I better step up my game also!
Since I've been using a scrap piece of MDF board as a tuning board for the last year, I decided to build an actual tuning table. I liked Rocket car's idea of using a guide strip at the beginning of the board to align the car with the table and set the wheels I made sure to make the table long enough. Maglev had brought over a mirror he had modded with the guide and it was easier to use so I knew it was a must have. I had two quartersawn white oak boards and some scraps left over from a dining room table I built ten years ago to make the case. I downloaded the tuning board graphic from 5kids racing's site and had it printed by a friend with a blueprint printer. My logos all printed in black & white but I'm OK with that since the price was right! I bought a sheet of 1/2" MDF to support the graphic under the glass and had a local glass shop cut a piece of 1/4" glass to size. They also sanded the edge so I could handle it easier during the install. I was originally going to get tempered glass but the shop talked me out of it. Since the glass is fully supported by the MDF and the crossmembers there's no chance of falling shards if it should ever get broken. They also said it was good that I had added supports along the length because a piece of glass this large may sag in the middle over time. I didn't know that, I thought glass was pretty rigid. I made it roughly 25" by 70". One end is attached from the inside with screws in case the glass would ever need to be replaced. Here's some pics:
I had to make one of the dovetails shorter to hide the dado on the end.
I still need to put a finsh on, make a cap for the memory foam bumper and the guide strips but you get the idea.
One thing I found, using a different surface to check the steer gives a different result. My MDF board showed 5" of steer on a car, the same car was 6 1/2" on glass. I guess that points out the importance of always tuning on the same surface?
Since I've been using a scrap piece of MDF board as a tuning board for the last year, I decided to build an actual tuning table. I liked Rocket car's idea of using a guide strip at the beginning of the board to align the car with the table and set the wheels I made sure to make the table long enough. Maglev had brought over a mirror he had modded with the guide and it was easier to use so I knew it was a must have. I had two quartersawn white oak boards and some scraps left over from a dining room table I built ten years ago to make the case. I downloaded the tuning board graphic from 5kids racing's site and had it printed by a friend with a blueprint printer. My logos all printed in black & white but I'm OK with that since the price was right! I bought a sheet of 1/2" MDF to support the graphic under the glass and had a local glass shop cut a piece of 1/4" glass to size. They also sanded the edge so I could handle it easier during the install. I was originally going to get tempered glass but the shop talked me out of it. Since the glass is fully supported by the MDF and the crossmembers there's no chance of falling shards if it should ever get broken. They also said it was good that I had added supports along the length because a piece of glass this large may sag in the middle over time. I didn't know that, I thought glass was pretty rigid. I made it roughly 25" by 70". One end is attached from the inside with screws in case the glass would ever need to be replaced. Here's some pics:
I had to make one of the dovetails shorter to hide the dado on the end.
I still need to put a finsh on, make a cap for the memory foam bumper and the guide strips but you get the idea.
One thing I found, using a different surface to check the steer gives a different result. My MDF board showed 5" of steer on a car, the same car was 6 1/2" on glass. I guess that points out the importance of always tuning on the same surface?
