track surface

[ksj44]

hello, i apologize if this isn't the appropriate forum for this question. a friend of mine is planning on building an indoor oval track. he would like a surface that has the handling characteristics of dirt but with out the mess or maintenance. he would like to make the track banked so the top layer would be wood and then the surface could be put on top of that.an idea we had, for example, maybe some sort of rubberized roll on material? also he thought if we could make the track with unequal amounts of traction, (for example more traction on the top groove to simulate a cushion) it would make the track alot more fun. i know he is asking alot but any suggestions are more than welcome! than you

keith

[williamsrc]

There is a rubber paint for roller hockey rinks that would work, Dupont makes it, I don't know the name of the product.

[ksj44]

thanks for your response. i'll have to check into it, i think it will probably work, but i would like some other ideas too. we would like to have a vast array of different ideas so we can weight out the best ones and go with the best option. again, any ideas and opinions are welcome. thanks for your help.

keith

[ZONE04]

The paint we use on the slot car tracks might work. It has a abrasive texture, easily cleaned, and if cars slide to much a special track "glue" can be placed on it.

[-==MMackey27==-]

Might not look as pretty as some of the other alternatives... but could use a linoleum tile base applied to a thin plyable plywood (have to build a base for it to sit on), maybe a nice solid brown, reddish-brown, or sandy-colored tile. If you want, could even apply that abrasive paint that the other person mentioned above in various areas (likely more generously further up the track), or maybe use small strips of grip tape like skateboarders use for the various grooves on the track. That abrasive paint could almost simulate the black rubber groove many real tracks get, and the slick surface would make the track seem dryslick (definitely not hammer down). To apply it, I'd almost guess that in the areas you want the paint to be... you'd likely have to sand the sheen off of the surface with sandpaper, not sure if it'd require a plastic primer or not. Grip tape would likely just stick on just like it does on skateboards, and you could cut it in strips to add/reduce the level of traction. Wouldn't look as pretty as a painted solution but it'd work as a surface I'm sure.

The other possibility would be to do a raised ring/lip/curb (anywhere from a 1/16th to .5 inch) between the top groove and wall to use as the cushion (likely a layer or two or three of wood cut into a moon shape and placed against the wall in the corners). You could line the inner-edge facing the track with grip tape or the aforementioned paint to make it have a grip on the sidewall of the tires too for added speed. Depending on thickness... could provide a tricky cushion to try to hit and stay up against (thinner cushion = harder to not go over so takes a lot of skill), and could line it with grip tape to pay off a big reward if you're talented enough to hit it without going over it if the cushion is thinner. Granted... could tear up the sidewalls of tires (likely rubber tires = a requirement) but a lot of real tracks, if you hit the cushion in the right spots you can literally launch the car down the straights if you hit it with the sidewall at the right spot. Takes a lot of skill/finesse to do it obviously.

Just some ideas... I've thought about this myself some.

[TQT2]

You could always use rubber roofing, sprinkle some talc on it and have at it....lol

That roofing comes in many colors, white, tan, brown, black....and others.

[rm-rf]

Just carpet it and be done with it :)

[-==MMackey27==-]

Just carpet it and be done with it :)

Behaves too much like that asphthhfaulttttt stuff (said with a hair lip). :P ;) Needs to be more slippery. Dirt's for racing, asphalts for gettin' there, and carpeting is for the rec. room. :D

[DrOlds]

This may be a totally stupid idea but I'll throw it out there anyway.What about using actual house carpet? Not ozite but normal pile or berber? I would think that a thicker carpet might be a lot less grippy than ozite and might behave somewhat like dirt.It may or may not last very long depending on if the cars have enough grip on it to pull the fibers out.The upside is that you could probably get all you would ever need for free.Carpet installers and retailers have to pay to get rid of the used carpet they replace and it is often perfectly good for such a purpose.If it wasn't all the same it could make for an interesting racing surface.Berber on the bottom-shag on the top could be like a cushion!

[ksj44]

these are alot of good ideas, definetly not stupid. keep them coming. not sure that he would do ozite because of cost and it is typically one grooved. but i am glad to see some different ideas.

keith