MagLev C [Trial]

[Jim_R]

Discussion for Magnetic Levitation C.

http://www.scioly.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=91&t=2278
http://newyorkscioly.org/SOPages/MagLevC12.pdf

It is a trial event in New York.

[illusionist]

So, this will be an official event in Division C next year, right?

[chalker]

So, this will be an official event in Division C next year, right?

That is the current plan, subject to change of course;)

[twototwenty]

Does anyone have any ideas on how to make the cars width adjustable, other than tape?

[butter side up]

Does anyone have any ideas on how to make the cars width adjustable, other than tape?

The width of the track is supposed to be standardized, so that shouldn't be much of an issue in theory. In practice, we had the main body of the vehicle (with motors, and the bulk of it) stay solid, and built a few different sleds that attached to the body with Velcro. The sleds were thin pieces of wood of varying width with the magnets screwed onto the bottom of them. We made these sleds all just a little under and a little over standard track size. (Actually this was originally unintentional- we had built several sleds in an attempt to find the best width.)
Another thing that can be done is attaching thin strips of excess foam (the stiff, dense, blue kind) to the sides if you need to add a significant (or small) amount fast. if all else fails, throw a file/ sandpaper and a hot glue gun in your tool box and modify it on the fly when you get there. They would probably let you check the width against your sled at impound.

[chalker]

The width of the track is supposed to be standardized, so that shouldn't be much of an issue in theory.

Yes, in theory. But in practice there is variability, which is why we introduced this aspect into the rules. We want to make sure you don't show up at the competition and find that your vehicle gets stuck, which happened to far too many people last year.

[Primate]

A lightweight adjustable-width sled would be really cool.

(But even that wouldn't help with the mismade tracks that get narrower as you approach the finish line >.>)

[twototwenty]

A lightweight adjustable-width sled would be really cool.

(But even that wouldn't help with the mismade tracks that get narrower as you approach the finish line >.>)

Was that type of track really a problem?

[Primate]

A lightweight adjustable-width sled would be really cool.

(But even that wouldn't help with the mismade tracks that get narrower as you approach the finish line >.>)

Was that type of track really a problem?

At regionals, yes.

By the state competition, they finally wised up and got two separate tracks (probably the Pitsco and the Kelvin) so you could choose the one that worked best for your vehicle.

[Flavorflav]

A lightweight adjustable-width sled would be really cool.

(But even that wouldn't help with the mismade tracks that get narrower as you approach the finish line >.>)

Was that type of track really a problem?

At regionals, yes.

By the state competition, they finally wised up and got two separate tracks (probably the Pitsco and the Kelvin) so you could choose the one that worked best for your vehicle.

I believe the Pitsco tracks are not the same dimensions. They are wider, I think, and have higher side rails. All of the other suppliers except Kelvin sell a track with acrylic side rails which fit into channels in the base, and which seem to show quite a bit of variability.