2002.03.07, 03:51 PM
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#1
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Guest
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NEW Indoor track !!
Well, I solved my biggest mini-z problem to date...where to run it inside..my floor is to slick and my carpet is to plush...stuck again..but wait I fixed it all!!. I have now designed and made a full oval track that can be used anywhere !!, it is small 4X8 feet (I live in a apartment) but can be made to any size or design possible !!, I used super tough materials so the track will last for years and years ( right now I made only a oval..for testing) the track is 100% portable (working on a carry case for it)..it contains no wood or steel and is super safe.
it scales in at uder 10 pounds for the entire 4x8 track.
each piece locks together for a super smooth wall and tight fit.
if the idea works I may even place adds to sell these great little tracks..
so let me know what you think..
stats on "mat track"
size - 4x8
design - oval
wall hieght - 3/4 "
wieght - under 10 pounds
# of track pieces 8 2x2 squares
track surface - high desity foam rubber (just the right amount of grip )
options:
more pieces (larger track)
more designs
if I were to sell them it would be for about 150.00 CAN
not including shipping..
and would include a carrying case !!
thanks for you time.. if you are interested please post back
pictures to follow !!
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2002.03.07, 10:30 PM
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#2
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Administrator
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 8,497
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Pics!!!
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2002.03.08, 08:25 AM
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#3
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Mini-Z Novice
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 34
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I too would like to see pics. It sounds cool if it can be bigger.
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2002.03.08, 08:36 AM
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#4
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Goodrich MI
Posts: 6,164
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$150 / (8 track pieces) = 1 section grid = $18.75 x 24 grids (for a 8' x 12' track @ 4x6 grids) = $450
What exactly is it made out of, and how? It might be similar to my track... And if any one is willing to pay $450 for that size track I am raising my prices! hehe.
And this dont have anything to do with couchracing.com that recently disapeared does it?
Last edited by Draconious; 2002.03.08 at 08:47 AM.
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2002.03.08, 11:47 AM
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#5
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Guest
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thanks for your replies..
Draconious - your pricing is a little off, the prices are not for each piece, but for the entire track, and extra pieces would not be as much as you listed..this is a very new idea to me so my pricing might be a little off..as for what it is made from - it is made from a high quality foam rubber compound, gives you as much grip as indoor/outdoor carpet but could allow the car to slide in the corners if you were to use a hard type tire. it is easy to clean and to maintain 100% water proof.. I can't give you all the details of the materials used (as I don't know them) but you do not need any wood or any other type of material to support the track (if you were to use it on the ground or floor)..
pics should be posted tonight, just trying to get the best angle to really show the track well..
and all lanes are 16 inches wide, at the time of this post I have raced 3 cars on the track at once, and it makes for some really fun racing, but you still need a little skill to stay off the walls.
keep the posts coming !!
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2002.03.08, 12:05 PM
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#6
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Goodrich MI
Posts: 6,164
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Well my current version of my track is very cheap now... low cost.. I hope it will probly cost more in build time and TOOLS then materials, Its also not going to be wood, the wood in my plans is for someting else now... I've gone from wood, to plastic, to foam, to wood to plastic, to a rubber. and I am hopping you have the same type of rubber maybe we can both find a realy good compound mix etc... and or a surplus suppy of it, and split it, I am trying for a room temperature molding rubber, that dont require heating/melting... I dont actualy have it or know what I will use yet... my track is pure 3D cad at this time.. but the wooden prototype might come soon. .
Also... if its open data... can I have track dimentions? like if you had a straight away, what the end would be... I will make "adapters" so our tracks can meat up I am using a 20" grid base plan... yours apears to be 24, yet you have 16" lanes?? Is the 2 foot thing just a guestimate? It should be doable.. real easy... all you will need from my track is a simple cross section to meat up with... and infact you realy wont even need that.. heck just a ramp up onto yours would be all thats needed... might not need adapters.
My track can not be stacked... it would require a "table" level be build above the track to stack it, wich I might do as well, but my plans so far for that are kinda silly looking, if I do it, I would include 2 ramps with it.. but the upper table area would have to be built by plans, or made from actual wood wich would be heavier to ship...
Are you using WOOD to mold it? or something else? Or are you cutting the rubber to shape?
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2002.03.08, 03:44 PM
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#7
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Guest
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The pieces I am using for my track prototype, I bought pre-made and they kinda fit like puzzle pieces, thus giving you a great interlocking feature, and if I plan it right you can swap pieces to give you a endless possibility of track designs..
my materials
foam rubber pieces - (4 per pack)
glue - (special formula)
vinyl tape - (from supplier)
some of the things I use are hard to find and/or buy, but you can find almost the same thing over the counter.
and I would be more than happy to share any ideas and/or supplies with you DRACONIOUS via email.
I don't mean to be keeping secrets and it is not really like me to do so, but this idea worked so well that I could make money on it !!, it is so simple yet the track is top-notch !!
when I get home i will post a few pics promise
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2002.03.08, 07:59 PM
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#8
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Guest
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pic1
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2002.03.08, 07:59 PM
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#9
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Guest
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pic2
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2002.03.08, 08:00 PM
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#10
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Guest
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pic3
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2002.03.08, 08:03 PM
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#11
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Guest
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as you can see from the 3 pics, the track is small 4x8 and my living room is not much larger (hehe)
the track works very well, in any space. as you can see in the pics the track is not only on carpet but on the floor at the same time, with no effects what so ever on the cars handling..
the foam fits so tightly that it's hard to see where the joints are.
hope these help
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2002.03.08, 08:47 PM
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#12
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Guest
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first prototype of the carry strap (hence the duct tape !!)
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2002.03.08, 08:58 PM
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#13
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Goodrich MI
Posts: 6,164
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OH I thought thats what it was I saw those mats before.. unless its still not those mats... maybe you made it I dont know, but I saw mats pre cut etc like that before.... were very thick.. and heavy.. for their worth... for flooring in a shop sound proofing etc.. i guess.
I would think a SUPER JUMBO pizza warmer case, with out the wamer, would work might only fit 6 or so in it though.. (so get 2) ehehe.
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2002.03.09, 11:16 AM
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#14
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Guest
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Hmm, the pizza case idea almost sounds like it would work, all I need to do is become a pizza man to get my hands on all the sweet pizza cases I want (hehe)
and you are pretty close to what the material is, but you still have to do some work on it to get it to glue and to fit together right.. the biggest down side is the cost for it, but if things work out I will see if I can get a large quantity discount..
thanks for the reply
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2002.03.09, 11:48 AM
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#15
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Moderator
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Goodrich MI
Posts: 6,164
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How thick is it? are both the top and bottom surfaces identical? -- if so... if its thick enough.. I wonder if it could be sliced in half along its central plane... get 2 out of each one... - of course the puzzle pattern would be reversed... does it connect upside down to another thats right side up?
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