I just have to get this off my chest ! I have noticed that the only really successful track video's that show real competition at near normal competitive speeds was that manufactured by Wes himself ! If Wes were to have been able to offer tracks at an affordable price many of you and several others would still be racing and enjoying Magracing ! Of course this was not feasible and that is why I had mentioned in fun, the possibility of ready made track sections ! There is a real talent required to manufacture a Magracing track and obviously Wes had it ! Also of course the availability of RTR cars would have helped !
Just saying ! Respectably yours Al.
Success of Magracing !
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HeliumFrog
- Posts: 82
- Joined: Tue 7. Oct 2014 22:28
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Re: Success of Magracing !
Whilst you are correct that ready made track sections would certainly help to attract new users to Magracing, there is a large section of the slot car community who race on routed tracks. I would say that to produce a magracing track is much easier than a routed design and is also easier to correct if you make a mistake. The track also is much cheaper.
I am not sure as to whether you built a magracing track, but if you had I would suspect that you would not be saying it is difficult to do, In fact its actually quite easy, particularly if you use Kelds routing method. The other trick is to use decent straight wire and not to skip and use coiled or welding wire.
As for the ready made cars, this is becoming a real issue for us at the moment. I have made progress this week and the radio board prototypes arrived back this week.
I am not sure as to whether you built a magracing track, but if you had I would suspect that you would not be saying it is difficult to do, In fact its actually quite easy, particularly if you use Kelds routing method. The other trick is to use decent straight wire and not to skip and use coiled or welding wire.
As for the ready made cars, this is becoming a real issue for us at the moment. I have made progress this week and the radio board prototypes arrived back this week.
Re: Success of Magracing !
This will probably be my last text as I hate typing ! Yes I have built a Magracing track as one should not judge unless one has tried, but I soon realized that this was a far greater challenge than one realizes ! As a builder of literally hundreds of slot car tracks , there is no way a Magracing track is easier ! Thousands of successful tracks have been built over the years and are still in operation ! I have yet to see (other than Wes's tracks ) a successful club racing video ! There are some nicely built tracks however no proof of actual competition as in slot car racing in which there are tons ! It is a great concept however does not appear to be viable at the competitive level !
I soon went a different direction as the cars allowed the potential of multi-car racing on slotted tracks ! Go to You Tube and search: Dad track 01 . This is a prototype R/C slot car track using routed lane changing sections ! As you can see, with the exception of a no grip situation, the concept works and I was going to continue with this idea ! I could now offer sectional track featuring long sections at reasonable cost ! Another thought at this time was the large potential of offering a template allowing all existing routed tracks to add this lane change feature opening up a whole new world of multi-choice lane usage . Welcome to R/C slot car racing !
It was at this time that Wes started having problems with his suppliers and the fear of a shortage of car availability existed ! Also the need for a RTR car was so needed ! This is where I pulled out , however the potential is still there ! Owners of Scalextric, and Carrera could also use their tracks with a small adjustment to the lane change ! I would love to see a RTR car available however it has to be plentiful ! Sincerely : Al
I soon went a different direction as the cars allowed the potential of multi-car racing on slotted tracks ! Go to You Tube and search: Dad track 01 . This is a prototype R/C slot car track using routed lane changing sections ! As you can see, with the exception of a no grip situation, the concept works and I was going to continue with this idea ! I could now offer sectional track featuring long sections at reasonable cost ! Another thought at this time was the large potential of offering a template allowing all existing routed tracks to add this lane change feature opening up a whole new world of multi-choice lane usage . Welcome to R/C slot car racing !
It was at this time that Wes started having problems with his suppliers and the fear of a shortage of car availability existed ! Also the need for a RTR car was so needed ! This is where I pulled out , however the potential is still there ! Owners of Scalextric, and Carrera could also use their tracks with a small adjustment to the lane change ! I would love to see a RTR car available however it has to be plentiful ! Sincerely : Al
Re: Success of Magracing !
The lack of grip on your track here, is the same many slotcar tracks have. But it is easy to fix on slotcar tracks, glue or change of tires.
And the missing possibility of tyre change on magracing killed the interest many places.
Also for me, but i not giving up just doing so test with other homebuild cars but too little time right now slow down my progress
/Keld
Re: Success of Magracing !
Hi Keld ! It wasn,t the lack of grip that worried me, that's an easy fix. I just used 1" shrink tube on the rear tires and received great grip , it was just the unavailable RTR cars so necessary for the non modelers who just want to race ! By the way, this is a great forum you have programmed and has certainly done its job ! Al
Re: Success of Magracing !
Hello Everyone,
Although I bought my Magracing McLaren several years ago I've only followed the hobby on the Forum and not contributed.
That is, until now.
Having read the Post from Pal-Al and Helium Frog I could not resist in offering support for these ideas and
your vision of where Magracing might go in the future.
For me, the the concept of having a "Racing Line" on a model car racing track immediately won me over to Wes Raynor's Magracing
and I immediately invested in a car and controller. Personally I found the track build fairly easy with card and glue it all went together
quite quickly. However, I do not have room for a permanent track and now the idea of track sections is an attractive one.
So, the things that attracted me to Magracing was the realism of no slots, and the racing line.
Unfortunately, and I understand all the reasons why, the realism didn't extend to the cars.
When we see the fantastic bodies being offered by manufacturers in the slot racing world
it has proved very frustrating not to be able to buy the same standard of ready to run cars for
my Magracing Track.
