To track or not to track

[doct1010]

I'm actually thinking that we don't really need to use the front door to enter/exit the house....I mean heck, the windows are just sitting there doing nothing.

Now you got it! A genuine pinehead

[Dan]

Dan,
A timer is nice for reasons you mention, however not essential. (mine is a homemade job from a kit) You can run your cars against a benchmark car from previous year. Try to beat car by a given margin, say 1/2 to 1 car length. Timing by hand will work in a pinch, however introduces another variable best left out.

True.

What about track design/layout? How much should I be worrying about actual design? I could obviously put together a simple fixed-angle track at a slight incline, but I don't think it will give the same results as a standard slope/flat track.

Thoughts?

[doct1010]

I imagine alot depends on what your goals are. Is the track just to test alignment or "rail riding"? If so I think a smaller track with lower angle would work.

We use our track primarily to test conceptual ideas. We run against a benchmark. Final runs/testing always done on full track.

[Dan]

I want to test alignment/rail riding, but I also want to get an idea of how the design will perform. The only chance we have to test on the official track is a 1-hour segment a day or 2 before the race, which is pretty much too late in the game for reworking.

[doct1010]

I want to test alignment/rail riding, but I also want to get an idea of how the design will perform. The only chance we have to test on the official track is a 1-hour segment a day or 2 before the race, which is pretty much too late in the game for reworking.

Well... better prepare the wife for that alternative exit!

In all seriousness, a track is a luxury not a necessity. Nice to have but certainly not required. Stan has been building winning cars forever and admits not having a home track. That being said, I imagine you would want to approximate the pack/district track as closely as possible, length, slope ect.

[Dan]

I want to test alignment/rail riding, but I also want to get an idea of how the design will perform. The only chance we have to test on the official track is a 1-hour segment a day or 2 before the race, which is pretty much too late in the game for reworking.

Well... better prepare the wife for that alternative exit!

In all seriousness, a track is a luxury not a necessity. Nice to have but certainly not required. Stan has been building winning cars forever and admits not having a home track. That being said, I imagine you would want to approximate the pack/district track as closely as possible, length, slope ect.

Yeah, I suppose.

[pwdarchitect]

Dan,

How much room do you have? I just did a little drawing and scaled down a 32' track to 24' and found the the approximate height is at about 3'-1" in lieu of the normal 4'-2". So if you could just build a 24' track this could be close to what you would want.

J

[Dan]

Dan,

How much room do you have? I just did a little drawing and scaled down a 32' track to 24' and found the the approximate height is at about 3'-1" in lieu of the normal 4'-2". So if you could just build a 24' track this could be close to what you would want.

J

To be honest, I actually have the space - I am just trying to consider not only the space, but the timing (spending the extra $ on a timer).

I really just want a decent, cheap, relatively easy/quick way to emulate the results of the Pack track.

I'm not asking a lot.......

[Stan Pope]

Yeah, I suppose.

You want one! You know you want one! Get one as much like your local tracks as you can... maybe not as many lanes, but certainly material and profile. And get a good timer to go with it.

It can help you at the top end of competition. It can help you tune if you are making one car ... it can help you select if you are making 5 or 10 cars.

There are issues that you can't resolve with just dead-on alignment on your kitchen table. Two come to mind immediately: Rail ride or not? CM too far back or not?

Kitchen table top dead-on alignment provides you an excellent setup to use that hour on the real track to make final adjustments.

If you are going for rail riding, a short, straight section of track can be used to tell you if it will ride the rail without dragging the rear wheels along the rail, too.

So, if you can do it without starving the kids or making your bride wear last year's fashions ...

[Pinewood Daddy]

Time to start a local Pinewood Derby club!! (A mini-WIRL??) A few extreme Pineheads could get together and buy a track. They could pool their knowledge, skills and tools to build cars and race other clubs.

Who's in!!!!!

[Dan]

Yeah, I suppose.

You want one! You know you want one! Get one as much like your local tracks as you can... maybe not as many lanes, but certainly material and profile. And get a good timer to go with it.

It can help you at the top end of competition. It can help you tune if you are making one car ... it can help you select if you are making 5 or 10 cars.

There are issues that you can't resolve with just dead-on alignment on your kitchen table. Two come to mind immediately: Rail ride or not? CM too far back or not?

Kitchen table top dead-on alignment provides you an excellent setup to use that hour on the real track to make final adjustments.

If you are going for rail riding, a short, straight section of track can be used to tell you if it will ride the rail without dragging the rear wheels along the rail, too.

So, if you can do it without starving the kids or making your bride wear last year's fashions ...

OK, OK....I want one. No....I NEED one

Maybe I should build....build it, and they will race.

Has anyone had any experience with these tracks?
http://www.qualitytracks.com/

They seem OK, but I would feel better if I could get real feedback from someone who has used one of their tracks. If I am going to end up spending $150 or more on materials to build one, I might as well spend a few extra and save myself some time that could be put to better use (like wheel alignment, perhaps).

[PW Grasshopper]

Dan,

How much room do you have? I just did a little drawing and scaled down a 32' track to 24' and found the the approximate height is at about 3'-1" in lieu of the normal 4'-2". So if you could just build a 24' track this could be close to what you would want.

J

To be honest, I actually have the space - I am just trying to consider not only the space, but the timing (spending the extra $ on a timer).

I really just want a decent, cheap, relatively easy/quick way to emulate the results of the Pack track.

I'm not asking a lot.......

It sounds like we are going through the same thing. I just ordered a Quality Track, price and value seemed good. As for the timer I went with the Judge. I sent him an email and he offered me two timer options built out of orphan parts at a reasonable price. The timer arrived in 3 or 4 days. I can hardly wait to hook it up! Quality track is going to drill the holes for me.

I really wanted to build a track and assemble a timer but my wife wants to see my boy (maybe me too) a little more often.

[doct1010]

Has anyone had any experience with these tracks?
http://www.qualitytracks.com/

Dan,
No direct experience. Judging from info on site it appears to be a quality track based on materials, 9 ply birch veneer plywood with an all birch core. Lane guides are made from a 1/4" thick 5 ply birch veneer plywood. Can't beat it for the price. Aluminium backing plates, would have to see them in order to judge quality and design. The price is right! WIRL endorsed it, must count for something. Anyway, my 2 cents.