32 replies to this topic

[sean9782]

So I just started I new launch coaster. I plan for it to be inversionless, and have a Hyper/Giga-esque layout. The train easily clears the first hill, and I plan to have it go into an I-305 style turn next. Tell me how it looks so far!

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[Muzz135]

Very nice start you have! Looks very smooth with some nice tube work. Only thing I would say is that I don't recommend doing an I-305 styled turn as that will lose you a lot of speed no matter how well you build it

[SCM]

It's looking fabulous so far! I haven't seen one of these in a while, in the time of Unleashed, Tron: The Ride, and DimetrodoN. Anywho, it doesn't take a detective to notice that the tallest tube support is bending. If you can, beef up your supports. You're going to need stronger supports for an I-305 turn, or for anything with a higher speed. 

[sean9782]

Very nice start you have! Looks very smooth with some nice tube work. Only thing I would say is that I don't recommend doing an I-305 styled turn as that will lose you a lot of speed no matter how well you build it

 

Thanks! I decided to try out an I-305 turn anyway, but if speed loss is THAT bad, I'll redo it.

It's looking fabulous so far! I haven't seen one of these in a while, in the time of Unleashed, Tron: The Ride, and DimetrodoN. Anywho, it doesn't take a detective to notice that the tallest tube support is bending. If you can, beef up your supports. You're going to need stronger supports for an I-305 turn, or for anything with a higher speed. 

Thanks! I did strengthen up that tall support, and the track out of the launch.

 

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I actually had to separate the launch track from the rest of the coaster to fit it in the room, but it's still 100% intact and 75% done.

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After I had that tucked away in my room, I fixed the support SCM mentioned...

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...and added some strength to the exit of the launch.

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After those issues were fixed, I finished the exit of the first hill...

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...and moved on to the I-305 turn.

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Obviously, I haven't finished the exit of the turn, but tell me what you think so far. All replies help, thanks for reading!

[SCM]

Looks good to me so far!  

[rgarner42]

Looks good. Shaping of the hill looks smooth. But you're going to want to strengthen the turn a lot more, maybe a stronger base for the turn and maybe have it rise out of the turn a little earlier too. 

If you have enough spare, I find that threading grey rods through the x-ties helps strengthen and smooth out long drawn out elements. 

[< NCcoaster >]

As long as the base doesn't lift off the ground the turn looks fine imo. The overall shaping is smooth so far, gl.

[sean9782]

Looks good. Shaping of the hill looks smooth. But you're going to want to strengthen the turn a lot more, maybe a stronger base for the turn and maybe have it rise out of the turn a little earlier too. 

If you have enough spare, I find that threading grey rods through the x-ties helps strengthen and smooth out long drawn out elements. 

Currently running a bit low on grey rods, but I'm getting more today, so I'll be adding them later. 

 

As long as the base doesn't lift off the ground the turn looks fine imo. The overall shaping is smooth so far, gl.

Thanks!

 

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Quick mini-update, how does the shaping/support look on the pullout and exit of the turn so far?

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(Ignore the massive straight section before the track ends)

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All feedback is appreciated, thanks for reading!

[SCM]

What massive straight spot? I think the turn is golden, minus the annoying place the tubing ended.

Edit: Oh, speaking of which, you should really take off that tape. It's going to slow down your train way down. If you don't have any track splices or micro rods, just add an extra X-tie to seal it. 

Edited by SCM, 30 March 2017 - 07:36 PM.

[BGTKing]

Really good work so far. Solid shaping too.

[rgarner42]

Shaping looks really good. 

But I think the turn in general and the exit still needs strengthening. For each tube add more a few more connections to the track.  And sort the track splice out, normally I have the tube ending and the next one starting on the same x-tie, I'd imagine the tape with kill your speed. 

[sean9782]

What massive straight spot? I think the turn is golden, minus the annoying place the tubing ended.

Edit: Oh, speaking of which, you should really take off that tape. It's going to slow down your train way down. If you don't have any track splices or micro rods, just add an extra X-tie to seal it. 

Thanks! I thought tape would help smooth out the splice, but I removed it.

 

Really good work so far. Solid shaping too.

Thanks, some parts have been a pain, but I think it looks pretty decent so far. 

 

Shaping looks really good. 

But I think the turn in general and the exit still needs strengthening. For each tube add more a few more connections to the track.  And sort the track splice out, normally I have the tube ending and the next one starting on the same x-tie, I'd imagine the tape with kill your speed. 

I'm slowly working my way around the turn with more track strengtheners, and I'll make sure to add more connections to the track. 

