Build Journal - Tall Pines Speedway
Currently tearing down the Thunderdome track and seeing all the many things I added or tweaks I made over 18months or more. Lots of wiring and bits of wood glued everywhere. But that's how you patch together Crash Racers track into an actual open track raceway. So moving to fully printed SpoolHeads track will be very different.
The track I purchased will fit on a 2.5x6.5ft piece of plywood, I purchased some extra pieces and am using a 3.5x7.5ft sheet of plywood (5/8 thickness). I hope to add a 7ft long drag strip that is pass-thru and would go onto a 2 lane winding track across the plywood base. I'll do a sketch for planning but a big unknown is the footprint of the SpoolHeads track.
Tearing the old track down
I'm considering some sort of lighting in an attempt to do some night racing. Currently considering using a stadium lighting thing something like this every few feet or so.
Should be fullyjj demoed by Sunday
Discussion
I hope some other hosts who have run night racing events pop in with their advice. What I have are observations and maybe educated guesses, keep this in mind
It isn't a matter of merely lowering your usual light levels, camera settings need to be fiddled with also. They'll strain to capture enough especially when it comes to making slow motion clear as possible. To that point, I gently question these stadium lights and how quickly the camera recovers, going from dim to bright and back again
Please, MORE photos as your new Spool Heads kit takes shape, been wanting this update! Thanks Abby
- Hey Chris, I had some of those same thoughts about the light levels, etc. We’re gonna give it a try anyway, but what we’re gonna do is make sure the lights are pointed away from the camera. That way they are just pools of light on the track. I of course, may eat those words at a later time. — AbbyNormal
- Use Christmas light strips. — SpyDude
Well I have been at it pretty steady like for a geezer. There may have been extended rest periods at some times. The old track was stripped off, the table Top was brushed off, and Whammo the plywood was screwed down. At this point, it seemed wise to unpack the SpoolHeads box and see what I was dealing with. well I can tell you that the box was well packed and it was very full.
At this point I self medicated to calm my racing heart. I kept my cool and recalled one of our track hosts recommended laying your track out flat just to make sure your idea is going to work with the track you have. So next step was begin to rough out the actual track layout. This will be a good thing because I will know that the track is gonna fit where I want it plus I will be able to go through and make sure that the extra parts I've ordered are all here. Not that I suspect otherwise I just wanna make sure that I have them as part of my inventory.
Progress was slightly stalled on the first corner primarily because the instructions are a little hazy and the parts are marked but not exactly as noted on the instructions. Other issue I had is that the curves are sold as a 60 to 270° curve. So depending on whether you want a 180 or a 90 or maybe a 220° you will use various parts and pieces and you will possibly end up with extra parts. I had a noodle and fiddle on that quite a bit. And when you look at the shot below, I am already planning to add another 20° segment to that curve.
So I'll wrap this post up by showing the big picture, which is that I hope to have a 7 1/2 foot dragstrip along the edge of this plywood. And as you see below, it'll be raised up probably by using some of those cheap little boxes you get at the dollar store. I have raised it up because I plan on having a past through timing system so the cars will then hit a 90° and go off on some two lane adventure. Or at least that's the thought
I will add on that. I am very happy with the fit of the various parts and the sturdiness of the track connectors. Totally top notch
A late night work session produced the following, I have to say it looks pretty good. I'm gonna look at it for a couple of days. See if anything seems problematic.
Doing some more tweaking (not twerking) I put it at a slight angle which allowed me to add a few more straight sections. So this is the possible solution. Also fiddled with the adjustable track mounts and am super impressed. Next is to make a rough outline of the track with a sharpie or pencil. Then go through and mark where the track supports will go. And then start building the track.
Slogging along like an old mule I kept noodleing and and learning how the SpoolHeads track is supported AND connected to the towers. Lots of assembly, cutting 2x3 wood pieces, painting gray, attaching bases. Here is the start gate up on a tower.
And here is the evenings work as the 2 lane track section is done. Next is going to be the curve --- that will require fresh energy.
Nice progress so far! Good luck with the rest of it!
After working at a semi furious pace for three days (not including rest breaks etc.) we have clearly reached the shit-everywhere roughly functional race track stage. Major hacks still occurring as needed.
Latest update on the new Tall Pines Speedway under construction
Updated and tweaked the timing code and then did a wham-bam install and its all working.
Doing a basic test on night racing / videoing in the dark. Looks pretty good n so I'm gonna build 2 more lights
Sweet! Can't wait to see the new layout and track! Have fun!