Wood Routed Slot Car Track Build - Part 1

"Drivers, start your power tools!" One of my hobbies has been racing slot cars with a great bunch of friends here in Arizona. We have a circuit of home tracks, and often get together weekly to laugh and mess around with model cars trying to make them go fast. After 12 long years since my last track build, I have the itch to create another one.

[@harperlarry49]

I love slot cars. I was really into slot cars in the early 60's. My grandfather, dad and I built our first race course. It had four lanes with banked curves and 8 foot straights. I used to make my own car chassis using brass tubing and brass sheet. This is going to be fun to watch. Thanks for sharing this Stan!!

[@StanFerris]

Wow, Larry, that was the golden age of analog racing! I still have my jig with all the little pins and such for holding the brass rods for soldering! We still race analog, no magnet, but most of our cars are not hand built. Some metal chassis, some plastic. This track will be the smallest in our club, and 3 lanes instead of 4, and will be flat with no banking-- very easy to build by comparison. Anyway, it will be great to have you along for the ride!

[@hobbitracing]

Love the ending with you lying down on the mdf!

[@StanFerris]

🤣

[@Sunshine_Speedway_SlotCars]

This is what I’ve been looking for. I’ll be studying your videos closely👍🏻

[@StanFerris]

Have fun, and good luck with your project!

[@timothydunn5889]

I built my first slot car track using this very method in 1967, and mounted it around 3 walls of my 14 x 14 bedroom. MDF was unknown at that time so I used chipboard. Finished up by cutting it up to make my first set of hi fi speakers as heavy metal took over.😁

[@StanFerris]

Cool story!

[@elsdp-4560]

Thank you for sharing. We have a few commercial tracks still in my area and most have dragstrips, I belong to a group that in the winter months we get together and have some really good races. Enjoyed part one and excited to see part two.💰🏁🏎🏎🏎

[@StanFerris]

Sounds like a fun winter get together!

[@DiscordantVice]

thanks for this, I'm in the UK but looking to build a track having never done anything like this. Really really helpful and enjoyable video.

[@StanFerris]

Thanks! You may not survive all 9 episodes of this series! 🤣 But seriously, if you really are thinking about building a track, you might consider a small 'test' track just to get the feel of things. You'll have to have a router and the tiny 1/8" bit. But you don't have to go the route of the 3/4" dado and braid. My first wood track just had the 1/8" slot, and then after I painted the surface, I applied 1/4" wide 1 mm thick copper tape on each side of the slot. The tape is super cheap to buy and easy to put down. Surprisingly it lasts a long time! Have fun!

[@SpareRoomSlotCars]

Cool build, I know I will enjoy this series

[@StanFerris]

Thanks! We just had our first Lakeside club race last week. I'll be posting a wrap-up video soon that shows the finished project.

[@SpareRoomSlotCars]

@@StanFerris Cool, Im looking forward to watching it. New Sub

[@StanFerris]

Thank you. I am no expert at setting up the cars.

[@nathanc5176]

@@SpareRoomSlotCars Yep great how to track series , new sub here too! @StanFerris, love this series and it's a sweet looking layout!

[@lschiz-photography1765]

Wow, this is quite the track! When you first mentioned this the other day, I envisioned the old 4 or 6 slot car track that just runs downhill like they used to do in Boy Scouts and Awana. I forget the name of them but the derby cars but this is a flat complete circuit track. So I’m assuming it must be battery powered radio controlled cars. This will be interesting to follow you on this. And love the way those are joined. That’s a great way to get a good heavy duty solid connection alignment. Will be watching. Thanks Stan!!

[@StanFerris]

I remember those pine derby cars! My daughter and I made one when she was a kid. At some point I'll explain in the videos how it all works, but with 1:24 and 1:32 scale cars, they run on DC 10 - 15 volts. There are two metal braids buried in each lane carrying power. There is a pivoting plastic guide or keel under the front axle of the cars that runs in a 1/8" slot cut into the wood. Small braids on either side of the guide pick up the power. Drivers have controllers that regulate the voltage as well as a reverse polarity circuit for braking which is quite necessary. The cars do not run at normal scale speeds. Many of them zoom along at a scale equivalent of 400 mph.

