Runnig outdoors?

[masmojo]

The topic came up on SCI about outdoors tracks and I have been thinking about the possibility of a Mag steer track outside, possibly even on the concrete in the garage or on a patio or something like that!? Anybody tried that yet??

[Nor Cal Mike]

This magsteer thing is so new and it was rolled out at the beginning of winter, I doubt that anyone has tried doing an outdoor track at this point. I suppose if a person could provide a smooth enough slab of concrete with a wire installed at close enough tolerances, that it would work just fine. I assume that you mean attaching the wire to the surface of an already existing slab and then do a thin build up of some sturdy, waterproof material flush to the top of the wire. Maybe epoxy filler would be the way to go. I am not sure. Do you plan to drive your 1:1 grocery getter car over this track when you pull it into the garage?

Between my slot car hobby and my British sports car fetish ( I have 3 Triumph Sports cars) my garage space is pretty much tapped out. The the thought of an outdoor magsteer track intrigues me. I have thought of using fiberglass FRP paneling over a light weight, wooden framework. FRP on a 1X2 frame would be very light weight and easy to handle and store. I would then epoxy the wire down to the surface before building it up with an automotive body filler like Bondo. If you were careful in how the wood is covered in fiberglass so that moisture shed over without soaking the wood, it should last a long time in the outdoors. I used FRP as exterior siding over the wooden skin of a teardrop travel trailer that I built 15 years ago. The trailer is still going strong to this day and has no water leaks. I do not garage this trailer. It sits outside 24-7-52.
Mike

[Double Naught]

Should work fine, this is one reason why I would like to go modular. My cardboard tracks will be outside when the snow melts.

Paul

[Martin H]

I just found this forum and joined (hello everyone!), but I've been watching the progress on MAGracing for some time now. My first thought when I found Wes' website was that this system could finally remove the old problem of finding space for a large enough track by simply moving the whole thing outdoors (I already have a 4m x 1.5m BLST track filling one room in my house, and there's no way I could get away with taking over another room..). Not only that, but an outdoor track might also produce a circuit with a more realistic scale size - as large as you want to make it, in fact - and a race around a terrace or through flower beds etc could be good fun. It seems to me that this would perhaps be the ultimate way to combine the best features of RC and slot car racing, and make MAGracing a great solution to the problems inherent in both.

Anyway, I was just about to post a message asking whether anyone had come up with a viable idea for how to make such a track when I found this thread. Has anyone thought any further about it yet? I'd thought about something semi-permanent - maybe built in sections (cast concrete tiles??) to enable amendments - laid out at ground level or on a low wall.

Best

Martin H

[Double Naught]

Hi Martin, Welcome to the forum. For some reason I missed your post earlier. Hmm, cast concrete would be interesting. I'm still working on a prototype modular track, I should have something to post soon. I have seen the BLST tracks they look very cool, how do you like it?

Paul

[oldslotracer]

This track (now at the dump) and the new one I'm working on right now are both meant to be set up outside

[Lasp]

I am glad you say "@ the dump"
Its the only way we will make progress!
Left the Old Slot (tracks) Behind Us. OSBU. A new thing

Yesterday I put 10 sheets of a modular track in the garbits can!
Today its was only tree left!

How has the cars?

[Martin H]

Hi Martin, Welcome to the forum. For some reason I missed your post earlier. Hmm, cast concrete would be interesting. I'm still working on a prototype modular track, I should have something to post soon. I have seen the BLST tracks they look very cool, how do you like it?

Paul

Thanks for the reply and the welcome, Paul.

The BLST system works very well and makes for some great racing. I suppose the only problem is the cost and lack of adaptability - so it's important to get your track design right (unless you go with one of David Caille's new modular systems). Mine is the 'Brands Hatch' one shown on the Sillage Racing site here: http://sillage.atelierdrupal.net/fr/con ... ands-hatch

I'll look forward to seeing how you get on with your idea, and hearing what other suggestions there are. For me the outdoor track is really the only way to go to save indoor space and get anywhere close to realistic scale racing.

Best

Martin H

[Lasp]

The MagRacing has a Big advantage because there is no elektricitet or cabels involved.
Some of My charger has a 12 V input, so it should be very easy to run without 220V.