to ask my original question again. Am I really going to lose much testing validity by going with the 1-3/8 rather than ripping the 1-3/4 besides the possibility of my rear wheels touching on a real track?
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