# time to route new track



## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

hi all ive been decieding on new track now its time for action.. ive located sources/ materials now there is just one thing. rails how to get them evenly spaced (from guide slot) im pretty sure a jig would do it but im a man i need pictures! and i need a source for making a jig lexan?plexiglass i just dont know. here on ht ive never gone wrong so there it is any comments will be helpful in the meantime im gonna go to brads tracks seems he has a book for fourty of my favorit dollars. thanx all


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## JordanZ870 (Nov 25, 2004)

Have a look here, mate. Lots of pics and the like.

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=213535&highlight=mullet+raceway


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

hi joez thanx for the reply yes i have read your trainride it sure looked fun!the pic of the routerbase helps too. i ordered a brad bowman book tonite after speaking to him yesterday.im sure his book will help me out stuff like jigs and such. how is your track holdin up and is there anything you would do different?its off to the tool store for the amanna bits andtrim router.


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## JordanZ870 (Nov 25, 2004)

The only thing that I would have done differently would have been to wait until I had my wood sections assembled and mounted to the table before laying the rails in.

In the course of railing the sections seperately and moving them about, I hooked some of the rail tails on various object and pulled the ends from the slots. This caused the slots to become worn and not hold the rail as tight as I would like.

Now, when a bit of rail lifts, I push it back in and use Randys CA glue trick. (few drops under the rail) Not a big deal, really, but just one more thing that takes time away from running the cars.

Good luck with your project! You can do this! :thumbsup:


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

i guess as with anything worth waiting for ya gotta wait .. i ordered 2 sheets of the 5 by 8 of the mdf and router bits when i get some time to go to the tool store. also trak will be powered by adjustable custom made sourse from a nj hobbies . should order this soon cuz the man said it takes 7 days or so to make it. once all the materials are in hand its teardowntime!!! also ill document this project and post pics.


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

Here is a cardboard start to my first routed track. I'm making it 6" wide with just 2 lanes, makes for plenty of racing room. The sheets of MDF were 5x8 but I had to rip off an inch or so from the width to get them to fit down the bulkhead. And with the help of my wife was able to slip them in. It looks to be a very fast road course because of the way the turns are sweepers and the straights are good length. The longest is 13 plus feet. I have all the stuff I need except the lexan or plastic to make my router base. And I had an offer of help if and when I get jammed up. The overall length of the track is just short of 60' per lane. Also in route is a custom made power source. It's 7 amps and adjustable settings from 12, 15 and 18 volts. That should be here this week. Comments and cutups are welcome. More to come.


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## resinmonger (Mar 5, 2008)

That layout will be a lot of fun for two. You'll have a lot of room for scenery. If you are certain that you don't have any or much need for a four lane, this one will be sweet!


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

*routed track stuck in the mud*

hey all got the 2 guide pin slots routed ,now its time for rail. now i need ht help here. ive opted for fishtape but ther is tons to choose from on the google has anybody tried springsteel? it comes in a desireable dementions but probably wont stay in place. if u know of a maufacture that u have used post it i could use it.so far makin the track has been rewarding and it doesnt go fast enough between work and life. hopefuly ill be able to turn some laps soon! also thanx hilltop for word of wisdom and insight. if u havent noticed ht slotcars is loaded with folks that are more than willin to help u along.thanx guys


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

hurry up n wait just a quick update i wasnt sold on the rebar wire and found some stainless fish tape 1/16x 1/8 240feet that will be just enough for new course. itill be here late next week.so nothin worth postin pics untill i get the stuff and move foward.also in short if u think u want to make a track it seems intimidating but move slowly,read threads,google and post "u can doit" its fun.


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## tight off (Sep 22, 2007)

Good morning and Happy 4th. Just a couple of thoughts on the stainless fish tape. First thing, not all stainless will react to magnets. If you are going to run "magna" cars you will have to verify that the tape will work. When I was building stainless steel tracks I used what they call 430 series. I do not belive 300 series will work with magnets. Also the first track I built I used steel fish tape. 1/8" x 1/16". Keep it very low, ok for standard cars but the 1/16" width is to much for any kind of neo set up. Tuckmaster


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

hi tuckmaster thanx for that ive looked and talked and mostly the cars that i have are tjets some tycopro some scratchbuilts and riggen. the down force realy isnt goin to come into play on this track. the mag cars i do have are collecting dust at this moment.it ill be cool to see how a mag car behaves. i spect this stuff is of the 300 type but not 100% sure.hey tuck have u built anythig(tracks)lately?any insight for routin rails is helpful.and thanx for chimin in its good to hear from experience!! just startin to make jig for guidepin to rail jig and i guess it has to be dead perfict or will make for dead spots that would sting bad.and happy 4th to u 2 enjoy babaq and beer!!!!


