# For newbies - How to be a slotmeister!!!



## partspig (Mar 12, 2003)

For all you new guys that may not "get it", or the fact that 40-50-60 year old men are still playing with little toy cars after all these years. Here is a little insight on what makes us all tic. Guys like me, slotcarman12078, 1976 Cordoba, Bill Hall, CJ53, Hilltop Raceway, win43 and many others. (My apologies if I did not mention you. You know who you are!) We are all slotmeisters! Have been for years. Why? Well it is like this; please understand that we as adults, used to be a kid too. We are from a generation that understands, that sometimes, money is very hard to come by. After all we used to make our own toys, just like you see in the movies. Push cars with scavenged wheels, toy guns made from wood, etc. I grew up in the 50's and 60's, and it took a lot of work to get a few extra dollars in your pockets. We understand fully that you need to try to come up with a way to do this slot car modeling/bashing activity with the least amount of money spent as possible. I've been there with no money in my pockets. It sucks! I used to fly amateur rockets.... used to be cheap, now it's a very expensive hobby. The same goes for RC cars, was cheap, but not anymore! No, I'm not rich, never have been, been a working squid all my life. Believe me, I'm just a guy who loves the thrill of building something with my bare hands, that will look good and run around my track OK, and to do all of that for under $20 bucks per car. Makes it all worthwhile! It can become quite an obsession after awhile. Sometimes obsessions can lead to bad stuff, but I have on the whole avoided the bad stuff pitfalls of this hobby. I am currently obsessed with adding to my slot car collection. But I am not going to break my wallet! What is it all worth? I really don't give a damn how much the collection is worth! To some guys, they may all look like a collection of junkyard relics, but I am happy with collecting and building the cars that I want. Which is what really matters the most, am I happy with my little toy cars? yes Am I having fun with them? Another big yes!

But all you new guys. don't give up. Ask all the questions you want. Who knows? We may learn something from you, and you from us!

Blazing Slot Cars!! (Thank God for lighter fluid):thumbsup:
Have a good day!


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## kcl (Dec 27, 2009)

Well said PP :thumbsup:

kcl


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## 1976Cordoba (Sep 20, 2000)

kcl said:


> Well said PP :thumbsup:
> 
> kcl


 
x2 :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## slotcarman12078 (Oct 3, 2008)

Does this mean I got a promotion???  Maybe a raise?? :woohoo: A corner office?? :lol: 

My collection is not collectible! But my collection is enjoyable! :thumbsup: The cars in my case are not sealed, boxed, NOS, mint, or stock. The most valued are the customs from other HT members that show up from trades, HOHT auctions, the bay and gifts, and are my treasure trove. When my ND Alfa, or Bill Hall hot rod, or a Win43 Mustang, or a Zilla Ghia * hit the track, it's Dave, Bill, Bob or Jerry driving the car. In my warped little mind I'm playing 10 year old with other cool 10 year olds from all around the country! :freak: They're all perfect examples of customizing skill from different angles and perspectives, and each have their own character. 

*Sorry if I missed some of you guys in this analogy. I used a few to make the point, and surely didn't omit you for any reason other than repetitiveness. 

My customs are the next level down, and contrary to what most might think, I don't have a ton of lighted cars in my cases. I counted a total of 8 completed LED cars or trucks, all the rest have gone on to live elsewhere to spread my joy around. I do have a bunch lined up and in different levels of completion. Every time I think I can get the proverbial production line going, something throws a wrench in the works and the whole process screeches to a halt. Maybe someday I'll be able to make that happen without the troubles that I run into all the time. In the meantime, I'll keep dreaming up better methods to make it happen, learning every step of the way (mostly by trial and error) to minimize the space required to light cars up, and have them work right every time and last as long as they're supposed to. 

I am a slotmeister!!  I need to change the plaque on the cave door!! :tongue:


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## Hilltop Raceway (Feb 12, 2006)

Yea, When I grow up...RM


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## 1scalevolvo (Feb 5, 2004)

:thumbsup::thumbsup:Kudo's to The 'Pig & slotcarman ! I could not say it better myself !! While we are @ it lets take a swipe @ those space cadets(One of whom puts us down for playing with HO cars ) playing those dopey FB games Like Mafiatown,Farmville (BTW it cost $$$ to play "YoVille" & some others) BTW, Whats up with that "YoVille" any way ? 
:jest: Yo ! If I wanted some "Yoville" in my life I can go to the corner of Franklin Ave & Fulton St & get all of the "Yoville" I can stand ! Here are some FB posts I made on facebook:


I have a real world hobby ! Tonight I fixed the exhaust on my car & then I built two HO model race cars .I also comforted my wife who feels sad about her Mom's Alzheimer's.
I have NO time for these stupid games ! Get out of Fishtown,Farmtown,Mafiaville & that stupid $$$ wasting "YoVille"! 
I live in Brooklyn & that's enough " Yoville " for my taste any way !

Neal Abramson @ the rate we are going with these dopey games we will soon be the " Nation of Retardation " LOL !!
Yesterday at 11:15pm · 

Neal:dude:


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## Bill Hall (Jan 6, 2007)

*The Sweet Spot*

Slot meister... oh jeez...now I are one?

For any newbie or aspiring slotmeister my primary advice would be to embrace the vast diversity within the hobby and try not to fixate on any one thing in particular. Like a buffet...dont fill up on salad and bread until you've seen what meat is being carved!!!!

Wanna be a slotmeister?

