ANN: 2nd track construction pix uploaded

[Admin]

Greetings one and all!

Well, I got the bug on Friday night. The bug to build a better track. My first attempt was OK, but I really learned a lot from the exercise! Really tight corners = bad; super-springy walls = bad; track width less than 5″ = bad etc. In short – it’s a great course to hone your driving skillson, but FORGET trying to race on it.

NB: The pix to accompany this story can be foundvia the homepage –> Tech’n’Tips –> Bit Char-G or via this direct link.

Main materials used for the “Isotta Foam Raceway”:

• 2ea 600 x 1200 x 19mm polystyrene sheets (AUD 8.75ea)
• 2ea 600 x 1200 x 25mm polystyrene sheets (AUD10.40ea)
• 1ea 340g Plasti-Kote w/base spray flt bk (AUD17.91ea)
• 1ea 340g Plasti-Kote w/base spray green (AUD17.91ea)
• 1ea 6mm x 10mwhite pinstripe (AUD 5.95ea)
• 1ea “Isotta” clear-back vinyl sticker (AUD 4.95ea)
• 1ea Pack self-adhesive mounting pads (AUD 3.25ea)
• 1ea 350g can matt protective spray (AUD 9.95ea)
• 1ea 48mm x 10m black Gaffa tape (AUD 5.95ea)

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Miscellaneous materials and other bits from around the house:

• 23tpi hacksaw blade
• Half a tube of Selley’s Liquid NailsFast Grab
• Heaps of old newspaper or a large paint drop-sheet
• Compass, ruler etc
• Felt-tip markers and pens
• 2 sheets of custom Bit Char-G advertising panels
• A bit of imagination and a willingness to experiment

[/list]

Sorry, guys, but I don’t have enough time at the moment to write a big how-to. [Yeah…yeah… I’m a slackarse] But HOPEFULLY I’ve taken enough photos to tell the story without me blabbering on. In short, the story goes like this:

1. Buy and cry
2. Plan and cut
3. Paint and pray
4. Glue and stick
5. Add finishing touches
6. Protect and play!

My (personally-biased) verdict:

• Enamel-painted foam makes a great racing surface – excellent soundeffects(!) as the cars hammer along the foam and good traction as well.
• It’s light – the whole track weighs less than 1kg
• It’s easy to make – fiddly, but no workshop tools required
• It’s quick – less than 3hrs (excl paint drying time). Probably quicker if you put some planning into it.
• It’s expandable – just build extra modules to grow the set – also excellent for bit get-togethers to build mega-tracks
• It’s customisable – you can make it as ‘pretty’ or as plain as you like
• It’s fun to race on!

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If there’s anything you want to know about the construction that’s not covered by the pix please just respond in this thread and I’ll try to answer your question(s) as soon as possible.

Look forward to any suggestions/comments/criticisms you might have at your fingertips.

Cheers

[Admin]

how did you achieve the ‘texture’ on the actual track surface?

-aquila

[Admin]

Derek,

I’m going out to buy the materials for the track tonight, and I just had an “enhancement” idea I thought I’d share. To add a little realism to my track, I’ll probably dry-brush some black into the advertising boards, just past the corners. This should give a fairly accurate appearance of over-zealous drivers piling into the wall at speed.

[Admin]

Aquila

> how did you achieve the ‘texture’ on the

> actual track surface?

I’d like to be able to say that it was achieved after weeks of scientific research, discussions with chemists and paint manufacturers, and hard work by a dedicated team of specialists who applied the surface.

Ahem. Let the truth be known – it was just how the polystyrene surface turned out after being given about 8-10 really thin coats?from water-based enamel can spraypaint.

ZeroBXU

> I’m going out to buy the materials for the track

> tonight,

Like most things, I’m guessing the materials will cost a LOT less in the USA. We get hit pretty hard here in Australia

> and I just had an “enhancement” idea I thought

> I’d share. To add a little realism to my track,

> I’ll probably dry-brush some black into the

> advertising boards, just past the corners. This

> should give a fairly accurate appearance of

> over-zealous drivers piling into the wall at speed.

OMG!?? What a killer idea!? Just need to get some black modelling paint and a wee brush now!

Thanks

[Admin]

Well, I picked up a 4’x8’x1″ piece of styrofoam, two cans of spray paint (flat black and deep forest green), a hacksaw blade, and “duck” tape. Total cost: $11.47 USD.

…but it was an adventure. I just drove my little Hyundai to the store, and had to cut the styrofoam sheet–myself–in the store!!! So I founda piece of 2’x4′ plywood, used that to scribe a line with my pocketknife, and then just snapped it in three places–nearly clean. Next problem was the tape. Nobody in this super-mega-building supply store had any clue what “gaffa tape” was. I worked in building materials for over three years and I didn’t know! So I went with this “duck” tape that’s 2″ thick. It should be fine for what I’m doing. Now I’ve got to find my old drafting compass and clean up the cuts on the styrofoam, and I’m ready to go!

“Gaffa tape”. You crazy Australians have a different word for everything. Of course, as Derek will attest, I say “crazy Aussies” with the greatest respect. In other news, my two limited edition Skylines came today and I haven’t even had time to pull them out of the box. Such is life.

[Admin]

ROTFL @ ZeroBXU Gaffa/Gaffer Tape is thich DUCT tape with a fabric inside. Oh – and it’s actually a North American thing, I believe! Refer this google link if you get really keen.

Derek’s Useless Fact of the Day : It was designed for the movie industry to allow stage electricians to tape up HUGE bundles of lighting cables from the ceiling AND tape down stray cables running along the floor. The fabric gives huge strength/low-stretch properties while making the tape VERY hard-wearing (can withstand weeks of constrant trampling). It’s also the reasonHead Electricians in movie credits are called “GAFFER”.