This has for me been the main reason for not continuing with the hobby for the past two years.
Obviously F1 cars are not practical at this stage but a range of finely detailed LM cars - yes please.
A final thought about the tracks.
I made a conscious effort to make my track as simple and as smooth as possible.
Al, your slotted Magtrack may be going in a direction Wes didn't intend but it obviously
works. That's because you kept it simple.
Looking at many digital slot racing videos and some of the Magracing tracks that were built
it soon became obvious to me that with any more than two or three cars on a twisty track it quickly
degenerated into chaos. Overall, I would say that it is not humanly possible to react quickly enough
to avoid constant collisions and general mayhem without plenty of room on the circuit and only a
few cars.
And yes I agree, Wes produced the best videos, but they are on a big track with only three cars and obviously
very experienced and competent drivers.
Best of luck to those of you who, like me, want to see a future for Magracing and thanks for all your
interesting posts over the last few years.
I'm off to start designing a new track now....... In sections of course.
Jim
PS. I'd be interested to know of any other Magracers in the UK.
Who knows, we might even get together for a race one day.
Although I bought my Magracing McLaren several years ago I've only followed the hobby on the Forum and not contributed.
That is, until now.
Having read the Post from Pal-Al and Helium Frog I could not resist in offering support for these ideas and
your vision of where Magracing might go in the future.
For me, the the concept of having a "Racing Line" on a model car racing track immediately won me over to Wes Raynor's Magracing
and I immediately invested in a car and controller. Personally I found the track build fairly easy with card and glue it all went together
quite quickly. However, I do not have room for a permanent track and now the idea of track sections is an attractive one.
So, the things that attracted me to Magracing was the realism of no slots, and the racing line.
Unfortunately, and I understand all the reasons why, the realism didn't extend to the cars.
When we see the fantastic bodies being offered by manufacturers in the slot racing world
it has proved very frustrating not to be able to buy the same standard of ready to run cars for
my Magracing Track.
This has for me been the main reason for not continuing with the hobby for the past two years.
Obviously F1 cars are not practical at this stage but a range of finely detailed LM cars - yes please.
A final thought about the tracks.
I made a conscious effort to make my track as simple and as smooth as possible.
Al, your slotted Magtrack may be going in a direction Wes didn't intend but it obviously
works. That's because you kept it simple.
Looking at many digital slot racing videos and some of the Magracing tracks that were built
it soon became obvious to me that with any more than two or three cars on a twisty track it quickly
degenerated into chaos. Overall, I would say that it is not humanly possible to react quickly enough
to avoid constant collisions and general mayhem without plenty of room on the circuit and only a
few cars.
And yes I agree, Wes produced the best videos, but they are on a big track with only three cars and obviously
very experienced and competent drivers.
Best of luck to those of you who, like me, want to see a future for Magracing and thanks for all your
interesting posts over the last few years.
I'm off to start designing a new track now....... In sections of course.
Jim
PS. I'd be interested to know of any other Magracers in the UK.
Who knows, we might even get together for a race one day.
Re: Success of Magracing !
Jimbo,
You ought to consider using 1" thick XPS rigid foam insulation board with tongue and groove to make a sectional track. Sections 32" by 48", cut from 48" x 96" panels would probably work best.
Almost all 1/32 slot car bodies can be fitted to a magracing chassis built from one of my kits along with the wheels, tires, axles, and gears from the slot car. Of course the motor, steering coil, and electronics board from a stock magracer are needed as well as a few magnets, screws, and nuts. Chassis kits CK4, CK5, and CK6 are the newest designs and best for most cases. All chassis have adjustable wheelbases. Check them out at https://www.shapeways.com/shops/magraci ... +Parts&s=0
Ned
You ought to consider using 1" thick XPS rigid foam insulation board with tongue and groove to make a sectional track. Sections 32" by 48", cut from 48" x 96" panels would probably work best.
Almost all 1/32 slot car bodies can be fitted to a magracing chassis built from one of my kits along with the wheels, tires, axles, and gears from the slot car. Of course the motor, steering coil, and electronics board from a stock magracer are needed as well as a few magnets, screws, and nuts. Chassis kits CK4, CK5, and CK6 are the newest designs and best for most cases. All chassis have adjustable wheelbases. Check them out at https://www.shapeways.com/shops/magraci ... +Parts&s=0
Ned
Re: Success of Magracing !
Hello Ned
Thanks for your reply to my email.
I've had a look at the chassis. Well done - that looks spot on.
I'll have to have a serious think about this.
As I don't have the time to hunt out bodies and associated parts
I suppose, in a perfect world, I'm looking for ready built (or at least
in kit build form), Magracing cars, built to the high detail of Slot-it
and similar slot car brands.
I could just give up with this and get back into slot cars but I think
the unique feature of having a "Racing Line" that Magracing offers
can't be matched by conventional slot based systems.
Again, best of luck with your involvement in the project.
Jim
Thanks for your reply to my email.
I've had a look at the chassis. Well done - that looks spot on.
I'll have to have a serious think about this.
As I don't have the time to hunt out bodies and associated parts
I suppose, in a perfect world, I'm looking for ready built (or at least
in kit build form), Magracing cars, built to the high detail of Slot-it
and similar slot car brands.
I could just give up with this and get back into slot cars but I think
the unique feature of having a "Racing Line" that Magracing offers
can't be matched by conventional slot based systems.
Again, best of luck with your involvement in the project.
Jim