....learn to...

1. true wheels axles and tires...no, not later, NOW! 

2. learn to spot binding or excessive friction... AND how to fix it without totally gollywoggling the clearances out of your chassis

3. practice shoe tuning... until you can do it by ear 

4. instead of throwing money at hot parts...learn to tune a stock chassis before you turbocharge a turd. A pro tuned stocker will kill a poorly built wannabe everytime.

5. upgrade your power supply and match your controller rating...dont be an argumentative newbie....just do it so we can move on

6. 99% of your troubles are errors in "slot fundamentals"...the other 1% is your fault too

7. open your mind to the idea that there are sooooooo many variables. Nothing is set in stone and what works most of the time doesnt necessarily work all of the time. The trick is finding out why.

8. USE THE ARCHIVES!


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## smalltime (Jun 3, 2006)

Bill Hall said:


> ...the other 1% is your fault too



Possibly the best quote I've ever read in regards to slots.(or anything else)

Bill is indeed a "quotemeister"


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## Lype Motorsport (Mar 14, 2004)

*Hey..............*



partspig said:


> For all you new guys that may not "get it", or the fact that 40-50-60 year old men are still playing with little toy cars after all these years??


Hey, I resemble that remark! :thumbsup:

Larry (somewhere in his '50s)


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## bobhch (Apr 22, 2007)

*It's a wonderfull day in the nieghborhood...*

slotmeister Zilla here,

Oooooh man I love slot car building so much!! Have been using my airbrush my Mom gave me for my birthday since the age of 12 and before that built 1/24th car models right along with my Dad. My Dad totaly influenced my LOVE for cars through building models of them and the cars he actualy owned.

Just don't worry about messing up and Love doing your hobby! If you mess up just do another. When I paint slot car bodies there is this Pine Sol filled Pickle jar that always gets a few bodies tossed in it. Sometimes I get lucky and all of the paint jobs in a Jam painting session come out perfect. Well maybee that happened one time...lol

Right now I am getting ready to go down to the slot cave and have fun working on a couple of bodies. I kind of have a plan but, always go with what my gut tells me to. This leads to lots of projects all in the works at once. 

What Slotcarman said about having cars from other people. Those are my favorites. Also it is just as much fun to send customs I have built to a new home now and then. My collection of customs is about half and half right now. Half other peoples builds and half my builds.

Bill has one of the true clues to slot car freedom. Open your mind up...you build a nice slot car Grasshopper but, you must let your mind be open to any possible way of building.

Bob...won't you be my neighbor...zilla


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## wheelszk (Jul 8, 2006)

What the heck did I miss?


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## partspig (Mar 12, 2003)

Read on Wheelszk! All good stuff here. Just had to let the hot air out of the old fart's bag today! LOL Enjoy the read.


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## joegri (Feb 13, 2008)

as a 54 year old boy i,m new to the hobby.just a lil exposure to it when i was 12 or so.with 4 years under my belt i qualify as newbie with a sophmore jinx.but i wanted to say that i absorb what miesters and gurus have to say then go to the cave and try what has been talked about. most time it works.so miesters that are out there a hardy thanx for what you do!!also without hobbytalk i,d be doin somethin else.the hobby has me and i,m diggin it.where else can you drink and smoke then take a high performance car out on a closed course for some hot laps and not get hurt. thanx miesters !!


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## sethndaddy (Dec 4, 2004)

Welcome newbies, I, at 42, still feel like a newbie in both the tuning and painting/customizing area's. BUT I HAVE FUN, and thats whats it's all about.
Lots of great tips here, from lots of great people.


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## slomo (Dec 29, 2003)

*50 and counting*



sethndaddy said:


> Welcome newbies, I, at 42, still feel like a newbie in both the tuning and painting/customizing area's. BUT I HAVE FUN, and thats whats it's all about.
> Lots of great tips here, from lots of great people.



Howdy all, I'm 50 and still silly about these little cars..


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## old blue (May 4, 2007)

*I can't say how to be a slotmeister but WHY to be a slotmeister*

In the past 35 years I have enjoyed this hobby immeasurably. I get real satisfaction from making a little car go faster and faster around a track. More than that, I spend time with my kids making little cars go around a track. I also spend time with my kids hunting for slot sets at garage sales. These are some of the best Saturday morning memories I can recall. 

I watch less TV because I spend time with slot cars. My kids do too. This is very important to me. 

I have also met the nicest people running slot cars. Just recently I bought a car from someone on HT. I ran into financial issues that week and he had to hold the check for a week. Never a complaint. Cheers Xence!

I went to a slot car show and bought two bags of tires from someone there. We started talking about slots and I walked off and completely forgot my $20 worth of tires. When I got home I realized and drove back. Without a question or an arguement he gave me the tires and we shook hands. 

I traveled for work to Cincinatti recently. A guy on Craigslist was trying to start a racing club so I emailed back and forth a few times and went to race with him on a Tuesday night. We talked and talked until 1:00 AM. It was a blast just because we valued something so simple in life as racing little cars. 

I used to be embarassed about this little hobby but with a forum like this I realize it is just part of a bigger picture of being honest about what is good in the world and what entertains us.

Old Blue


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## jlong (Feb 20, 2010)

I am pretty much a newbie. 52 years old and not getting any younger. I don't see slot cars as kids toys. I see it the other way around. Kids are attracted to slot cars no differently than grown men are. Sharing the hobby with kids is a blast.


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