5
This is where I was up to at the time. The track was all built, painted (low sheen interior paint) and was 2/3's taped (I'm using copper tape).
In September I got it running. Big gap in progress, but we had a new addition to the family. I got the timing hooked up, running Ultimate Racer 3 using darlington phototransistors for the sensors and for the time being, a desk lamp for the light source.
The lane layout is 1 white, 2 yellow and 3 red. On 9.5v I had the V8's down to 8.9 in white, 8.95 yellow and 8.9 in red. I got a Ninco Supra down to 8.2, 8.1 and 8.5.
Now I'm not the greatest trigger operator going around, but over a block of 20 laps, I could consistently hover about .05 to .1 of a second from these times.
The problem I was having, was that I found them all to taily. The cars wouldn't hold a nice drift through a corner, there was basically just no grip at all so would almost 'pendulum' its way through the corner if I was a little too hot going in. Even down the straights on 9.5v you tell they were struggling to grip onto the surface.
So over the last couple of weeks I'd been toying with the idea of re surfacing. I'd read a heap of threads here and abroad about different paints and their differing grip levels. Having raced on Boslot's ferrodor track numerous times, while the grip level was great re routing the entire track to enable braid, plus the cost of braid was most definitely out of the question. The easiest and cheapest was chalkboard paint.
I bit the bullet on the weekend gone and spent a day masking, trimming and painting. I didn't get pics of it in progress, just the completed rework. I only rolled a single coat on straight over the top, just cleaned the surface with an Enjo glove!
Front straight, start where cars are.
Back half
Turn one. Could be nasty at the start of a race, esp with only a short run from the start. Will find out when I eventually have the guys over!
On the back end running up to the bridge
The bridge. Where the 888 Falcon and Castrol Commo are, are removable sections which join the tables together.
I've tried to make it with ease of assembly/dis-assembly for storage/transport or whatever in mind. The 6x4ft three tables simply bolt together and the two outer tables are connected to the main centre table via a single 9 pin plug each. The entire driver station panel is removable, and it too connects to the centre table with a single plug. (it will when I stop driving and finish it off)
Section removed (four screws)
Underneath the centre table. Each table has it's own terminal strip, and then it all feeds to a 9 pin plug.
Sine the repaint, still on 9.5v I have gotten V8's down to 7.3 white, 7.3 yellow and 7.2 red. The Ninco Supra I've only run on yellow and that was a best of 6.9.
Today I got a Scaley Ferrari F2004 so I removed magnet, added a bit of weight, and on yellow I managed a couple of 6.6's.
Next is to finsh the table edges, and construct a proper light gantry with start lights also. Then its onto the scenery...
Michael
Edited by gazza, 24 May 2009 - 06:52 PM.
Looking Good Mick. It would probably be good if people stopped breaking the 888 car though. Am looking at 3 DTM cars one of each of the 3 manufacturers from before Opals pull out. I will keep you a breast of where I'm at as I go along.