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## wm_brant (Nov 21, 2004)

The flip side of the fish tape is that you might end up with a *LOT* of magnetic downforce. 

Fish tape works well -- Full Tilt Speedways used Klein Speedway 240 fish tapes in their tracks (because they were the only unplated tape he knew of) -- but there is a lot of metal in a fish tape when compared to standard rail. 

As someone else pointed out, you might not end up with much magnetic downforce if you used a stainless tape, or you could end up with a *lot* -- probably too much -- if the tape is fully magnetic.

Just a watch-out...

-- Bill


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## RickP (May 15, 2002)

I used fish tape from Harbor Freight as it was cheap and easy to get. The biggest issue I have is that it is very stiff. I tried pre-bending it a little, but over time I have discovered that because it wants to straighten out, it puts a lot of force on the small amount of MDF between the power slot and the guide slot. For most of my curves, the small piece of MDF has broken loose and is now squeezing the guide slot closed. I have been able to repair it by inserting something about 1/16" thick into the guide slot to move the MDF back and then installing small nails into it to hold it in place. Not a great fix, but it is the best I could come up with. Maybe different fish tape would be more flexible. Next time I route a track, I would like to find thinner flat wire like was mentioned in another article here. I think they call it "stitching wire". I have not found a supplier for that yet, but really have not taken the time to look. Using the stitching wire would require another small piece to push in next to it to hold it in place.

Just my experinece.

Rick


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## demether (Aug 26, 2008)

Great project, but why not making a 4 lanes track ? it 's one of the biggest advantage of h0 scale : making 4lanes club racing possible in little spaces. You've got plenty of room for that (and it will not be a lot more expensive than build 2lanes track).


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

trouble at the track. ive started to insert ss rail into routed groove and well,its going in real tough. rick p has put out the warning hes right on after a foot or 2 ive stopped and must rethink this process.i dont think its too late to change rail material. any body that can speak to this situation would be cool.also to acknowledge demether i basicly almost always turn laps by myself not much interest in little cars around here.also had a feeling that this maynot be easy and wanted to get better before club stuff.


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

*track progress*

up to now building this track has been interesting to say the least. i now have the rails installed in 1 lane and encountered the same problem that rickp spoke of earlier. the memory of ss fishtape is really powerful even on a broad sweeping turn especially on the inside lane. it creates enough force to fracture the mdf and creates a pinching effect to the pin-route. haven't tried ricks method to repair but i think i can repair it. before i go any further i want to power-up 1 lane. this is where i'm at. i've looked at at least 30 google pages looking for a drawing of how to wire this mule (fightin me all the way). i'm not good with electricity. what i've deceided to do is 2 new 5x8 sheets are being delivered and 300 ft of brad bowman rail system to use instead of fishtape. its too bad because this track really came out pretty good and it has a lot of cool aspects to it. long straigts/broad sweeping turns/ 1 flat turn/some elevation/a pit road/ pinch turns/and a wide racin surface. so in a nutshell as of this mornin havn't turned a lap and dont know how to wire it. if somebody out there thinks they can fix this track it is yours for the taking!! if no takers it will meet my milwaukee and be diced up and sacrificed to the slot car gods. After whining to a friend of mine about my situation, he proceeded to tell me about a woman that was moving an air conditioner and it bounced down the stairs and smashed her in her ankles, breaking both of them. Then I thought to myself, I really don't have it that bad. Again, any takers for the track, contact me by PM or email @[email protected] Check out the pics.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

Have you considered using 1/16" carbon steel welding wire in lieu of rectangular material, ala Full Tilt Speedways? You could probably fix any breakage from the fishing expedition with bondo. Not much to lose at this point.


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

i've considered all types of rail. at the time of routing i was going with the ss fishtape . i tried a practice piece of rebar wiretie but didnt like it that much.the only thing i can think of is there is a reason why the pros use this short thin flatted rail then a piece of telephone wire color coated is pinched in and glued. thats what in going with. i've already talked with brad bowman the deal is done.today starts the process of waiting for new materials to arrive.also got the extension cord out and setting up a fire pit for the sacrificial cerimony to be held /tuesday/wednesday evening!!still dont know how to wire this track maybe by the time the new track is routed i'd have gotten some answers.afxtoo thanx for reading and adding it helps me to continue. and like my donna said"Its a hobby,its supposed to be fun and relaxing".ahhhhhhh ok.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

A sacrifice to the Lessons Learned Gods ... to the fire pit it is for the virgin track.


