• History,  Technology

    Slot Car Innovations and Best Innovation Today

    Slot Car Innovations

    Wireless controllers for digital slot car system

    Slot car innovations… that may seem like an oxymoron to many. I mean, how much have slot cars today changed from their original heyday in the 1960s? To be honest, not much.

    And for enthusiasts, that’s exactly the point. It has some nostalgic appeal for many who raced slot cars when they were younger, and it can be more challenging to succeed with older, simpler technology.

    Innovations over the years

    To be fair, as you look through the history of slot cars you’ll find that things have changed radically, at least from the very early days of slot cars in the 40s and 50s. For example, the first slot cars were gas powered cars that were tethered to a rail. Then again, in the many years since then, the idea of “tethering” the car to a slot and racing them hasn’t changed at all.

    And while we may not exactly classify it among “slot car innovations,” the introduction of traction magnets in the 70s may have altered things as much as anything. Coupled with simple improvements in motors, tires and the tracks themselves, the racing has significantly sped up in recent years.

    It’s fair to say there have been many slot car innovations over the years aimed at curbing the limitations of slot cars. And it’s fair to say that few of them have stuck.

    Best innovation today

    The innovation currently making waves is digital control systems. Introduced to slot cars in 2004, digital control allows for multiple cars per lane and really enhancing racing and passing. Digitally-coded signals sent along the power strips allow each car to respond only to its own controller.

    So while slot car innovations may not come along every day, those that do tend to stick for a long time.

  • Business,  Technology

    Beginner’s Tips to Slot Car Racing Buying

    Beginner's Tips to Slot Car Racing Buying

    I wanted to post a quick heads up to slot car buyers to be aware of fakes or couterfeits. It’s probably my own fault that I got duped recently and I feel pretty stupid about it. I guess my only revenge is to try and alert everyone else to this kind of scam so that no-one else gets ripped off. About a month ago I saw an advertisement on a classified web site that buys and sells a lot of slot cars. Many of you may know the one I’m talking about.

    The car that caught my eye was a Porsche Boxster that, supposedly, was made and distributed by Porsche themsleves. I paid 699 Euros, about 900 Dollars or 500 Pounds and waited four weeks for delivery. I was overjoyed when the Boxster arrived – gleaming and shining in its packaging. Imagine my disappointment, however, when I lifted the bodywork to notice that it was a fake. The chassis was actually from a Ford Cosworth and the bodywork had been cleverly moulded onto this to appear like an original Porsche. I tried contacting the company to get my money back but a voicemail informed me that they have since gone bankrupt. I guess there’s nothing I can do now but I just want to make sure that no other slot car enthusiasts get stung on this kind of thing. Always ask for provenance and get referrals before buying expensive slot cars from people you don’t know.

    All slot cars are made of a body, engine, gears, tires, shocks, and often magnets. The magnets apply a downward pressure to help in cornering, and if you use too many, you can sacrifice performance or burn out your motor. Slot cars are only held in the slot by gravity (and maybe a light magnet), so if you go too fast your car can “de-slot,” which means you’ll lose power. And that’s the secret to slot car racing: go as fast as possible without “de-slotting.” The strategy in slot car racing is to go as fast as possible on the straightaways, but then slow down in the corners to keep yourself from de-slotting. It is legal to “bump” the car in the next lane when cornering in hopes of de-slotting your opponent. A lot of beginners try this tactic, and while it works occasionally, most experts think focusing on your own race and getting into a rhythm are much more successful long-term tactics.

    Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you’re buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs. Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know. What is the seller’s Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have? What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise? Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

    When buying a slot car you must understand what you are getting yourself into. Slot cars are a great hobby however you must consider the fact that there is a lot of money involved. Further more the hobby really sucks you in and makes you want to buy more expensive and rare cars. This hobby for me got very expensive very fast and when my room was a complete mess i had to get ride of it all! If you are looking to make this a hobby make sure that you are organized and that you have a good means of storage. A great place to buy parts and cars would be ebay, fast and saves money!

    Make sure you aren’t getting a cheap track. It they don’t hold together well they obviously wont work right. As well as a nice flat surface. Too many/too big magnets will burn out a motor pretty fast. You need to get slot cars with decent tires on them, so they will grip the track right. Otherwise you’ll never make it around sharp turns, at a decent speed anyways.

    The tips posted below will definitely help you in buying the perfect slot car for you: 1. Buy the biggest set you can afford or buy two starters sets. 2. The surface of the track of ninco is very rough, but the surface of sport track is very smooth. The other brands have medium rough track parts. It is wise to find out which brand you like the most. 3. All major brands offer a big range of accessories, such as lap counters and track borders. 4. On the Tracks of Ninco, Scalextric, SCX, Carrera, and Artin you can use all 1/32-scale slot cars. It gives you joy to have a variety of slot cars in your collection. 5. At this time there are currently 5 Top Manufacturers leading slot cars brands that offer slot cars tracks. Ninco, Scalextric, SCX, Carrera and Artin sell race sets for starters.

