TERRY SMITH takes us through some different options for laying down your track.
So, assuming you have managed to find the space to have a permanent location for your slot car track, how do you fix the track to the baseboard? Well, the first option is of course you don’t! This will allow you to change the layout from time to time. I know of one or two people who have a baseboard set out that they even change the track system they race on each time. The baseboard simply acts as a flat surface on which to lay the layout. While, of course, you do have the flexibility to change the circuit if you don't fix the track down, there is always that feeling of non-permanence to it, no matter how many buildings or figures you add to it.
One situation where perhaps you would want to make sure the track doesn’t move is when you have the track set up on the floor; such as in a boarded loft, or if the layout is permanently set up in a spare room. In this scenario the track can be accidentally kicked or knocked out of place, so it is best if it is fixed to the board somehow. One option is the metal clips that hold the track and are then pinned to the board. Scalextric used to supply them under reference C8232, but these are getting hard to find these days. Specialists like Slot Track Scenics or Pendle Slot Racing both offer alternatives for these clips.
For many years Scalextric offered these metal fixing clips; C8232. You might still be able to pick these up if you do some searching.
These alternative clips are available from Pendle Slot Racing.
In the future, if you are thinking of changing your layout then a semi-permanent way of fixing the track to a board is to use heavy duty double-sided carpet tape, or Silicon Sealant. With the latter, make sure you don’t use too much and maybe only on every other piece of track so that it is possible for it to be removed if a change of layout is desired. The bond can be broken with a flat scraper when it is time to change. Another novel idea would be to use flat metal plates glued or screwed to the board, with thicker round magnets bonded to the underside of the track. If you do want a permanent solution to fixing the track down, I have in the past had much success with using products like 'No More Nails', although this is a very permanent solution.
Looking for a more permanent solution? I have had success with using products like these in the past. Make sure both the base and the track is clean before bonding.
The same company also offers a strong double-sided tape, but this might be a little too thick. A better alternative might be double-sided carpet tape.
On a scenic layout I built many years ago, I wanted to raise the surrounding ground surface to the same level of the track. This was to allow the track to sit within the landscape and not look like it had simply been laid on top of it. I used flooring tiles, which you can find in the likes of Wickes or B&Q, which I found were roughly the same thickness of Scalextric track. These were cut to fit the profile of the curves and when laid, created a well for the track to sit flush in. After covering the tiles with a grass mat not only did it look more realistic, but the track was, horizontally at least, held in place with no fixing at all.
Many years ago I built a track along one wall of my garage. I wanted the track surface to be level with the surrounding grass. I used those cardboard-based tiles laid under wood flooring to achieve this.
The well this created held the track in place horizontally, so I didn’t need to attach the track directly to the baseboard. To stop it lifting if the board is tilted a small amount of adhesive under the track could be employed.
Looking under the Dunlop Bridge, you can see how level the track is to the surroundings.
In a later effort, and using the same process of locating the track, a more serious attempt of a scenery was achieved.