AFX Speedway.

[downtowndeco]

I have decided to redo the glass on the front of the main grandstand. I just didn't like the spacing of the original. Since a couple people have asked what I used for the glass, here you go;

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I found this in a local hobby shop. If you score it fairly deeply you can snap a clean break. I used a utility knife & a straight edge to also score the impression of individual window panes as well. It comes with a thin, protective plastic film over it, much like you'd get w/a new computer monitor. In this shot I have some of it peeled off, revealing the pristine glass. It's easy to work with & looks great, but it does scratch easily, so handle w/care.

[downtowndeco]

I'm starting on the borders. I'm using 1/4 masonite because that's what my local lumber place had. It's a hair shorter than the track but that's better than too high & probably even better than completely flush. This way I won't ever have any issues with the sides of tires catching too high borders.

I'm starting with the two longest straights + the pit area. I marked it w/a chalk line & cut it as straight as I could (outside) with a skill saw. At this point the borders are just tacked in place w/tacks, just to make sure I have them where I want them. I also had to cut all of the sections where the 3 tables join as well. I'm going to try & not have any border joints land directly on track joints.

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The track will have 2" of skid area on both sides of the track. I know it's pretty ugly at this point with the mismatched painted/unpainted track & the raw borders but you'll see, it'll look OK by the time I'm done. Next I'll start on all of the twisty bits. They will take longer because I'll need to cut a cardboard or paper template for each section. Stay tuned! Questions?

[downtowndeco]

I started cutting out and adding the rest of the borders. It's going to take a while, because everything is custom fit & there is no real way to do it fast without it looking crappy. I'm making cardboard templates. I first cut out the inside edge of the border using a utility knife & the edge of the track as a guide.

Next I drew on the outside edge using a simple tool I made out of a piece of foamcore w/a hole drilled in it & a Sharpie. The borders are (about) 2". I held everything in place w/push pins as I worked.

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I traced the borders onto the masonite...

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...and then cut them out using a jig saw with a fine blade. As hard as I try to work slow & cut these carefully there was still a fair amount of sanding to get them to fit tightly. After a few sections I decided it was better to make smaller sections rather than larger, because if I made a really long & twist border there was a good possibility that somewhere along the way it would be off a bit. With smaller pieces they were easier to adjust & correct.

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Here is the first batch of outside borders test fit into place. The track will also get 2" of inside borders all the way around too.

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[dreinecke]

Nice technique. This is going to be an awesome build!

[downtowndeco]

Gluing the borders to the table. I am cutting & test fitting as I go so that I never get too far ahead of myself before I find a problem. Tonight I started to glue some of the borders on. The first thing to do (which I found out after I had already applied the glue on a couple sections) is to paint a thin strip of flat black paint all the way around the edges of the track. That way if your border isn't 100% perfect the thin gap will "disappear" much better than if plain, bright plywood stares back at you through the crack.

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The 1/4 masonite was actually a hair lower than the AFX track. What I did was to make some .060 shims out of some scrap Evergreen Styrene that I had. I added a dollop of construction adhesive & pressed the borders in place. I used push pins & weights to keep them flat & where I wanted them. Most of the actual track is not glued down, although I did add a drop or two a couple of places where it was needed. I want the track to be pretty free floating except that it will be reined in by the borders. That way there should be a little expansion/contraction room + I'll be able to easily pull a section of for repair if needed.

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As you can see, the border fits just flush w/the edge of the track now.

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Every night after I do a little work I vacuum the track off & run a couple of cars for a bit, just to make sure that there are no issues I need to address. Better to find bad joints or other problems now than later after the whole thing is sceniced. So far though, so good. Questions or comments are welcome. Cheers.

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[TeamMadMarsupial]

Really like what you got going on there. A two lane track just looks so much better than four, six, or eight lane layouts! Looks super!