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

the sacrifice is off.. till further notice,my new sheets of mdf wont be delivered till the weather cleans up(rain).but i did violate the virgin today. startaed with a coupla trips to the electronic stores to round up wireing need then started to put power to it. after many trial and error got the virgin to give up some laps!!!there are many sticking points and dead spots but i guess it will help me trouble shoot problems down the road.the tyco pros went the best,icould make em turn multipul laps, but the tjets are a differnt story.still isay the whore must die a firery death!!im gonna continue to message the virgin till the new supplies arrive,i havent turned any laps for more than a month so anything is better than nothin.


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## pshoe64 (Jun 10, 2008)

*Wiring Diagrams*

Here are some basic wiring diagrams for power, controllers and lap counters.
http://cid-847eca9a51a69d96.skydrive.live.com/browse.aspx/.res/847ECA9A51A69D96!261

-Paul


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

thanx pshoe!! simple and easy to under stand thats what i needed.wireing always looks greek to me,and that little diagram make it all come together. now to switch direction im told i need an on/off/on switch i guess it goes in line with the + side that ill give u the switching direction option. just a quick update now able to run most cars,but still this track is goin awayand ordering brad bowman rail system when i get home from work.the new sheets of mdf have been primed on bottom and ready for some routin work.till i get the new rails im gonna tweak this one and get my slot fix.


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## AfxToo (Aug 29, 2003)

I would not use the that previously referenced track wiring diagram. It's negative polarity, which is going to trip up anyone with an electronic controller.

1) The Drivers station should always be laid out: WHITE - BLACK - RED.

2) WHITE: is the positive feed from the positive (+) terminal on the power supply or battery. This feed should always have an inline fuse or DC circuit breaker (marine circuit breaker). I suggest putting a fast acting fuse that's rated at the maximum total current that you want to supply to your track, say 10 amps, on the main feed *and* putting a lower rated manually resettable DC circuit breaker at each drivers station, say a 5 amp device. The fuse is there to protect your power supply, track, and wiring and the secondary circuit breakers are there to protect controllers.

3) BLACK: is the feed that goes from the drivers station to the positive rail of the track. The positive rail of the track is the one that determines the direction the car will travel. When the driver side pickup on an out of box slot car is in contact with the positive rail on the track, the wheels will turn in a way to move the car forward. The reason I say "out of box" is that swapping the magnets on the motor or switching the crown gear on a car with a removable rear axle can alter the direction. The manufacturers all seem to use the reference I mentioned to achieve the same behavior. That's why the rear end setup on a Tyco and Tomy are opposite, because the motor magnets are also different and the rear end on each is adjusted accordingly to give the same out of box behavior.

4) RED: is the brake. The brake is always wired to the negative track rail, which in turn is always wired to the negative (-) terminal on the power supply.

5) The reason the drivers stations should be oriented WHITE-BLACK-RED is that the two hookups that should never, ever touch are WHITE and RED since they are always connected directly to the power supply. If you have drivers stations with studs that stick out (I don't recommend this approach) then keeping the dangerous partners as wide apart as possible is the safest way to go. I've seen controllers where the boot rides up off the alligator clip. If a bit of motion causes the exposed clip to touch its neighbor and you end up with a WHITE+RED short, kapow! If you properly fused your track, no harm, no foul, just a few hairy eyeballs from your track mates.

6) The HO SLOT CAR RACING web site has the correct wiring diagram in terms of electrical polarity. But you should deviate from his drivers station setup and use WHITE-BLACK-RED instead. If you use a custom, captive, or polarized hookup (like a DIN jack/plug) it doesn't matter. But with alligator clips, get the sequence right and better yet prefer a flush top drivers station arrangement where the hook-up connectors are in a hole below the surface. Much cleaner appearance and much safer operation.

7) If you are going to put lane direction changing switches or relays, make sure that the only connections that change are the connections that are downstream of the drivers station, i.e. the wires that go to the track rails. NEVER use a direction changing scheme that changes the polarity of the electrical connection going to the drivers station (like the stock Tomy power hookup does). *Don't follow Tomy's lead.* The direction switch must only do one thing - reverse which wires _from the drivers station_ go to which track rails. 

8) Wiring a track is very easy, just take your time and do whatever it takes to keep yourself oriented. Sticking with a color scheme all the way through really helps avoid confusion. For example, use wires of the same color as what is used for standard hookups, white, black, and red. If you can't find different color wires, buy colored electrical tape from a home improvement store and put color markers on both ends of every wire as you hook it up.

9) If you are doing a multi-lane track with color coded lanes, use the lane colors to mark the wires going from the drivers station to the track rails. For example, using standard Red, White, Blue, and Yellow lane colors you would have the following marked wires for each lane (from inside most lane to outside most lane):

Yellow (+)
Yellow (-)

Blue (+)
Blue (-)

White (+)
White (-)

Red (+)
Red (-)

If you are using direction changing switches, these marked lane wires are the ones that are feeding the lane changing switch or relay.

