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Can track braid be repaired?


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#1 Courtney S

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Posted 02 December 2019 - 10:36 AM

I have a opportunity to buy a four-lane home track that is been continuously braided.

Now the track is been disassembled and the braid has been cut, can that be repaired or do I need to re-braid the entire track? The braid is attached with double-sided 3M tape.
Courtney Smith




#2 Matt Sheldon

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Posted 02 December 2019 - 10:43 AM

You can solder the joints, seen this many times in the past. Not sure how much give the 3M backed braid has with regards to being able to stretch it.


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#3 Courtney S

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Posted 02 December 2019 - 10:48 AM

This is great. Can you explain the process? 

Would I need to reglue the braid, maybe weatherstrip adhesive, or might I be able to reactivate the glue with enamel reducer, then just solider the ends?

 

 

THANKS G


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#4 Jay Guard

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Posted 02 December 2019 - 11:19 AM

Another method is to use "jumpers".  Carefully pull the existing braid back from each side of the joint about 6"-8" and drill a hole in the braid land.  Note that you might need to apply some heat to the braid to get it to release from the track without damaging it.  Then route the existing braid down through the hole(s).  Now take a new piece of braid and make a jumper to go across the joint and down into the holes on both sides.  You will want to have at least 6" of braid coming down through the holes so that you can make an electrical connection under the track.  A method I use to make the connection is after the jumper braid has been glued down on top (i.e. across the joint) just roll the two pieces of braid hanging down under the track together and secure with a tie wrap (see pic below).  The picture is from my track which is braided in sections but it will illustrate the method to make the actual connection.

 

IMG_1712.JPG


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#5 Pappy

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Posted 02 December 2019 - 12:26 PM

Courtney, do what Jay said to do.


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#6 Courtney S

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Posted 02 December 2019 - 01:18 PM

I understand that is what i should do but i now have section where the braid is 4" to short for a jumper 

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#7 Jay Guard

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Posted 02 December 2019 - 01:28 PM

Just pull the braid up about 6" on both sides and drill the holes there, there's no limit as to how long a jumper can be.   In this case it will be only about 6" away from the joint on the side with the "extra" braid, and 10"-12" away from the joint on the "short braid" side.   


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#8 MattD

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Posted 02 December 2019 - 03:22 PM

Exactly as Jay said.   It is easy to buy a roll of double sided tape to do repair work, no need to mess with glue.

 

 


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#9 Pappy

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Posted 02 December 2019 - 03:47 PM

The braid is attached with double-sided 3M tape.

Courtney, you want to use 3M Transfer tape. It's not really a tape, it's a 1/4" wide, thin layer of glue attached to wax paper. Just roll it down, pull the wax paper off, put your braid on, roll it down and you're done.


Jim "Butch" Dunaway 
 
I don't always go the extra mile, but when I do it's because I missed my exit. 
All my life I've strived to keep from becoming a millionaire, so far I've succeeded. 
There are three kinds of people in the world, those that are good at math and those that aren't. 
No matter how big of a hammer you use, you can't pound common sense into stupid people, believe me, I've tried.

2000 Jackasses


#10 Matt Sheldon

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Posted 02 December 2019 - 05:08 PM

Jays method is best unless you want to braid the entire track. Additionally it would be easy to disassemble moving forward. Otherwise solder the braid together (light paste flux) and roll it down, but know it will not be perfectly smooth at the solder joint.


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#11 Courtney S

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Posted 02 December 2019 - 06:40 PM

Jay
Brilliant Solution ,this is why I asked.
Courtney Smith

#12 MattD

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Posted 02 December 2019 - 08:27 PM

I knew I had this picture somewhere and I found it.

 

pass thru joint.JPG


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#13 Ramcatlarry

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Posted 02 December 2019 - 10:55 PM

Make a drilling guide to center the 'drop' hole in the center of the braid.  Since the braid recess is only 1/4" wide, use a 1/8" pilot and redrill that with a 3/16" to get the braid enough room and avoid cutting into the slot groove itself.   Offsetting the holes helps a lot as well especially if you wire nut a power/ground tap to a drop .


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#14 Pappy

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Posted 03 December 2019 - 06:23 AM

Jay
Brilliant Solution ,this is why I asked.

Courtney, now you are going to give him a big head.  :laugh2:  :tease:


Jim "Butch" Dunaway 
 
I don't always go the extra mile, but when I do it's because I missed my exit. 
All my life I've strived to keep from becoming a millionaire, so far I've succeeded. 
There are three kinds of people in the world, those that are good at math and those that aren't. 
No matter how big of a hammer you use, you can't pound common sense into stupid people, believe me, I've tried.

2000 Jackasses


#15 Zippity

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Posted 03 December 2019 - 03:27 PM

Depending on what width braid you use, the "drop holes" should ideally be widened cross-wise to accommodate the puckering that occurs when the two lengths of braid are pulled down through the hole.

 

An oval shaped hole would be ideal, but getting it to be that shape is the nightmare.

