# Planning a door track



## Mach5 (Nov 28, 2007)

I'm in the planning stages of building a track. I have limited space available, but have come up with a couple of options. I wanted to hear comments regarding the best plan.

1. Use two 36"x80" doors to build a track on. The doors would be permanently joined together to form a 36"x160" surface and hinged to a wall to permit folding it up against the wall when not in use. I decided that 36" was about as wide as I could go and still marshal cars on the far side (near the wall) if needed. I'm a little concerned about weight with this approach.

2. Use the two doors as described above, but design the tables such that they can be separated from one another, the legs can be folded up, and then carried somewhere else for storage. Weight is also a concern here. I probably won't have room for an "L" table arrangement.

On Gregory Braun's website, he recommends the use of solid core exterior doors. Is it possible to use hollow core interior doors to keep the weight down? Will they be rigid enough and allow the track to be well-secured? I might even consider portable 4'x8' tables if the weight could be kept to a level where one person could move them around.


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## Scafremon (Dec 11, 2006)

I like your plan #1 using hollow core doors. I think that one reason (and maybe the primary reason) that Greg recomends solid core doors, is so that you can firmly attach legs, such as banquet table folding legs. If your hinged approach doesn't require legs fixed mounted to the hollow doors, I think you will be fine.

I also like that this plan has the doors permanently attached to each other. I currently have a track that is on (2) 4'x8' tables, and the split is not as user-friendly as I had hoped. I had to modify the (8) track pieces that cross the table split so that they could drop in, but it isn't as slick as I thought. I still have to loosen a fixed-mounted track or two on one side or the other to get these pieces in. Sliding the tables together with the split-crossing tracks in place is another doable option, but requires some finesse in doing so. Then any wiring that you need between the tables needs to be seperable. 

Building 4'x8' tables that are portable for a single person might be tough also. I think my tables weighed 80 lbs each, and due to the size, I would not even attempt to try and move one by myself, with the legs folded up.

If you have 160" of wall space to pursue your tilt-down idea, I would lean towards that.


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## BewstdGT (Jan 4, 2005)

Just out of curiosity, did you intend to use the door method because you already own them? Building a table out of plywood and maybe some 1x4"s as the border isnt much for cost so if you were going to buy the materials I'd consider a real home made table. I used the better wood I could find for thickness and quality and it was less than $35 to build it including screws and hardware. One thing you didnt mention was if you were going 2 or 4 lane??

And I see nothing wrong with using the hollow core doors, in fact its stupid not to because they probably only weigh 8-10 lbs per door shell versus 25+ for the solid ones. Im shocked to hear you say space is an issue tho you are wanting to build a 13 x 3 table. I was stretching it to build a 4x10 table lol. But in terms of size I say always go longer than wider. An 8 x 4 table is less "fun" than a 13x3 table IMO. The long straights really let you have some fun with the tyco and super g+ cars. Everyone loves listenning to these armatures wind up on long straights.

I wouldnt design a set for a track where the doors can still be seperated from eachother. It can be a royal pain to take apart track sections to store the track. If you decide to do any kind of scenery (and you probably will like we all have) it means you cant design anything that rests on both sides of the tables because it would have to be able to be split it apart for storage. I say go for the 160 x 3 table and put some folding legs on the bottom so it can be moved easily. Shouldnt cost to much to find some cheap legs at a hardware store. Let us know how it turns out regardless what you do and good luck!


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## Scafremon (Dec 11, 2006)

I remember reading somewhere that a person picked up hollow doors for real cheap at like a Home Depot or Lowes. The doors would have a scratch, nick, or even a small hole on one side, so the store discounted them bigtime. These damaged doors could be very usable for a track table.

Cost wise, I think I paid about $40 each for my 4x8 quality plywood sheets - but when I got home and really chekced them out, they were bowed near the corners. So added 2x4's around the perimter to straighten them out. That added some more cost, but more of a concern to me was the weight it added (maybe my tables were 80lbs each after this additional wood and the table legs). The table legs, if you go that route, are available at HD and Lowes for about $19 a pair as I recall.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

A double length door track definitely gives you some high speed straight potential. Here's some typical 36"x160" designs...