Again, get some colored electrical tape to make the markers. I make the markers by wrapping a couple turns of the color around the wire and then using the tape to form a "flag" by taping a flat section to itself as part of the last turn. Then use a Sharpie to put a big "+" or "-" on the flag. Use a silver Sharpie for the darker tapes. 

Don't worry about having all this red/white/blue/yellow colored tape and Sharpies laying around. You'll find a use for the tape later to make lane marker stickers for your cars and use the Sharpies for marking magnets to tune the ride height of your magnet cars.


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

Of course you are doing a routed track, but for plastic track, or any modular system with multiple taps, I seperate the terminal track from the rest of circuit while I am wiring up the track.

So let's say I am making a two lane plastic track and I am using two terminal tracks, spaced halfway around the layout. I isolate each terminal track (detach it from the adjacent pieces) either before or after wiring; BUT BEFORE TURNING ON THE POWER. Once wired, I test each lane to make sure they are running in the same direction. Bad things will happen if you wire the terminal tracks in opposite directions, or jump lane one on terminal track one to lane two on terminal track two. On a four laner, you can make a lot of mistakes.

Once it's good to go, I connect the terminal tracks into the layout.

I used 4 post terminal blocks (2 for pos. and 2 for neg.) under the table, one for each lane; I don't have brakes (no need to ever slow down!). The power pack and controller wires go to these terminal blocks and then branch out to the various terminal tracks. When I need to get under the table, I can easily see the junction point for each lane.


Joe


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

no brakes now thats racin!!


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## neophytte (Sep 14, 2006)

joegri said:


> i've considered all types of rail. at the time of routing i was going with the ss fishtape


Have you thought about stitching wire? View my build here http://routedtrack.hobby-site.com/

Cheers

Richard


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## RickP (May 15, 2002)

There we go again talking about stitching wire. Has anyone in the U.S. found a supplier for this? If so, who and what type wire was ordered and used? Or is everyone using Brad's wire? Thinking about redoing another track but I want to use flat wire instead of the electrical fish tape as it was too stiff.


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## Grandcheapskate (Jan 5, 2006)

RickP said:


> There we go again talking about stitching wire. Has anyone in the U.S. found a supplier for this? If so, who and what type wire was ordered and used? Or is everyone using Brad's wire? Thinking about redoing another track but I want to use flat wire instead of the electrical fish tape as it was too stiff.


Here are two websites (I have used neither). I don't know what size to use, but if you measure existing steel rail and relay that info to the store, they should be able to point you in the right direction.

http://www.dwt-inc.com/stitching_wire.htm
http://www.wcjwire.com/

Joe


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## smalltime (Jun 3, 2006)

RickP said:


> There we go again talking about stitching wire. Has anyone in the U.S. found a supplier for this? If so, who and what type wire was ordered and used? Or is everyone using Brad's wire? Thinking about redoing another track but I want to use flat wire instead of the electrical fish tape as it was too stiff.


TKO uses .020 X .080(Not shure on the heighth). He also has an option for .015 x .080

I have some .012 x .080 mild steel wire I used for my tracks. But if there would be any "stitching wire" available, I would look on McMaster-Carr

http://www.mcmaster.com/#carton-stitching-wire/=4zn1zc

Pretty tall, but usable and cheap.


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## neophytte (Sep 14, 2006)

In Australia I found these people: http://www.conpack.com.au/ci/bekaert.htm - so if it's in Oz, it's sure to be in the US!! 

I used the 2.50mm x 0.50mm - 4kg spools, and that's enough to do a few large tracks!!

Stitching wire is apparently designed for binding books, and appeared to be fairly rust-proof

My build details are here: http://neophytte.mine.nu/forum/forum.pl?fid=05&topic_id=1201760868 or here: http://routedtrack.hobby-site.com

And looks like this:



















Cheers

Richard


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## tossedman (Mar 19, 2006)

WCJ Pilgrim Wire sells stitching wire. It's actually called box stay wire or box stitching wire and is what you'd use to staple cardboard boxes together with. You can get it in different widths, 0.017" and 0.020" (0.5mm) are the two that would be best suited to slot car rails. The height is .103". It comes in 10 pound and 25 pound spools with a 50 pound minimum order. That works out to about 7000' of rail! You could make some REALLY long tracks! Cost is about $2.00 US per pound or $100.00 plus shipping.

I ordered the 0.020" wire. They were great to work with. They tell me others have ordered their wire to use for slot car tracks. Just got it and haven't tried it as of yet. When we get started we'll post in a new build thread.

Hope that helps,

Todd


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## RickP (May 15, 2002)

Thanks for the information on US companies that handle the stitching wire. May need to investigate further when time allows.

Will be interested any update on how well this is working out.


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