Showing posts with label Slot Cars. Show all posts

Monday, 30 June 2014

Start Sets by Scalextric

There are a few Start Sets by Scalextric. The track is a little sturdier. Some of these sets:

What else makes them neat?

All you need to get started

This sets includes everything you need to get started, including skill level hand throttles – twist the dial on the side for the novice setting so that cars won't come off the track, or set it to advanced for more realistic skill-based racing. Also included are track, a lap counter, and two racers.

Fun, flexible, and realistic

A lap counter is included in this set so that two drivers can set up to 50 laps of endurance racing. Each hand controller has a two-position selector switch which allows the driver to choose slow or fast speed settings to reflect the driver's experience.

The Scalextric Start track has a very easy push-together, pull-apart system which keeps assembly time down to a minimum. There are four alternative track shapes to make, and the vehicles are tough and robust. A sheet of decals is supplied with each car so that the car can be decorated with racing graphics.

Adjust the difficulty for different skill levels.

Why choose Scalextric Start?

The Scalextric Start range is designed to be the perfect introduction to Scalextric for children aged 5 years and up, featuring parts designed specifically for younger racers. The track pieces are especially easy to connect and disconnect, making for easier assembly and tidying away. Each set includes super tough cars built to take a tumble, and they need not whiz off the track at all thanks to the optional novice setting on the hand throttles. Scalextric Start is also compatible with standard Scalextric products.

Scalextric Start provides everything for the rookie racer in a ready-to-race package. Accelerate into the world of 1:32 scale slot racing; available in a selection of ready-to-race sets, Scalextric Start provides everything for the rookie racer!

With so many choices, you can really have an interesting layout and remember it can be expanded on with any number of accessories and of course, more track.

We hope you enjoyed this blog post. Please comment and let us know what you think. Feel free to share this article with a friend!

Thanks, from all the guys at Chinook & Hobby West

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Friday, 24 January 2014

Basic Slot Car Maintenance - Part 3

Make sure to check out Part 1 of our Basic Slot Car Maintenance to learn:

Fixing track to a Baseboard
Power drops and breaks
Testing Lane Change sections

and Part 2:

Cleaning
Lubricating the Chassis
Guide Braid/Blade replacement.

Welcome to the exciting hobby of Slot Cars. At the beginning it is great fun, until everything starts to hesitate and slow down. That's when you need to look after your setup so you can continue with maximum enjoyment of your Slot Car experience.

You are here to learn abut how to maintain your Slot Car setup before it needs major maintenance (we hope we've caught you in time, lol)

Weather you have a small and simple setup or a 4+ lane for club racing, the proper cleaning routine is needed.

Tire Maintenance

Cleaning the tires gives the greatest amount of benefit to car performance.

Before using these tips, ensure that the track surface is clean and dust free.

For the novice:

Clean the rear tires with a slightly damp cloth.
Dry the rear tires.
Test the car on track.

A good tip is to visually check the colour of the rear tyres. If they are grey (the colour of dust) then they need cleaning. Repeat the process of cleaning and testing until the tires remain black after a track test. Then, the tires are ready to produce the best results.

For the experienced racer:

Clean the tires with tape (masking or gaffer tape or similar)
Test the car on track.

For the advanced racer:

Clean the tires with tape
Apply 3-in-1 oil (or similar) to the tire surface. Rub it in to the tire surface.
Gently remove any excess oil from the tire surface. Tires can be moist but not wet.
Test the car on track.

Tire truing is also recommended for the advanced racer and involves running the rear tyres on a flat surface of sand/glass paper to wear the tyres down to a smooth flat surface where 100% of the contact area touches the track surface.

Magnets & Downforce

What to race : A Super Resistant or Fully Detailed car?

Let's use the Audi R8 GT3 as a comparison. It comes in detailed and super-resistant form. With two cars of the same make, in super-resistant and detailed build, the differing down-force between each car might influence your choice depedent upon what type of circuit you race on.

The magnets on both cars are the same so why the difference in down-force?
A super-resistant Audi R8 has a weight of 87 gm and a magnet force of 260 gm. This down-force is measured with the magnet fitted to the car. The overall downward weight on the track is, therefore, the force of the weight of the car and magnet together. E.g. 260gms. The magnet accounts for a force of (260-87) 173gms.
A detailed car has a higher weight of 93 gm and a magnet force of 277gms. The magnet added a force of (277-93) 184gms.

