Plywood thickness for wooden track

DIY tracks.
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DerbyDoDo
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Plywood thickness for wooden track

Post by DerbyDoDo »

Hi,

I've been looking around at some plans for building my own wooden test track with two lanes. The one I plan to follow is:

http://www.rahul.net/mcgrew/derby/track/

Pinewood Daddy built this one also and he said he used birch 1/2 inch ply and removed some of the stiffner on the back of the peices that bend.

Do you think I could use a thinner ply like 1/4 inch or something in between? I plan to make it 32 feet long. And I'm not sure if my local Home Depot has birch. What other alternatives could I use?

Thanks!
doct1010
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Re: Plywood thickness for wooden track

Post by doct1010 »

Check this thread for some thoughts n the issue: http://derbytalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=3305
DerbyDoDo
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Re: Plywood thickness for wooden track

Post by DerbyDoDo »

Thanks Doc, that was very helpful especially where they said 1/4 inch plywood would be like a potato ship! :D I called another lumber store here and they do sell 1/2 inch birch plywood for $26 so I'm going by there this afternoon to pickup a sheet of it. According to Pinewood Daddy, thats all I need for three lanes. Although I only needed two, I might as well make three lanes.

I'll start a thread on here with pics just as soon as I make some progress.

Thanks for your help!
DerbyDoDo
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Re: Plywood thickness for wooden track

Post by DerbyDoDo »

I bought a sheet of 1/2" birch plywood on the way home today. I set my table saw to 8" cause I'm only going to do two lanes. A neighbor helped me cut the pieces and they came out perfect!

Tomorrow I'm going to glue down the lane guides and assemble the starting gate. I should have this going by Mon or Tues - just have to let the poly dry on the track when I apply it.

Thanks everyone!
TAL
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Re: Plywood thickness for wooden track

Post by TAL »

Why 8" wide for a 2 lane?

Personnally, I would only go 7" wide with a 3 1/2" wide lane center.

Most track manufacturers use 3 1/2" lane centers and when purchaseing a timer you will be more in the norm and buying or selling the timer will be more of a standard width.

Never know an aluminum track may be in your future.
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Pinewood Daddy
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Re: Plywood thickness for wooden track

Post by Pinewood Daddy »

I had Home Depot cut up the plywood. They do it for free now! I have a table saw but their panel saw is much easier.

I designed a few large reptile enclosures using 3/8" & 1/4" plywood, made cut drawings and had them cut all of the pieces. It saved me alot of time.
DerbyDoDo
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Re: Plywood thickness for wooden track

Post by DerbyDoDo »

I was going to cut it at 7" and may still trim it down but I'm building my own timer enclosure so thats not a problem linning it up. This is just my own personal test track for my boys so it will work out fine.

I didn't think of having them cut it for me. I stacked the cut pieces last night wondering if any of them were off any but they were just right - guess my hands were more steady than I thought!
iceman61
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Re: Plywood thickness for wooden track

Post by iceman61 »

Pack26 wrote: I called another lumber store here and they do sell 1/2 inch birch plywood for $26 so I'm going by there this afternoon to pickup a sheet of it.
Feel good at the price you paid for that 1/2" birch plywood. I checked today & it is $36 at the only lumber yard around here that actually stocks it.
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Re: Plywood thickness for wooden track

Post by DerbyDoDo »

Last night I put the lane guides on three of the sections and I do not see hoe this is going to bend at all. Is there a secret to it to make the sections bend?
doct1010
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Re: Plywood thickness for wooden track

Post by doct1010 »

Pack26 wrote:Last night I put the lane guides on three of the sections and I do not see hoe this is going to bend at all. Is there a secret to it to make the sections bend?
Piantedosi recommends two 5 lb. weights attached to cross member via large dowel at base of curve just before transition, they also use 3/8" for track base and 1/4" for guides.
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