31 replies to this topic

[Gator Bob]

Question.

 

What is the 'industry standard' routed commercial track slot dimensions?

 

[MSwiss]

1/8" wide, of course.

I built my tracks, IIRC, .360-365" deep.

[Gator Bob]

Thanks Mike,

 

If you want 'the best drag strip in town' .... you heard it here first.

 

The answer is a Teflon guide slot.

 

Go Gator yourself some and try it out ...

 

 

[MSwiss]

I certainly thought of that.

Too many logistical problems to make it out of Teflon.

The braid is to close to the slot.

Maybe I'll spray a sample section with some and let it sit for awhile to see if it creates any damage.

[HarV Wallbanger III]

No Mike make Teflon inserts with slots and put that in as the slot.... Not sure how the put the braid on but...
Only cost you a small fortune to do 55'! Scotch Guard the slot!

[MSwiss]

That's the point (beside cost), gluing to Teflon.

[Ramcatlarry]

History:  British slot car club established a standard in the late 1950's.  Southport slot club, I believe.  Only Carrera is close to adhering to the width standard. All other plastic tracks are too narrow and or shallow requiring the shallow flag found on cars like Scalextric.

 

Since most builders use 1/2" material, 1/8" router bit set at 5/16" deep works well enough to allow the 1/4" deep standard commercial flag to miss hitting that set screw in the bottom of the slot and still allow the board to have good strength.

[Gator Bob]

Spray? Complex? glue the braid to it ????

 

 

It's a drop in U Channel.  Teflon guide slot

 

Caterpillar grommet might be even better at reducing friction than Teflon U-channel.  

 

Someone is going to do it ... who will be first?

[Marty N]

Go Gator, Go!!

[zipper]

We had coloured plastic profiles with recess for braid in early 70's on one track. The problem was gluing; the profile would come up easily in the (banked) turns and the braid from the profile, too. Yet a nice try.

[DFranklin]

Lee Valley sells what they call "Slippery Tape".  It is 5mil thick, 1 inch wide, and is an 18 ft. roll.  My catalog is from 2011 and the cost then was $12.50.  Maybe this could be used.

[Gator Bob]

If the slot is routed to fit I don't think any glue would be needed.

 

Definitely not on a straight drag strip.

[Zippity]

Does anyone manufacture a Teflon® coated guide flag?

[MSwiss]

Along with with being too expensive, it's too wide.

The only possibility I can think of is to use solid strip instead of braid, and screw it down on the outer width, beyond the 9/32" width of the channel.

I don't think having the World's fastest strip is important enough for the work and cost.

If less blade friction is all important, why haven't I've seen drilled or windowed guide flags?

[Zippity]

If less blade friction is all important, why haven't I've seen drilled or windowed guide flags?

 

Slick 7 (#451) has a guide that has dimples molded into it

[Gator Bob]

For drags .. both windowed flags and "Gator Grommet ^TM" would be best.

 

I have 100 ft. in natural nylon ... bet ya 10 bucks I would have a hard time dying it green...  

Might have to 'sub that out' to Matt Sheldon 

 

BTW; this one now .3 Grams lighter than new.

 

.

.

.

[Samiam]

If less blade friction is all important, why haven't I've seen drilled or windowed guide flags?

I still have a car from the 70s I did this to. Don't know if it did doodely squat but it made me feel faster.

[Zippity]

Sam,

 

Looks like a great idea, but sadly it wouldn't work on my home track - photoelectric cells for lap counting

[tonyp]

We used to cut the jet flags back in the day. It lasted about 2 weeks after they just broke the blades off. Lol.

[MSwiss]

Slick 7 (#451) has a guide that has dimples molded into it

And they aren't very popular.

IOW, no one asked me to order them for them because they were convinced they were faster.

[Dave Crevie]

OK, old timers. Who remembers the True-Scale True-Flex slot system? This was extruded plastic continuous slot

and pick-up rails which attached from under the track surface. I saw a roll of it back in the mid sixties, but never

saw it used in a slot track. I thought it would work better if there was no flange on the bottom, and you would

just route a wide slot that the strip would fit snugly into. Final attachment could be made using wire nails sunk into

the bottom of the slot. I couldn't understand how the flange was supposed to work, but I was just a teenager and

what did I know?

[Gator Bob]

The Cox screw type have a bulb keel shaped blade, good for vintage drags ... maybe Dokk came up with that ... maybe not.

[tonyp]

Way before docs time. He was just a wee tot when they came out.

[MSwiss]

OK, old timers. Who remembers the True-Scale True-Flex slot system? This was extruded plastic continuous slot
and pick-up rails which attached from under the track surface. I saw a roll of it back in the mid sixties, but never
saw it used in a slot track. I thought it would work better if there was no flange on the bottom, and you would
just route a wide slot that the strip would fit snugly into. Final attachment could be made using wire nails sunk into
the bottom of the slot. I couldn't understand how the flange was supposed to work, but I was just a teenager and
what did I know?

I vaguely remember the ad for it.

[Gator Bob]

 

Slick 7 (#451) has a guide that has dimples molded into it

 

I've used those on my Group F car but go with the longer blade Starburst or Parma for retro and flexi.

Way back in GR-10 I would cut the Jet guide leading edge on an angle like the 451 ... built those cars to be a shovel, grinding for every lap there wasn't time to wait for the marshal to clean up the mess... "gotta go" ...

Nick would be on track too and to bust chops ether he or I would say .. "see ya, wouldn't wanna bee ya"...  He was 10.