The 11gms difference between both cars is accounted for by no two magnets being alike in terms of their magnetic attraction (gauss value). Other factors such as flexibility of the chassis also come into play as does the condition of the track, thickness of the tyres, etc as the distance of magnet from rail is critical and exponential. The magnet being twice as close to the track doesn't mean it's effect is two-fold - it could be tens times stronger! So differences in all of these areas can make significant differences.

From a practical point of view, for racing both cars have good performance. This car does race well and feels sure-footed, even for those racers who prefer to race without a magnet (which is the best way to race in my opinion!).
Pros and cons are:
A light weight super-resistant car is superior on smooth track and/or long straights since it won’t be inclined to de-slot and can accelerate to top speed far quicker than a heavier fully detailed car. For circuits with bumps or only short straights a heavier car is recommended because the extra weight is required to keep the car in the slot and not so much is time is wasted accelerating along short straight lengths of the track.

If you have a car that sticks to the track too much check the underpan to see if the magnet can be moved to a different position. Usually, moving it foward lessens the downforce effect. When you are ready for more of a challenge, try removing the magnet completely. It's interesting to note that most Scalextric clubs ban the use of magnets!

---weights can also be used to increase downforce

Motors - An overview

An overview of Scalextric motors.

Scalextric motors are rigourously tested to help ensure that the Scalextric car is fitted with a motor that has good durability and will give many years of serviceable life without problems.

Is maintenance necessary?

Generally, a Scalextric motor needs no maintenance at all for the average home user. In fact, the car is built so that access to the motor is difficult. This is to comply with toy regulations and means that the motor has to be durable and maintenance free.

Maintenance for the enthusiast.

Enthusiasts may want to ensure that the motor is running at its optimum. Therefore, with chassis removed, it is possible to add a single drop of oil (3-in-1 light oil) to the ends of the motor shaft. Whilst this maintenance is carried out it is also good practice to clean all moving parts such as the pinion and axle gears and the axle bearings and lightly oil these components. Electrical contact cleaner can be used to clean the internal motor brushes but be sure to only carry out this maintenance on a cold motor.

Motor specifications

Scalextric motors are expected to be used at 12 to 15v. In practice they will work up to 18v without much problem. Above 20v seriously shortens the life of a motor.
In basic terms, current draw is 0.5 to 1Amp. However, strength or magnet, weight of car, grip of tyres are but just three factors that effect current draw.
Note that the current draw will only, and can only, be no more than the current available from the power source!
We recommend that only Scalexctric power supplies are used.

The standard Mabuchi S (SP) can motor or Mabuchi slimline motor (FF) fitted to most Scalextric cars are rated at 18,000 r.p.m. measured at 12v.

Performance Motor range

Motors can be changed for higher revving motors. See our Performance Motors range.
This range has 20,000, 25,000 and 30,000 rpm motors available.

Car Tuning

We do not recommend that any tuning is performed on an electric motor other than a spot of oil placed on the external motor shaft bearings - now and again. However, the components that act with a motor to deliver forward motion can be tuned. Adding a higher revving motor doesn't neccessarily mean quicker lap times or a better handling car! Different gear ratios can be used to effect the acceleration and braking of the car to improve the overall balance and performance. This is where tuning becomes more of an art. There are no strict guide lines to say what is best as so much depends upon such elements as driving technique, motor, car balance, tyre grip, track surface, hand controller, gear ratios and shape of track circuit - to name but a few variables - but making changes one step at a time and recording the differences is a steady logical way to go.

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Extras

Performance Tyres

The performance range of tyres will fit most Scalextric cars.
Here's a brief guide to indicate which tyres will fit your car for those extra fast lap times.

C8413 - set of 4

Porsche 997
BMW 318Si
Aston Martin DBS
Dodge Viper
Peugeot 908
Nissan 350Z
Ford GT 2004
Nissan Skyline JGTC
Ford Mustang FR500C
Lamborghini Gallardo
Porsche Spyder
Ferrari F430
Maserati MC12
Aston Martin DBR9

C8414 - set of 4

F1, Indy, A1GP cars.

C8415 - set of 4

Chevrolet Camaro
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
Ford Mustang
Ford Torino
Ferrari 330 P3/P4

C8416 - set of 4

Chaparral 2F
Subaru Impreza
Ford Focus
Peugeot 307
Alfa Romeo 159
Seat Leon
Porsche 911 GT3R

We here at Chinook & Hobby West, would like you to have the maximum fun with your Slot Car set. Please feel free to come down and talk to us about showing you how to clean and maintain your cars and tracks or to upgrade your cars to Digital.