  • History,  Technology

    Slot car history and Well-known names in slot car history.

    Well-known names in slot car history

    The first slot cars were made by that venerable name in toy models, Lionel, early in the 20th century. But it wasn’t until the 60s that true slot racing became popular. In the interim, raised rails (like those seen in railroad cars) were used. Essentially, the raised rails served to hold the large, gas-powered vehicles on the track. The “racing” consisted of timed runs of the cars as they were tethered to the track.

    It was in 40s and 50s, slot car history took a new turn when British hobbyist began experimenting with controllable electric cars. The electric current was either run through rails or slots. During this period, racing societies grew up around both competing systems.

    Eventually, though, slot became dominant. The reasons are many, but one of the most compelling to racers was how the rails tended to “hold” the cars, taking some of the fun out of it for racers. By contrast, the challenge of keeping the cars from “deslotting” and losing power swayed many to the slot concept and away from the rail cars. By 1963, slot cars were the most popular form of electrical-model racing.

    Well-known names in slot car history

    In 1957, one of the most popular and enduring names in slot racing, Scalextric, was born in the 1:32 scale. That was followed in the US by Aurora slot cars in the 60s and Tyco brand models from the 70s on. Both are popular today. For Aurora, the thunderjet was one of the most popular slot cars of all time, as was its offspring, the AFX. Both are still prized by racers and collectors alike.

    Additionally, as the hobby became popular, pre-made tracks were born which could be mixed and matched to create tracks for home uses. Also, advances in the technology meant slot cars could be made in the much smaller, HO scale popular with model trains.

    The 60s were hugely popular for slot cars, with smaller cars and tracks allowing for use by average consumers in homes and basements.

    Slot car history mellowed by the 70s,with slot cars losing mainstream appeal and returning to the serious racers, who created associations and set standards and rules. The cars became exponentially faster, with better motors, tires and magnets to help with handling. Recently, the introduction of digital control systems allows for the ability to race multiple cars per lane with more realistic passing.

  • Service,  Technology

    Slot car repairs and servicing. What is a Full Recondition?

    slot car repairs and servicing

    First we clean your armatures in the Ultra-Sonic Cleaner. We use a chemical that does not harm the epoxy, insulation, or any of the armature components. Next, your arms are scrubbed under clean water to remove anything that the ultrasonic didn’t loosen. Your armatures are then spin dried and the shafts are stripped of solder and the stacks are lightly polished.

    Time to cut the commutator. We have a custom made production machine that keeps an extremely close tolerance for roundness. The next major step is to balance the arm. Our spec is lower than anyone we know in the business. We spend the time, have the newest electroninc equipment and of course over 14 years experience. You know who is doing the work – it is me!

    We have a high capacity Magnetic Instruments machine. It is the same industrial built equipment that the major cobalt magnet slot car and magnet factories use. We have carefully measured the power to charge the various magnet materials with so the magnets do not loose guass as the field colapses. This machine charges and discharges in milisecond steps to optimize the charge. There is more than clamping or dropping a setup into an inexpensive machine to do the job properly.

    Some dye to prevent rusting and a new tube completes the process. Package and Ship your product back to you. We do this work every day so your reconditioning should be done within 24-48 hours of getting here. Our standard freight policy Priority Mail. FedEx services are alos available. FedEx services will be sent signature required. If you want insurance please ask for it. We will not insure automatically – ask for it if you want it.

  • Business,  Technology

    Slot Car Business Since 1994

    Slot Car Business

    Hello, and welcome to my web-site. If you don’t know me already PR has been in the Slot Car business since 1994. I started off by bringing Wing Car Racers the same quality and performance that the factory Pro’s and high-end racers I was building for demanded. After a short time I expanded into armature “reconditioning”, cobalt & ceramic magnet zapping. I purchased new equipment with state-of-the-art technology and set the new standard in the armature reconditioning business. I upgraded to the newest electronic balancing equipment from the same high end manufacturer in the balancing world. This new balancing technology clearly makes the job of correcting the imbalance easier to reach lower imbalance levels giving you an even better result than before on a consistent basis.

    I have stack grinding equipment and electronic tools for testing and measuring motor components. I had been Blue-Printing C-Can and D-Can products for Track owners and Distributors for many years. I have done it all. Since starting in 1994 there have been many others come and go. Even now I continue to give the best service and the “Best Balance” that is available anywhere. “If I can’t improve on the armature balance, then there is no charge for that work”. If you need technical help you are welcome to call and get straight answers.

    There is a “Shopping Cart” so you can buy directly from me if you can’t find or get our products locally. I’ve expanded what is offered to other company’s products. Track Owners are welcome to call and start an account.