And more junk.

[MFDAC]

Kinda like that one. Do you have to zero the dial every time or does it stay in place ?

They are twice that now Doug. I have one like yours that ate batteries then like yours stopped working. I’ve been measuring things with it then transferring the jaws to a ruler. I’m getting tired of that and thought about buying this one that has both fractions and thousands and no batteries needed.

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www.harborfreight.com

I have a starret 6” dial caliper. I carried it in a case in my backpack at the mine. It was pretty handy to have around. I’ve used it just a few times at home. Also have a set of dial indicators and magnetic bases. Used those for shaft alignments.

When I left the mine I kept everything that was in my tool bags. My electrical test equipment came from that bag as well. Simpson 260, a fluke 87V and a Fluke amp clamp. Figured after 18 years there I earned that stuff.

I’m oddly sentimental about tools and items I used or carried every day….i had this weird superstition about my hard hat. I never wanted to change it because I didn’t get killed wearing the one I had….felt wrong to wear a different one. Hard hat is hanging on the wall in my office at work.

Guys, I can't see good enough for dial calipers. Can with readers but then if I forget to pull the readers down and turn around to walk somewhere is messes up my head. Been wearing readers to look at the PC screen ever since the cataract surgeries as my old bifocals don't work so well any more. Digital ones are what I need to do. I have magnetic dial indicators that are getting harder to read too but don't use them very often. Last time was a couple years ago when I rebuilt a K321.

I would like to suggest one with a larger display. I will never go back to the small display and they aren't much more expensive.
Something like this. Amazon.com

Put in the order Chris! Seems like what I need. Thanks for that link!

These stickers for the HOSERS slot car club is what I was needing the calipers for. Had to use Jim's method using a machinist ruler measuring the jaws on the calipers. They are going to have the big Invitational race at a different venue a week from today. There is a guy that I went to high school with but didn't know very well that has recently rented a storefront at the Rushmore Mall. Evidently, he is going full speed into having an all scales slot car establishment there. Loree and I walked by there a couple of weeks ago and saw HO and 1/24th tracks and more under construction. It was closed that day. Sounds like he has a couple HO tracks there but we couldn't get close enough to tell what was going on.
This pic is from the HOSERS FB page last weekend taken at that track venue in the mall.


HO track in the foreground and a 1/24th track behind.

Ok back to those stickers. This track pictured and several other tracks those guys run on use controller stations like this.


They all use high dollar controllers with knobs and switches besides the trigger on them nowadays. Too complicated for me. They alligator clip those controllers to the posts. Instead of having to read the colors, Karl wanted to just color code the controller stations. I made enough of them to do 26 lanes. There are 6 lane, 4 lane and even a couple of weird 3 lane tracks on their schedule that use these stations. The colored circles are 3/4" diameter.




They are going to stick them on at whatever tracks need them. Can make more if necessary.


DAC

 

[Cvans]

With winter coming up the guy putting in the Mall business will probably stay busy until spring. After that I think he might have to get creative and move into drones or something. I'm wishing him the best.
You'll have to keep us informed.

 

[Sawdust]

Guys, I can't see good enough for dial calipers. Can with readers but then if I forget to pull the readers down and turn around to walk somewhere is messes up my head. Been wearing readers to look at the PC screen ever since the cataract surgeries as my old bifocals don't work so well any more. Digital ones are what I need to do. I have magnetic dial indicators that are getting harder to read too but don't use them very often. Last time was a couple years ago when I rebuilt a K321.


Put in the order Chris! Seems like what I need. Thanks for that link!

These stickers for the HOSERS slot car club is what I was needing the calipers for. Had to use Jim's method using a machinist ruler measuring the jaws on the calipers. They are going to have the big Invitational race at a different venue a week from today. There is a guy that I went to high school with but didn't know very well that has recently rented a storefront at the Rushmore Mall. Evidently, he is going full speed into having an all scales slot car establishment there. Loree and I walked by there a couple of weeks ago and saw HO and 1/24th tracks and more under construction. It was closed that day. Sounds like he has a couple HO tracks there but we couldn't get close enough to tell what was going on.
This pic is from the HOSERS FB page last weekend taken at that track venue in the mall.
View attachment 86917

HO track in the foreground and a 1/24th track behind.

