# Got my tub built....



## 440 (Feb 23, 2008)

Its on a 36" x 80" door. Its a hollow core door because the Depot had no solid cores. I've got to strengthen the legs as I'm afraid they will pull out. The track is the A/FX Super International Speedway. The layout is a modified Tuckaway 25. I say modified because following the directions from Ho Slot Car Racing they claim that you'd need an additional four 15" and four 9" straightaways. However I found that you also need to have an additional two 6" straights. Plus, the crossovers render the 4 lane track a 2 lane track.

So, I added a small "S" turn on one inside track and since I had no 9" straights left and the hobby store only had 9" Crossovers I used them. I have since finishing last night ordered the correct 9" straights.

One thing I failed to put on was the guardrails and my wife so politely pointed out last night, "Don't you have to put those orange things on?" As I was nailing in the last few spots. So, instead of taking it all apart I'm going to try and fish them underneath. Or I'll build some plexiglass walls. I sill also need to put the retaining walls on it as well. 

On top of the door I glued 11/32nd thick cork board to keep the noise down, since the door is hollow it kind of echoed. 

Anyway, on to the pics.









The door and legs in the bed of my Dakota, and yes, underneath the door is a little over a half ton of Nut Anthracite Coal. I heat my house with coal.









Putting the legs on. That's my daughter. She turned 1 on February 2nd. She was picking the tools up as I was using them. She's daddy's little helper.









Legs on. Again, I'm going to take them off when I'm completely done and re-brace the bottom of the door/table.









Sorry, the pic is dark. It was 11pm when I finished this much and I took the picture with my Android. The flash isn't so good.


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## Dyno (Jan 26, 2009)

Nice job. I also have a tuckaway that I built but it is a two lane. I very much regret not making it a 4 lane. The problem with the tuckaways is that there really isnt enough room on the edge of the table to install a track border to allow the cars to fishtail on the outside lanes. I dont know what types of cars you primarily run but Fray type cars need a bunch of room to slide around. I wasnt into them when I built my track,I didnt even know what they were at the time so I built a two lane with guard rails, not Fray friendly at all.
Hindsight is always 20/20. 

I notice you are using the factory power tracks. When using the four lane setup you have to mount the inside power track reversed with the wires and controller through the table. If you remove the power tracks and make your own by soldering the wires to the bottom, you can get a cleaner appearance and add another power tap at another location on the track for smooth power all around the course. Also you can wire in a brake circuit for the fast magnet cars. Im not an expert on wiring at all but it was a very easy project to tackle. Much easier than I had anticipated.


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## 440 (Feb 23, 2008)

Thanks. I actually moved the one power rail to the other side. I figured having everyone on one side of the table will get crowded. The inside lanes are routed through the table. I drilled a 7/8" hole through the table to run the wires. On the other side I'm going to have to notch the side wall to push the wires through. I'm actually installing the sides now. 

I mainly run a lot of old Aurora Wild One's but have a lot of 440's and 440 X2's and some A/FXs. A lot of my cars are stock. I'm looking into building my first one though.

I do plan on wiring a larger power supply so it'll get changed. I'm hoping this table will only be together for a few weeks until I get my shed and can plan for a much larger track. I'd also like to get a brake wire and nicer controllers. But for now, OEM'll have to do.

Also, as far as fishtailing, I think what I'm going to do is measure the height of the track then find some plywood the same thickness and nail it to the outside curves to bring the height of the table to the height of the track.


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## Rolls (Jan 1, 2010)

That looks like a great layout. I really like how you've designed a 4-lane track that packs in great driving features into the door-size area. Very nice!!

Just two crossovers, one per ea. two lane part of the track? [Edit: Duh. I just read your 1st post more carefully re: 9" pieces.]

Have fun!!


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## 440 (Feb 23, 2008)

Yeah, there are actually two crossovers. One for each side. They are actually side by side. Its a bad picture I know. 

I just used the diagram on this siteTuckaway 25. 

Then modified it when I couldn't get their design to actually work. 

I've already ordered the two track pieces that will replace the crossovers to make it a 4 lane again as opposed to the 2 lane. 

