Welcome to

Michael Live!

Posted by Michael Atencio

Welcome back, I hope you had a great holiday season. For those of you visiting for the first time I would like to say hello and thanks for dropping by. If all goes well, I'll be starting my work on the wooden track for my SCX Digital system around the 15th of January.

I wish I could say I did this before and know what I am doing but the truth is that I haven't got a clue... I'm going to be just like you, starting from scratch with no experience using a router at all. I have some experience with woodworking so I don't see any real problems.

I have a simple game plan. Buy a cheap router, create some guides and a jig for the corners and just do it. I'll make the first piece of track from MDF and the track will be wider than SCX track. I want the turns to be wide enough to handle the cars when they slide and drift a little. SCX track allows the car's back tires to come off the track. When this happens, the front tires then lift off the surface along with the guide and brushes causing the car to crash.

As for the "third" wire, This track is not going to have the third wire in it. Why?
The third wire is for accessories. Here is how SCX track works: The track is identicle to the old analog tracks many of us grew up with. Two wires, one attached to each side of the track. The third wire handles things like the lights, changeovers etc.

I have a piece of track I am going to frankenstein and photograph so I can see how the wire runs inside the piece. The pictures are for you, and me in case I forget how it goes back together. I do know that the piece I am using didn't work after I took the plastic clip and copper clip out of it. I have to try and repair this to fix the problem. I will take the piece completely apart to see what makes it work. You will have to check back for updates.

A final thought - and note. I am in a master's program to be a professional counselor. That being said, my priority must be the school work with my slot car hobby second... I know, it's hard to believe that my priorities are so screwed up but my family has to eat and bills gotta be paid. Enough said. Mike 

What's On Next?

January 2009

Posted by Michael Atencio

      The normal format for the show will change until I find the right combination of things to discuss. However, that being said, here's what's on the next shows:
      Slot cars, model trains, structure modelling, politics, home repairs, child rearing, self help, paranormal investigation, UFO's, Auto repairs, How to's, family, creative writing and publishing, business plan creation and feasibility studies, movie reviews, film-making, directing, producing and the ultra limited bank bag, screenplay writing, inventing and protecting your invention and cats (yes cats, I train mine so I know a lot about them)

My Favorite Discussion Topics

These are my pet peeves that will push my buttons:

  1. Stating the Republicans are great and know what they are doing for the little guy... 
  2. That the multiple war plan is a good idea
  3. That gun control is a bad idea - who hunts with an AK-47 or an AR-15? Bull crap. And the constitution does NOT mean we get to have guns because we want to collect them and shoot paper targets. Who are YOU trying to kid?