We carry Scalextric 1:32 scale Slot Cars. We are expanding our selection for the slot car season of 2014-2015 (November to March).

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Friday, 17 January 2014

Basic Slot Car Maintenance - Part 2

Make sure to check out Part 1 of our Basic Slot Car Maintenance to learn:

Fixing track to a Baseboard
Power drops and breaks
Testing Lane Change sections

Cleaning

Scalextric track

Since the year 2000, Scalextric amended the track design to improve the rigidity of the track and the ease of assembly. It is now possible to simply push two track pieces together in order to connect them, no need for fiddly connectors.

Cleaning Scalextric track

Light cleaning of track surface for daily use: Use a damp cloth or very lightly oiled cloth. This removes light grime and dust from the track surface. Wipe surface dry after using a damp cloth. As matter of good practice, always do this before using the Scalextric layout as this will help ensure you get the best grip from the car tyres.

Older Scalextric track

Track produced before the year 2000 is known as Classic track. It can be identified by the round popper track connectors.

Cleaning Classic track

Light cleaning of track surface for daily use: Use a damp cloth or very lightly oiled cloth. This removes light grime and dust from the track surface. Wipe surface dry after using a damp cloth.

Track rails

Unless kept in perfect conditions, older track rails will acquire quite a dark tarnish to the pick-up rails and this will prevent the right amount of current getting through to the motor. To remove the tarnishing or oxidisation, try a Hornby Railways track rubber to see if some of the surface tarnish can be removed.

Corrosion and heavy tarnishing

Use a mild abrasive material to shine up the running surfaces of the pick-up rails, making sure that the male and female connections at the ends of the track sections are also bright and shiny. Be aware that sometimes no amount of cleaning of heavily corroded rails and connectors will return the track to a useable state and replacement of track in this condition is the only alternative.

Cleaning and Lubricating The Chassis

Scalextric cars do not require additional oiling when used, say, for racing for fun. However, if you wish to improve the performance of your car there are several things you can do.

Top Tip: Lubrication of moving parts.

Level: Beginner - use these instructions if you have basic hobby skills.

Tools required: Small philips screwdriver, small stiff brush, 3-in-1 oil.

Remove the chassis from the car body.
Use a small stiff brush to remove the dust and dirt from the interior of the chassis
Use tweezers or similar to remove debris entangled in the axles and wheels
Place one drop of light 3-in-1 oil to each of the axle bearings and to the motor shaft bearings
Wipe off any excess oil
Re-assemble the chassis to the car body
Test the car on track

Level: Expert - Only carry out these steps if you are an experienced hobbyist

Tools required: Small philips screwdriver, small stiff brush, tweezers, 3-in-1 oil.

Remove the chassis from the car body
Remove dust and dirt from the interior of the chassis
Remove impacted or loose debris at the axles, wheels, bearings, gears and, very importantly, between each tooth of the motor pinion gear and main axle gear wheel

Place one drop of light 3-in-1 oil to:

each of the axle bearings
the motor shaft bearings
guide blade shaft (remove guide blade screw)
thread of each chassis screw (during re-assembly)
Wipe off any excess oil
Re-assemble the chassis to the car body. Tighten the body screws fully (do not over-tighten) then back off the screw by one complete turn to leave the chassis slightly loose to the car body. This may not be appropriate for open wheel cars, but as a general rule this will improve performance. Test the car and adjust the screwn tightness accordingly.
Test the car on track

Guide Braid/Blade Replacement

What is the guide and braid?

The guide is normally a small 'keel' (but can be a pin as used in Micro Scalextric) which runs in the track slot and guides the car around the track layout.

The braid is fitted to the slot guide blade assembly. It allows electrical power to pass from the track rails, up through the braids and into the car to power the lights, motor and, if fitted, a digital chip, etc.

With regular use, the braid will eventually wear out and will need to be replaced. Regular maintenance and care can see a braid last for the life of the car.

To keep the braid in good repair:

always clean them with a small stiff brush (an old toothpaste brush is ideal)
ensure that the braids are flat against the guide and not angled down
ensure that the braids are positioned so that they are in line with the track slot rails.