Ok back to those stickers. This track pictured and several other tracks those guys run on use controller stations like this.
View attachment 86919

They all use high dollar controllers with knobs and switches besides the trigger on them nowadays. Too complicated for me. They alligator clip those controllers to the posts. Instead of having to read the colors, Karl wanted to just color code the controller stations. I made enough of them to do 26 lanes. There are 6 lane, 4 lane and even a couple of weird 3 lane tracks on their schedule that use these stations. The colored circles are 3/4" diameter.
View attachment 86920

View attachment 86921

They are going to stick them on at whatever tracks need them. Can make more if necessary.
View attachment 86918

DAC

Nicely done Doug. Those tracks look exciting.

 

[MFDAC]

With winter coming up the guy putting in the Mall business will probably stay busy until spring. After that I think he might have to get creative and move into drones or something. I'm wishing him the best.
You'll have to keep us informed.

It sounds like this guy had become independently wealthy and is willing to pay the bucks needed to set up and play with his toys. That mall actually has some of the cheapest rent in town. The big stores like Sears that was there have all gone belly up. Don't sound like it is an actual business.

Nicely done Doug. Those tracks look exciting.

Sure does look fun Jim, but over my head anymore! My back don't like standing like that as long as some of these races take either.

DAC

 

[JDJake]

I remember seeing a place like that when I was out there Doug, can't place exactly where, was Rapid City or Sioux Falls, thinking Rapid.

 

[MFDAC]

I remember seeing a place like that when I was out there Doug, can't place exactly where, was Rapid City or Sioux Falls, thinking Rapid.

Probably a business called Flags and Wheels, Jake. They have an indoor go kart track and that 1/24th track in the background actually came from that place.

DAC

 

[JDJake]

Probably a business called Flags and Wheels, Jake. They have an indoor go kart track and that 1/24th track in the background actually came from that place.

DAC

They had a couple of slot car tracks when I first seen it, the next time they had RC car tracks pretty much filling the space.

 

[MFDAC]

They had a couple of slot car tracks when I first seen it, the next time they had RC car tracks pretty much filling the space.

I never raced there so not sure what all they had. I do know that particular track came from there. It was called a 155' King. Factory made track.

DAC

 

[MFDAC]

I ripped a few laps today with slotcars! First time in over 10 years probably. Long story though. I dug out that old 1/32 track finally and it is indeed Eldon.




6vDC.


Put the track together since I already had a little table set up out in the lift bay. Cars would not run directly off the transformer. Took one apart. Pretty cheap construction.


Motor brushes look fried. Cleaned them up best I could and tried to check armature resistance. Think the arm is ok. Assembled the brushes back into the motor and checked ohms again. No continuity from brushes thru arm.




Got bored with that. Put the car back together and got a couple of HO's---LOL! Got a Tyco440X2 to run but 6V wasn't going to cut it. Ran jumper wires from a tractor battery to the track to get 12V. I guess this post is tractor related!




Those on off switch Eldon controllers had to go. The red one only worked now and then anyway. Dug out some Aurora pistol controllers. Thought about some Tyco thumb controllers too but I like pistol grip better. Was able to run a lot of laps on that inside at the controller station lane.


The other lane was still twitchy. Needs cleaned better. I might have to build a "suitcase track". This thing will fit in a 2'x4' inside measurement box that can be built light enough to carry easily to put away. I got to the point that I forgot what hand I used to race, since I'm left handed it had me wondering. Grabbed the controller with my right hand without thinking like I had just done it yesterday---LOL!