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## rudykizuty (Aug 16, 2007)

Scafremon said:


> Cost wise, I think I paid about $40 each for my 4x8 quality plywood sheets - but when I got home and really chekced them out, they were bowed near the corners. So added 2x4's around the perimter to straighten them out. That added some more cost, but more of a concern to me was the weight it added (maybe my tables were 80lbs each after this additional wood and the table legs).
> 
> 
> > 2x4's are a bit of overkill. 1x4's get the job done, particularly if combined with 1x2's to form an L beam. I had the same problem with the ends of the ply curling up, and this method straightened everything out without even using screws. It's all glued with Elmer's Pro-Bond Professional Indoor/Outdoor and clamped for a few hours. It's still heavy, but I can only imagine what it would weigh had I used 2x4's.
> ...


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## bigun624 (May 11, 2005)

My track is a 4x8 using 1/2 inch plywood. 1x4 for the frame,and 1x8 around that to give me walls. I put 2 handles on each end and set it on plastic saw horses. I put the round furniture pads on the non controller side and set it on its edge when not in use. 2 people can move it very easily. If i want to take it some where i put it in the pickup and go. My track is nailed down to the wood. I dont know how a hollow core door would do with nails, but I have heard of people using silicone to attach thier track to the table and they say it allows them to change it if they want. It wouldnt take much silicone on each piece to hold it.


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## BewstdGT (Jan 4, 2005)

Gorilla glue FTW! It expands as it cools and settles but its more permenant than other glues. Liquid nails works as well!


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## joejoeguns (Nov 11, 2007)

My track is on legs now but was once mounted to the wall on hinges.I hinged it to the wall and also hinged the legs so that when it was folded up the legs stayed in place and when it was lowered they swung out to support the "open" side.The track was held in the up position with a eye hook on each side.Hope thats clear,I never took pics of the set up but everyone thought it was sweet.


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## Mach5 (Nov 28, 2007)

I haven't bought any material yet, I'm just planning things at this point. Plan first, then spend money! It's cheaper that way! I'm going to put the track in the garage, which is why I have the long wall available. The table needs to fold up so that I have room to work on my 1:1 hot rods. I was thinking that the open side would have fold down legs, similar to what joejoeguns described.

I'm planning to build a 2-lane track. One reason is that it's easier to get a challenging layout on a 3' wide table with only 2 lanes. Another reason is that I'm the only person I know of in the area which has any interest in slot cars. I sometimes race with a local club, but those guys all live too far way to make the trek to my little track. The club track dwarfs my proposed puny layout. I'm primarily looking for something to have some fun with and to use for test & tune time with the race cars. I have a copy of Tracker2000, but haven't gone very far with a layout yet. I wanted to figure out what the tables are going to look like.

I was concerned that even hinged to a wall, a 16' long table could easily get away from me while being lowered if it's too heavy.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

I seem to get in trouble when I talk about tables... but try to keep the weight of the table to a minimum. Plastic track and slot cars do not weigh anything. Neither does foam based scenery. The secret is to make the table very stiff and lightweight, like a hollow core door. Adding heavyweight lumber like 2x4s and 1x8s is almost never needed. I have a 10x15 foot L-shaped table and I went way overboard by using 2x4s for the legs. Everything else is plywood and 1x4 lumber. Use gussets and blocking to stiffen the frame and to avoid ever having to nail or screw into endgrain and you will be ahead of the game. You could even use lexan for the side walls to keep the weight down even further. 

If you are really afraid of dropping the table when lowering it from the wall you could use a counterweight system with sash weights and wire rope. Instead of fold down legs you could simply have "doors" or wings that fold out from the wall when the track is lowered and fold flush to the wall when the table is raised. 

Another option is to have the table fold down when not in use, and make a tonneau cover to protect the track when it is in the stowed position.


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## Scafremon (Dec 11, 2006)

AfxToo said:


> I seem to get in trouble when I talk about tables...


  I seem to recall stumbling on those discussions.

The goal should be to make a sturdy table; not just to support the weight of the track and scenery that sits on top of it, but sturdy enough to handle the use it is going to be subjected to. 

And then there is the visual look that the builder wants. Overkill on the table legs might help 'sell' the foam as a mountain range, in a subconscious way.

Someday, someone will build the slot car table whose oak legs include eagle talons grasping spheres, and when they do, if we question the excess weight, we may be missing the point.


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## rudykizuty (Aug 16, 2007)

There are good cases to be made for both light and sturdy. But can you imagine if someone DID build tables that had the same quality to them as some of the finer billiard tables available? Oh man, if that day ever comes, it might be the same day that I take a chain saw to what I've put together so far. But not before my order for the new one has been confirmed!!


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## Hornet (Dec 1, 2005)

My table frame is made from 1" Sq hollow re-cycled steel,cheap and fairly light.I'm no carpenter,and for me steel is easier to work with,just another option to look into :thumbsup:


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