[dvd3500]

(inexpensive) Scalextric digital bits are fairly hard to come by on the continent.


A local guy has a right-hand pit entry (!) that he is willing to sell fairly cheaply but he doesn't have the exit.

While I know the easiest thing is to wait for an exit to pop up I was just mulling over other options that could be used.

Ideally the solution would be completely reversible and even more ideally not be a lot of work. :-)

I run ARC PRO so keeping the lanes separate would be important. I don't think analog compatibility is vital as when I use digital bits I try to race digital only but given ARC PRO's need for keeping the lanes separate I am thinking analog compatibility would likely come automatically.

So far the best solution I can think of is using a curved lane changer either a right-hand curve from In to Out (when following the typical clockwise direction of a Scalextric layout this would move the car on the inside to the outside) or a left-hand curve going Out to In (again, given the clockwise direction moving the car from the outer most to inside lane) .

The latter I can see only being useful in conjunction with R1 curves given that the curved lane changers are R2.

See pictures...


So two questions:
As the curved lane changers will be set to permanently move the car what do I have to do to  keep the flippers from moving?
Since I don't need to use the sensor straights they won't have power so will it suffice to us a bit of tape/blue tack to keep the flipper in poisition?

Is there maybe an alternative I am missing? (oops that's a third question...)

I had thought about the old straight chicanes that are cheap as chips and doing some sort of mod to get the two lanes to join to one but it all looked rather messy and I do use cars with deeper blades...

I am not against making something out of wood but I doubt the effort is worth it...

Thanks!

[woodcote]

Personally, I'd wait to find the pair of pit-entry and pit-exit pieces that you need. I can't say I've ever seen them sold as single pieces.

An 'orphan' pit exit piece could be used as a re-entry lane for crashed cars. This was a favorite in the early days of Scalextric digital racing and championed by Adrian Norman (see here). A pit entry can be used as a pit exit - the sensors and solenoid can be removed and the flipper fixed.

If you are limited on space - particularly for a long straight - it is not unusual to maximise the pit lane length by using an out-to-in curved lane changer (CLC) as a pit lane entry with R3 (single lane or standard) round the outside. I do think it would be better (and easier) to use the CLC as the pit entry and convert the straight entry to a passive exit piece. To use with ARC Pro (analogue or digital), the CLC needs the connecting strip underneath the track snipped.

[UshCha]

I have a 3D printed Exit piece.  Bottom Right of the picture.   It needs a downer R2 Curve and a downer pit straight as the pit straight can't have the projecting connectors on the 3D printed piece end.  The curvature is about the same as an inner R1 lane.

It does require some cutting of the R2 to accept the 3D printed bit.  The rails on the 3D printed bit are actually Slot.it guide braid but it has had lots of use and no issues.

It does require a bit of careful fitting and a lot of Hot melt Glue.   I power the track using the inner R2 connector and Jump leads across to the pit lane piece.   I could supply the piece for cost say £5 (mostly printer running time) plus postage.   As its a CADDS image, Its no problem to Flip it for the other "Hand".