Copper Tape - When this article was originally written excellent quality copper tape for slot car tracks was readily available from several UK suppliers.    Unfortunately they have all stopped supplying it due to lack of demand and the only thing that seems to be available at present is copper tape from glazing suppliers.    This stuff may be great for glazing but it is nowhere near as good for slot car tracks.     Unless / until  a source of better copper tape can be found braid rather than tape is recommended.  However, for those who might still want to use copper tape please read on

Good Quality Slot Track Copper tape 

This tape needs to be pulled tight as it is put down, so that it is in tension when its laid (see below). Press the tape hard down onto the track, a piece of wood is good for pressing the tape down.  (An wood offcut 10-20cm long will do fine)  You can press the tape down with your finger but there is a risk of cutting your finger on the edge of the tape.  Also you can press harder with a bit of wood and pressing harder is better.      The whole point of this is to ensure the tape is in tension so it is less likely to come up with temperature / humidity changes if the adhesive bond fails locally. There is no point in pulling it beyond the point where the tape is permanently stretch, as this will not increase the tension in the tape, simply make it longer and thinner. It can easily be stretched enough to follow tight radius corners without crinkling - obviously on a  bend the outside of the tape is stretched more than the inside.   Copper isn't a very good spring material, and with time the tension will relax. If a tape is repaired after a couple of years it will be found to have lost all tension - although this does mean it that if its just come unstuck (and is undamaged) it can be relayed under tension, and there will be enough overlap to make a decent soldered joint.

Glazing Tape  LAYING TAPE UNDER TENSION? 
I have seen some recommendations not to lay the tape under tension.  This advice appears to originate from the use of brittle copper tape (often obtained from glazing suppliers) which is prone to crack under tension.  Copper lane tape from slot racing suppliers didn't have this brittleness problem, so there is no reason to avoid laying this sort of tape under tension.   Unfortunately,  when  using brittle tape there's little choice  about tension,  I have seen plenty of examples of tracks where the quality of tape laying isn't good  because the builder didn't lay under tension. Those unfamiliar with good quality tape don't realize what is missing 

In conclusion     

• IF you can find good quality slot track copper  (and that's a big IF)  1. Buy slot car tape intended for the purpose (avoid brittle alternatives)  2.Always lay it under tension. (It'll stay smoother longer)

• IF using brittle glazing tape don't lay it under tension

Back to Track Construction-Part 3

Copper Tape (left) and Braid - both about 6mm wide