|
Post by ncdragracer on Feb 27, 2018 10:53:22 GMT -7
Wish I had your talent what are going to use for rail?
|
|
|
Post by dave632 on Feb 27, 2018 14:00:56 GMT -7
Looks good what are you using for rails/conductors?
|
|
|
Post by GTS on Feb 27, 2018 16:56:42 GMT -7
Wish I had your talent what are going to use for rail? I've done some experimenting with 1/16" 7x7 steel galvanized cable and am planning on using it for this track. I know it's a tad abnormal but have always wanted to, for the last 10 years or so, build a track with it and I figured a drag track would be a perfect candidate to check it out with. It has it's pros & cons but I think I can make it work. If it works for my needs, then great. If it doesn't pan out, then I have enough material to make another track with a different conductor, probably copper clad magnetic braid. Wish me luck Here's a couple pix of a test piece I did.
|
|
|
Post by dave632 on Feb 28, 2018 9:35:21 GMT -7
Sounds interesting hope it works out.
|
|
|
Post by GTS on Feb 28, 2018 19:05:33 GMT -7
Thanks Dave, I hope it does too. Got the rest of the track pieces fabbed. Laid 'em out on the foundation to get a look see. 258" of track Decided to not put in any sensors for staging. This shows the holes for the start sensors and the voltage taps. The taps are in each 47" piece of track. Checking the fit for the sensors, top and bottom. Right now they sit about 1/16" below the top surface. I think I might have to raise them a tad, we'll see after some testing. Might need to drill the shoulder hole underneath a little deeper so they set a little higher. Hoping, tomorrow, to get all the holes drilled in the plywood foundation for the taps and sensor wires. Then I'll be setting up the Arduino and sensors. Once that all seems copacetic I'll be mounting the track and laying the cable. If things go well, hoping to be racing and timing in 2 to 3 weeks.
|
|
|
Post by ncdragracer on Feb 28, 2018 20:03:22 GMT -7
Not wasting any time...holy smokes
|
|
|
Post by kiwidave on Feb 28, 2018 22:37:15 GMT -7
Track is looking really good. Well done.
|
|
|
Post by dave632 on Mar 1, 2018 8:56:08 GMT -7
Personally I think the Pre stage lights are for realism more than a necessity. I hand stage all cars I race on my track to get an even start. I have had quite a few races decided by the ten thousandth or 4th decimal point, .0000. Even had a few ties despite going to .0000. Race is given to the better reaction time in those cases. I have seen cars staged with a controller and in almost every case one of the cars is slightly ahead of the other. When the race is close that will make a difference. When I was running full size heads up I would always shallow stage in qualifying to get that slight run up before the beam is broken, (there is 7" between the beams in full size). In eliminations I would stage as deep as I could to get a better reaction time and slight lead. Either of those things would only make a difference of a couple of hundredths but some races are won by that difference.
|
|
|
Post by GTS on Mar 1, 2018 10:30:32 GMT -7
Thank you ncdragracer and kiwidave! Appreciate the comments and encouragement! Mar 1, 2018 7:56:08 GMT -8 dave632 said: Personally I think the Pre stage lights are for realism more than a necessity. I hand stage all cars I race on my track to get an even start. I have had quite a few races decided by the ten thousandth or 4th decimal point, .0000. Even had a few ties despite going to .0000. Race is given to the better reaction time in those cases. I have seen cars staged with a controller and in almost every case one of the cars is slightly ahead of the other. When the race is close that will make a difference. When I was running full size heads up I would always shallow stage in qualifying to get that slight run up before the beam is broken, (there is 7" between the beams in full size). In eliminations I would stage as deep as I could to get a better reaction time and slight lead. Either of those things would only make a difference of a couple of hundredths but some races are won by that difference. Thanks Dave for your opinion on this. I kinda remember this being discussed a couple months back on another forum and your discussion (and others) had a lot to do with the final choice on the matter. I just couldn't see myself pursuing the skill of staging or ever using it. Figure I'll have my hands full just trying to acquire a decent reaction time On another matter, I was wondering about what most use for power when dynamic braking in the slow down area? Is it a separate power supply? If separate, is it the same voltage as what one would use for the race? Any input is certainly appreciated!
|
|
|
Post by jjwallace on Mar 1, 2018 15:02:12 GMT -7
There's some awesome stuff going down in Spokane! That track is beautiful Gale......great work!
|
|
|
Post by ecbill on Mar 1, 2018 15:36:49 GMT -7
Watching your track build is pretty exciting. Hope to be building one soon too.
To help with your dynamic braking question: you should not need any power source. The car's arm rotating in the magnetic field becomes a generator. A direct short between the two rails of that lane will put a load on the generator which will try to lock it up, thus providing braking. Some guys have mentioned applying reverse voltage but I never tried that.
|
|
|
Post by GTS on Mar 1, 2018 16:02:53 GMT -7
Thanks Jeff! Much appreciated! Watching your track build is pretty exciting. Hope to be building one soon too. To help with your dynamic braking question: you should not need any power source. The car's arm rotating in the magnetic field becomes a generator. A direct short between the two rails of that lane will put a load on the generator which will try to lock it up, thus providing braking. Some guys have mentioned applying reverse voltage but I never tried that. Thanks Bill, glad you are enjoying the journey. Hope your building a track happens soon for you! Well now, that makes total sense, not needing power. I'm sure I was over thinking it. Probably read somewhere that some one had added a separate power supply and got confused, lol . Thanks for setting me straight! Hoping to get everything under control without using reverse voltage
|
|
|
Post by dave632 on Mar 1, 2018 19:42:37 GMT -7
I have never tried reverse voltage either. If I did I would use a very low voltage say 1 volt. Steel stop strips are another way of slowing the cars. I used 4 3' 1/8" x 1" side by side and screwed them to the base. This will slow the high downforce cars a lot. One of the main reasons I can run 60+ mph cars.
|
|
|
Post by gnome on Mar 1, 2018 20:18:57 GMT -7
Just built shut down for my track used plate and shorted each lane with box on the end works real good some cars beater then others .your track is looking awfully nice.
|
|
|
Post by GTS on Mar 2, 2018 10:51:44 GMT -7
I have never tried reverse voltage either. If I did I would use a very low voltage say 1 volt. Steel stop strips are another way of slowing the cars. I used 4 3' 1/8" x 1" side by side and screwed them to the base. This will slow the high downforce cars a lot. One of the main reasons I can run 60+ mph cars. Hmmm-m-m, I might have to consider the steel stop strips. It would be easy enough to re-route that area before I mount the track, that's for sure. Will have to give that some serious thought! I saw those pictures, gnome. That looks really efficient. I like how you went uphill with it, too. I plan on building a foam lined box similar to yours also. Plus I have a bag of pillow stuffing left over from a speaker project that I thought I would play around putting some of that loosely in some nylons or sumpthin'. Got a little more done. Got the controller stations hooked back up for the road course. Wanted to get those squared away so as not to interfer with the light bridges and such for the drag track. And got all the sensor holes and voltage tap holes drilled. Hope to be fiddlin' with the Arduino this weekend.
|
|