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Installing SuperTimer II in a Beta Crafts Aluminum Track

These hints were developed using a four foot Beta Crafts track, the full size track may be slightly different. We also did it using wherever possible the parts that were normally included in our EARLY VERSION Start Gate Assembly. If you have time you might buy or fabricate slightly different parts.

The current Start Gate components mounted to the SuperTrack Start Gate can be seen here.

The basic concepts: A hole for the LED; insulate AND SUPPORT the sensors; latch the starting gate; remain the same.

The Lane LED

Because the aluminum track is thinner than any wooden track, the Lane LED mounts differently. Drill a 1/4" hole instead of the 9/32" hole specified in the User Manual. Then use a large drill bit by hand to remove the burrs from around the top and bottom of the hole. Don't use the white nylon washer, it's not needed. Simply push the Red LED Lens through the hole. It will be a firm fit, it's supposed to be. The pictures below show the LED Lens from above and below the track. The below track picture has the LED pushed into the socket to its natural stop.

The Finish Gates

Because the aluminum track is side-guided the Finish Gate installation is also slightly different. You won't need to cut a slot, but you will have to drill the two 1/8" holes, .20 inches apart. Center punch the holes first to help with accuracy. You can also oversize the 1/8" drill bit slightly. Also, as with the Lane LED, use a large drill bit by hand to remove the burrs from around the top and bottom of the holes. Before putting the sensor wire through the holes, clean the aluminum, first with fine sandpaper, then with alcohol. Support the sensor using self-stick plastic feet. We found Shepherd #9563 feet at Home Depot and cut the taper from one side using tin snips. Be sure the feet are low enough to clear a car, high enough (1/4") to support the sensor and at least as wide as the sensor. BE SURE NO METAL PART OF THE SENSOR TOUCHES ANY METAL PART OF THE TRACK.

The Start Gate

Here too you'll find need for some (even more) adaptation. The Beta Crafts track has a very different start mechanism. After some study we hit upon the following ideas and then had to modify them somewhat for shipping/storage purposes. The first picture below gives the general idea. Because of the thin aluminum track, nothing was bolted or screwed. Instead generous use of Scotch #111 Mounting Squares was used. CAUTION: Before applying the squares, clean the aluminum with fine sandpaper and then wipe it with alcohol. With that caution, the squares will stick forever. If you do use screws, be sure that they are in a area where the car's wheels will not run over them.

You'll need to cut off the 'tie wraps' on the start sensor and start assembly connector before sticking them to the squares. The 'Ready' switch mounts to the side rail (along with the static reducing plastic foot-no longer needed). Instead of using the small "brass L" as the gate latch, we instead used the (now un-needed) solenoid mounting bracket. Given time you certainly could fabricate something more elegant. In the first picture you'll note that the magnet is mounted near the starting rod. This made it impossible to ship, since the gate must be down (horizontal) for minimum clearance, putting the solenoid mounting bracket pointing straight down! (Up in the first picture.) As is indicated in the top view of the third picture, the magnet was later moved to the other end of the bracket, again using the ubiquitous double stick squares. Unfortunately, the track has been returned and we didn't get an underside view of the new magnet position. When shipping/storing the track, simply loosen the nut holding the bracket allowing it to rotate out of the way. An interesting feature of this setup is that the mating of the latch and the solenoid plunger can be seen from the top of the track (see the second picture.)

Set the rubber band to just get the gate started down, gravity will do the rest. We put a soft foam pad (like the padding on the front of SuperTimer II) under the 'stop' screw to create a 'soft landing'.