 

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I was originally planning to have another air-hill underneath the first one, but I couldn't get the crest to look quite right so I began to re-do it. Instead of ending up with what I'd originally planned though, I ended up trying out a different element...

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Obviously the exit isn't finished, and I might go back and fine tune the supports, but what do you think of the shaping and element overall? Should I go back to an airtime hill like I originally planned, or stick with this?

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All feedback is appreciated, and don't forget to tell me what element you think I should keep. Thanks for reading! 

[SCM]

Huh. I actually like this little curved hill, it's more unique and makes this more spontaneous than a predictable hill. (Not that those are bad, they're just kind of everywhere.) 

[sean9782]

Yeah so I know its been 2 weeks since I updated, but I have a big update so that redeems me, right? Right? Okay...

 

So about a week after I posted that update I hadn't gotten much accomplished, and I was forced to break the coaster into sections and move it up to my room. It was damaged a good bit in the process, but eventually I was able to move it back downstairs and reassemble it. Two days later my mom tripped on it and completely destroyed the exit of the first hill and entrance to the I-305 turn. After that, my options were essentially:

a- Try and rebuild the destroyed section and salvage the coaster

b- Start over and use some of the untouched sections

c- Cancel (Another) Project

I decided on B, rebuilt the first hill with better supports, built a stronger base, and started an overbank in place of the I-305 turn.

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The first hill is a bit flat at the crest, but I like the look of it.

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I also made the exit of the first hill bank and turn to the right a bit...

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Before banking to left and heading into an overbanked turn.

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A picture of the overbank:

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The shaping is still a bit rough...

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Next, I plan to lead the overbank under the transition between the first two elements. (Hard to explain)

 

Tell me what you think of the new layout! Thanks for reading, all comments/feedback is appreciated!

[SCM]

Eh, you're good. 2 weeks really isn't that long of a hiatus. No need to worry about having to redeem yourself. I think the layout and whatnot looks good, just smooth out the track. I also see that your gray rods are poking out and that you're only using 5 X-ties per gray rod. If you want smoother tack, use 6 X-ties. If you don't have enough for 6, then at least make sure there are X-ties on each end of gray rods. That's why the shaping is so rough. Edit: Then again, fixing that would mean you'd probably have to go back through the whole track... oh well, for next time, I guess. 

Edited by SCM, 18 April 2017 - 04:42 PM.

[< NCcoaster >]

Glad you didn't cancel this. There are some bumps in the track on the overbank when those gray rods end. Maybe you could move those 2 way connectors in the track closer to the ends of the gray rods? It'll probably be easier to fix when the turn is done. Nice base also.

[sean9782]

Eh, you're good. 2 weeks really isn't that long of a hiatus. No need to worry about having to redeem yourself. I think the layout and whatnot looks good, just smooth out the track. I also see that your gray rods are poking out and that you're only using 5 X-ties per gray rod. If you want smoother tack, use 6 X-ties. If you don't have enough for 6, then at least make sure there are X-ties on each end of gray rods. That's why the shaping is so rough. Edit: Then again, fixing that would mean you'd probably have to go back through the whole track... oh well, for next time, I guess. 

I think the track looks a lot smoother, and yeah I don't have a TON of X-ties at the moment. Thanks for commenting!

 

Glad you didn't cancel this. There are some bumps in the track on the overbank when those gray rods end. Maybe you could move those 2 way connectors in the track closer to the ends of the gray rods? It'll probably be easier to fix when the turn is done. Nice base also.

Like I said above, I think its noticeably smoother now. Thanks!

 

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So, not a ton done today, but I figure I'll update anyway. Finished the turn and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. There's still a flat spot at the turn's crest, but I'll fix that soon.

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Also, I made this-

https://www.youtube....h?v=yfthNfOrHf8

 

Tell me what you think, all comments are appreciated!

Edited by sean9782, 19 April 2017 - 10:27 PM.

[GER Seano]

In my opinion the 5 car test looks way better - just cleaner and the proportions look more realistic

[rgarner42]

Looks good, and very sturdy. Still a few rough edges, which I normally sort out by threading grey rods through the X-ties to smooth the track out. But overall I think the shaping looks great. 

Edited by rgarner42, 20 April 2017 - 10:52 AM.

[sean9782]

Quick update with no pictures-

Got the launch working and nearly automatic! Video of it here: https://m.youtube.co...h?v=FeyhK8sg1Qw

Smoothed out almost the entire layout. (Thanks rgarner!)

Started working on the next element.

Stay tuned for more updates soon