31 replies to this topic

[Rich Goucher]

New to Retro and scratchbuilds. Buying a jig, narrowed it down to Precision Retro Pro and Backtrack two-piece.

Any input from pros? Leaning toward Backtrack because of the included/seperate wire bender. If I get the Retro Pro I'll need a bender, besides.

Thoughts?

Thanks for any input.

[Tom Thumb Hobbies]

The Precision jig is a great choice. It's hard to beat anything that Dave Mountz makes. Another great jig is the R-Geo Rick's Jig.

[Samiam]

If you are just starting out don't sweat the bender just yet. Pliers work fine for one-off jobs. The bender comes in handy when making multiple pieces but is not a must-have right away.
 
I have Rick's R-Geo jig and I'm quite happy with it.
 
Happy Thanksgiving Day.

[Electric3002]

I purchased a Precision jig for my first Retro build.

I did add a "Steube" style hold down as shown in his build video by tapping a #10-32 hole in rear. If you don't have his video, I recommend you get it as it is a nice tool to use for us first-time builders. I have added pics of the hold down and of my first build.

[SlotStox#53]

Have only used R-Geo (Rick's Jig) and it's great! Has lots of holes for both wheelbase/track and all manner of chassis rails and other bits. Have yet to find a chassis piece or design it can't make.
 
Although wouldn't hesitate to get either the Precision or Backtrack jigs either. Wire bender isn't essential unless you are making multiple bends and lots of rails, nice set of pliers and good strong cutters you'll be fine. Although if you really want a bender the Backtrack has it all together like you say.
 
Good luck in your choice/purchase and have fun building.
 
Very nice chassis, Robert plus most excellent first Retro build!

[James Grandi]

Rich,

I have an older Precision jig that I absolutely love. I purchased an R-Geo deluxe wire bender separately, which works wonderfully and can bend pretty much any size wire we use in Retro building with no problem.

[Dennis David]

R-Geo for me and I bought a couple of "Steube" clamps and assorted jig wheels as well.

[Dominator]

Love my Backtrack.

[TG Racing]

I've seen Robert's chassis up close. It's as fast as it is good looking!

[gascarnut]

The Backtrack jig is nice, but having the bender as part of the jig is not as good an idea as it seems at first.

It's not possible to bend wire while there is a frame in the jig, and the holes that are drilled for the bender are not in the same places as the holes needed for building.

IMO a separate bender is the way to go.

[MSwiss]

There is some confusion here. Geary and I haven't sold the jig with the bender on the building plate in two-three years.

It's two separate pieces.

The only jig set we sell is the Retro Pro Combo. It includes the thick building plate and the thin bending plate and the jig wheel blocks for $142.

[gascarnut]

Excellent developments, both the separate bender and the thicker building jig.

[SlowBeas]

Whichever one your choose (I also use the R-Geo jig), be sure to remove the pins from the holes after each use so they won't rust into place. (Yes, I learned the hard way.)
 
Welcome to Retro scratchbuilding.

[Rich Goucher]

Thanks to all for their time and input, very much appreciated!

[Precision-Slotcars]

Thanks for all the compliments on the Scratch Builder.
 
Swiss, the only jig you sell is yours? I can post the invoice for the Precision Scratch Builders you purchased from me.

[MSwiss]

Dave,

My comment was it is the only jig that Geary/Backtrack makes and I am the sole distributor of.

You make a fine jig, Dave, but unfortunately most of the features are ones that were first on Backtrack jigs that Geary and I designed, that you "borrowed" from us.

[Precision-Slotcars]

I don't think so! Look at the back track before PSC and after.
 
Here's a Backtrack when Precision Slot Cars was established 2007:


 
Precision Scratch Builder:

[Dennis David]

I think between the Backtrack, Precision, and R-Geo jigs we're pretty set for jigs. Now it's just down to personal choice. You won't go wrong with any or better yet buy all three!

