SJ EPISODE 11: Track Build Guide #5 - Curbs & Cobblestones

Since part of our track runs through an old medieval city, much of it features cobblestone surfaces. While there are some labor-intensive methods of achieving this look on the track itself (primarily etching a pattern into the plastic track with a soldering iron)  I'm using something simpler for the street curbing and walkways. In this video, I'll show you how I do this with some Google image searches for a cobblestone pattern and some basic computer graphics. Add a little weatherstripping and you've got some nice curbs.

After the demo, we'll also take a look at a new addition to the garage, highlight some European YouTubers and see how you can enjoy worldwide content using YouTube's Auto-Translate feature. There's so much good slot car content out there, and language doesn't have to be a barrier to enjoying it! Check out the episode HERE.

Car Tunes with Pete and Joe

If you don't sleep in on Saturday mornings, I suggest you grab a cup of coffee and have a listen to Joe and Pete's semi-weekly chat stream CAR TUNES.  If you don't know, Joe created the Irreras Carrera channel on YouTube while Pete is the creator behind the Show-Me Slot Cars channel which hosts the chat. Both run Carrera digital, and they provide some entertaining banter as well as some helpful info on running digital setups.

In addition, they have also set up a Discord site that will allow the Slot Car community to host discussions ans "rooms" on a number of topics. It's a great way to gather and disseminate info as well as carry on conversations after your favorite live stream is over. Check it out HERE.

SJ EPISODE 10: Track Build Guide #4 - Guardrails, Barriers and Walls

You pay good money for your slot cars - and you don't want them flying off the track and getting busted into pieces. That's why we use various kinds of safeguards, like crash barriers, guardrails and other types of walls to ensure those slot cars stay where they belong. In this video, I'll share a couple of ideas I use to create good-looking items that will help protect your cars with a big, beautiful wall. LOL.

After reviewing those techniques, we finally dig into our Mail Bag to answer some questions (both the questions and the answers are all in fun) and I also talk about what we're seeing these days in terms of slot car content. There's a lot going on. Watch it HERE. Enjoy!

Track Building: Driver Visibility Comes First

As much as I love building scenery, we have to remember that the point of having a track is to race cars...and to do so effectively, you need to be able to see them on the track. So after test-fitting this building for the high side of the track, I decided to make it a single level with roof deck instead of a 2-level building with deck. I just didn't want to obscure the racing sight lines with too tall a structure - and it will simplify construction, too.

 

This did allow me to raise the ceiling height a bit, too - to something more like a scale 10 feet high rather than a standard 8 feet.  I am trying to document the construction of this scratch building, but it's quite complicated and also will require some specialized engineering to allow access to the interior for placing figures and other bits.

My solution was to allow part of the building to swing open for this access, which will be possible after the gondola platform tower (for the sky lift) gets lifted off - which is another part that will be constructed separately.

Other than the grandstand/pit building, it's probably the most complicated structure on the track. Lots more work on this to come, but wanted to show some progress.

A Milestone for Slot Journal

Just wanted to take a minute and thank the slot car community and other hobbyists that have supported the YouTube Channel over the past year. It was only 20 days ago that we hit 400 subscribers, and over the weekend we went over 500. Considering that since May of last year (10 months) we've posted 9 videos and 2 shorts, I'm pretty happy with the results so far.

What's great is that over the fast several weeks I've been able to get lots of footage and photos in the can, so now it's a matter of organizing and editing all of that into some more episodes. I'm also coming up wiht some ideas for new segments, including a fun AI-assisted bit that I think will be fun and entertaining. Stay tuned!