jg6743

iTrader: (3)

Home depot the cheapest indoor outdoor carpet.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/TrafficM...144H/203240740

Milkdudd

iTrader: (13)

Did some more thinking what I should do with my track. The diagram on the left is the last one I showed to you guys. The one in the middle simplifies it by using the corrugated pipe to define the lanes. That's what I think I will shoot for. The one on the right is my go to if I need wider Lanes. If I give up the switchback lanes close to the deck I could go with wider lanes like 5 foot or even 6 foot. Waiting for the grass to grow a few days and I can start all over again. Once I have a design I like I think I will then start ripping the grass out by whatever means necessary

jg6743

iTrader: (3)

Milkdudd all 3 designs look good. My 1st track had 4' wide lanes. Very tight! Then redesigned with 5' wide... felt better. Moved and built my current track with 6' lanes and they are perfect for my mini 8 and really help my 10th scale driving. I also recommend not tilling. I would mow it as low as possible. Then spray it with glyphosate... wait 10 days and spray it again. 3-4oz glyphosate to 1gal water. This will allow the soil to stay compacted. If building humps quarry dirt from gaps between jumps... this gives a low area for water to drain to. Also you dont carry dirt far... your back will thank you.

AHR43

Top of the morning, mates. Spent yesterday going through this thread beginning to end, developing a spreadsheet for backyard tracks. So far there are sixteen (16) active tracks from nine (9) different states and two countries. Along with two or three others planning a build.

Thinking it would be fun to do, and it is. Along the way looking for a thread of commonality among the tracks. ByRC, above quote, said it spot-on. What is impressive is the variety, along with the hard work and really good ideas they all share. Keep up the good work. guys. Keep those back yard tracks coming. Cheers. 'AC'

Billy Kelly

iTrader: (9)

I think very few of us have the space to build a home track with the capability of running the same speed as where someone races. While it’s not in my yard. In basement I’ve got a MiniZ track. It’s big, but I can’t run same as do where I race them. But I can definitely tell that home practice transfers.

Milkdudd

iTrader: (13)

jg I tried to p.m. you a photo of the third track but it wouldn't let me attach. So here is a close up photo for now of that track

also as far as removing the grass goes a friend of mine has a billy goat power rake dethatcher if that's what they call it. He has modified it to actually dig right through the grass and remove it. I haven't seen the condition of it yet but here is what they look like new

think that will work well for me both in initial track building and maintaining it with weeds and such that might grow on it?

jg6743

iTrader: (3)

Power rake will work great. Here is a quick sketch of what I was talking about.

jg6743

iTrader: (3)

Almost done

CodyCrawler

iTrader: (10)

Looking good. I am gonna get same carpet for the jumps and landings like this I think.

Milkdudd

iTrader: (13)

I wonder if I could ask all of you backyard track builders a question that kind of goes in a different direction. When you look at some other hobbiests like model train aficionados (I think that's the term they like) they go to an awful lot of effort to create a very lifelike environment for their modeling. Some building an entire town that their trains travel through. I've seen the same for slot car tracks as well. Things like pit lanes, trees, structures around the track and such. I can't see going to such extremes for an off-road track but a few things like banners, maybe some billboards, tiny hay bales or Tuff blocks and such might be cool. Maybe even an old Tonka toy ambulance parked on the side of the track for when things get really out of hand. I've seen that Timing System where the sensors need to be above the track. That could be built into kind of a Finish Line jump like they do in Supercross. I know this is all Superfluous and unnecessary but a lot of people would say playing with model cars is Superfluous and unnecessary in the first place. Not that any of us would agree with that. Opinions?

AHR43

Greetings, Milkdudd.
Great question. Bunting, flags, banners and the like all contribute to the race track atmosphere. They add color and action (flapping in the breeze and waving, etc.) to the track and make it more pleasing to the eye, especially if your significant other has misgivings about the whole idea...

Banners from manufacturers are in rather short supply. Either they are too big and costly for individual purchase, or they are 'sold out'. I suspect the sold out listing is their way of saying that they are only available to "real" racetracks. As an example, smaller AE's and JConcepts have both been sold out for a long time.

Banners used on my track are reasonably priced at around $24 shipped and are weather proof with attaching grommets at each corner. Bunting comes from the flags section at Wal-Mart.

My personal feeling is that they are vital to conveying the feel and purpose of the track and a way of showing off the track to visitors-be they RC racers or not. Mine are not put out for test or practice sessions, but my UTRL rules package states they must be displayed for an event. The start/finish bridge or gate is another area I've considered. Plus is it adds more to the racing environment. On the flip side, its just another hazard to avoid. As it is, my truck strikes and/or displaces the start/finish cones on occasion, so it has to be wide and high enough for avoidance. Still thinking about that. Hope this helps. 'AC'

jg6743

iTrader: (3)

wish I could have banners... wife says no!!! hahaha I used to paint logos on jumps to make my track look the part. this was an older track of mine.

Milkdudd

iTrader: (13)

Great stuff guys. If I use that corrugated plastic pipe maybe I could start with the white color and paint red or black or really any color every other four feet or so. At least one of the tracks on VRC Pro has a two colored piping like that and it looks great

CodyCrawler

iTrader: (10)

I come from the scaler background and those folks get crazy with the scale garages, banners, bridges, etc. I like the idea. I'm a lucky dude...my girlfriend brought this up last week. With the cardboard cut outs of people at baseball games and events, she thought that would be cool on a scale level around an area of my track.

Grandstands hahahah! I like the idea of mini hay bales and multi colored pipe. The white pipe is HD also. That's why it's used so widely. I have recently started painting the lines and am goimg to painting logos as well. I think scale banners will be a cool idea, as specially over the finish line!

It is extra work but a little aesthetics will go far and won't need maintenance. It will make my yard look like more of a track and less like a junkyard haha.

j.d.roost

iTrader: (32)

Building one myself... Space is tight...so it will be pretty basic.
I am also running a ton of vintage cars with not so good turning radius...so a bunch of 90's is not really an option.
Would like opinions and suggestions. 4.5 to 6ft lanes.