Building the J & L Raceway
~ Part 1 ~
Building a Home Slot Car Track
Text by Larry Geddes - Photos by James J. Van Scoter
(Note - Click on images for larger view - use browser's "back" button to return)
Building the J & L Raceway
~ Part 1 ~
Building a Home Slot Car Track
Text by Larry Geddes - Photos by James J. Van Scoter
(Note - Click on images for larger view - use browser's "back" button to return)
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1) The basic bare table. Has a ¾” plywood top, height is about 20” above the floor. The lead-on & part of the main straight can be seen at the right. |
| 2) The bank feasibility study in progress. This is actually the section of track seen in photo 1, turned around & being used as a guinea pig. |
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3) The proprietors J&L at work, using a router trammel to finish-contour the OD of a curve. |
| 4) The included angle of the curve being cut with a special jig. The protractor is set to “zero” & the first cut made… |
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5) ...Then the jig is rotated the desired angle & the second end is cut. This is a 140-degree curve for the dead-man. |
| 6) The finished curve, after cutting out the center. |
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7) Most of the pieces for our track, & the jigs that made them. The three curves, from the top, are the bank, the 2-piece donut, & the dead-man. (The lead-on is not shown) The jigs are, top down, a marking gauge for drawing the OD & ID of the curves, the router trammel for finishing the OD of the curves, & the angle-cutting jig. |
| 8) a), b) & c) Track pieces being test-fitted prior to routing. Excess material on the straights is simply overlapped at this point. |
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9) Bottom view of the roller jig used to rout the first slot. Note the ball-bearing rollers that ride on the edge of the track. |
| 10) Top view of the roller jig. Cutter is raised. |
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11) The roller jig ready to cut the first slot. Cutter is inserted in a starter hole. |
| 12) The pin jig, cutting the last slot. This jig has two 1/8-inch pins that ride in the previously routed slot, maintaining the lane spacing. |
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13) Track is now completely routed & spliced together. Most of the risers are in place, & screw holes & joints are being filled. |
| 14) The view from the bank end. The hole in the table just before the dead-man is for wiring access to the taps. |
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15) View of the donut. Here the gutter transitions can be clearly seen. |
| 16) A low view down the main straight. |
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© 1999 The Old Weird Herald
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