BUILDING A DRAG STRIP-Basic Construction

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    • #7641
      Avatar photoBarkingSpyder
      Participant

      I was thinking about making a drag strip out of routed MDF. The track will be a scale 1/8 mile, which is appx 22ft, with a 1ft staging area and 3-5ft for shutdown. There will not a return road. This will be a 3-piece portable track so we can store it when not in use and it does not interfere with our road track.

      1. What are the correct dimensions for:
      a. Braid Recess:
      b. Guide Slot:

      2. If we do not need any magnetic downforce, is there any problems with using copper tape?

      3. Who are good sources for braid or tape?

      4. Does the braid/tape need to be glued or taped?

      5. For a total length of 28 ft
      a. How much paint is needed?
      b. What kind of paint, epoxy, latex?
      c. Is a special primer needed?
      d. Application Method: hand brushing, spray gun?

      5. Would CNC routing be cost effective?

      6. Any other considerations or recommendations?

    • #7642
      Avatar photoBarkingSpyder
      Participant

      ANSWERS from Ary, Marty, and others (thanks guys!)
      1. Dimensions for:
      a. Braid Recess: Depth is 1.1mm (for 1/4″ braid), channel is 3/4″
      b. Guide Slot: 1/8″ x 9mm deep.

      2. If we do not need any magnetic downforce, is there any problem with using copper tape?
      ANSWER: Copper tape works great for conductivity and is super easy to put on and does not require any additional routing for the braid. You can just rout the guide slot with a 1/8″ router bit, paint it and then put on copper tape. (no channel needed)

      3. Who are good sources for braid or tape?
      ANSWER: Braid: Jim Honneycut at Magnatech Raceway in San Antonio. He will also have the 3M double sided tape you will need to apply it.
      Tape: Blue Moon Stain Glass store here in Austin.

      4. Does the braid/tape need to be glued or taped? Use 3M double sided tape.

      5. For a total length of 28 ft
      a. How much paint is needed? 1 gallon (2 coats).
      b. What kind of paint, epoxy, latex? We used latex eggshell for the road track.
      c. Is a special primer needed? Primer for Latext.
      d. Application Method: hand brushing, spray gun? Brushing will be fine. Track must be painted before any braid or copper tape is put down.

      5. Would CNC routing be cost effective? Maybe not. CNC setup for what you want will cost around $300, cutting cost will depend on how long it will take.

      6. Any other considerations or recommendations?
      A. Plastic track will be significantly more affordable and quicker, especially for the first time in a non-official event. We can design an MDF track if there is enough interest to do this again in the future.

      B. After the traps, a short dead spot (3in of no braid) is needed, followed by non-powered braid/tape that is shorted across the pickups-this will provide controller-less braking.

      C. You will also need to find a timing system. For drag races you need sensors at the beginning and end of a run (if distance beween starting tree and timing trap is 22ft, you need cables that long between the sensors and timing computer.

      D. A Commercial Power supply needed, such as a Pyramid.

      E. Controller stations are needed with XLR females.

      F. Foam and perhaps side rails may be needed in the shutdown area to catch cars.

    • #7670
      Avatar photoBarkingSpyder
      Participant

      UPDATE
      Track will be Carerra 1/24: 25 13in straights will provide 27 feet of track.
      — Carerra track is typically deep enough to take wood track guides. If not, I will obtain sufficient plastic guides for people to use.

      3 Classes will exist – detailed rules posted at a later date
      — Super stock: Similar to SlotIt Challenge rules. Orange-bell. Open tires and gears.
      — Pro-Stock: Similar to Can-Am and TransAm rules. Up to Red-bell motor or 30k motor any brand. Lexan interiors allowed.
      — Comp-Eliminator:
      ~~ 1/32 cars can have up to a 50k NSR long-can motor; open gearing and tires, lexan interior. Anti-wheelie device required (I will make wheelie ‘cards’ or wheelsets for 1/32s.
      ~~ 1/24 BRMs and ScaleAutos can have up to 50k motor long-can motors. (A good excuse to use your BRM inline chassis.)
      ~~ 1/24 Parma metal chassis stock drag cars with lexan bodies are allowed – but must race similar cars. (Group-7 and G-12 motors not allowed.) Foam tires&wheels must be replaced by H&R tires&wheels or equal (https://www.professormotor.com/H-R-Racing-Brand-s/171.htm) Wheelie wheels required.
      ~~ Custom built chassis/cars also allowed but must race cars with similar motors. Parma death-star motors preferred. Rubber tires (BRM, H&R or similar) are required. Wheelie wheels required.

      Indexed/handicapped matches (based on ET) will help equalize cars with close but not similar performance. Handicapps will be determined by qualifying runs held a few weeks earlier than the actual finals. A bracket system will ensure everyone races everyone else in their class at least once. 3 Marshalls will be needed for every match.

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BarkingSpyder

At 4-years old in Pensacola I repaired my steering linkage on my Ford Pedal-car. Dad later converted this car to a Blue Angel with ailerons and elevators with a working "stick/yoke"; the rudder was controlled by the steering wheel. I like all motorsports - I grew up going to a NASCAR Feeder track with Sportsman and Modified classes, and was lucky to attend drag races in 1970 at Orange County Raceway. My first solder-iron was a Christmas gift at 9yo; I modified T-Jets to be AFX spec before AFX Cars were in local stores. I rebuilt a few tractor & car (SIMCA) engines plus transmissions by 15yo (I still have my ring-compressor and valve spring tool) I am a former mountain and road bike geek & perennial sound engineer. Struggling guitar hobbyist and Amp "tweeker"