Drag Race Starting Trees - Need an electronics guru

[WickedFog]

I am amazed there aren't links all over Google for starting trees you can buy for use in NPDR. So I got to thinking, aside from thinking this could be a goldmine for somebody...

If there is anyone here that can work out the electronic side of things, I could do the 3d printing side of it and we could come up with something very cool. I have good design and 3d printing skills, but I have no idea how to setup something like the electronics for this, with all the timers needed, sensors, LED's, etc.

I'm thinking, infrared sensors for staging and red light for those cheaters out there, different light sequences like pro tree, etc. Bracket racing ability would be sooooo frwakin' cool, but that would take a lot of design and programming to pull off I am sure. But dayum, that would be a game changer. Then, if we could find an app developer (my brother happens to be a pretty good one), we could make it all app programmable.

If anyone can help here, even if it is just a simple push button version with lights and and a timer only, share your thoughts. I know there has to be some electronics and programming geeks in this hobby.

 

[Chubaka]

I found these.

https://www.aaroncake.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5437

https://www.eleinmec.com/board_message_view.asp?messageID=313

 

[WickedFog]

Nothing I see there seems to help. I just asked my bro about it. He knows a bit of electronics, and we both know an electronics wizard. Maybe he can get the ball rolling.

 

[Greywolf74]

Its going to take someone trained in electronics to make something like that.

 

[WickedFog]

I'm pretty sure my brother can do it with an Arduino and or a Raspberry Pi (not very experienced with them myself). He has an app tied to Raspberry's he built at work that keep track of production on CNC machines and they record a bunch of info to the server, that he can control with an app he made for it. So something like lights flickering on and off under app control should be easy. He hasn't replied yet because he is at work. I don't know why I didn't approach him about this sooner. I just remembered the Raspberty stuff

 

[Greywolf74]

Nice! definitely would be awesome if someone came up with something

 

[HPIguy]

Will the Traxxas DTS1 system not work?

 

[WVNed]

https://www.mikekohn.net/micro/drag_racing_tree.php

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/48419-working-christmas-tree-project-circuit/

https://www.instructables.com/Arduino-Drag-Race-Light-Tree/

https://hackaday.com/2016/09/20/rc-drag-racing-christmas-tree-and-speed-trap/

 

[WickedFog]

https://www.mikekohn.net/micro/drag_racing_tree.php

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/topic/48419-working-christmas-tree-project-circuit/

https://www.instructables.com/Arduino-Drag-Race-Light-Tree/

https://hackaday.com/2016/09/20/rc-drag-racing-christmas-tree-and-speed-trap/

Dude! That last one is cool. But not sure I am smart enough to figure it out. My brother could, and make it pretty cool.

 

[Greywolf74]

Will the Traxxas DTS1 system not work?

It will but its been discontinued for a long time and earlier this year used one were selling for $500+. Traxxas needs to re-release it now rthat theres a market for drag racing.

Dude! That last one is cool. But not sure I am smart enough to figure it out. My brother could, but lately, getting him to help with anything is like trying to get a fat, lazy guy off his computer. Well, it's not like that. It is exactly that lol.

Hey I resemble that remark!

 

[WVNed]

My problem is there are 3 skills needed to do this.
Making the circuit work on a breadboard
Building the circuit so it is permanent
Making it into a set you could use at a track.

At best I only ever had the first. It is just some sensors, timers and leds. Simply with a cheap Pi board now.

 

[WickedFog]

My problem is there are 3 skills needed to do this.
Making the circuit work on a breadboard
Building the circuit so it is permanent
Making it into a set you could use at a track.

At best I only ever had the first. It is just some sensors, timers and leds. Simply with a cheap Pi board now.

Yeah, I just need someone to put the electronics together, then I could 3d print a housing for the tree and trap to make it look like the real thing. My skills are mechanical and design engineering type stuff. So as far as portability and setup in the field, I could make that as easy as standing it up at the proper distances. Lead weights in the bases would make them stable, even in high wind.

 

[johnnydmd]

I'd like to see someone add a timer to the DTS-1 and share the knowledge. Probably wouldn't be all that hard I think.

 

[Greywolf74]

I'd like to see someone add a timer to the DTS-1 and share the knowledge. Probably wouldn't be all that hard I think.

What do you mean add a timer to it?

Yeah, I just need someone to put the electronics together, then I could 3d print a housing for the tree and trap to make it look like the real thing. My skills are mechanical and design engineering type stuff. So as far as portability and setup in the field, I could make that as easy as standing it up at the proper distances. Lead weights in the bases would make them stable, even in high wind.

The only thing you gain by having something like this over the GPS unit you were looking at the other day is being able to practice using the tree. That GPS will tell you your speed and time for a 132ft.

 

[WickedFog]

What do you mean add a timer to it?


The only thing you gain by having something like this over the GPS unit you were looking at the other day is being able to practice using the tree. That GPS will tell you your speed and time for a 132ft.

Just adding the visual of an actual tree and trap would make it so much more fun. And what would be awesome is if a delay could be set on one lane for true bracket racing. Does the Traxxas system do bracket racing?

 

[johnnydmd]

What do you mean add a timer to it?

You know, a little clock display that shows the ET's. I guess not a big deal, since it's showing the winner which is what matters, just thought it would be more "scale" with the clock display.

 

[Greywolf74]

Not sure of what all its capable of. I've never used mine yet

 

[WickedFog]

You know, a little clock display that shows the ET's. I guess not a big deal, since it's showing the winner which is what matters, just thought it would be more "scale" with the clock display.

There is a couple links WVNed shared that have the trap setup with ET displayed and a wireless connection and synchronization back to the starting tree. I am not sure what kind of range they have, but if they work, I am sure there is a way to give them enough range for 1/10th scale 1/4 mile.

 

[WickedFog]

So, I was just in a chat with Mike, that created the coolest one of these trees that WVNed shared here...
http://www.mikekohn.net/micro/drag_racing_tree.php

He is a very helpful dude! Should be able to figure something out with his help I hope. @Greywolf, if you want to play around with this, I can hook you up with him.

Oh, the range on the wireless is a mile he said

 

[Greywolf74]

So, I was just in a chat with Mike, that created the coolest one of these trees that WVNed shared here...
http://www.mikekohn.net/micro/drag_racing_tree.php

He is a very helpful dude! Should be able to figure something out with his help I hope. @Greywolf, if you want to play around with this, I can hook you up with him.

Oh, the range on the wireless is a mile he said

I already have a lot on my plate but let me know how I can help and Ill try