[MrFlippant]

Yeah... as informative as it can be, it's still just a bunch of slot car guys chit-chatting about related topics. I try to keep the discussions moving, but otherwise do my best to let it just kind of happen. It's not a "show" that has pre-planned topics. What Jeremy does is already way more work than I'd ask or expect anyone to do, plus it's entertaining in its own way. :)

[Scuderia_Turini]

Is there a list of these meetings that shows what was talked about?

Once you have looked through Jeremy's helpful summary, you can speed through the Youtube video using the right and left arrows  (on a PC keyboard) or increase the playback speed then slow it down when you find a bit you are interested in.

Leo

[MrFlippant]

(Deleted old links to avoid accidental clicking.)

[kitman]

[BAracer]

#76

"I love the smell of warm slot cars in the morning!"

This Chat started with Petrucci showing off his newly acquired IT skills with his home 3D printed GG tyre truer recipricater, but 19hrs...he could have flown to Seattle and picked one up off the printmeister himself in that time. Not that Greg was at home for this Chat, but he kept sending us little clues on the Chat chat as to where he was in the world as the competition for this week.

Anthony (of this place) showed off some vintage Thingies (who would have thought that sub-niche existed!) along with some more recognisable (but not to me) vintage cars. Nice bodies and paintwork...check. Correct original motors and chassis...check. Correct wheels and tyres...hold on..."those aren't the original tyres, they should be grey..." which seamlessly brought out a clever and simple trick to fit your favourite tyres onto non-compatible rims.

Is Lance on the Chat? - I'm guessing Greg must be Hawaii

Dennis is off to SA for some serious slot car racing and to see his mum (if she can find her way to the venue). And when he says 'serious' he means 'serious' as some people ended up in hospital last time, and Anthony still carries the scars. However, Dennis promises to tell us all about it when he gets back. Michael has bought a 60s Thunderbird kit to make into a slot car, perhaps the Tom Kristensen car from the Goodwood Revival meeting. That car might feature in any one of the slot car magazines that has landed on Big Den's lap. He promises to scan and share them for reference purposes.
Henri has been hard at work in NL putting together a set of Ninco GTM cars with oXigen chips, not easy, as we will find out later.

Can you give him my mobile number please! - I'm guessing Greg's in some sort of trouble...his stag do perhaps?

Graham (with the big shed) gave us a fascinating insight into his track building past and future. First off were pictures of his first 'serious' race track. And that's 'serious' as in 6 lane Scalextric, permanent table with lots of length and elevation changes, but not a single tree or bridge or control tower to be seen, because this was a track for 'serious' racing. And when he says 'serious racing', he actually meant 'total fun' racing as in go into the shed with 5 mates after a nice evening in the pub, start racing as around midnight and keep racing through till the morning and onto lunchtime. He hopes to reproduce some of that spirit in the new 130' routed wood track he is professionally constructing out of mdf. He has been researching wooden track construction from around the world (including the one ChrisW was at in Toronto just before the Chat) and has started assembling the pieces together and will keep us updated on the build in future Chats. Lesson no.1 for me...the price of track braid!!! Lesson no.2 was a clever idea regarding driver stations. Lesson no.3 was that beer has to stay in the bar area of the shed away from the track!

[I really need you to to get Lance to ring me] - Yep, Greg either needs someone to bail him out, or else he's been tied to a lampost somewhere on the island dressed as an blue and yellow parrot.

Alan (from here) is in search of the perfect tyre truer. He only sees compromises in the production models on the market, and feels some sort of reciprocating mechanism is the way forward, but automated and with a way of avoiding overheating the tyre rubber. He promises to keep us informed of his findings.

Jim Rose described a local 'squeezy' track that is not universally enjoyed by other analogue clubs in the region. In certain parts of the circuit, lanes 1&2 and 3&4 are squeezed together, and in other sections all four lanes share the central portion of the track. So you can only overtake in certain sections of the track where you don't need patience. This meant that to do well, you needed to race with your head rather than your heart, and maneuvers needed to be planned well in advance. Interestingly, this all struck a chord with the digital racers on the Chat, who have to use similar strategies in their type of racing. Small world!

