I sure enjoy watching these videos you produce. I love your presentation style and enthusiasm for the work. I’m a constant model railroader (it was a search result that lead me into your channel) but these slot car videos are super cool.
I'm normally a train guy, but this series was spectacular. Thank you so much for this very detailed, informative, englightening, and educational series!!!!!
Stan, As usual, all 8 videos were excellent, and your knowledge of the build procedure was complete. It's what I've come to expect from your work! Well done.
I've been on the fence for many years about building a layout in this manner but chickened out every time. These videos have set me on the path to doing my first build. Sta, you are as cool as a cucumber!
Very kind comments, Brad! Dive in and have fun. If something gets a little weird, slap some bondo in there and recut it! On my first mdf track, I only routed the 1/8th slot and not the dado for braid. I used copper tape stuck down on either side of the slot, and it held up great.
@@StanFerris Copper tape’s great! You can also use it for super low profile wiring for 5v LEDs. The only drawback to using copper tape as a track conductor is that you don’t get any magnetic attraction, but you can get magnetic braid. If there will be kids racing on your track, you’ll definitely want all the downforce you can get. I’ve had good luck with magnetic primer under copper tape. There’s definitely more than one way to skin a cat! Keep it in the slot, y’all! 👍🏼
@@wjspade I had great success with copper tape. Our club doesn't run magnets in the cars at all. Sadly, Magnabraid was not available when I built this track.
Thanks for this series Stan. This has added a whole new dimension to slot cars that I never knew existed. Very impressive. Can't wait to see the crash barriers and racing footage.
Thank you, Peter! Last night we had our first official race! I'll be doing an update video in a bit showing the completed track and a few excerpts from the race.
I was enjoying everything until we came to the wiring. Now I'm hesitant to do my own track ...😢 is it much simpler to do without the computer connected and just use a phone app to count the laps ? Amazing series. Thanks for posting but the electrics complexity has put me off the idea🤷...Harry
Don't give up too quickly if you really want to build your own track. The DC wiring is not complicated, it just takes time to sort out and make the wires go to the right places. Even a big lego project takes time, but is not brain surgery! 😁 Plenty of help available and color drawings. If you get to that point leave me a reply and I'll help as best I can via email.
@@StanFerris thank you very much for your reply Stan ...I'm OK with woodwork and the application of copper tape etc ...but as soon as computers come into the mix I'm stressed . I would have no problem wiring a basic set up with hand controller's but introducing USB and computer box's of tricks is beyond me ...I think I will definitely give a wood track build a go next year but without the PC laptop keeping track of laps etc is difficult ...you have certainly inspired me to build my own track but the laptop stuff terrifies me 😬🫢
All the real tricky stuff is built into the Trackmate board and software. Think of it this way-- You have a DC power supply with two wires coming out of it + and - . It needs to get to the lanes, so I made a distribution area which is two screws into the wood subframe somewhere. From those two terminals, you run + and - to each lane, but with a controller station in between (forget for now that if you want braking there's a third terminal at the controller - no biggy). That's it. For computer control like Trackmate, a small blue box gets plugged in to your computer with a simple usb cord. To count laps, the TM needs to know when the cars go over a switch, and on my track it was a "dead strip" small section that doesn't get track power. Just attach two pre-attached wires from the TM board to each lane. Now the cars connect the wires closing the switch and signalling the computer. The last couple things are icing on the cake. You put a relay between the powersupply and the controllers so that the computer can turn the power on and off for each lane. Also, you can add buttons to stop the racing for "yellow flag" pauses in the racing. Hope that helps!
@StanFerris so the main thing is to get the trackmate board and software 👍ile check out the trackmate availability on line ...thank you for your detailed explanation Stan 🙂...Harry
Harry, check out this free Trackmate diagram from Slotcar Corner: res.cloudinary.com/slotcarcorner/image/upload/v1597325575/TrakMate_Wiring_Multiple_Buttons.pdf Note that in my videos I did not use the fancy terminal blocks, just lath screws into the wood frame (wood is a great insulator). There's also a general track wiring guide and other cool stuff. If you get to that point, I'll help anyway I can.
Hi, Sean again, can you please send me your email address again, I seem to have deleted the email where you sent it. I have a question about how to hook up the call light button, I just received everything from track-mate, but don't see any wiring diagrams, I'm not that versed in this stuff, but should be able to figure it out with a little help. Thanks again Sean
Hi Sean! I'll be out and about most of the day today, but I'll be glad to help in any way I can. When I got my kit from TM it was the version with the remote wireless track call switch and the documentation was a bit confusing as they had already pre-wired it for me 😄. Also, Slot Car Corner has some excellent TM diagrams: res.cloudinary.com/slotcarcorner/image/upload/v1597325575/TrakMate_Wiring_Multiple_Buttons.pdf Here I am: stanfm@aol.com
Thank you for sharing. Stan, I very much enjoyed your series on building your slot car track, it turned out really nice.👍
Electronicals 🤣 Beautiful track Stan can't wait to see it in person.👍
The track won't be fully broken in until you've raced on it, Steve!
I sure enjoy watching these videos you produce. I love your presentation style and enthusiasm for the work.
I’m a constant model railroader (it was a search result that lead me into your channel) but these slot car videos are super cool.
