14 replies to this topic

[Cheater]

Here's a historical article from Scale Auto Racing News, vol. 11 no. 6, Septmeber 1990, written by Ray Gardner and Slotblog member Eddie Fleming. More history than current tech, but like Ray says in his text, the feel of a resistor controller with a Fleming hinge was a revelation at the time, almost 25 years ago.

Perhaps Eddie with post to this thread and give us a little more background on his mod, like what led him to develop it and when he did the first one.
 

[Gator Bob]

I have that issue.

 

Read that many times, it's a cool modification but never performed that surgery on my controllers.

 

Bought that special Zep issue at Zep... what a great place when it first opened. It kinda was like the big new store '60s again.

 

G, take a look at the race results from the 500 pro main and  .

[Cheater]

Bob,

I have that issue as well but it would take me weeks to locate it.

 

I snagged the scans from a Facebook post made by Russell Sheldon.

[Joe Mig]

I've done it and it works great. The controller is smooth as silk.

[John Streisguth]

I built one of those hinge modifications, and it does indeed make the sweep as smooth as butter.

 

I have that issue handy, since I won the Grp 12 class at that first Zep 500.    Only year they ran the class, unfortunately.

[glueside]

I have built these, but have used a ball bearing instead of the button and there is nothing like it in the world!

[Eddie Fleming]

This subject came up about a year ago. It seems there was more interest in the modification back in the day than I knew.

 

In the late '80s we were racing in Fayetteville, GA, on Tim Ferguson's Purple Mile.

 

With the resistor controllers of the day you would start a race with a clean smooth resistor but by the middle of the race it would be pitted, rough, and sticking. So I came up with the hinge idea to try and smooth it out over a longer time. It actually worked pretty well. In fact I still have two controllers I built back then that are backups for my electronic controller today. Naturally they have full power relays and brake pots that were unheard of back then.

 

I love the ball bearing idea, Jeff. I am almost tempted to build one that way.

[glueside]

I actually have six controllers on our local oval track fitted for them. The controllers are hard wired to each lane so by the end of a night the controllers would suck due to numerous people using them and pulling the trigger different, and some were left handed. 
 
I done all six with the ball bearings and we haven't had a problem since. Just need to oil the bearing at least once per week since this is stored in his garage.

[Jairus]

It's Saturday morning and I finally got a chance to take some pictures of a vintage controller from the era.

 

When I received it from Adam, it was for the purpose of parts only. The three vintage micro-switches in it were the same as that used by Gorski and I removed them and built a nice Gorski replica controller. (Thread buried somewhere here on slotblog.)
 
The remains were in pretty sad shape as the handles were rough cut, the resistor so covered with corrosion that many of the bands were broke through.

The frame had been painted with wrinkle finish, which was pretty cool. The trigger was what inspired me because the bearings were in good shape and even tho the resistor was corroded, the action smooth once I cleaned the contact surface.

 

But what I really loved was the engineering in the wiper hinge!
 
Norvac provided new switches and Parma a new resistor and a new set of clear controller handles. I've used the controller a lot in the past and it's smooth to the touch, provided the motor is tuned to the controller since there is NO adjustment.

 

All the heat sinks were on the original controller and the original resistor a 2 barrel, yellow/orange in color, 1 ohm.

 

 
The wiper hinge (is it a Fleming?) appears to be totally scratch made using a tension spring to provide pressure.

 

While the original was a triple micro, I saw no need for the second redundant circuit.

 

Though... I am collecting the parts to build another Gorski clone and plan to build an articulated wiper arm much like the Fleming.

 

 

[Bill from NH]

Jairus,

 

New vintage Gorski microswitch mounting plates occasionally show up on eBay for about $3 plus shipping.

[Jairus]

Yeah, I have a single switch plate here which I plan to use as a pattern to make a double.

 

I also found some vintage switches out of China that very closely match the red/black switches Gorski used.

[Eddie Fleming]

Jairus,

 

The wiper on the controller you have looks very much like the ones I built. Who knows if it was an original Idea or built from the article?

 

One of my controllers has two micro switches in it, but it is built on a Turbo frame making the switch install a snap.

[mcrracer]

Anybody willing to build one of these for me?

I am legally blind so I can no longer build much of anything anymore. (I used to design and build tube guitar amps so I do know how, just can't do it anymore).

I can provide a brand-new Parma Turbo controller to convert. PM me if interested.

Thanks.

[idare2bdul]

Not sure who had the idea first but I got a Taylor Hinge controller as a race prize in 1980 from Bill Taylor and it still works just fine. I heard some of these failed but I wonder if people maintained them properly.

[Eddie Fleming]

I am not surprised that someone had built them before me.
 
Ideas get tried and re-tried and become mainstream or go away.
 
With the modern controllers this idea is long past its time.