Building a table top/whip table tops at outdoor venue...?

[johnnygibbon]

It's not just sis job all the rest of the committee will help any way
I reckon they will ant some changes or extras like we do
But organising and actually building what we wants gonna be a task

But at least there's plenty of enthusiastic helpers and ideas coming
Where's Coleman to?
Keeping very quiet in this subject
C'mon matt are you secretly designing new track features on ya works computer
I have a few ideas
Maybe a little meeting is needed
Or another model like woody made

[Si Coe]

Originally Posted by Gavin Collingwood

No but you're part of the commitee who can influence other committee members

Cheers Gavin Thats the best laugh I've had all day! Like anyone listens to me......

Seriously though - anyone fancy drawing up a plan view of the current track and sticking it on here so folks can have a play at adding stuff?

One thing that struck me is that right now we have clear track for a straight on both sides. If we start adding features we are likely to encroach on one or other of these - they are the best spaces we have to work with. Normally we build the track with the straight on the far side but as a result I feel we don't always use the rostrum side as effectively. Where would people prefer to have the straight?

[Darren Wales]

All,
I have been reading with interest this thread and what pleases me is the clear passion we have from quite a few members. This is a healthy position to be in.

Firstly, we as a club are always open to ideas on improving. We as the committee are there to take on board these ideas, discuss and decide on ways to improve the club.

As Simon has said before this post, we have been discussing ideas for some time now. What we really need is actual drawn plans, costings for materials and an idea of how long such improvements would take. Once we have this information, we the committee will approve, provided it is in the interests of the club as a whole. The current financial position of the club is good and it will be for the whole committee to agree on spending funds, not just Roger. (although he remains the key figure at the club)

I can see that ALL the comments on here are in the interests of the club, but what is the clubs biggest hurdle is the gathering of the manpower needed to carry out these such ideas and plans.

As for any ideas on adding more features, it is my personal view that the most efficient way of adding bumpy sections or similar would be to purchase additional astro-turf, of any type, to lay over any added feature and fix down, clearly one new feature at a time would avoid ruining the versatility of the track as is.

Darren
Chairman BMRCC

p.s i am awaiting further update from the council and our friends at the cycle- speedway on the external works, so will update as soon as i get further.

[Gavin Collingwood]

Yeah si we gotta keep the back straight as its huge! I was thinking of the area I front of the rostrum for a big jump table top. You could even do it so it was a three way table top to add to the versatility? So imagine how the ramp thing in the top left of the track looks but imagine another ramp opposite to the ramp that goes down towards the straight. This way there would be countless ways you could set up on it. This way You could go bank to bank in the standard table top direction from right to left or left to right as you stand looking at the track from the rostrum or you could go from the left or right banks to the bank going away from you as you're stood on the rostrum
Here's something similar
http://www.f-bomproducts.com/wiki/im...bleTop_web.jpg

[Darren Wales]

Originally Posted by Gavin Collingwood

Yeah si we gotta keep the back straight as its huge! I was thinking of the area I front of the rostrum for a big jump table top. You could even do it so it was a three way table top to add to the versatility? So imagine how the ramp thing in the top left of the track looks but imagine another ramp opposite to the ramp that goes down towards the straight. This way there would be countless ways you could set up on it. This way You could go bank to bank in the standard table top direction from right to left or left to right as you stand looking at the track from the rostrum or you could go from the left or right banks to the bank going away from you as you're stood on the rostrum
Here's something similar
http://www.f-bomproducts.com/wiki/im...bleTop_web.jpg

Gavin, I do like this. Where would be your idea it should be positioned on the current track. Your explanation is not clear.

Starting in the centre of the track as you look from on top of the rostrum ,How many paces/feet away from the rostrum forward and how many left or right?

[Gavin Collingwood]

If you were on the rostrum I'd have it directly in front of the rostrum as you can get the best view of the car jumping from bank to bank with the lowest chance of crashing as you can see both landing and take off clearly. And if you're looking at the drawing the rostrum would be behind it. It would have to be a few feet on as you don't want it right next to the fence but it can't be too far on as it would interfere with the dome in the centre of the track. I think it would work brilliantly as it could work if four different possible ways
1. Right to left bank
2. Left to right bank
3. Right to centre bank
4. Left to centre bank

[Si Coe]

That makes sense. Every time we've used Rog's massive tabletop its been located there, so its got to be a good choice.

