185 replies to this topic

[ForgotToGrowUp]

I am going to build a small woodie for the winter contest. The crosstie limit really rules out anything big and spacing them far apart would be harder with twisty elements. This is going to be a based on a real coaster but due to the space constraints I won't go so far as a real recreation. Let's see who first identifies the real coaster (should be easy)

I've never built anything this small before! The best part of it being so small is I can build it on a table! Yay! less trips to the chiropractor from building Knex!. Also, small coaster should be easier to finish on time!

This is all for now. Nothing to critique as I am still in the early planning stages, just getting the rough shape built for now.

[Blackkitty]

Intresting lift.... Gonna watch this!

[TheSUCKCrew]

Isn't this comet?
Looks good so far, looks like I'll have some concurrention...
I'm planning on a woodie too, not like this one though.

Are you sure you want to go for that orange liftspine? it will look kinda weird I think.

[ForgotToGrowUp]

Nope not any of the Comets. I grew up riding the Lincoln Park Comet and want to do a recreation of that at some point, but there is no way it would fit the constraints of this contest.

Not sure about the orange lift. My thought was to make all the track work bright, using yellow cross ties & flexis, red tubing and trim it out with bright pieces for railing etc. I don't have enough brights to build the structure out of though.

I never took apart the track from Vortex because it has so much tubing through it. I just rolled it up and figured I can massage it into shape on a future coaster. I put 5 cross-ties per flexi on that and am only going to use 4 on this to make sure I have enough. I don't have 200 green cross ties left, only about 170. But I have tons of yellow ones from 4 or 5 RR sets.

I agree the orange really looks awkward now, if it still looks like crap after I get some more trackwork done I'll take it apart and use dull pieces and steal some green cross ties from the Vortex track. I needed to put something rigid up so I could plan it all out.

Is your woodie going to be an out and back or a twister?

[LaMbChOpZ]

looks good, except for the supports at the very top of the lift hill, but hopefully you already knew that they needed to be fixed. hope this turns out better than my coaster for the contest, which didnt work out very well...

[pkiknex25]

I would advise to completely take apart the track from Vortex instead of reshaping with it all together. That's just way too much trouble especially with the small turns you will have here.

I really like the look of this.

[ForgotToGrowUp]

I was leaving that old track together for a future looper or something with overbank turns, it is similar to VV track in that it is pretty much the same length on both sides. Only reason I mentioned it was because that is where all my green crossties are. That was why I was using yellow on this one....which led to yellow flexis...which led to bright colors.... But the more I look at it the more I think I might switch to green and use all metallic rods.

[Maxlaam]

I love the support style!

[rollercoasterfanatic919]

I agree that the bright colors of the lift supports do clash, but I like the piece saving idea of using a lift like that on a wooden coaster. I can't wait to see how this will turn out, I love small wooden coasters!

[colintaylor]

Why do colors matter? You could always paint the cross ties, or just mix match. All people really look at is the space, and shaping of the track.

[Jogumpie]

^That's you, with a overly bright avatar. A coaster's appeal is also determined by its colours. Not sure I like the colours in this particular coaster, but I'd like to see how it turns out like this.

[ForgotToGrowUp]

Have to admit it looks better in dull colors. I gathered up 200 green crossties to use.

This is all still in the planning stages, still trying to figure out how to fit what I want in to such a small package.

Don't have a ton of free time so updates won't be too frequent.

[WardCoastez]

nice work on the turn! i say, move on!

[scott]

Looking good so far. I also have a idea on what you can do but it might be your idea already, Tell me if ya want it.

[LaMbChOpZ]

i actually like it a lot better like this. Is it going to tun out like Figure 8, but in the shape of a 0 and maybe an 8?

and wait??!?! your layout looks like its in reds, not yellows. did you use a template or something?

[pkiknex25]

Yes, he did and it has been Staff approved.

[LaMbChOpZ]

yeah i knew i saw it somewhere and then remembered it was on the Contest thread.

[ForgotToGrowUp]

^^^^ I am open to any ideas but I have a pretty firm plan on what I intend to build. If you are just trying to guess the coaster I am using for inspiration go ahead.

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update:

I have to admit, the rules of this contest are really challenging, and it is making this an interesting project.

I have been slowly chipping away at this, adding a little, thinking about it more, adding a little more. Spacing the crossties far apart makes it a lot harder to get smooth track. I've never used the brown connectors for track before but they do help in this situation. Not sure I have enough to keep this up for the whole coaster.

I built the lift structure and the first turn. Because of the space constraints I am going to use a rear car chain dog , that is why the gear is so close to the crest.

Keep in mind, that because this coaster is going to loop around under itself several times there is a lot missing from the turn structure and a lot of what is there is temporary bracing to keep it from springing apart. The tight radius has this thing sprung like a trap!

Also, because this is my second woodie and I am starting with a complete layout already planned I probably won't be asking for so much direction. At the same time if you see something that looks wrong let me know. Just keep in mind that a lot of this is still temporary.

Here are some new pictures.

[kid26120]

i love woodies and this one seems to be an interesting coaster !
You seem to have a lot of experience in supports...no?

[Jumpge]

Hmmm... very interesting pre-drop/pre-turn thing you have going on there... I like it! The coaster so far looks to be very well shaped, as well as a creative idea to go with for the Winter Competition. I think this will have a very nice compact layout (seeing that it is a wooden coaster) and very nice shaping on the ride. Great work ForgotToGrowUp.