After school rc club

[Madmini]

Hi guys,

I have been given the provisional go ahead to start an after school rc club for the school.

Had anyone set something like this up that could give me some pointers on what I will need to get started?

I have been told I can use the playground and the field one evening a week...

No idea what I will need tho...

Help!

[jordan_bench10]

need some 1/16th cars maybe 1/10th

[Jack R8]

theyll have to be electric for a school to let it happen

[Jacksprogis]

This would be epic  

Jack.

[Colicab]

Get folk to grab stuff from this page.

Will easily give your members a cheap and reliable intro car.

http://www.hobbyking.co.uk/hobbyking/store/__303__613__Cars_Parts-Electric.html

Also check these out.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FOOTBALL-RUGBY-ALL-SPORTS-TRAINING-SPACE-MARKERS-PITCH-SAFETY-PRECISION-CONES-/140712067765?pt=UK_Football_Training_Equipment&var=&hash=item20c317c2b5

[frst]

Trying to get something similar started where I work

Been looking after a lad who is between schools atm

He has been building flatpack furniture with me today, and has been brilliant

But imagine how much more rewarding it would be to have something like a monster truck instead of a chest of drawers

[aspnet]

Do you already know some interested people who will join with their own cars? If not might be worth drumming up interest from other pupils to see how many will be interested so that you can plan it out better. Years ago we started a club at school that was basically a bashing arena for 3-4 friends who already had cars, which grew to weekly racing or time trials round an obstacle course with a larger group as more people came out of the woodwork and rc cars appeared from birthdays etc. 

 

Do you have access to anything available to layout a course - eg: cones from football practice or other equipment? Not sure how it works with afterschool clubs nowadays but are there fees involved at all? 

[frst]

I have taught my guy about screws made of cheese!!!

[XV Pilot]

I would start with a basic set of rules that keep racing as cheap as possible while remaining as inclusive as possible. Perhaps the guidelines that we used at my old club would suit?

 

Basically any plastic tub-based 1/10 touring car was allowed, from any manufacturer, as long as it was powered by a standard silver can Johnson/Mabuchi 27t motor. Tyres were restricted to rubber only (no foams) from any manufacturer. Bodyshells were unrestricted. And there was a minimum weight limit of (I think) 1.7 kg.

 

The plastic chassis rule kept racing open to owners of the majority of entry-level touring cars. The motor rule meant that drivers didn't have to spend a fortune on motors and motor maintenance, and promoted very close racing as everyone had the same power available. The relatively low powered motors kept speeds under control, resulting in fewer expensive crashes/breakages. And the weight limit made sure there was no point in adding expensive weight-saving hop-ups, or attacking the car with a Dremel.

 

Before the club got timing equipment, races were simple affairs timed using a standard stopwatch. The timer started, everybody got racing, counting their own laps (aloud to ensure honesty/transparency) and the person with the most laps when the timer ran out was the winner. If more than one person was on the same lap count, the winner was decided by track position.

[Si Coe]

The first thing you need is a secure location to store the cars. Yours or theirs either way too valuable and tempting if not left somewhere safe.

[Madmini]

Thought I would update you as it's the first day of school here.

Spoke to the head today who was really enthusiastic. He said he could allocate some funding and we could run small scale stuff in the carpeted hall. He's going to talk to some of the teachers and see if something can be arranged. Looks like we're going to be running micro T cars on carpet in a little school club.

I will keep you posted

[GilbertRC1]

I run the club at my school and we are getting a outdoor track for our buggies and trucks!

[KingPin]

Hey Madmini, where abouts are you based?

KingPin

[Madmini]

Coventry

[heavyleftthumb]

congrats on the go ahead pal, i would defo say keep it simple keep it cheap. basic tc cars and so , maybe get some donations from local rc stores for some on shell advertising and so on.

i wish they would have done something like this when i was a kid

[ghazghul]

I work in a school and have found the tech dept kit useful for making parts for my crawler and a mates truggy... if you can tie in to an engineering / resistant materials course I bet you can start to unlock more resources from the management.  Also if your school does an activities week / enrichment week thing at the end of the summer you could look to do something there.. maybe visit a local track or some go-karting?  Trying to sort a RC Car / Simulation / Karts thing here for next year.

