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Post by Mr. Slick on Jun 16, 2008 6:01:25 GMT -6
It has been determined that there is a slant to the floor of the room. I need some sort of level that can level the entire flat length of the track. Thinking something like a rotating laser one or something like that.
The level I have seems to do fine with the side to side. We level it at each of the two supports for each section. This month we were at the regular angle and the levelers were half an inch farther out towards the top of the track then the end of the track after doing the side to side leveling. The level that use isn't accurate enough to do the 7 foot long sections - that or it is off. . . Mad Max's dad agreed that there appears to be a down ward slope to the track. It would make it a fast track but probably not what we want. The half inch total would amount to about an 1/8" per section.
Ideas? Suggestions?
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Post by Slow Steve on Jun 16, 2008 10:33:18 GMT -6
For the benefit of everyone who races at PWDRacing, having had the opportunity to watch/experience first hand Warren's running of the June event, I have to tell you I was very, very impressed with the care, attention to detail and most of all hard work that goes into running one of these races. My thoughts upon leaving at the end of the day were that anyone who runs a proxy race does it for no other reason than the love of racing these cars (and the nominal entry fee of $10 - $12 per car is an absolute bargain!). When Max and I arrived the track was already set up but the track is just the beginning (we met Warren and his son Wally outside the church and they had already unpacked the huge "PWDRacing" trailer they use to transport the track and all of the equipment to the race venue). There was a "photo booth" set up complete with four lights, a cloth backdrop, etc. to be used for taking pictures of the new cars. Two laptop computers, wireless internet equipment, cameras and a lot of other miscellaneous equipment was set up on tables and rolling carts. The scale, measurement box, etc. were set up at various stations around the room. Some of you who watched the race live experienced the delay due to the failure of the nearly brand new video camera (a faulty switch failed to open the "automatic" lens cap thingy; Warren and his wife scrambled to make a run to a local camera store to purchase a brand new one so that the show could go on!). After all the cars were carefully unpacked and set out ready for the races I thought everything was ready to begin... but then Warren got out his laser level and began the tedious and time consuming process of leveling the track and ensuring it was perfectly straight. After a good 20 or so minutes of crawling around on the floor, nudging, measuring, adjusting levelers, etc. everything was ready to go. Once the races were over, Max and I stayed for about 30 minutes to help dissassemble the track and pack up. I have to imagine that Warren, his wife and Wally were not home and unpacked for another good three hours? or so, meaning they put in a solid 9+ hour day and that does not count all the work done beforehand checking in the cars, packing them back up, taking them to the post office or wherever, posting and editing the videos, etc. My thanks to Warren and his family's gracious hospitality for letting Max and I race our cars and for putting up with our "peanut gallery"! (my in-laws were all in town and wanted to see the races so Max had his own private cheering section in the background... which meant more work for Wally getting our folding chairs, etc. ) Warren, thanks to your track tips I went home and used a laser pointer to check the straightness of my track, and wouldn't you know it, it was more than one inch out of alignment (no wonder my cars are always squirrely right after the curve transition!). I did look at the Home Depot and Lowe's web sites they both sell laser levels that can project a self leveling beam; I'd think you're on the right track if you want to use one of these to help measure the overall levelness (or lack of) of the floor and help compensate for such. Thanks again for making our first "Proxy" race so much fun! Max and I both look forward to more races in the future (we'll probably miss the next two due to scheduled vacations but I'll try to build another car, maybe a "Limited" car this time, and send it in). Steve B.
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Post by beakerboysracing on Jun 16, 2008 15:13:31 GMT -6
Mr. Slick, Can you leave the slant in the track? I'm going to have a hard enough time finding more speed to run the other guys down without making the track level. ;D Beakerboysracing
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