NEW SOURCE FOR PLASTIC T-TRACK!

[gazmosis[501st]]

I am building a PVC blaster and needed t-track. I have some rubber, Blastech track left over from a previous build but not enough to do my new blaster. I wanted plastic anyway. I searched through all hardware and hobby type stores in my area. I stumbled upon an unlikely source. In the garden section of Home Depot, a brand of lawn rake called Ames 30" lawn rake. All the "fingers" are t-track shaped, black and plastic!!! After you cut them out, you will have 26, 6 1/2 inch pieces of t-track for $11!!!! Here's the bad news, though. They are CLOSE but not perfect in the accuracy department. A side by side with Blastech's show blastech is 1/2 inch wide and the rakes are 7/16. Also with the rakes, it tapers slightly from one end to the other. Both the rake and Blastechs "t" is 1/4 of an inch tall but the rake's taper to 1/8 at the end. I know this may be a turn-off to some. But there are those who say that close is good enough. Perhaps other rakes might offer better. Keep a watch out as more rakes come out for fall raking season!!!!

[ajax407[TK]]

Awesome, I'll have to check that out.

 

Thanks for keeping your eyes open!

[pandatrooper[TK]]

Can you take some pics?

[firebladejedi[TK]]

Yeah come on this thread is useless without piccies î¡

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

having a hard plastic track would be awesome!

[gazmosis[501st]]

Sorry guys!!!! I am fairly new to posting and was so psyched to get the info out I posted withoout pics. I will get them up ASAP.

[firebladejedi[TK]]

Not another post without pics?

[gazmosis[501st]]

I will try this....AGAIN for the UMPTEENTH X 36 time. I HOPE this will finallt show the rake, the comparisons to the blastech track, the "rake"track on my unfinished blaster. NOTE: the track is not yet glued on the blaster.

[tkrestonva[TK]]

Nice find.

[firebladejedi[TK]]

Looks almost perfect the usual rubber stuff is always oversized.

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

without that taper it would be really close to the blastech.

only thing missing is the internal circular curve.

 

looks pretty good.

 

let's see a photo with em glued down?

[gazmosis[501st]]

O.K. Troopers!!!

Here are the pics of the finished E-11 using the rake t-tracks. Hope you like it!!!

[Valegon]

This is a somewhat odd request but did it come with any type of packaging that would making it easier to find/recognize when we're looking for it? Do you still have it so we could see?

[gazmosis[501st]]

No packaging just a label on the rake that says: AMES est.1774 our tools built america 30 in. poly leaf rake

I was at Menards a couple days ago and saw that they have similar rakes with similar fingers. Most were red but if you are going to paint the blaster as I did, it wont make a difference.

[Blastmaster]

That is awesome, that is exactly what I used like a year ago, my secrete is out, here are my blasters with Rake "t" track, tonight I will post some pics of the Rake it's self !

Edited August 18, 2010 by Blastmaster

[Daetrin[Admin]]

While not perfect, I think for most folks it will be good enough. When I was at Celebration V I saw a lot of troopers who could be EIB *except* for their blasters - getting the right number of t-racks for Hasbro's being among the main items (well, that and side gaps).

 

It goes to show that with a little imagination one can get to EIB *done* with little cost. This is an excellent find - we'll have to ensure it's stickied. In fact, I'll do it now.

[Blastmaster]

Here is the Rake that I used, And I did this before I new about all of these forums and before I joined the 501st, I have never changed the "T" track, they look pretty good.

The rake was $10.00 at Lowes Home Improvement , here in the US. I cut them to size then used a heat gun to bend the ends.

Edited October 29, 2010 by Blastmaster

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

I think it looks better when the T track fills the hole, rather than being bent to it's edge.

it covers the hole more, and it looks much better!

 

nice enough for me at this point!

 

I'm getting ready to try thse bad boys out on a pipe build!

Edited August 19, 2010 by TK Bondservnt 2392

[gazmosis[501st]]

Now all I need to do is drop 45 lbs. to actually fit in a set of armor. That day will be glorious!!!!

 

Hope to see you al some day!!

 

TK too fat to be a TK

[Mojo]

Awesome find for the track...

[JSmails[501st]]

Excellent! Looks like I have ANOTHER reason to go to Home Depot.

[TK_LEPER]

Great find! Thank you for sharing!

[Chunk[501st]]

I like I like! Glad they have a similar rake at Lowes. I can walk to the end of my street & walk right into Lowes. I love having one so close. I can spend hours in there looking for stuff to make Star Wars props

[JimCem99[501st]]

I'll have to go out to Lowe's or Home Depot later and see about getting one of these; thanks!

[rikarus]

I went to HD, and the ames rake now has WAY toopronounced taper, from about .25 down to what I would guess to be .10.