Only issue I can see is that its right in front of the race control window. This means the timing loop will need to be located elsewhere - not in itself an issue as there is plenty of coax so the loop does not need to be in front. The problem comes if the computer starts playing up again because you can't do manual count if you can't see the line. Nothing major though.

[Darren Wales]

I can see that.

What sort of height would you suggest? (Johnny before you say 6ft+, not going to happen! lol)

We could simply use earth and hardcore to shape it before overlaying with new astro, I guess.

[johnnygibbon]

ok 5ft but on fire hahaha
but seriously i think its more about the shape and transition of the take off and angle and length of landing the jump could be 2 or 3 ft high max but if it had a nice long curved take off the car would fly well allowing it to be controlled in the air and a good landing angle helps stop any harsh landings and car breakages
kinda like the old jump out of the brick berm at far back right corner
a slightly bigger version of that would work it wasnt a car breaker but still gave you some airtime
thats the problem with the current features imo the quad jumps are just about jumpable but very very tricky to do
if they were a bit biggerand slighty wider spaced the bigger take off and landing would mean cars would flow a lot better and we would have some exciting motox style racing rather than cars crashing and rolling over them
they were designed to be jumps not speed bumps ,
simaler with iron cross but i actually think this works quite well on the whole
the centre circle was meant to be bigger with a dish in the middle .i still think paving or tarmacing this would be good
and areshape of the back berm /tabletop would be getting things back to woodys original design
excited for bmrcc track updates now boys

[The race controller]

[QUOTE=Si Coe;717069]That makes sense. Every time we've used Rog's massive tabletop its been located there, so its got to be a good choice.

By calling it a "massive" tabletop, is this the reason it doesn't get used?
You all said you wanted it big but if now it's too big then we can take the saw to it and reduce it in height.
The holes in the side have been enlarged to cater for the warped beams and easier assembly but you've still not used it.

Think on.

[Gavin Collingwood]

Two reason why they don't use it...
1. It takes ages to build
2. More importantly it's not right, too harsh and not smooth enough

We don't need this new table top to be huge you've seen how much height we get from those wooden kickers, it's all about the length of take off and landing and the smoothness of the transition and also the length has to be correct, there's no point getting big air if you're landing to flat and bottoming out. So as we're building it we need to test it with a car as you go, that's the only way you'll get it right

[Howler]

What's under the astro for the current features? I know some of them have moved a little. My worry with building them with gravel underneath is that they will move. I've build a lot of mountain bike/bmx jumps from clay heavy dirt, and they always need maintaining annually anyway. One of the tricks we always used was to use a log at the lip of the jump, keeps the material from crumbling at the lip.

Maintaining them under astro is always going to be a pain, so how coule we make them permanent? Concrete is the obvious solution, but even under astro, its a very hard surface, but it's no porous so it wont turn into a squidgy mess or move gradually as thousands of buggies hit it over the season.

Thoughts?

Also, a lot of talk about a project manager. I was a little bit reluctant to admit it, but i am a project manager by trade, although an IT one. If people like i can project manage this, build a plan, assign people tasks, manage the budget, purchasing etc. All that may be OTT, but again, what do you think?

[Gavin Collingwood]

That sounds superb, I think it's a great idea. Like I've said all along I'm always available to help and give my opinion on things
Gav

[Si Coe]

Originally Posted by The race controller

That makes sense. Every time we've used Rog's massive tabletop its been located there, so its got to be a good choice.

By calling it a "massive" tabletop, is this the reason it doesn't get used?
You all said you wanted it big but if now it's too big then we can take the saw to it and reduce it in height.
The holes in the side have been enlarged to cater for the warped beams and easier assembly but you've still not used it.

Think on.

Its a faff to build, and when it rains its far too slippery. Yes I know you've coated it to solve the later but by then people had given up. Remember I mostly put the track away not get it out!