 

Oh and you probably know this working in a school but the site manager / lead caretaker should be your best mate especially if you plan to be running anything out of hours on site.

[Andy XO-1]

Hi MadMini,

 

How are you getting on with the after school club ? I have a few questions regarding this matter once you get up and running if you dont mind.

 

Regards

 

Andy

[Madmini]

Still in the planning phases ATM but drop me a pm and I will see what I can do to help. The head had a meeting with the finance bods on Friday to see if we can get some funding.... But the staff I have spoken to think its great so I have a fair amount of support

[Madmini]

Haven't posted on this in ages but the had a meeting with the schools head today. I need to put together a paragraph explaining what we want to do to go In a school letter to be sent home tomorrow so we can gauge if there is enough interest to warrant the outlay.

If the interest is there then we will be doing the setup over the summer and starting in September.

Of course I have no idea what to write in the letter going home

[Trans4Mation]

Congrats buddy what school in cov is this ? 3 local shops I hope one could help you with bits or set up info , you got kits n no bits , antics & the one the lad who runs Bedworth track owns on jib Cresent . The best two closed many moons ago long before you was born . Good luck & keep posted how things go . see if radshape could help do deals on bulk buys on the micro hpi drifts maybe ? There easy to do tyre change on for carpet too .

[Tamiyacowboy]

here are some ideas, i have been in the hobby many moons,

 

first off well done. but the hard work now. 

 

ask if you can pop up some posters in school, mentioning a new and exciting after school club.

tell them its fast fun and action packed. 

 

next you need to ask a couple of clubs and shops if they would be willing to loan some of there time and visit your after school club

maybe even offer advice to new younger starting racers and bashers. being safe is good and the older guys and young lads

will somewhat click. they will be happy because they get a whole school interested in a hobby and possible revenue from new players to the field.

you may even get to ask for a small discount to members of your club if you buy your things from them. 

 

remember the hobby traverses many machines, from aeroplanes to trucks and motorbikes. so if you can get hobby clubs in these areas to come along and show the younger members of your club the different aspects

of the hobby. some may not wish to drive a fast car or motorbike, but may be interested in learning to fly. it is possible for schools to rent out sports halls to indoor flying clubs and carpet racers over the winter to.

so you do need to get a teacher onboard one that can help explain to the school how they to can profit from a school rc club and expand it.

[Madmini]

Hi guys,

Time for another update.

Another meeting with the head today and we now have a start date were starting on the 5th of November. School are doing the crb checks on me and have got a shopping list of things to buy. We're getting

5x maverick strada buggys rtr

For the cars as this will get us started and if it takes off then we can always get more. The cars will be run in the main hall over winter and then out on the field once the weather improves.

I'm pretty excited and nervous but fingers crossed I can make this work

[Trans4Mation]

Good news bud when it opens let us know I'll bring my kids over. Don't forget all the chargers will need pat testing but I'm sure the school have a guy on site to do this . What you going to be running them on carpet ? When we started a indoor club well over 28 yrs ago we started on foams rolled in silicone till club got up & going properly for carpet etc good luck . Edit if you need any small ramps knocking up pm near time I don't mind making um free .

Edited September 5, 2014 by Trans4Mation

[StrokerBoy]

My Physics teacher started an after-school "Electronics" club back in 1983 (god, I feel old).  Week 1 was watching him slide his Tamiya Rough Rider round the teachers car park.  We all got a quick go and were hooked.  But Week 2 was learning morse code, then we all ended up studying for the Amateur Radio exam and never saw his RC car ever again...

[Madmini]

Kits been ordered today. Modelsport have been great in helping out the purchasing person at the school. Can't wait for it all to arrive now so I can check it all over and get started