To Race Mag or Non-Mag
Posted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 6:15 pm
I don't tune Analog or Digital 1:32 cars competitively anymore and for no exact reason other than - I simply lost the joy doing so ...
However, I can race competitively with sponsored super tune cars and that said ... here's my take with Mag or Non-Mag racing.
I have been racing (OTB) slot-cars with 18K rpm Motors (since 2000) and with their stock magnets - which was also dubbed Fridge (type) Magnets or better yet - brown plastic magnets and as time went by, realized these mags wasn't all that great.
Because years later, found out about Faster / Higher 21K RPM Motors & had to use the Neodymium (Chrome Plated) Magnets which was Super-Duper Strong. After experiencing this type of magnet down-force with the high RPM motors in slot-cars, there was no turning back because the other type mags were like racing cars without magnets full stop. Mind you, not that I don't enjoy but there's a but ...
Anyways, that was about 5+ years of High RPMs and as much as 35K rpm with Strong Mags for Analog Circuits but in 2009 all that changed. I was introduce to Mr. Gordon Gonsalves at FRC with his super-cool looking Scalextric Sport Digital Racing Circuit. All in all, I was blown away with this type of racing and it did take a good amount of schooling (at first) and because of Gordon's passion for this hobby plus his Digital coaching skills - ran with everything I learnt from him.
In the first couple months - Gordon use to sponsor some of his digitally chipped cars for GT racing competitions and when he showed me how to chip my own (Lamborghini Gallardo) analog car - the rest is history. Now, one of the first things everyone was told with SSD Chips - it will burnout with motors over 21K rpm, which in hindsight - is somewhat correct depending on the tuning / balance setup.
I said 'somewhat' because (at the time) I only had a Scalextric F1 chip and Scale Auto 25K rpm Motor ... for my Lambo GT car. So, me taking the chance setting up with these components plus Silicone Tyres and Neo-Magnets of course - big Hit or Miss I had the right balance for my Lambo .. It was known to be super-fast in a straight line and being the only one with this racing setup - did win a number of races outright but it took some doing getting to the line first - because there were always 5 more skillful drivers to deal with ... but what everyone was really amazed by with my Lambo - is how the F1 Chip was handling the 25K rpm motor for a good number of races ..!
Nevertheless ... I firmly believe this 25K rpm setup changed things to the point - it opened the "Flood Gates" to Super High RPMs with Down-Forces to match. So much so, motors doubled in RPMs ... and so did the Magnets. The motors sometimes went to 50K rpm but the NSR 40K FC130 Motor was the weapon of choice
Anyways, that was another 5+ years (for everyone) with even Higher RPMs ...
However, a number of other significant things took place through the years but when Modified Production (Less Mags) & Rally Car Classes (No Mags) were introduced plus taking it down a touch with other classes ... Non-Magnets (Rally Car Class to be exact) and Lower RPMs became the new trend with slot-car competitions
This was my shortened 20-year 1:32 story to simply mention ... I will partake of the two types of slot-car racing but not all of one
Post No. 2105
Luke
However, I can race competitively with sponsored super tune cars and that said ... here's my take with Mag or Non-Mag racing.
I have been racing (OTB) slot-cars with 18K rpm Motors (since 2000) and with their stock magnets - which was also dubbed Fridge (type) Magnets or better yet - brown plastic magnets and as time went by, realized these mags wasn't all that great.
Because years later, found out about Faster / Higher 21K RPM Motors & had to use the Neodymium (Chrome Plated) Magnets which was Super-Duper Strong. After experiencing this type of magnet down-force with the high RPM motors in slot-cars, there was no turning back because the other type mags were like racing cars without magnets full stop. Mind you, not that I don't enjoy but there's a but ...
Anyways, that was about 5+ years of High RPMs and as much as 35K rpm with Strong Mags for Analog Circuits but in 2009 all that changed. I was introduce to Mr. Gordon Gonsalves at FRC with his super-cool looking Scalextric Sport Digital Racing Circuit. All in all, I was blown away with this type of racing and it did take a good amount of schooling (at first) and because of Gordon's passion for this hobby plus his Digital coaching skills - ran with everything I learnt from him.
In the first couple months - Gordon use to sponsor some of his digitally chipped cars for GT racing competitions and when he showed me how to chip my own (Lamborghini Gallardo) analog car - the rest is history. Now, one of the first things everyone was told with SSD Chips - it will burnout with motors over 21K rpm, which in hindsight - is somewhat correct depending on the tuning / balance setup.
I said 'somewhat' because (at the time) I only had a Scalextric F1 chip and Scale Auto 25K rpm Motor ... for my Lambo GT car. So, me taking the chance setting up with these components plus Silicone Tyres and Neo-Magnets of course - big Hit or Miss I had the right balance for my Lambo .. It was known to be super-fast in a straight line and being the only one with this racing setup - did win a number of races outright but it took some doing getting to the line first - because there were always 5 more skillful drivers to deal with ... but what everyone was really amazed by with my Lambo - is how the F1 Chip was handling the 25K rpm motor for a good number of races ..!
Nevertheless ... I firmly believe this 25K rpm setup changed things to the point - it opened the "Flood Gates" to Super High RPMs with Down-Forces to match. So much so, motors doubled in RPMs ... and so did the Magnets. The motors sometimes went to 50K rpm but the NSR 40K FC130 Motor was the weapon of choice
Anyways, that was another 5+ years (for everyone) with even Higher RPMs ...
However, a number of other significant things took place through the years but when Modified Production (Less Mags) & Rally Car Classes (No Mags) were introduced plus taking it down a touch with other classes ... Non-Magnets (Rally Car Class to be exact) and Lower RPMs became the new trend with slot-car competitions
This was my shortened 20-year 1:32 story to simply mention ... I will partake of the two types of slot-car racing but not all of one
Post No. 2105
Luke