The discussion then went into the topic of racing slot cars in the dark, something quite a few people on the Chat have done in numerous endurance races around the world. Finger memory plays it's part, as do good LED lights on the car to allow you to differentiate your car from your competitors, and also to know where you are on the track (and off it). But can you have too many lights? This led into a critique of the oXigen digital racing system, and particularly the techniques used in order to get your controller to talk to your car (and not Alan's). Some good tips on hardware and software came out of that.

And suddenly 'hey, 2hrs are up!" and we had made it through without Greg. And depending on whether he managed to meet up with Lance, we may have to do it all again without him next week...

[MrFlippant]

Adrift at sea on a rented surfboard... Help!

LoL!

[kitman]

You're invited!

Topic: World Wide Slot Car Chat #77


Time: Oct 6, 2021 06:00 PM CST

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Meeting ID: 885 5141 3368
Passcode: 921535


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I hope you are able to join us!

Thanks

John

[KensRedZed]

Very cool meeting. Thank you very kindly for the invitation.

[kitman]

[BAracer]

#77

"You canna change the laws of [NSR] physics Captain!"

Petrucci started off the Show+Tell section. He had bought a bench belt sander but wasn't happy with it. He had two options, send it back or buy a different one...he was much happier with the second, bigger, more dangerous, one. Michael was VERY happy with the NSR Porsche; right up to date, top notch, fluorescent paint job, and a drop arm guide straight out of the 60s. Wayne is chuffed with his little variable power supply. Lots of uses around the house, attic and his body. More importantly it was a low cost entry into the world for adjustable power for race tracks, tyre truers and all your electronic slot stuff that needs slowing down or speeding up.

Jeremy threw a pebble into the pond of air hubs, and the ripples spread wide. He was looking to fill the air gap to comply with local club rules. But the ways of doing this vary, and can provide benefits or create pitfalls. Do you buy off the shelf infills or make your own? Do you go for soft or hard rubber or foam? Do you trim them flush with the ribs or a little proud? What glue should you use? So many questions...and all answered in the Chat!

Vlad wet everyone's scenery taste buds with a demonstration of a piece of software that enables you to put together building shapes and surface finishes at any scale, and then at a touch of a button, print them out and simply assemble them. His audience was hooked...

"Vlad, is it easy you use?" 
"Errr, I don't know, I've never used it"
"How much did it cost you?"
"Errr, just a few dollars, but that was 30 years ago"

However, Vlad then gave an exemplary demonstration on the art of 3D printing. He bought his first printer a few years ago, his second one a bit later, and his third one more recently...but the stuff he was getting them to produce had the Chat in awe. There was chat about printer settings, about laser cutting, about the different materials that can be cut or engraved. That got other laser cutters involved in the discussion, demonstrating examples of what the machinery can do, with examples of 3DP illuminated trophies coming out of the screen at all angles and colours. Gazza hadn't printed a trophy, he had 3D printed something that every slot track needs, maybe even two.

"I worked in I.T. for years and printers make me miserable!" was the opening remark from new face D.C. However, he has a plan regarding 3D printing; i) get someone else to print stuff for you. 'Our Ken' also made his first appearance on a Chat. His strategy for 3D printing is i) buy a 3D printer in about 5 years time when the technology has become so simple that your kids will be able to sort out all your problems. In the meantime, it's scratch built aluminium chassis all the (winning) way.

Greg made a 'car crash' verbal appearance in the Chat. Still no official update on his 'holiday', but it clearly isn't going well. He now appears to be being held under duress and is only permitted to give one word answers to all of John's questions by his abductors.

In Club Corner, Michael extolled the virtues of Club Car rotations. He has been trialling these at his club meetings, and it has highlighted that all the racers are very evenly matched. Whilst car tuning tricks are made irrelevant by such car rotations, Wayne highlighted a race result from a local club that highlighted what tuning can achieve. An F1 race had thrown up a Scalextric Indycar winner over a hoard of NSR and All Slot examples...how could that be!!!? The discussion touched on all the tricks of the trade that could have contributed to that unexpected race outcome. 

Once again, if you want help getting your head round this wonderful hobby, watch these videos or even join in live.