[MSwiss]

Dave,

Welcome to the "Deceptive Post Hall of Fame".
 
You posted a pic of a (well-used) Backtrack jig from 2007, mention you started Precision in 2007, but show a (new) jig you came out with three-four years later.
 
In 2007 you had simple jigs to blueprint stamped chassis that had nothing to do with Retro.
 
Below is the Backtrack jig you "borrowed" most of the features from:


 
It looks like it came in March 31, 2009:

http://slotblog.net/...re-bending-jig/
 
As far as I can tell, your first Retro jig came out in June 26, 2010, five days short of fifteen months later.

http://slotblog.net/...hassis-fixture/
 
Feel free to show me if there was an earlier version, but I'm 100% sure the Backtrack was the first multi-pin Retro jig
on the market, along with the clearly marked widths for the three different Retro chassis widths, and the +/- system of
fine tuning wheelbases.
 
In the future, please do not post deceptively.
 
Thank you.
 
PS: Like I said in post #16, you make a fine jig. 
 
With as nice as it is, I can't believe I sell as many Retro Pros as I do.
 
It must be the better price or I don't require raceways to buy a three-jig minimum, like you required I do, even though I was purchasing your most expensive jig with all the options.
 
I frankly wish I would have less of a demand for jigs, so the guy that helps Geary with the machining of the pins and the other metal parts of the jig and bender could spend his limited time on parts for the 2 True tire truer, another unique design from Geary and myself that guys are begging for.

[Rick]

Since we are all tooting our own horns, The R-Geo jig is the only jig that offers 1/32" wheelbase increments from 1/43 scale to 1/24 scale, or smaller to HO. It is perfectly symmetrical left/right from center and has the T-slot to run the full length for hold downs anywhere on the build. It has gone thru several stages to get to this point, adjusting to the needs and wants of the top builders in the industry.

I can assure you there are more Rick's Jigs out there than all the others combined...

[Precision-Slotcars]

Mike,

You did make the first Retro jig,

I designed a superior precision chassis fixture with the help of Rich Attee.
 
My advice to any racer who wants to build their own chassis, talk to the racers at your track, and find out what they use.
They can help you, and make the learning curve of using whichever building product you choose much easier.

[Mopar Rob]

I've owns and used all three. They all suck or are good depending on if your a glass is half full or empty?

Two of the three have cracked on me. I don't own the latest Backtrack, but on my version you can't build a car shorter than 3-7/8" wheelbase. Ricks you can build any wheelbase, but building a tuning fork is, well, challenging. The older version of the Precision I have certain wheelbase combos aren't possible, but seems to have been fixed on the $130 Tuning fork version?

Personally when I build I'll measure for placement of items and tape them down to the big so I prefer symmetrical jigs. I like Rick's use of the 1/8" pins for setting the chassis width, but not enough were supplied with the jig IMHO but were available from McMaster-Carr.

I could go on and on. Basically, I build certain cars or parts of cars on one jig and then move it to another that's better suited to what I want to do for that portion of the assembly process.

My best advice since they all sort of work is to REALLY study photos of the jigs and look at how they've gone about achieving things and see if it will work for you and then spend that hard-earned cash.

[gotboostedvr6]

Precision is out for me because he hasn't made one jig to cover all different types of chassis: Retro, flexi, etc. I've asked him to redesign it to cover them...

It would be very simple to add a few more holes to accomplish this. Instead I have to buy five different jigs to cover my racing needs... no thanks.

R-Geo jigs will cover nearly all builds with the use of helping spacers to get the pins in the right place.

Backtrack jigs are OK but come up short on holes if you wanna build a flexi.

[The Groove]

We where trying to make the Precision Retro more of a fixture than a jig. You can hold a flexi chassis in it but if you really want a flexi to be correct than you need a fixture to hold it correctly in place.

The best part of the Precision retro is the amount of heat you can put to it and still not hurt it.

[Cheater]

Thanks for the civility being exhibited in this thread, gentlemen.