New Axle sighting? Updated with Pics

[KyDerbyDad]

I was at our local Hobby Town yesterday and I saw some axles (10 to a pack for $1.00) labled as Official BSA from a company called 'Pinewood Extreme'. They are slightly longer than normal, and the head is smaller and 'more rounded' on the inside. They don't seem to have the ridges on the shaft. The same axles were also in a tube of replacement wheels inside of a pre-cut car kit from the same company (had the original box inside the package).

Got Pic's, The new one is on the right in all pics (As you can see, I'll never make it as a photographer)







Has anyone seen these yet? I'm assuming they are "Offical BSA" as stated based upon the price.

thanks
Mike

[shawnr5]

Did they have the BSA hologram on the packaging like the Revell stuff does? If not, they could probably be denied by your Pack/District/Council.

A visit to their website makes it seem like it's just a package of 10 normal axles that will still need all of the work they always have.

[psycaz]

I was at our local Hobby Town yesterday and I saw some axles (10 to a pack for $1.00) labled as Official BSA from a company called 'Pinewood Extreme'. They are slightly longer than normal, and the head is smaller and 'more rounded' on the inside. They don't seem to have the ridges on the shaft. The same axles were also in a tube of replacement wheels inside of a pre-cut car kit from the same company (had the original box inside the package).

I'll try again to get a picture, but I was having problems with focus and glare from our little point-n-click digital camera.

Has anyone seen these yet? I'm assuming they are "Offical BSA" as stated based upon the price.

thanks
Mike

Would love to see a picture. You might be seeing a ton of requests to pick some up for folks if they are from Pinewood Extreme and they are worked axles. That would be a tremendous price for axles with a tapered head and no grooves.

[FatSebastian]

I was at our local Hobby Town yesterday and I saw some axles (10 to a pack for $1.00) labled as Official BSA from a company called 'Pinewood Extreme'.

I recall buying a set of 10 BSA axles from PinewoodExtreme.com before; however, the axles were unmodified and the set costs more than $1.

You can also get smooth official BSA axles via the Pinewood Derby Axle Polishing Set. The kit comes with four nails that are not ribbed (but does have some flashing under the axle head). I used to see this kit in scout shops, but lately have only seen it offered under the Revell brand in craft and hobby stores with the BSA hologram. I'm not sure the Axle Polishing Set axles offer a significant advantage over properly prepared ribbed nails, but they may be faster and easier to prepare for younger or impatient Cubs.

[KyDerbyDad]

I added some pics to the original post

[FatSebastian]

I added some pics to the original post

KDD, I'm not an expert but these don't look official; the head appears too thick. Can you add pics that show the tops and sides of nail heads at different angles? Can you give some dimensions of the head and shaft / stem measured with, say, calipers?

[bigtex]

From those pictures they appear to resemble "Awana" axles...

[FatSebastian]

From those pictures they appear to resemble "Awana" axles...

Except for the pointed tips, this was my thought too! Also, Pinewood Extreme doesn't seem to advertise / carry AWANA stuff...

[psycaz]

Mills Craft axle maybe?

[zeezop]

They look like the new axles that come with the "Kub Kar Kits" in Canada - new wheels and axles seem to be the trend all around. The new wheels in the Kub Kar Kit do not have a BSA stamp, only made in China. I would suspect the axles are not BSA either.

[andylester]

Mills Craft axle maybe?

Every Mills Craft car I ever got had Awana axles in it...

[asatxj]

So if you buy these and run them how can the check in people tell what they are? I agree they look like my Awana axles with points ground on them.

[bigtex]

The Awana axle head is a much smaller in diameter...

[asatxj]

The Awana axle head is a much smaller in diameter...

but if the rules don't specify that you can't mod the axle heads... FWIW I compared a new PWD axle to an Awana axle this morning, I think you'd need a mic to determine the difference, eyeballing it without the two side by side would be impossible.

[FatSebastian]

So if you buy these and run them how can the check in people tell what they are?

I was thinking the issue was whether these are official BSA as presumably advertised. Nevertheless, I might guess that an official axle head with an amateur turned-down edge would not have such a finished or polished look; certainly the zinc plating would be gone.

FWIW I compared a new PWD axle to an Awana axle this morning, I think you'd need a mic to determine the difference, eyeballing it without the two side by side would be impossible.

Of course we are only speculating as to this axle's similarity with AWANA axles; there's no AWANA axle in the photos to compare against, nor do we see the axle heads from the top / outside (as they would appear once installed).

It would be nice to see photos of the head from the side and top, and get some measured dimensions too, if possible.