…and there endeth today’s educational section

Oh – that foam/paint is a bloody good buy. Mind shipping me over, say twenty 4’x8′ sheets? Hehehehehe…..

Keep us all informed of your progress!

Cheers

[Admin]

Quote:

Originally posted by Derek on 30April2002

Derek’s Useless Fact of the Day : It was designed for the movie industry to allow stage electricians to tape up HUGE bundles of lighting cables from the ceiling AND tape down stray cables running along the floor. The fabric gives huge strength/low-stretch properties while making the tape VERY hard-wearing (can withstand weeks of constrant trampling). It’s also the reasonHead Electricians in movie credits are called “GAFFER”.

Well, if you had said “gaffer”, I would have figured it out–that’s my favorite guy in the movie, next to the Key Grip.

Oh – that foam/paint is a bloody good buy. Mind shipping me over, say twenty 4’x8′ sheets? Hehehehehe…..

Sure–just as soon as I get your FedEx number.

[Krayzie]

gah i wish i had one of those styrofoam cutters i remember using in woodshop a long time ago

[Admin]

Krayzie

Styrofoam cutters?! Ooooooooh!

Methinks I better do some investigation!

[Krayzie]

its just a machine with a wire that becomes heated when you turn it on. It basically just melts the styrofoam instead of cutting through it so it works pretty nicely

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/artcity-com/flc-601.html

something similar to what I was thinking about except what I used in woodshop wasn’t a handsize tool

[Admin]

That is SO cool! Just did a bit of googling for these things in Australia and drew a blank. Damn.

So – just went to order one from them (yes – I am an impulse-buyer) and almost had a heart attack at the shipping costs. I quote from their info page:

“Usually international shipments will incur a flat charge of $25.00 plus an extra charge equal to 10% of the total order. For example, if your order has a total value of $100.00 a $35.00 [$25.00 flat fee + (10% x $100.00=$10.00)] shipping and handling charge will be added. In this instance, the total amount charged to your credit card would equal $135.00”[/quote]
Eeek! USD26.00 for freight on a small USD10.00 item? I think I will have to give that a miss! Bum.
Will just have to keep my eye out around here. I wish I had one of those thingos on the weekend when I was hacking away at the foam!
Thanks again for the info.

[Krayzie]

heh i dont know if that site is even trust worthy so good thing you didnt order

[Admin]

I was giving this whole styrofoam-cutting problem some thought, and had an idea (that I haven’t had time to try yet). Try a pizza-cutter. Of course, it’s nowhere near as nice as those heater-units (my father has one, but he lives 250 miles away), but I think it might just do the trick.

[Krayzie]

wouldn’t it be easier to just use a knife instead of a pizza cutter?

[Admin]

I got one of those Foam Cutters. I use it to make scenery for my Warhammer 40k habbit.

They cut foam(any type) like butter. Excellent tool.

Derek,

You want some Photos of this unit, it’s soooo freaking basic, I promise you will have one made in a day (or less). (I’ll tear mine open and photograph it)

An old issue of the magazine (WhiteDwarf) had an article on making one too.

[Admin]

Ah come on…just make one. All it is is a few sticks, some wire and a battery (or power supply). I don’t know what guage wire to use and what voltage, but I’m sure you can find it if you search hard enough. I usually hear it refered to as a hot wire foam cutter. I’ll check with my buddy at work tomorrow since he’s into RC airplanes and they are essential for making custom foam wings.

[Admin]

Floydski: Oooooh! Yeppers… would love a pic of this in operation. Based on the emails I’ve received, it would seem the painted foam track might become a bit of a favourite construction method. If you want to write up where you got it from, cost etc we can do a quick feature of it on the tech section.

Krayzie: You haven’t seen these things anywhere else other than that Yahoo! shopfront (keeping in mind your “trustworthyness” comment) have you? I asked at both a craft/hobby shop and a hardware store yesterday. both looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language.

Cheers lads

[Admin]

…and as for me making one, ylexot, I am seriously THE least-handy-handyman on the planet! But… if someone else wants to build/test one and tell me exactly what I need to do – I’ll have a go!

But if I built something like that without any guides I’d just as likely burn the entire apartment complex down. (READ: I would not be a popular man!)

Hmmmmmm

[Krayzie]

I haven’t really looked around for the foam cutter yet since I was up all night studying for my midterm. I’m planning on buying all the supplies I need for the race track tomorrow or this weekend so I’ll keep you updated if I find anotherplace that sells the foam cutter.

[Admin]

Ok guys, I did a search and found several DIY hot wire foam cutters. Each one seems to have a different method and layout. I saw some pretty good ideas in each design.Maybe someone can combine all their designs into the “ultimate”, but cheap cutter. One guy even said he made one for $4! It looks like the toughest part is finding the nichrome wire (they all sayhobby shops sould have it). Anyway, here’s the links:

http://www.canadianhovercraftfederation.org/FAQs/2foam_cutter.htm

http://www.gizmology.net/hotwire.htm

http://www.intlwaters.com/fvrcb/wirecutter.htm

http://www.techlib.com/hobby/hotwire_foam_cutter.htm

[Admin]

That pretty interesting all those links to making cutters. But the one I have is 3x as simple, and a heck of alot more practical.

Derek, I think after you see this thing. You will be like, oh man! Why the heck didn’t I think of building one of these years ago!

The canister, which houses the 2 “D” cell batteries(thats all the power it takes)is about the size and dimensions of a racketball can.

They sell replacement wire for it, so I’ll get approximate guage, etc.

Expect a Feature on it this weekend.

-Floyd

[Author]

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