And it is massive. There is no other way to describe it. Its the largest non-fixed purpose built (as opposed to assembled from table tennis tables) ramp I've seen anywhere. But that doesn't mean its 'too big' when used correctly.

[Darren Wales]

Originally Posted by Howler

What's under the astro for the current features? I know some of them have moved a little. My worry with building them with gravel underneath is that they will move. I've build a lot of mountain bike/bmx jumps from clay heavy dirt, and they always need maintaining annually anyway. One of the tricks we always used was to use a log at the lip of the jump, keeps the material from crumbling at the lip.

Maintaining them under astro is always going to be a pain, so how coule we make them permanent? Concrete is the obvious solution, but even under astro, its a very hard surface, but it's no porous so it wont turn into a squidgy mess or move gradually as thousands of buggies hit it over the season.

Also, a lot of talk about a project manager. I was a little bit reluctant to admit it, but i am a project manager by trade, although an IT one. If people like i can project manage this, build a plan, assign people tasks, manage the budget, purchasing etc. All that may be OTT, but again, what do you think?

Steve,

I personally don't think this is a bad idea. As we know the issue we actually have is not a desire as a club to further improve the track, which is of course by no way the finished article, just the difficulty with planning and organising!
Funds are good, as all that attended the AGM will know.

As I said in my previous post, we need to take things in stages, to ensure we don't overdo the changes and ruin what is still at present a good track.

If you are willing to step up and project manage this, you certainly have my vote.

Can I ask all my other committee members their views on this suggestion please?

(I will pm them all too!)

Darren

[Gavin Collingwood]

Definitely think the way to go is the three way table top that I proposed that would be the most versatile feature and would just take the track to a better level

[The race controller]

Originally Posted by Si Coe

Its a faff to build, and when it rains its far too slippery. Yes I know you've coated it to solve the later but by then people had given up. Remember I mostly put the track away not get it out!

And it is massive. There is no other way to describe it. Its the largest non-fixed purpose built (as opposed to assembled from table tennis tables) ramp I've seen anywhere. But that doesn't mean its 'too big' when used correctly.

So the "OLD MAN" has to show you youngsters how to build it then. As I've said before I can put it up by myself so it's saying a lot for you lot.
If you can't drive it then what hope do we have of "improving" the track. It's going to end up like the old track when 2 or 3 people who couldn't do the double, that it had taken 2 days to build, to turn up on a Saturday and flatten it to a featureless rise.
Then there's the situation of "the concrete bank wears the tyres, let's cover it with Astro".
What happened to the painting that we decided to do to highlight the features we've got?
Come to think of it, what happened to the work party that was going to paint the rostrum fence. We've had the paint for months but each time I go into the container the cans have been shifted.
Sounds to me that there are a few whingers trying to influence a majority who turn up to race whatever the track.

[Gavin Collingwood]

Its a big Big no to concrete from me. All these things didn't happen roger as there's no organisation. If Steve project manages surely its a start

[johnnygibbon]

Excellent work boys this is wha bmrcc needs I will obviously help but as my work is random and i could bd here for a week and then london or wherever I cannot commit to an official role as I don't want to let people down
Steve I'm happy to work with you as an junior project manager though so your not doing I all alone
I also have big experience with building dirt jumps and trails and also wood ramps and equipment so I understandthe shapes and sizes of jumps and how they have to built
I can get the guys who built Radcliffe concrete sk8 park to help out a bit to
Maybe with the design and or build
Although he may want a small payment if he does any serious designs or work
But this would not be silly money I think the expertise especially in the design stage would save any mess ups afterwards in the building stage
Underneath the astro is road plannings I think either a little concrete or even chicken wire or mesh wrapped over , some way of stopping them moving and sagging like it had done on the back tabletop berm would help
Reshaping and adding a couple of proper features to this track will do wonders
So Steves project manager
I'm his unofficial junior ( I will send my number )
An other volonteers we still need to pair loads of metalwork an I ain't doing it on my own
And we need to find someone who can refix astro
But I think I might no someone for that
Positive things are happening lets keep ip the good work

[Gavin Collingwood]

Yep I'm in pm me for my number
Gav