 

Good luck with your endeavours :) 


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#16 Jay Guard

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Posted 03 December 2019 - 03:42 PM

As mentioned in post #13 you may want to offset the holes in an inch or so from each other, this does reduce the chance of the braid touching under the track and it may make the guide running over the drop-holes a bit smoother.  I've seen the jumpers done both ways and again it doesn't seem to make a noticeable difference to the cars.

 

As for squaring up the holes (post #15), on the track I used the jumper method on I actually used a small square file to remove the for and aft radii in each drop-hole which made for a much cleaner braid bend without the side-of-the-braid puckering effect Zippity is talking about.  You can just barely see this effect in post #12 above.  Be forewarned that this is a very time consuming job as there are 16 drop-holes at each joint and this can easily add up to over a hundred on the whole track.  About 99% of the tracks I've seen that use the jumper method do not bother to square the holes up and it doesn't seem to affect the cars at all.  Pretty much a job only for the OCD types (like me).


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#17 MSwiss

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Posted 03 December 2019 - 03:54 PM

An oval shaped hole would be ideal, but getting it to be that shape is the nightmare.
 

Actually not very hard to do, if you have access to some woodworking tools.

You need a plunge router that will accept "click in", router guides.

20191203_143821.jpg

20191203_144204.jpg

20191203_144223.jpg

20191203_145126.jpg

Mike Swiss
 
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#18 Jay Guard

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Posted 03 December 2019 - 05:20 PM

Mike Swiss' post above is an excellent example of the offset braid drop holes that were mentioned above.  It also shows what the braid looks like going into a square hole with no "pucker" at the sides.

 

But with respect to the the click-in router guide he's showing, uh WOW! :shok:


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#19 MSwiss

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Posted 03 December 2019 - 05:35 PM

I'm not sure what you mean by WOW.

 

Here it is;

 

https://www.amazon.c...8/dp/B071CMF8RK


Mike Swiss
 
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Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559


#20 Jay Guard

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Posted 03 December 2019 - 05:42 PM

I was actually referring to the MDF tool with all of the fancy lettering, sorry for the misleading choice of words.


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#21 MSwiss

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Posted 03 December 2019 - 05:48 PM

I still don't get the "WOW".

 

The sloppy lettering?


Mike Swiss
 
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
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Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder

17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)

Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559


#22 Jay Guard

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Posted 03 December 2019 - 10:55 PM

Well, if I have to explain it to you...

Although you (and I actually) understand what the critical features are and how to use your fancy MDF tool with all of the extra holes and rather cryptic lettering, I suspect that it's a bit of "WOW!, look at that crazy thing" for some here.   You didn't exactly give a detailed description of how the tool is used which i suspect the OP was looking for. 


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#23 MattD

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Posted 04 December 2019 - 08:59 AM

It's not rocket science, it's a piece of mdf.   Sneak in the kitchen and get one of your wives' knives and cut a slot for the braid drop.


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#24 Zippity

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Posted 04 December 2019 - 02:13 PM

Swiss, your concept looks great.

 

:)


Ron Thornton

#25 MSwiss

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Posted 04 December 2019 - 07:23 PM

Depending on what width braid you use, the "drop holes" should ideally be widened cross-wise to accommodate the puckering that occurs when the two lengths of braid are pulled down through the hole.
 
An oval shaped hole would be ideal, but getting it to be that shape is the nightmare.
 
Good luck with your endeavours :)

  

Well, if I have to explain it to you...
Although you (and I actually) understand what the critical features are and how to use your fancy MDF tool with all of the extra holes and rather cryptic lettering, I suspect that it's a bit of "WOW!, look at that crazy thing" for some here.   You didn't exactly give a detailed description of how the tool is used which i suspect the OP was looking for.

Jay,
I really wasn't touting it to the OP.

I was just pointing out to Ron, with a $40 option on, a fairly common plunge router, it could be done.

I'll elaborate, in case anyone is interested,(adding a few pics).

You use a 3/32" router bit, and the mentioned snap in, 1/2" router guide, AKA as a pattern guide.

You make an internal pattern, using a 1/2" router bit, to make a hole, and then oval it out, a little more than a 1/8".

You use 2 pins, made from a 1/8" axle to locate it in the slot.

One of the arrows on the jig indicates the preferred direction to push on the jig, to "lock" it in place.

It helps to have a helper holding the jig, but in a pinch, I can route the 3/32" x 1/4" oval slot, by myself, by using my forehead, to push down the router, while I'm locking the jig with one hand, and pushing the plunge lever, with the other.

Anyway, it works great.

I've done approx. 700 braid drops , with it, counting both tracks, and the occasional patch.

A pic taken, from below, shows how tight the holes are, and that I usually don't bother to mechanically connect the braid.

20191204_162057.jpg

20191204_105524.jpg

Mike Swiss
 
Inventor of the Low CG guide flag 4/20/18
IRRA® Components Committee Chairman
Five-time USRA National Champion (two G7, one G27, two G7 Senior)
Two-time G7 World Champion (1988, 1990), eight G7 main appearances
Eight-time G7 King track single lap world record holder

17B West Ogden Ave., Westmont, IL 60559, (708) 203-8003, mikeswiss86@hotmail.com (also my PayPal address)

Note: Send all USPS packages and mail to: 692 Citadel Drive, Westmont, Illinois 60559






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