# Bending plastic track?



## txronharris (Jun 1, 2005)

Can it be done? Any pointers from anyone that's tried this? I want to have different levels on my road course and want to know if heating up and bending the plastic track (both straights and curves) is something I can consider. I think rolling hills would look way better than the track just slanting up and down. Also, if I secure the track to the wood table, can I elevate the outside slightly and get a slight banking without causing any problems? Any comments or suggestions are appreciated! :thumbsup:


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## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

I been wanting to try this myself, so hopefully someone gives us something to look forward too


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## car guy (Nov 22, 2003)

I'd imagine you could heat up the track to flatten a warped peice, but I doubt you could bend it as you like...there's the track rails that you have to consider, I don't think that they'd be too willing to go along with your intentions.

Just "my" opinon, but i've been wrong before.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

I tried very unsuccessfully to make a mild Tyco 12" banked section!  First attempt was waaayyy too much heat in my oven and it looked like taffy hanging from the rack. :tongue: Second attempt I used a toaster oven on the lowest setting. What happens is the sides go first and warp. If you try to manipulate the track section, the plastic distorts and the rails just pull out of their pinched mounts when you bend the plastic. Also, depending on how you bend the track piece, the rail will either shorten or lengthen within the piece.

I find that article hard to believe. He is saying to bend the rails with the track but this doesn't work. (Maybe it's easier with old Aurora track?) I think the real hump tracks have pie cuts in the rail to bend it, and those rails are bent first then pinched into the bent injection molded plastic track.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

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## micyou03 (Apr 8, 2003)

Have any of you run on the AFX flex-track? If so how is it? I have two, but haven't tried them yet. They look like they would be bumpy.


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

Now that I've re-read the original post, yes you can bend plastic track a bit and make it form over very slight elevation changes without much trouble. You may have to glue some connections together to keep them from "popping". Most have seen the elevation changes on my track. Over a long stretch you can force the track to bend and twist a bit to meet elevation changes and banked turn sections without any trouble. And I have one flat turn that raises about 4-5 degrees without any trouble.

A good example of how much you really can force plastic track to bend is on Jeffrey Stillwell's giant Tomy road course. Here you can see elevation changes as the corner goes into an "off-camber" slope:










Scott


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## car guy (Nov 22, 2003)

Slott V said:


> A good example of how much you really can force plastic track to bend is on Jeffrey Stillwell's giant Tomy road course. Here you can see elevation changes as the corner goes into an "off-camber" slope:



Those tracks & pics are awesome, thanks for the link. The one thing missing however is an address, still an awesome site though.


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## Franko (Mar 16, 2005)

I did a lot of bending and flexing my tomy AFX track sections, for my Gregory Braun designed Int'l 39 road course, for banking and grade changes. To get all the sections and rails to lay smoothly I had to add quite a few screw down points at various places in a section of track to tune each lane. Used a countersinking drill bit to make holes in the track then filled them in using techniques described at www.hoslotcarracing.com.


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## Slott V (Feb 3, 2005)

car guy said:


> Those tracks & pics are awesome, thanks for the link. The one thing missing however is an address, still an awesome site though.


Atlanta GA. "Homer" Stillewell has the most awesome slot car basement in the world. He hosts a big H.O. event every year. He used to do a race on that tri-oval during the Daytona 500. They would go under caution at reduced speed with every real caution. Sounds fun but 3 plus hours of slot racing and you can't really watch the Daytona 500.  That dirt track is really cool too and really creative. Gotta be a blast to run those slider Outlaws. :thumbsup:


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

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## jester58 (Nov 30, 2004)

I tried this is little success. I wanted to make a transition from an 18" down hill to a level surface. I tried using a heat gun (the type used by RC airplane guys to put the covering on planes) and a coffee can to get the hill shape I wanted.. It worked with one small issue that I never took the time to experiment with. The slot widens and flattens at the apex of the hill. Never really played it much after I found that out. I'm sure there are ways to get around this. I've never tried to do radius bends in a straight piece. Might work.


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## AMX (Nov 1, 2005)

Any hump or dip or camber change that requires more effort than what AFXtoo describes won't be drivable anyway....the car will just fly off the track


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## jph49 (Nov 20, 2003)

micyou03 said:


> Have any of you run on the AFX flex-track? If so how is it? I have two, but haven't tried them yet. They look like they would be bumpy.


It's been years since I messed with flex-track, but the results were less than satisfactory. The concept seemed good, but the track isn't smooth and the spring type rails leave something to be desired. If I recall correctly the instruction sheet that came with the flex-track recommended not using more than a couple of pieces in a layout because more than that would affect the performance of the cars. That probably says it all.

Patrick


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