Thank you very much! I'm a bit overdue for another HO video.
I'm normally a train guy, but this series was spectacular. Thank you so much for this very detailed, informative, englightening, and educational series!!!!!
Thank you. That's very kind of you to say!
13:49 Loved the Young Frankenstein reference! 😂
Great movie!
Stan,
As usual, all 8 videos were excellent, and your knowledge of the build procedure was complete. It's what I've come to expect from your work! Well done.
Thank you, Sandy!
It's Alive!! One of the best movies!!!! Track is looking awesome!!! Thank you so much for the education!!!
Thanks for viewing all the episodes! And you're still alive to tell about it! 🤣
Great series. Fun to watch you build your new track and it brought back a lot of great memories. Thanks for sharing this Stan.
Thanks, Larry!
checking in ❤
Thanks, Monty!
I've been on the fence for many years about building a layout in this manner but chickened out every time. These videos have set me on the path to doing my first build. Sta, you are as cool as a cucumber!
Very kind comments, Brad! Dive in and have fun. If something gets a little weird, slap some bondo in there and recut it! On my first mdf track, I only routed the 1/8th slot and not the dado for braid. I used copper tape stuck down on either side of the slot, and it held up great.
@@StanFerris Copper tape’s great! You can also use it for super low profile wiring for 5v LEDs.
The only drawback to using copper tape as a track conductor is that you don’t get any magnetic attraction, but you can get magnetic braid. If there will be kids racing on your track, you’ll definitely want all the downforce you can get. I’ve had good luck with magnetic primer under copper tape.
There’s definitely more than one way to skin a cat!
Keep it in the slot, y’all! 👍🏼
@@wjspade I had great success with copper tape. Our club doesn't run magnets in the cars at all. Sadly, Magnabraid was not available when I built this track.
Thanks for this series Stan. This has added a whole new dimension to slot cars that I never knew existed. Very impressive. Can't wait to see the crash barriers and racing footage.
Thank you, Peter! Last night we had our first official race! I'll be doing an update video in a bit showing the completed track and a few excerpts from the race.
I was enjoying everything until we came to the wiring. Now I'm hesitant to do my own track ...😢 is it much simpler to do without the computer connected and just use a phone app to count the laps ? Amazing series. Thanks for posting but the electrics complexity has put me off the idea🤷...Harry
Don't give up too quickly if you really want to build your own track. The DC wiring is not complicated, it just takes time to sort out and make the wires go to the right places. Even a big lego project takes time, but is not brain surgery! 😁 Plenty of help available and color drawings. If you get to that point leave me a reply and I'll help as best I can via email.
@@StanFerris thank you very much for your reply Stan ...I'm OK with woodwork and the application of copper tape etc ...but as soon as computers come into the mix I'm stressed . I would have no problem wiring a basic set up with hand controller's but introducing USB and computer box's of tricks is beyond me ...I think I will definitely give a wood track build a go next year but without the PC laptop keeping track of laps etc is difficult ...you have certainly inspired me to build my own track but the laptop stuff terrifies me 😬🫢
All the real tricky stuff is built into the Trackmate board and software. Think of it this way-- You have a DC power supply with two wires coming out of it + and - . It needs to get to the lanes, so I made a distribution area which is two screws into the wood subframe somewhere. From those two terminals, you run + and - to each lane, but with a controller station in between (forget for now that if you want braking there's a third terminal at the controller - no biggy). That's it. For computer control like Trackmate, a small blue box gets plugged in to your computer with a simple usb cord. To count laps, the TM needs to know when the cars go over a switch, and on my track it was a "dead strip" small section that doesn't get track power. Just attach two pre-attached wires from the TM board to each lane. Now the cars connect the wires closing the switch and signalling the computer. The last couple things are icing on the cake. You put a relay between the powersupply and the controllers so that the computer can turn the power on and off for each lane. Also, you can add buttons to stop the racing for "yellow flag" pauses in the racing. Hope that helps!
@StanFerris so the main thing is to get the trackmate board and software 👍ile check out the trackmate availability on line ...thank you for your detailed explanation Stan 🙂...Harry
Harry, check out this free Trackmate diagram from Slotcar Corner: res.cloudinary.com/slotcarcorner/image/upload/v1597325575/TrakMate_Wiring_Multiple_Buttons.pdf
Note that in my videos I did not use the fancy terminal blocks, just lath screws into the wood frame (wood is a great insulator). There's also a general track wiring guide and other cool stuff. If you get to that point, I'll help anyway I can.
Hi, Sean again, can you please send me your email address again, I seem to have deleted the email where you sent it. I have a question about how to hook up the call light button, I just received everything from track-mate, but don't see any wiring diagrams, I'm not that versed in this stuff, but should be able to figure it out with a little help. Thanks again Sean
Hi Sean! I'll be out and about most of the day today, but I'll be glad to help in any way I can. When I got my kit from TM it was the version with the remote wireless track call switch and the documentation was a bit confusing as they had already pre-wired it for me 😄. Also, Slot Car Corner has some excellent TM diagrams: res.cloudinary.com/slotcarcorner/image/upload/v1597325575/TrakMate_Wiring_Multiple_Buttons.pdf Here I am: stanfm@aol.com