Micro T Track WIP (Now Fortified with Video)

[crazydave]

When I moved into my new place I thought the patch off the side of the porch would make a great place for a Micro-T track. Here it is a month before we moved in.



Welp, by the time we moved in the grass was grown to almost a foot tall in some spots. I asked a several people how do I get rid of grass, and get it back to dirt, and everyone just said, spray grass killer on it. That killed the grass, but then I had a bunch of dead grass. After a back breaking afternoon with the rake and hoe, my friend helped me clear the grass out. But then the roots stuck out, and the Micro-Ts would get hung up on them. So I realized I was going to have to till up the soil and pull out the roots out, that would basically be a nightmare, so it sat for a few months. When I saw the grass start to grow back in, I decided it was time to do something before my previous work went to waste.

So what I'm doing is soaking it down, using piece of wood to scrape off the high spots, which exposes the roots, and then I dig those up with a garden shovel, and use the wood to smooth the dirt back into place. It's messy tedious work, but I'm starting to make progress, and its giving me hope. (It don't look like much, the shadow frames what I have done.)



I'm going to go back out now, and see what I can get done. I'm hoping i can get most of it leveled off today.

[sidewinder]

Looks like a great location. The kid who started the RC addicts site build a track in his backyard, if you want soe inspiration check it out here:http://rcaddicts.darkbb.com/tracks-f55/ ... ight=track

I look forward to seeing what you make.

[crazydave]

Here's what I got done yesterday. It's starting to take shape.



It's doesn't look like I did much, so I took a pi of the pile of the grass roots, and other crap I pulled out of the ground.



Honestly I would have got more done, if I hadn't asked the kid to help, we just ended up in a water fight.

[sidewinder]

Great pic Dave. It looks like you got more done on your track in one day than I have on mine in a year...well, of course it would be easy to beat since all I've done is drawthe shape on a piece of paper and look at the yard a couple of times.

[crazydave]

It's starting to take shape.



Hey! That almost looks like a track, but I still have a ways to go, when I'm finished it will be extended out to the fence. I just cleared out enough so I could start making some laps and testing out the layout. Still looks rough from this end.



I might have to make it more challenging, we'll see after I add some jumps, but so far so good. It was really fun to drive on. Check out the video, I think it's one of my better videos, if not my best.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFtbymzZLs0[/youtube]

[sidewinder]

Looks pretty cool Do you have any friends around that have micros? I was just thinking when the weather gets nice it might be fun to have the Crazydave 500 and BBQ.

[crazydave]

Looks pretty cool Do you have any friends around that have micros? I was just thinking when the weather gets nice it might be fun to have the Crazydave 500 and BBQ.

No RC friends, but I've got another micro T too.

I always hear the two neighbors get together on the weekend and BBQ, smoke out, and drink beers. I'm friends with them, and I always think I could drop in on them, but, I'm not really into football, or Leo Croce, and I end up just thinking I don't have much in common with guys my age, and go up to my room and bang out some punk rock on my gueetar. But maybe this is something we can relate on, you know that one drives a stock car, and the other has shown interest in my cars as well. Just have to get at least one of them to buy their own.

[sidewinder]

I can almost guarantee that if you get the stock car guy playing with one of the more powerful cars (or trucks) you have he will be hooked. Most racers are big kids who love anything with a motor.

[crazydave]

I've got blisters on my fingers! Well, I'm not John Lennon, and its not Helter Skelter, and I think he had blisters from playing guitar, but damn, I can relate, ow!

... but I think I pretty much have a track now. I've got it all cleared out. 18ft. straight, and 30 inch wide lanes, I think it's the perfect size for the Micro T. I've got my first little jump in to experiment.


The end I just cleared out still needs some grooming, but the end I started on got some attention to detail, and I think the surface is just about perfect.

[ph2t]

For someone who looks like a hippie you definately ain't no tree hugger, lol...

Looking good mate.

[crazydave]

For someone who looks like a hippie you definately ain't no tree hugger, lol...

Looking good mate.

Yeah, I definitely ain't no hippie, I'll fight back!

[ibjamn]

It looks like a fun deal.

You probably don't want to hear this suggestion, but I would add a tabletop somewhere in there.
Thay are pretty fun.

[crazydave]

It looks like a fun deal.

You probably don't want to hear this suggestion, but I would add a tabletop somewhere in there.
Thay are pretty fun.

I want a table top.

... and a double, some whooptie dos, and maybe a roller in the there... at this pint I'm trying to figure out the best way to arrange the obstacles, and which I really want to use. This is where it gets tricky.

[ibjamn]

Look on the bright side, it's just dirt. You can always change it up to what you want.

I've been thinking, and racking my brain to find something you might be able to use to even the dirt out. You know, getting rid of the chunks of dirt that could make the MicroT loose control.
Something like a rolling pin for breads, but larger. And something that a pole or handle could be attached to on the sides.

[PimpFloyd]

Maybe a few 20Lb weights on a barbell or peice of pipe. Some of the "cement in plastic" weights can be had cheaply at thrift stores like the Goodwill.

PF