DAC

 

[cjet69]

I ripped a few laps today with slotcars! First time in over 10 years probably. Long story though. I dug out that old 1/32 track finally and it is indeed Eldon.
View attachment 86987

View attachment 86983

6vDC.
View attachment 86982

Put the track together since I already had a little table set up out in the lift bay. Cars would not run directly off the transformer. Took one apart. Pretty cheap construction.
View attachment 86984

Motor brushes look fried. Cleaned them up best I could and tried to check armature resistance. Think the arm is ok. Assembled the brushes back into the motor and checked ohms again. No continuity from brushes thru arm.
View attachment 86985

View attachment 86986

Got bored with that. Put the car back together and got a couple of HO's---LOL! Got a Tyco440X2 to run but 6V wasn't going to cut it. Ran jumper wires from a tractor battery to the track to get 12V. I guess this post is tractor related!
View attachment 86988

View attachment 86989

Those on off switch Eldon controllers had to go. The red one only worked now and then anyway. Dug out some Aurora pistol controllers. Thought about some Tyco thumb controllers too but I like pistol grip better. Was able to run a lot of laps on that inside at the controller station lane.
View attachment 86991

The other lane was still twitchy. Needs cleaned better. I might have to build a "suitcase track". This thing will fit in a 2'x4' inside measurement box that can be built light enough to carry easily to put away. I got to the point that I forgot what hand I used to race, since I'm left handed it had me wondering. Grabbed the controller with my right hand without thinking like I had just done it yesterday---LOL!
View attachment 86992

DAC

I think we had a track like that one. I should take a look in the overhead out in the shop. I also think we had an AFX track along with Hot Wheels and Sizzlers.

 

[Cvans]

Our track was HO but to be honest there is something real appealing about the larger cars. Bet we'll be seeing more track and cars in the near future.

 

[Sawdust]

Here are the controllers we all had for the HO cars

The one we all had for the 1/24 scale.

 

[MFDAC]

I think we had a track like that one. I should take a look in the overhead out in the shop. I also think we had an AFX track along with Hot Wheels and Sizzlers.

I never had Sizzlers, but had the others. Hot Wheels weren't much fun to me being used to little electric cars. I also had a track called "Motoriffic" (I think). They were about 1/32 scale. Had a can motor and 1 or 2 "A" batteries in the car.

Our track was HO but to be honest there is something real appealing about the larger cars. Bet we'll be seeing more track and cars in the near future.

Oh yeah I left HO in the closet when I started racing 1/24. Lost the cars and controllers in the flood, and by that time was getting into real cars. it was after we got married in the late 70's that the HO stuff got brought back out. I had to start buying new. Didn't have but one or two cars left. No 1/24 tacks and no room for them at home layouts. That was just still beer drinking fun. Was always involved with real racing during that time too.

It wasn't until the early 2000's we started making big HO tracks again and having serious racing.

Here are the controllers we all had for the HO carsView attachment 86999

The one we all had for the 1/24 scale.
View attachment 87000

Had both styles JIm. My Thunder jet steering wheel controllers with the first set I ever got had MPH instead of slow fast stuff. Obviously the MPH meant nothing, LOL! The Cox controller got outdated for pistol controllers then for a time in the early 1980s, I was racing 1/32. They used a weird British thumb controller again with no plastic body. Gave mine to my Brother in law a long time ago when he went back into 1/24. Don't remember what happened to the cars. Probably gave them to him too. Of course that stuff got outdated too---LOL!

DAC

 

[IHCubCadet147]

I got some parts yesterday from Doug for these three. Complete chassis for the Porsche and Indy car, and tires, pickup shoes, and a guide pin for the Buick, since I was able to get that one running. I mentioned earlier that these ones were my dad’s when he was a kid, and probably haven’t been used since the mid 80s.
And these 4 complete cars…

Thanks again Doug! You were right about those 440x2 cars. Definitely my favorite so far. They will fly, even on my small track. I can see why you didn’t like the Amracs too.

 

[MFDAC]

I got some parts yesterday from Doug for these three. Complete chassis for the Porsche and Indy car, and tires, pickup shoes, and a guide pin for the Buick, since I was able to get that one running. I mentioned earlier that these ones were my dad’s when he was a kid, and probably haven’t been used since the mid 80s.View attachment 87011
And these 4 complete cars…
View attachment 87009View attachment 87010
Thanks again Doug! You were right about those 440x2 cars. Definitely my favorite so far. They will fly, even on my small track. I can see why you didn’t like the Amracs too.