Replacing the braid

Since 1990, an easy-fit system has been used and most Scalextric cars have a very simple push-fit method of replacing the braid.

Replacing the guide blade:

Guide blades do not wear out and will only need replacing in the event of breakage. The easy-fit guide blade can be replaced from the exterior of the car without the need for tools. The recent C8329 round guide blade requires a screwdriver to gain access to the interior of the car to release the guide blade retaining screw.

We carry Scalextric 1:32 scale Slot Cars. We are expanding our selection for the slot car season of 2014-2015 (November to March).

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Friday, 10 January 2014

Basic Slot Car Maintenance - Part 1

Fixing Track to a Baseboard

Ideally, it is best not to nail, screw or glue the track to a base board at all. The reason for this is that plastic and metal, the two ingredients of Scalextric track, expand and contract at different rates. So, on hot days the plastic will expand larger than the rail. Of course, the rail won't let the plastic expand evenly due to the rail gripping the plastic. This causes the track surface to warp.

When the track is laid loose the circuit can 'grow' and absorb any expansion due to heat. If the track is not allowed to move freely (ie nailed down) then any expansion will only lead to uneven surfaces.

If the layout is to lay flat, leave the track loose. Keep the layout in a dry and constant temperature room. This normally means that the loft, shed and garage are not good places.

Power Drops and Breaks

The most often asked question is 'My car has stopped on the track. What has broken?'

The most common (1 =most common) reasons that this might happen are:

The track piece that the car is resting on has no electrical power due to bad track connections.
The car motor has expired or their is a mechanical reason within the car that is stopping the motor from turning (e.g. tyre jammed against wheel arch).
A guide braid has come out.
The hand controller is not plugged in to the power base fully.
The electrical power switch is turned off.
The car has developed a fault.
The hand controller has broken.
A motor wire has broken.
The power base has broken.
The power base is not connected to the power supply.
The power supply lead is broken.
The power supply has broken.

Here's how to cure the most common problem of electrical power problems on the track - No 1 above.

When the following procedure has been completed you should be able to race cars at full speed on tracks of up to 200 feet or more without any practical electrical problems.

Power jumper cables can be used on 'analogue' or digital track circuits. Note, though, that a power jumper cable only hides a bad track connection and, ultimately, it is better to fix the track problem than add power jumper cables.

Question: There are power breaks or weak power sections on the Scalextric layout. How can this be repaired?

Answer:When a car stops on circuit this can indicate TWO breaks in electrical continuity since electricity travels in both directions around the track. If there was only one break then you would not notice it as electricity flows in both direction!

The way to correct this problem is to:

Disconnect the track behind the power base.
Then drive a car forward at a slow speed. When the car crosses from one piece of track to the next there should not be a drop in power/speed.
If there is a drop or loss in power, then fix the track connection. Disconnect both track pieces (the track piece immediately before and after the fault). Turn them over on a hard surface. Ensure that the metal rail tabs at the ends of the rails (there are 8 of them on every track piece) are fully pressed and clamped down to the plastic. Use a stout screwdriver or similar to push them tight.
Watch this video on how to do this Track tab maintenance.
Reconnect the repaired track pieces and retest by placing the car back at the power base and again drive the car slowly forward until you meet the next reduced or lost power section.
Continue the above repair process until you get to the last track piece before the power base.
Reconnect the last track piece to the power base.
Full power should now be restored.

Testing Lane Change Sections

In the event that a lane change track piece fails to operate follow this simple procedure:

Disconnect the lane change track piece and check that the rail connections are all good. See other Top Tips feature regarding track connections and loss of power.
Check that there are no obstructions in the slot preventing the flipper from physically moving. It should 'flip' freely.
Ensure that the track piece hasn't been bent (stood on, for instance) which will also cause the flipper to jam.
Reconnect the track piece and turn power on.
Manually move the flipper in to the position which would cause the car to change lane. Manually push a car over the track lane change sensor (this is a round hole about one car length before the flipper). The flipper should flip back to the 'straight ahead' position.
The lane change track piece should be usable if the above procedures have not identified any problems.

We carry Scalextric 1:32 scale Slot Cars. We are expanding our selection for the slot car season of 2014-2015 (November to March).

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Friday, 3 January 2014

Are You Interested in Slot Cars as a Hobby?

We currently carry Scalextric Slot Cars in 1:32 scale. We do have plans to carry more in the future during Slot Car Season (November to March).