I have a question, what does everyone use to paint the lines for the lanes? The A/FX Super International Speedway only came with stickers but I'd like to paint the lines instead of using the stickers.


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## Rolls (Jan 1, 2010)

Lots of interesting discussion over the years on painting lanes. 

'doba started one I really enjoyed http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=190592 and it's as good a place to start reading as any! 

There's lots more, though.


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

If you're planning on moving the track to the shed and rebuilding larger in the future, I would avoid marking lanes until after the move. Especially if the marking method is on the permanent side. I would also suggest looking into either foam or cork HO or O scale rail road bed for borders. Use two sided tape to secure them, and they should peel back up easily when you relocate. They should be reusable too!


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## 440 (Feb 23, 2008)

Slotcarman, 

That is a good point. I didn't think of it. 

Well, my step-son came home from his father's and I was just finishing up the table. I let him stay up a little later so we could run some cars around it. We found, that the cars hang up on the nail heads. Which I knew was going to happen. I haven't set them yet. The track also has some dead spots so it probably needs to be cleaned. 

One of my old T-Jets (era 1960s wild one) doesn't want to run at all. I had this problem with it a few years ago and could never figure out what was wrong with it. I have some more pictures of the table to upload, but Imma do that tomorrow. 

The main highlight of having this built, my step-son actually likes it. I did have to tell him though the crossovers are not staying, in fact that part of the track isn't even nailed down. Usually he complains when I don't have crossovers but he didn't seem to care this time.


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## tjd241 (Jan 25, 2004)

*BobZ has a real good lane painting method....*

Go to post #258... :thumbsup:

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=189220&highlight=lane+stripes&page=18


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## tabcomary (Jun 2, 2010)

Here is a link to the best execution of the hollow core door with folding legs that I have seen. 

Good Luck!

http://hoslotracer.com/content/trundle-track-building-table


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## Rolls (Jan 1, 2010)

tjd241 said:


> Go to post #258... :thumbsup:
> 
> http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=189220&highlight=lane+stripes&page=18



There it is!! Thanks, 'nuther! That's the more recent post I was looking for when this ? came up.


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## LeeRoy98 (Jul 8, 2005)

One alternative I saw recently for the legs is to place blocks and velcro strips on the bottom of the hollow door to mate to a resin table. Very easy to transport and eliminated the problems of attaching legs.

Gary
AKA LeeRoy98
www.marioncountyraceway.com


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## 440 (Feb 23, 2008)

I still have some pictures of the completed tub to put up. But what I did to strengthen where the legs go is put some 3/4" planking down and tie it all into the side walls. Then I used sheetrock screws to kind of anchor it all down to the door.


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## 440 (Feb 23, 2008)

Ok, here is the pic of the tub complete with the side walls.










I'm still waiting on the two 9" straights. Hopefully they'll be here by this weekend.

I'll get a pic of the reinforced bottom tomorrow.


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## ParkRNDL (Mar 20, 2002)

hey that's cool! i did one that looks kinda like that, also using the Tuckaway for inspiration:










never got as far as you did, though. that link to the trundle table is AWESOME. makes me want to finish this one the right way...

--rick


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## 440 (Feb 23, 2008)

Rick, 

I was looking for the A/FX Chiccanes but couldn't find a set of two. I found one red one and one yellow one. I wanted two red ones. So, I just opted for the two 9" straights. 

I tell you though, the walls around the edges makes it so much easier to chase down flying cars. Though, I do want to add either some cork or padding of some sort to cushion the cars that my son seems to like to crash into them. I'm hoping he gets better and learns some control soon.


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## tabcomary (Jun 2, 2010)

FYI, On another post in this forum, a guy used plastic mesh gutter guard around the entire circuit, with support posts at the corners and in the middle. That took care of the fly-aways, and gave them some cushion. 

Given the proximety of your walls to the roadway, you may just have to use cork sheet. Unless you can get some thin PVC sheet.

You might think about some internal dividers too.

Good Luck!


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## 440 (Feb 23, 2008)

Yeah, the internal dividers are on the docket as well as the guardrails I forgot to put on during initial assembly. 

I'll pick some of the mesh up this weekend.


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