57 replies to this topic

[jimht]

Right, FK rental motors, JK or Pla-fit, not suitable for above Hawk 7 but who's running such horsepower in a rental, really?

 

The Dual Lock allows pretty fine adjustment up and down.

 

As I said, a less expensive alternative (for 2-6 year olds).

[MSwiss]

What stops a 6 year old from removing it?

 

The fear of God?

[jimht]

No, when they're constantly wrecking I put it on and show them how it stops that from happening.

 

Besides, if you've never dealt with Dual-Lock, it's not as easy to take off as you seem to think.

 

On the other hand, fear of me usually works, too.   

[Pablo]

Honeycutt is killing me

 

Does PA read this forum?

[MSwiss]

The first race, for 13 Indian Guides, with a minimum of adjusting, went well.

The power was set where you had to drive some turns,on some lanes.


Nicholas, in the orange "driving" jacket, took the 1 lap win, over Patrick C.

I guess 71 degrees wasn't warm enough for him. Lol


With just a few quick adjustments, fast laps were accomplished on 4 different lanes.

[Half Fast]

Its interesting that Mastech actually classifies some of their power supplies as "Slot Track Power Supply". Somebody knows this hobby still exists!

 

Cheers

[Eddie Fleming]

A bit off topic Mike but are you still working on your drag strip?

[MSwiss]

Its interesting that Mastech actually classifies some of their power supplies as "Slot Track Power Supply". Somebody knows this hobby still exists!
 
Cheers

When purchasing the first one,I called, to confirm, which of two similiar speced units, would be better for slot racing.

After a few similiar calls, they probably thought it made sense to designate the right one on their website.

 

A bit off topic Mike but are you still working on your drag strip?

I was just going to address that in Jim's comment that my new setup was on the expensive side.

Installing it, frees up my $429 Mastech 3050EX, for the drag strip, I'll eventually have to finish, if I don't want my locals to string me up, and finish it themselves.

If I ever not post here for 3-4 days, and have seemed to "gone missing", call the Westmont Police and tell them it was Bernard and the drag racers. Lol

[smichslot]

Great,

 

At event where a lot of "racers" have no clue this is the way to go. It is an addition that the speed of the cars can be equalized if there are a number of guests that are able to appreciate that kind of "tuning".

Most important is probably that it allows the director to "compensate" for insufficient ability of some of the guests, coming from lack of age or loss of contact with the reality, and this compensation can save a lot of cars as well as some self-esteem.

 

At our track in Copenhagen we have had a simuilar set-up for a number of years, making the handling of "rental" situations much easier.

 

The set-up is partnered with individual 40A-power-supplies for the cars that are requiring that kind of power. No wing-cars, it's flat track with ES-24 being the fastest we run.

 

Steen

[Dennis David]

Ok, I'll go out on the limb here but I'm thinking that if more raceway owners looked at their business more like Mike does, our hobby, at least the commercial side in the the US, would be in a lot better shape. Mike still runs a traditional shop that caters to the racers we have here yet also put's his money and heck of a lot of effort into keeping the doors open rather than just "bitching and moaning".

 

Besides it's not easy playing the "slot car clown" to a bunch of kids and their parents as Mike has remarked.    

[MSwiss]

Great,

 

at event where a lot of "racers" have no clue this is the way to go. It is an addition that the speed of the cars can be equalized if there are a number of guests that are able to appreciate that kind of "tuning".

Most important is probably that it allows tghe director to "compensate" for insuffiencient ability of some of the guests, coming from lack of age or loss of contact with the reality, and this compensation can save a lot of cars as well as some self-esteem.

 

At our track in Copenhagen we have had a simuilar set-up for a number of years, making the handling of "rental" situations much easier.

 

The set-up is partnered with individual 40A-power-supplies for the cars that are requiring that kind of power. No wing-cars, it's falt track with ES-24 being the fastest we run.

 

Steen

I may of mentioned before, but the new, fully adjustable, system, is totally different than my regular race set-ups.

 

I have a toggle switch, at the panel, that the drivers, can easily see, to confirm which one they are on, that switches to either the recreational/Hardbody, 125A / 12.2V Kepco/TDK supply, or the  "serious racing", 200+ A / 13.5V Astec supply.

 

 

 

 

Besides it's not easy playing the "slot car clown" to a bunch of kids and their parents as Mike has remarked.    

I say the things the parents wish they could.

 

I think that's why parents agree to let their kids have their party by me, 2 & 3 years, in a row, vs. switching it up.

 

I recently had two parties, for the same group of kids, 6 days apart.