I'm glad they got to you in good condition, Nick! Hope they give you a lot of hours of fun and maybe rekindle some of the fun with your Dad too! The Lifelike chassis that came out after the Amrac were by far a better driving car. Those chassis will fit the Amrac bodies.

I dinked around a couple hours this afternoon on that old Eldon 1/32 track becoming an HO track. Took it apart, shined up the rails with a scotchbrite and attempted to make some kind of layout without a bridge. I always liked flat tracks best. Never fails a car will die or crash right under the bridge making it a bit mor difficult to retrieve. Don't have enough straight pieces to make a tri-oval so back to the figure 8. Assembled the track and started trying cars on it. A lot of them will require taller tires and AFX and Magnatractions will need shorter guide shoes. A 1962 track didn't have as deep of grooves as more modern ones.


By accident I hit on probably the coolest setup for this track than can be had! Got this Tyco 440X2 "pan chassis" '57 Chevy out of the box. Looks like the one Nick has but the chassis is different.


I noticed the traction magnets were missing! Figured what the heck. That thing is a riot! It slides the turns like a sprint car---LOL! It needs a little taller tires too, but I ran a lot of laps "drifting" the turns! I need to build another one of those!
The holes back close to the rear tires on the left car is where the magnets should be, like the one on the right.


Dang, now something else time consuming to eat up my time again---LOL!

DAC

 

[Sawdust]

Ditch the magnets Doug and drift away. I like the 57 Chevy

 

[IHCubCadet147]

I'm glad they got to you in good condition, Nick! Hope they give you a lot of hours of fun and maybe rekindle some of the fun with your Dad too! The Lifelike chassis that came out after the Amrac were by far a better driving car. Those chassis will fit the Amrac bodies.

We didn’t actually race yet, but he did a few laps with some of the cars. He tried the Porsche and remembered that he never liked it much. I remember now the set I used to have was Lifelike. From what I remember, they were much faster than the Amrac, and handled pretty good. I guess I need to look for a few of them now too.

 

[MFDAC]

Had to do laundry this morning then I got mad as heck at the bank that is "handling" our home improvement loan. Can't get any info as to when I can start paying 3 contractors I have been putting off for over two weeks now. The locates in the front yard will expire in another week. Grass and leaves will have them buried by then anyway---LOL!

Fixed the back steps that have needed maintenance this afternoon. The 18 year old composite treads are getting springy feeling so added some treated wood under them for support. Son broke one about a year ago. Wasn't hurt at least.

Got that done and it was time to play again. This old 1/32 track seems to like rear tires 7/16" or taller. I use a drill gauge to measure them. Rounded up one hard tire set and a pair of silicone coated sponge ones quickly.


I put the harder ones on the '57 Chevy. This Oldsmopile was chosen to be the next victim for this time wasting fun! Same motor as the '57 but it is a narrow chassis 440X2. Body is longer but the wheelbase is shorter. All these chassis have slots for two wheelbases.


Popped the rear half of the motor out of the frame far enough to get those magnets out.


Now there is a pair of them! Don't know why, it's just me racing---LOL! They each drive very different. The '57 has a lot more power and with the hard rear tires, it's much looser. The Olds still drifts ok, but being slower, the hard tires might be better on it and the softer on the '57. I probably ran a hundred laps with each car on each lane! A lap only takes a couple 3 seconds on this tiny track. Definitely released some frustrations!


DAC

 

[MFDAC]

Here is a couple of pics from that HOSERS Invitational race last Sunday. They didn't post a pic of all the cars.

The track they ran on. Was supposed to have been on a new bigger 8 lane but the track wasn't completely wired up for raceday.


One of the heat race lineups.


The trophies.


Ok I will quit obsessing with these little cars on a tractor site---LOL!

DAC

 

[Cvans]

There’s not a lot of wasted space on that layout.