[@lschiz-photography1765]

@@StanFerris very cool! Then truly a slot car like I remember from years ago pre Pine Derby (funny that name just came to me). One Christmas one of our “big” cool big family gifts was a two track slot car track. A figure 8 and we thought it was the coolest thing, well they still are when they get this big. Wow that’s a lot of work to get not only the slot, but the inlaid power track all spaced correctly and smoothly. It’ll be interesting to watch the tricks and tips you use to do this. Looking forward to more of these, thank you again, Stan

[@donwest5387]

routed track; the sky's the limit!

[@StanFerris]

Yes, you can create anything you want!

[@aureliobrighton1871]

That way the track could be built right into the parquet of ones big living room ;). There is so much more room for creativity compared to the plastic or rubber (old Scalextric) track pieces. And for sure the racemachines go quite smooth down the Mulsanne straight. You have a pretty 917 there btw., No.7 Rodriguez/Kinnunen Monza 1970. Thankyou from Munich :)

[@StanFerris]

Greetings, Aurelio! Well, actually, I decaled my own name on the car! 🤣

[@aureliobrighton1871]

@@StanFerris Excellent 😉

[@ggaub]

LET'S GOOOOOO!!!!!!

[@StanFerris]

Thanks, Greg!

[@TojuRacing-ry4cf]

Great video, great info. The old slot tracks are so very cool. I was able when I was a kid to visit a place in Ohio and run on one. But the memory is fuzzy. Other than it was a lot of FUN! Gave you a sub Stan. Race On!

[@StanFerris]

Very kind, thank you. I don't do a lot of slot car videos, sorry!

[@Gale_Force_Raceway]

WOW! Glad I found this one.. Subb'ed and Belll'ed!

[@StanFerris]

Well, very kind words. I post much more on trains than slot cars right now, so you may change your mind! 🤣

[@Gale_Force_Raceway]

@@StanFerris never discount great content, cars OR trains!

[@glennirwin4710]

Very nice.

[@StanFerris]

Thank you, Glenn

[@donwest5387]

to join tables: removable pin door hinges

[@markphillips5368]

It may be considered "Old School" technology, but it is still used to make wood routed tracks today.

[@StanFerris]

Absolutely, Mark! There are even CNC cut tracks with lane switching paddles, etc. out of MDF. Thanks for commenting!

[@smudger797]

🤠

[@donwest5387]

I had my table suspended from the ceiling (braided cable); small suv winch motor

[@StanFerris]

Nice!

[@philrowe1041]

OMG wear a mask when cutting MDF

[@StanFerris]

Would be wise, yes.

[@nathanc5176]

@@StanFerris I'm not a mask freak, but use a respirator with proper filters for most my wood working. Quick cuts, try to keep my head out of the dust and hold my breath for a minute.

[@StanFerris]

Good plan@@nathanc5176. Also, I wish I had worn ear protection for all the years I've listened to loud tools.

[@hardluckhenry]

Where did you get your cars? O or G scale.

[@StanFerris]

There are many great brands and suppliers of slot cars in the U.S. and Europe as well. 1:32 scale is very popular, along with 1:24 and even the small HO scale cars (although HO scale cars need their own track made just for them). In our club, most cars are modified with racing tires, or added weight, larger guides, etc. We have a couple 'box stock' classes all the way up to very customized 'open' classes.

[@hardluckhenry]

@@StanFerris I'm wanting to stay away from Ho to small, to light. Was thinking O or G scale. I saw your channel and thought it was interesting i think i subscribed to it.

[@michaeljohnbrown6367]

Can't see a thing the shadow what's that

[@StanFerris]

Sorry Michael, where is the shadow? I can hopefully explain what's hidden.

[@donwest5387]

check out Luff Linkert's flexible routing guide: magic

[@StanFerris]

Great tool! On a previous track I used that guide to create a custom 'squeeze' S. Is that the plastic one with all the small brads in it?

[@donwest5387]

@@StanFerris That's the one; He also makes a router base which spaces the other lanes off the first groove using a guide in the groove.

[@StanFerris]

Yes, I have that as well. Grate bit of kit. 👍 Didn't need them on this particular track.