 

At the 2nd one, last Saturday, after the goofball of the group, won another 5 lap race, I announced "Charlie W., with his 6th win......about 7 more than he had last week."

 

At the end of the same party, I had a cup stacking contest for a full size candy bar, for the winner (and fun-size, or chips for the non-winners).

 

One kid, Cooper, declared "I'm terrible at cup stacking".

 

I shot back "Then you'll probably lose".

 

Parents appreciate comments like that.

[Dennis David]

It takes a lot of work to run a business and not just an ego.

[Half Fast]

It takes a lot of work to run a business and not just an ego.

 

Mike's got plenty of that too

 

Cheers

[Greg VanPeenen]

Mike, shouldn't you be busy inventing another new product to help make racers lives better. Quit bragging about your power tower and get back to something constructive.

 

Happy Holidays to you and yours.

 

 

 

GVP

[MSwiss]

I have something coming up the pike, that might be cool/some guys might really like.

 

It's probably a month or 2 away.

 

What will help is if the demand for pinned guides dies down.

 

Do think the HP boat rudder guide will obsolete the Red Fox?

[kvanpelt]

Despite rumors to the contrary, I'll keep using the awesome CR pinned GuGu guides and the AUTHENTIC, high quality lexan bodies we've come to know and love.

 

Love the "Tower of Power" Mike, thanks for all you do to keep a great place for us to come and play!

[MSwiss]

The "Tower of Power" really turned out to be an asset this past Saturday.

I had 3 birthday parties, with 3 distinct ages, that ran 3 different types of races.

I was able to dial in the cars, much similar in speed, for the full-on, 5 lap races for the 7 year olds.

With those, I did a few "turbo boost, come from behind", finishes, to the the delight of the dad's and the winning racer, and the chagrin of the loser.

With the 9 year olds, I was able to dial it in for at least one spot to slow down, or lose, in the 5 lap, crash and burn, races.

With the 12 year olds, in a 8, 2 minute heat, real race, I was able, again, to dial it in, so there was a bit of skill, and the cars would only come off in the turns where myself and the 2 parents of the birthday boy, were marshaling.

But once the parties were over, the most advantageous feature came into play.

A group of 5 came in with 2 adult brothers, who had their 15 year+ wing cars, a girlfriend, and 2 nephews.

I was able to turn it up for the wingers, while keeping it down for the kids and girlfriend, who drove around rental cars, for 2+ hours.


From the 7 year old's party. Real close lap times until the "turbo-boost", last lap.

[gc4895]

Ya know, after reading that last post, I'm just starting to figure it out.  I'm just now realizing that my whole life I have been in that lane turned down for beginners with rental cars.  I just never seem to get that "turbo boost, come from behind" power surge.  And what's amazing is that it's always the same guys that get that power surge.  That's the only way I can explain, no matter what kind of motor - hand out, blueprint, you name it - the same lucky guys win all the time.  They get the turbo boost!

[willy wonka]

I'll make sure to adjust Brinkleys and Fox's lanes at the next sano. :)

[Bernard Powell]

I seen this system in operation and it is great and with the click of a switch you go back to standard power for regular cars but when you adjust the power up on the adjustable Transformers you can get power close to the high-power track not a problem if you can test the car on any individual even with other people on the track I think it's a win-win situation

[MSwiss]

The "Tower of Power" has really made life easier, for me, and more important, more pleasurable for my regular customers, casual rentals, and especially the various parties.

With 10 parties last month, and 12 booked, so far, in January, it has, and will be, getting a lot of use.

Scenes from the first 2 parties of January;


Full on racing, on Friday.


On Saturday, with the older kids, and adult race, at the end of party, I was able to fine tune the skill level.

[Bill from NH]

I enjoy seeing photos like these two. 

[MSwiss]

I have four parties tomorrow and Monday, but today was "partiless ", and with real cold, but clear and sunny weather, I had a steady stream of rentals all day, up until now.
 

The good news was the Tower of Power got a good test with faster, higher amp drawing motors.

 

I had a father and his 2 grown kids, blasting around with some early 90's, stamped chassis, Mura X-12 powered wing cars.

 

Other than the occasional deslot, 2 of the 3, went pretty much nonstop, for an hour plus.

 

After they left, and I cleared out the lap counter, one lane had 800 laps and the other 600.

 

I had been concerned with the power supplies being only 10 amps, they might not be up to something like that.

 

I noticed 9 amp+ spikes, but they ran like champs, with the big fans blowing, and no heat detected on the cases, what so ever.

[Dennis David]

Sounds like you got a thing goin on 😏

[Dave Crevie]

Imagine that. Parents and kids doing something together that isn't soccer. "Slot racing, the next new thing!"