New Garden-Track? Your opinion and your thoughts, please.

Tell us about your track, post a picture from the track together with description

Where is the track located, and is it open for visitors like a club track,
Ned
Posts: 368
Joined: Sun 13. Apr 2014 01:02
Location: Sedona, AZ USA

Re: New Garden-Track? Your opinion and your thoughts, please

Post by Ned »

If your track will be in intense direct sunlight at any time, plan for expansion and contraction of the track. You may need to plan for the expansion and contraction of the wire also.
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Lasp
Posts: 313
Joined: Wed 16. Jan 2013 16:35
Location: Helsingborg, Sweden

Re: New Garden-Track? Your opinion and your thoughts, please

Post by Lasp »

I belive that the track placed outdoors will have the margin for sunshine and heat, as ordinary race!
A small gam in the sections for the wire doesn't make any harm!
Ned
Posts: 368
Joined: Sun 13. Apr 2014 01:02
Location: Sedona, AZ USA

Re: New Garden-Track? Your opinion and your thoughts, please

Post by Ned »

If the track is not permanently left outside or it's not fastened down to some surface, I agree that no allowance needs to be made for expansion and contraction due to changes in track surface temperature. If it is located outside year round, then provisions for expansion and contraction might need to be made.
My track is located outside year round with no cover. The temperature here goes from a low of 10 degrees F (-12 C) to a high of 100 degrees F (38 C) but the track surface reaches 150 degrees F (66 C) in the direct sun during mid-day in June. Based on empirical observations, I estimate my track material expands .03"/10 degrees F/10 feet. Given a 140 degree F swing in surface temperature over an entire year, my longest section, 28 feet, will expand about 1.2". My track material is light enough that a strong wind could lift it up and damage it. Consequently I have to fasten it down and still provide for expansion and contraction.
I won't know for another year how well my track holds up against the weather.
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Lasp
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Location: Helsingborg, Sweden

Re: New Garden-Track? Your opinion and your thoughts, please

Post by Lasp »

Sorry! But are there some pictures?
Maybee I missed it!
Ned
Posts: 368
Joined: Sun 13. Apr 2014 01:02
Location: Sedona, AZ USA

Re: New Garden-Track? Your opinion and your thoughts, please

Post by Ned »

I have not posted any pictures yet.
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HeliumFrog
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Re: New Garden-Track? Your opinion and your thoughts, please

Post by HeliumFrog »

Concerning the expansion of the track if left outside. Although I live in the UK where we don't get blazing hot summers or freezing winters. I have a garage roof (Which is about 1.5 x1.5 times the size of a normal garage roof). The roof is made of marine plywood screwed to the rafters at about 6" intervals and covered with fibreglass and resin in a continuous sheet. There are no expansion slots and at one side its fixed to a solid wall. Its been up now 10 years and I haven't had any problems with it cracking or lifting. I assume the expansion is so small that it isn't a problem. This leads me to believe that a Magracing track of similar proportions would be OK. I'm not sure of thin strips of race track as they may twist.

And yes before you ask I have considered it as a place for a track! I could sit on the loo, open my bathroom window and go racing!
rex craemer
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Location: cologne

Re: New Garden-Track? Your opinion and your thoughts, please

Post by rex craemer »

hello together, i think i woud try to cut the wire in short pieces.laying and glueing,and then cutting with a dremel.so every little piece can expand in the sun.the little cut wont small the magnetpower. i think about thermik problems ,because i want to built outdoortrack too.the lenght of the pieces that wont bend has to be tested .real concrete streets have cuts so they can work against the next plate. maybe thats a way to handle tempproblems. greetings markus
Ned
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Joined: Sun 13. Apr 2014 01:02
Location: Sedona, AZ USA

Re: New Garden-Track? Your opinion and your thoughts, please

Post by Ned »

Regardless of whether or not you glue the wire on top of the baseboard or glue it in a groove (slot) in the baseboard, I would recommend using long pieces of wire in the turns (curves). Unless the track is permanently located outside in a desert, a gap of .060" between 36" long pieces of wire is more than adequate.
For information on building an outdoor track, check out the topic Materials, Tools, & Techniques for Outdoor Track http://www.magracingforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=293
Ned
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