Research and Development Post - Racer/Marble Track with Racers

 On a continuing quest to find entertaining toys for kids, I happened on a treasure at the Goodwill Store in LaPorte, Indiana, in mid-November 2020 while visiting the kids.

  

David immediately turned it into a marble game and was entertained for several hours.

RACERS

But it really was made for racing cars, so I found a car from a similar game in our toy box at home, and started re-engineering it.  

Sidenote:  The Toymakers from the Orange County Woodworkers in Tustin, CA, had showed me their version of this toy back in 2010.  Here's what they have incorporated into their toy program recently.

  

Here's my initial sketches for making the racers.

Here's a pattern for several race cars.  (If you print this for a pattern, check the size vs your printout.) 

Here's a bill of materials for the race cars:

1. Car Body:  3/4" T x 9/16" W x 1 1/2" L  (Any type of wood - I used alder.)
2. Wheels:  P/N TW0625 from Woodworks LTD in Dallas, TX; 5/8" Diameter x 3/16" Thick with 1/8" hole
3. Axles:  1/8" dowel x 1 1/4" L

   

Here's some progress shots:

 

RACE CAR TEST RESULTS USING SAMPLE RACE TRACK

Here's a video of test results using some of the first 7 prototype racers.

Now here we go in slow motion:

(It worked in slow motion on my iPhone but doesn't seem to be going slow here...)

RACE TRACK

The race track in my sample is made from a long piece of molding cut into ten pieces.  It looks like the OCWA toymakers used 3/8" plywood beveled and re-glued.

My Sample

OCWA Sample

    

Here's a sketch of the race track.

The racer was the easy part, I guess.  More work needed on the race track design and documentation.

Challenge - build a few racers for the next meeting.  I have some extra wheels.  I will order more.  We could have a race on Monday Feb 8, 2021.

For more information, go to www.rapidcitywoodworkers.com.

RCWA