This article is to help the beginners in this fun hobby, learn more to increase their enjoyment of Slot Cars. Let us know if you have any questions regarding Slot Cars. valhobbywest@shaw.ca
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Standard vs Digital

What is the difference between standard Scalextric and Scalextric Digital from a racing experience point of view?

Scalextric Digital racing more about racing as a whole - e.g. you have to get to the finish line despite the following randoms thrown in to the mix: get past other cars on the same lane as you, take pit stops, refuel, take penalty 10sec 'stop-and-go' if you've transgressed, other cars will be in the way and stuff happens that ruins your strategy and you have to think your way out.

Standard Scalextric racing is more about car preparation and driving technique - simple. However, these two skills are also as important in Digital racing.

The key difference, in a word, is Interaction. It is about what happens between you and the other teams/cars/drivers. Comparatively, Digital gets 10/10 for Interaction (and I don't mean crashing in to each other - that would be sorted with a 10 second Pit Lane Stop&Go penalty for such bad driving!) whereas standard Scalextric (1/10 for interaction) is more of a time trial or sprint. Some standard Scalextric clubs have more than two lanes so that more people, at the start of the race, can leave the grid at the same time - but from there on the drivers are on their own until they complete the number of laps or race time.

Scalextric Digital racing offers the most complete racing experience.

Getting Started

Guide lines

There is no age barrier.
There are no hard and fast rules about what cars race together, what shape circuits should be and what race rules should be used.
Most owners make up their own rules, design their own circuits and choose which cars to use.
We encourage fans to be as creative as possible.

Buying the first Scalextric set

The best way to get up and running is to buy a set.
This gives all the equipment you need to race right out of the box.
Use the 'Choose a Set' feature on the Home Page.

Flexibility and Compatibility

Increase your car stable by buying individual cars
Grow the layout by purchasing separate track pieces.
Scalextric layouts do NOT have to be laid out as per the suggested circuit on the box lid.
Be creative, design different circuits!
Download the FREE Track Designer programme and design a layout. The software gives an inventory of the parts required.
Most Scalextric cars can be used on any track layout without any problems.
Track from previous Scalextric sets can be used with current Scalextric layouts.

Who races Scalextric?

Our Scalextric Enthusiasts Club shows we have members from around 7 years old to +70 years old, of both sexes!
There are Scalextric clubs around the world.
Most Scalextric owners race at home with friends and family.
Organised racing takes place in Scalextric clubs around the world.
Our own Scalextric roadshows and exhibitions also provide organised racing.
There are national and international racing championships held annually.
How involved you want to get is entirely up to you!
Scalextric is a pastime, a hobby and a sport.

Access to Scalextric Track Designer

Scalextric Track Designer is the ultimate track building tool! This excellent 3D software includes the full Scalextric track inventory and comes complete with a built-in room designer. It offers Scalextric fans the chance to plan workable tracks, including multi-lane layouts, before getting down to actually building them!

Budding track designers can create the ultimate racing challenge by incorporating elevations and gradients, pit lanes, barriers and other exciting extras. Fully backward compatible with all classic track pieces, the designer is suited to both analogue and digital Scalextric formats.

Once created the designs can be saved, printed or even sent directly to our online shop were the extras you need are added automatically to your shopping basket, making it even easier to purchase the parts you need to build your epic track. Scalextric Track Designer installs in English, French, Spanish or German.

You can download the software FREE here: Download Scalextric Track Designer now!

You can also download the bumper pack of extra pre-made layouts completely free!

Some Neat Features of Scalextric Starter Sets

Accelerate into the new world of 1:32 scale slot racing. Available in three alternative ready-to-race sets, Scalextric Start provides everything for the rookie racer:

1:32 scale slot racing action
Easy-to-connect/disconnect track
Multiple circuit options
Large track pieces for speedy set up
Skill level control hand throttles
Super tough cars

Add to your slot car collection!

Race any Scalextric car on your new Scalextric Start circuit.

Expand your Scalextric Start circuit!

Option 1: Increase the track length of your Start circuit by over one metre, simply by adding C8527 Scalextric Start Straight Track Extension Pack.

Option 2: Alternatively, incorporate the C8525 Scalextric Start Converter Track Packand add any track piece from the full Scalextric range to enhance your new Scalextric Start set.

Make sure to check out our next blog post on Basic Slot Car Maintenance.

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