Space: The Final Frontier

[LAMing]

Yup... I don't have any space for a permanent slot track. Sucks, but it is what it is.

I'm too old (62) to get down and play on the floor for extended periods, so I've got to come up with something.

For the foreseeable future, I expect digital oval racing to be the "thing". Just don't have the ability to go bigger (i.e. an optional road course). I will be using Carrera D132 track with R-30 curves w/outer aprons. I have assembled the curves w/lock pins in 1/4 turn segments complete with aprons lock pinned on. This will speed up the set up/take down for family racing days. I suspect I can have the track and controls (only) completely assembled and ready to race in less than 30 minutes. Not bad.

Here's my idea for a racing table: A folding and rolling Ping-Pong table, sans Ping-Pong gadgets. (Ping-Pong tables are 5' x 9'.) The table can folded and stored out in the garage when not in use. When all the family's coming over for a "race day", then into the living room it goes, unfold, set up the track: Race 'till we're hungry, grill some stuff outside on the grill, eat until we feel (and look) like dog-ticks, race some more... you get the idea.

Question: Have any of you used a folding/rolling Ping-Pong table as your portable racing table? If so, did it work okay? Pitfalls?

My biggest concern is creating or finding some form of quickly attachable/detachable catch fence for the turns. Carrera makes a decent looking catch fence (that is, looks like it would actually catch cars), but it's for the "GO" and 1/43 formats. Suggestions for catch fencing?

In fact, any experiences from others in this same boat you can share would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[dreinecke]

It works well. I know that Bob Schleichert at MCR is a big proponent of them.

As for borders, I remember someone used some blind material with the metal binder clips to hold it on for a temp track. That might be an easy and quick solution.

[LAMing]

Thanks you guys for some input.

I don't think I'll commit the $$ for a folding table at this time until I have a couple of family race days and see how it plays out. (Racing by yourself is a drag after a while.) Should family racing be a success... then I will proceed to the next step.

So, looks like it will be the racing on the floor a couple times! (Ben Gay anyone?) :laughing-rolling:

[RazorJon]

if you go online to model car racing mag, he has all kinds of layouts using ping pong tables, even a Carrera 4 lane F-1 track

you could set up a different track every few months easy

one track is a hill climb and he tilts the table

good luck

[slothead]

Consider getting or making a couple of inexpensive saw horses and using some studs (2x3's) and a sheet of OSB to make a table you can quickly put up and take down. Saw horse brackets are less than $10 and folding plastic ones are around $35 a pair (though I bought some on sale at Sears for $10 a few years ago). Either way you'll have something strong enough to hold the table and it all could be carried into the house and assembled when needed.

Your knees will love you for it!

Slothead

[demether]

COnsidering the space you have, and your constraints, you can swap to a smaller scale, wich will be more adapted than a 1/24 scale racetrack. An interesting 4 lanes Ho track can fit a 4x8 support with no problem. I even saw door sized 4 lanes track !

With a light support assembly, you could keep the track behind a furniture, or under a bed when not used.

Since you're planning family races (I suppose you will provide the cars) HO scale is also inexpensive. For example, 4 Tdash chassis (classic tjet) + 4 bodies would not cost you more than 80-100usd.

Ho scale is not a "2nd class" or poorman scale. My main track is HO scale (13x4 4lanes), even if I also have a 1/32 collection with a work in progress 1/32 relatively big (14x6 4lanes) track. ;)

[LAMing]

RazorJon:

Thanks for the link to Model Car Racing. Didn't know that existed. I saw the preview pages for a couple of Carrera set ups, but I didn't see the hill climb, or what looked like an F1 track. Perhaps a subscription is needed for that.

slothead:

Hmm... hadn't thought of lightweight saw horses and a lightweight framework of some sort. I'll have to mull that one over. Thanks.

demether:

No doubt about it, HO would yield far more race track "layout" in a given space than 1/32. However, I'm stuck on 1/32 and have been since I was a kid. As for acquisitions: I now have everything needed for 5 persons racing at a time. (Yup, I am supplying the cars, too. That way I get to see cars race that I want to see race!) So, except for "luxuries" (i.e. a pit lane feature, more cars, and such) I have no actual "need" of spending more. I would need to start all over again with HO.

All:

Reckon it's time for a test set-up (on the floor) so I can familiarize myself with the way of things "digital", and then try to get the family together for a bash!

[Ember]

Digital does seem like the sensible option. Only need to use the space of a 2 lane track and add drivers as desired. But the suggestion for digital is about 5m of track per person, particularly if they are inexperienced. So what's that, 17' per driver?

[LAMing]

Hi Ember:

Never read that. Oh well. Not gonna' happen here! No way to have that much track space. We'll just have to deal with the chaos and carnage with so many on a small track! :scared-eek:

[Ember]

Keep the track simple and cars indestructible and you'll still have smiles on everyone's faces.

I always thought the only way an oval would be fun is for it to be digital. Have pit row on the inside as it should be. Have the outside lane riding the wall of the strong banking to tempt people out there, but make them have to work their way across several lanes and into the pits every so often. Recreate the real thing as best you can.

[LAMing]

Hi Again Ember!

You pretty much hit the nail on the head: Simple oval with swap lanes front stretch and back stretch, big radius curves w/borders, etc. Also going to slow the cars down with no magnets and slick tires, and may reduce power using the Carrera digital's "power level" feature. My thinking on slowing things up is to give us a bit more time to plan moves and react to things without the warp speeds magnets and good traction bring to the table. I expect there to be a fair amount of experimentation to arrive at a satisfying level of fun.

I also agree with you in that I expect digital to add entirely new elements to oval racing.

Pit lane? It does appear intriguing, and very likely add yet another dimension to oval racing via digital. However, that will be down the road a bit... gotta' see how all this pans out before I sink more $$ into a luxury feature like a pit lane into an unproven idea like I've come up with.

Thanks for your input!

All for now!

[noddaz]

LAMing, I don't know what section of town you hail from... (Town, city, state, Country?) But when I look in the local (to me) Craigslist sometimes there are people giving away ping pong tables... Perhaps you could find a deal that way...

Scott

[LAMing]