Update to my tuning board

[Rocket car]

What the $&@@

 

[woundedbear]

My tuning board is the top of my cousins piano. I measure from on side and set tape across it and at four feet I measure on inch increments and set wheel to the tape and let it go. It takes two people so it doesn't fall of the other end

 

[ngyoung]

Mine is a unfinished oak board that is 2'x5'. I do think it is giving me more steer then it would if it was glass. At least that is what I am blaming for having to go at least 5" to get any cars stable.

 

[561 racing]

Wow, I'm feeling much better about my tuning board now.

 

[GravityX]

I was telling Hurricrane about my first tuning board. It was the garage floor (smooth of course) that I marked out. I used this when I won back in April '13 for my Pro status. I have since pulled up the "tuning tape". It was as sight, but it worked. Wheels needed cleaning afterwards. I will not be using this "tuning board" again.

 

[bracketracer]

I'm thinking of building a board that will have a aluminum rail 18" or so before the steer arch starts. Set it let it go and it will set itself to where it will as if its on track then once the rail ends you can read the drift....

I added that after rocketcar posted it a while back. I like it, very repeatable. Lets the wheels take a set before it comes off the rail. The back edge of my board has a lip I use like 561 showed and the rail ensures it's in the right spot side to side. The only real downside is that the table is six feet long and not very portable or we would have brought it to Omaha!

I think we should call it the "Rocket Car" tuning board. I deserve some credit.

Hey, I gave you credit! I see that I forgot the space in your name though. Sorry!
We could call it the "Rocket Car Tuning Board Mod"? Lol

 

[Rocket car]

What is funny is,I don't even have a tuning board. I think of good inventions, but I don't use them. DUH, this is probably why I suck

 

[bracketracer]

What is funny is,I don't even have a tuning board. I think of good inventions, but I don't use them. DUH, this is probably why I suck

Don't you know someone that does a little woodworking? I know, I know, the cobbler's children have no shoes..........

 

[bracketracer]

Guys, wanted to thank Benji (JBD) for this update. I cut a old block in half and squared it to my board, this now gives me 100% accuracy on tuning. Had my daughter try it 5 times with her car and all runs were identical. Thanks again Benji!!!

That looks like a good idea. I'll steal it. I swapped my wooden strips for aluminum while I was at it. I milled the blocks the same width as the rail so I can line up my staging marks easier.

 

[bracketracer]

I even did the other side in case a lefty shows up!

 

[derbychip]

How did you attach to the glass

 

[561 racing]

My frame was built a tad bigger and ran boards across the bottom of the frame for support, then laid the print down followed by glass. Then seal it.

 

[Kinser Racing]

Very nice BR!

 

[ngyoung]

Aren't your guide strips in the wrong place relative to the printed picture of the car? I know it doesn't really matter as long as you are consistent with your start point.

 

[bracketracer]

Aren't your guide strips in the wrong place relative to the printed picture of the car? I know it doesn't really matter as long as you are consistent with your start point.

The picture of the car had the wheel lined up by it's outside edge. I go by the inside edge of the wheel so I lined up the guide with the arc lines.

 

[BulldogRacing]

Very nice work, I want to do something close to this. I believe it will produce a very consistent start.

 

[bracketracer]

It does! I was using baltic birch strips for the guides but when you roll a graphite car the graphite gets rubbed into the wood and it's hard to clean off so I switched to metal guides.

 

[bracketracer]

How did you attach to the glass

Right now they're held in place by gravity. I'm going to try E6000 adhesive to set them permanent later tonight. It's supposed to be a thin body adhesive so it won't raise the guides up off the glass too much.

 

[BulldogRacing]

100% clear silicone would work very well, I bet CA would work well too to bond the strips to the glass.

 

[GravityX]

Looking good Stephen! Great idea.