[downtowndeco]

Thanks. Actually, it drives different too. Driving on it seem more natural, more realistic and (this is going to sound weird), "slower" than my last layout, which was a 4 lane. I think because I was able to eliminate all 6" corners and have only 9" & up, and I think I only have 2 of the 9". Everything else is 12", 15" & 18". I don't get that completely nutzo 600mph rocket car on a rail feel that HO layouts often have. Don't get me wrong, you still have to drive it & there are plenty of places to deslot, it just seems like the "scale" speed is more realistic because there are not so many sharp curves.

[downtowndeco]

More progress. I got the last of the borders cut. What a job! Now I'll have to spend 2 days w/the shop vac cleaning up the mess. : ) They are not all glued down yet but at least you get the idea of what it looks like at this stage.

I used one 4' 8' sheet & used it allll up. Total cost? About $20.00. Next I have to finish gluing the borders on, then I'll patch any bad joints & paint it & the track. Stay tuned!

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[TuscoTodd]

The track REALLY looks nice with the boards added all the way around! Looking forward to more progress pics! :)

[btaylor]

That is really looking great! It looks like a very fun course to run on. The border work is outstanding as well,once painted and detailed ,this should be one of the premier HO tracks out there in my opinion.
very nice
Bob

[downtowndeco]

I got the borders all cut & glued on so now I am starting to spackle the seams. They don't have to be perfect, no real asphalt or concrete ever is, but I did want to lose most of the gaps.

I used standard lightweight household spackle. When it's dry I'll sand it lightly with a foam sanding block.

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[TuscoTodd]

This is going to be one sweet track when it is done!
:text-bravo:

[Fast Co.]

The track is looking great Randy, and the pit buildings and grandstands are marvelous! I'll be watching this build even though I'm a 1/32 racer.
Steve

[downtowndeco]

Progress! The seams got all spackled & sanded so it was time for the paint. I went to the local Ace Hardware & bought one quart of the following;

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The color is not completely black, nor is it too light of gray IMO. It is on the warmer side, which should help make the "asphalt" look a little more organic & realistic.

I applied it w/a 3" foam brush. Buy extras because they crap out pretty fast. I did about a 2' section at a time. What I did was to first paint the borders, and then, when most of the paint was off of the brush, I "scrubbed" the paint into the track using long strokes that followed the curves of the layout. I never directly applying a wet brush full of paint directly onto the track because I didn't want to have to spend a lot of time cleaning out the slot. I'd get a 2' section done, and then move right to the next while the paint was still wet, to get a seamless look to the track.

I worked my way around the entire layout, then let it dry overnight. The next day, even though I wanted to give the track/borders a second coat, I first I cleaned all of the rail using a Bright Boy. This was because I wanted to make sure that the track all still worked after getting a coat of paint on it & I'd rather find out now than after a second coat had hardened on the rails.

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A note about cleaning the paint off the rails. It's not that hard but it's going to take you a little while so don't get discouraged. First off, the paint comes off pretty easy using a Bright Boy abrasive eraser. Clean all the way around the track, then try & run a car. It will probably go a little ways & then stutter & stall out. Clean the rails again, and also (this is important) clean the shoes on your "test car". Run the car again, clean the rails some more, keep cleaning the shoes, and repeat until you're running smooth. It took me about an hour to get all of paint off the rails. Often the rails will look clean but they will still need a little more polishing.

Once I got things running halfway OK I used a rubber band around the controller to make it a "ghost car" for 10 minutes or so. With every lap the contact got better until it was as good as new.

Here is the track w/one coat of paint. I will apply another coat tomorrow, and then clean the rails again. Once I am happy with that I will add a "racing grove" using a darker paint & a rag. Stay tuned!

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[BRP32]

That track looks very nice now after you painted it!

Well worth the effort!

I have really enjoyed following your progress on your track build!

Thank you for sharing it with us!

Very informative and helpful!!!!

Wayne :text-thankyouyellow: