[Gordon Steadman]

Just two questions...

How did you fill the gap in the track where it passes under the flyover?

How thick was the ply?

I didn't!! The underpass level was just routed flat with all the rest. The bridge section was made separately and then routed in situ, you can see the joins in the last shot. The ply is 10mm and the slot 9mm! The framework under the whole sheet is substantial

[Gordon Steadman]

How could I resist? When the taping was finished (sadly, when I got to the local builder's merchants, they didn't have what I needed and we are going into town tomorrow ), it only took a few minutes to wire it up and temporarily attach the control block!!

Fun. OK as soon as you start you are finished but it's a track and the cars still need driving. It'll do for now.

       

[rallyhub]

I really like it. Gordon.
Well done.

rallyhub

[Gordon Steadman]

I really like it. Gordon.
Well done.

rallyhub

I need some barriers! One of the Alfas took a small trip over the edge, bounced once and hopped into a black bucket on the floor. I'll look for some thin ply tomorrow.

[Fluff]

An amazing little track Gordon 

[Gordon Steadman]

An amazing little track Gordon 

As I said, it'll do for now. I miss the 5 metre straights though

Had a sort out in the extension this morning and the track has a new home and I have a workshop back!
       

This room may be the site for a permanent track at some stage. Time alone will tell.

[BAracer]

Still trying to get my head round how a track can be made in a day...

Did you rout(?) along your pencil lines by hand or use some sort of guide plate?

[Gordon Steadman]

Still trying to get my head round how a track can be made in a day...

Did you rout(?) along your pencil lines by hand or use some sort of guide plate?

It is only a very small track

I knocked up a trammel out of ply. The router is just screwed to it and the centres were all worked out beforehand. I drew the curves using a piece of wire looped around a screw so the holes was there to drop the trammel pin in. The curves only took about an hour max. The straights were cut along a metal straight edge and took a bit longer. The basics were done in about four hours and then I taped it up the next day and the wiring was a doddle for such a small track as it only needs one feed.
   

For the raised bits the router depth was set to 11mm so it cut right through the ply and gives a nice smooth cut for the outside of the curves. Sorry to sound flash but it really is a very simple thing to make. It will probably take longer to fit all the barriers and edges. I had two cars hit the deck just now so they will definitely be necessary. I'm trying to get used to such short straights and fast cars need just a nudge of power before the brakes are necessary. Needs a whole different technique. Two racing will be a hoot I suspect.

It's really a Pittman 196B or Atlas open frame track as the motor characteristics are perfect. Driving a car with a Mabuchi 270S is a whole new joy! Probably best avoided.

[BAracer]

You still haven't convinced me that it is straight forward! But I can see that having an 2440 x 1220 table to form the sub-structure is a big help.

What size router bit did you use for the slot?

[Gordon Steadman]

You still haven't convinced me that it is straight forward! But I can see that having an 2440 x 1220 table to form the sub-structure is a big help.

What size router bit did you use for the slot?

The sub structure is just square section wood and the ply is screwed directly to that before cutting the slots - taking care not to put screws where the slots are going of course! The 1mm left after routing is enough as the frame gives good support.

I used a 4mm router cutter. In some ways, I wish I had gone to 5mm as the modern SlotiT wood track guides bind a bit at the hairpins. Might ease the slot or reduce the length of the guides.

Blowing that old trumpet again, a track like this is simple stuff compared with what I did for a living. I was a professional chippie making hand made kitchens and guitars etc.