home made track ideas...
after seeing the home made track for sale pictures I thought some might use part of his method to make a straight line drag strip...
using a wider based TRIM STOCK and some Lexan or plastic strips to make the inner side rails and to cover / pinch the inside section of the bases...the center strip's edges MUST be SMOOTH [I would buy strips with smooth sides first and build to match it...]...
I would cut plastic sheet / Lexan into strips to fit into the underside slots...
some contact cement and a countersunk screw / nut every so far and then anchor the dual lanes to your base...
vertical side rails affect speed but it is even for both lanes...
Discussion
VIDEO CAMERA MAN'S PVC REMOTE STARTER unit... upper right, screw and rubber hose are the bumper for the full size door ;
.pull the blue ribbon, it slides the pin back, releasing the door ;
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ribbon pulled, pin slid, door open ;
a section of Mc Donald's orange drink straw will work as the bushing for the string pully...
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LEGS FOLD UNDER THE UNIT FOR IT TO SIT FLAT... SWING THEM DOWN AND IT STANDS ON A COFFEE TABLE ;
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REVISED MODEL ..." PVC II",
[6] 90*s, [4] Ts, [2] END CAPS, [2] 1" X 1/4" STEEL SLEEVES, [9] 1/4" X 20 SCREWS, [4] 1/4" X 20 NUTS, [6] 1/4" FLAT WASHERS AND ABOUT 36" OF 1/2" PVC PIPE ;
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THE STRING FIRED REMOTE STARTER, THE SCREW THAT THE STRING USES TO CHANGE DIRECTION IS ANGLED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE TRACK BEING AT AN ANGLE AND THE STRING NOT... LEGS FOLDED UNDERNEATH;
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SLOTTED WASHERS FOR THE RETURN SPRING [ELASTIC], LEGS FOLDED DOWN ;
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PARTS TOTAL...ABOUT $9.00 AT LOWES...
Added a push button to the remote pull string start ;
Press down on the black taped horizontal shaft, it pulls the short string, starting the cars...
Replace the short string with a long one [remote start], flip the string onto the car side of the orange pivot shaft. stand down track, pull the string, starting the cars, for video taping...
portable starter for the old school track starter guys,
[4] 1/2" PVC 90* elbows, [2] 1/2" T's, about 19" of 1/2" PVC tubing, [4] wire ties ;
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swing down leg ;
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1/4" -20 countersunk screw, 1" flat washer that fits the hot wheels connector slot, 1/2" flat washer as a spacer ;
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the PVC "Tag along" starter ;
materials = $6. 50 at Lowes, vintage starter = $3.75 shipped on e-bay...[lucky]
on it !...
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I made it this size so that it makes [2] starters from a 1/8" x 8" x 10" sheet of lexan...
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drill and tap the lexan to 1/4"-20... I used a thin locknut under the lexan...
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the diameter difference between the tubing and the elbows creates a gap just under the lexan on the forward edge... this is perfect for sliding in a strip of lexan, cardboard or alumin. as a transfer if needed...
I made this "LIGHTNING LAUNCHER" a couple years ago for the kids to return the cars to the start...
being a hot rodder I used thicker elastics and doubled them up... well ... the kids couldn't have cared less about the downhill, they wanted to launch the cars...
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it has 4 speeds... and uses 'em all ! [notches in the lock strip]
2nd gear ;
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4th gear, note the checkerboard push button starters ;
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I added a flip up dual start option...
because the launcher raises the track level about 3/4", this track needs the finish line end of the table raised at least 1 inch with some track shims as the cars become "air-bourne" ;
STOCK, VINTAGE FINISH LINE, MISSING THE FLAG ;
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THROUGH SHAFT, HAND OPERATED LAUNCH WASHER, THE SMALLER WASHER THAT HANGS DOWN IS FOR HANGING A WEIGHT WITH A HOOK ON IT, GRAVITY HOLDS IT DOWN AND THE CARS BACK TILL READY TO LAUNCH WITH THE HAND OPERATED WASHER, HOLD THE WASHER, LIFT OFF THE WEIGHT, TWIST THE LAUNCH WASHER COUNTER CLOCKWISE ; 
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END PLATES, MIDDLE HOLE TO BE DRILLED TO 1/4" FOR THE SHAFT ' 
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SHAFT, DOOR ANCHOR, WEIGHT HANGER AND LAUNCH WASHER ;
.MOCK UP ;
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LOWES FOR SOME #6 SCREWS, WASHERS AND NUTS ; 
"STOP N' GO" ...PAINT, SCREWS, NUTS AND WEIGHT ...THAT IS ROGER FISHTAIL IN LANE 2 ;
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DOOR CLOSED ;
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DOOR OPEN ;
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PVC / LEXAN BASE FOR THE STOP N' GO STARTER, NOTE THE TAN RESTRAINING WEIGHT AND SWING DOWN REAR LEG ;
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TWIST THE BLACK WASHER COUNTER CLOCKWISE TO OPEN THE DOOR ;
JUNK FINISH LINE IS NOW A WORKING STARTING GATE
hand operated starter ; screws, washers, nuts, some tubing, some flat stock and a Lexan door... just drill a 1/4" hole and tightly secure the vertical screw ...
staged ;
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there they go ! ;
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behind the lines ;
really cheap starter...
the back up burnout track is headed west, well, mid west...
newly renamed the "fishtail track"...
extra, stripped [empty] starter box included for future experimentation......