Axel polishing

[Jorrflv]

This is our first time building a car. I noticed the stock axles have tiny groves on them. Not the burs that you file and remove but groves that run perpendicular to the axis of the axle. Should I grid these down or leave them?

[Jorrflv]

Sorry for the typo on title. I am using an iPhone .

[FatSebastian]

Jorrflv.

This is our first time building a car.

Great! As a beginner, may I suggest that you reference a book like Building the Fastest Pinewood Derby Car by Troy Thorne, to help orient yourself?

Go to the Amazon page for the book, and click the image to "Look Inside". Then Search Inside This Book with the phrase "Removing the Burrs". Page 90 shows a cartoon of "burrs on shaft". If these ribs are what you are talking about, then, yes, remove them as Troy advises on p. 91.

[Speedster]

Jorrfly, Welcome to DT.
Great advice from FS. Troy's new book will give you a lot of information very quickly.
I'm going to guess at something. If you are rubbing your finger nail over the grooves they do feel like grooves and they are. It is my understanding something grabs the nail on the shaft and pulls it to form the head. If you look at the grooves under a microscope you will see the area next to the grooves are higher than the axle shaft. It is these marks that are normally filed off and also the marks under the head. Hobby Lobby sells plastic tubes with 4 wheels and 4 axles that has BSA's Official sticker. They are made in China. I wouldn't use the wheels but the axles are far superior to the axles that come in the kit. Saves a lot of work. If you're concerned whether these are legal in your District simply ask the Boss.
Good Luck.

[Jorrflv]

Thank you guys for all the help I appreciate the suggestions. I will post some pictures of the car when we are done constructing. Here are some in progress photos. As you can tell I am making my son do all the work, he did his own cutting and drilling. He is in third grade and this is his first time constructing anything.

[whodathunkit]

Jorrflv.

This is our first time building a car.

Great! As a beginner, may I suggest that you reference a book like Building the Fastest Pinewood Derby Car by Troy Thorne, to help orient yourself?

Go to the Amazon page for the book, and click the image to "Look Inside". Then Search Inside This Book with the phrase "Removing the Burrs". Page 90 shows a cartoon of "burrs on shaft". If these ribs are what you are talking about, then, yes, remove them as Troy advises on p. 91.

FS, nice try at the links.
The only page you can view is page 16 that shows a cartoon axle.
Even when typeing in "Removing the Burrs" it takes you to the index page.

[FatSebastian]

the only page you can view is page 16

Did you also type in "Removing the Burrs" in the search box on the left under Search Inside This Book (on the left)? (It is not enough to just click the link.)

[whodathunkit]

Tryed typeing the words "Removing the Burrs" in the box to the left it took me the index page.
and highlighted the area tryed clicking on it.. nothing.

Anyhow it woulden't let me go to page 90-91 to view the pages from your links.

I have this Book and i just want to say... Great Work on the Book FS!

Jorrflv,
That's a nice looking car your Building.. I like the black paint!
Whoda.

[Noskills]

Welcome to DT,

I noticed you have drilled axel holes. Did you guys do this? As a beginner let us know how you did it as that would be a "sticky wicket"
Noskills (Seth)

Also love the black!

[3 Cub Dad]

Hey Jorrflv,

In looking at the pics, I can't tell if you taped off the area around the axle holes. If you didn't, I would strongly recommend that you sand the paint off, back to the bare wood, the area around where the wheel may make contact with the body. A turning pinewood wheel against paint equals a sticky slow situation due to heat and friction. (even though ideally the wheels never make contact with the body, still better no to take the chance!)

Good luck!

3 Cub Dad

[rcmoeur]

Dumb Friday night question on a long- dormant thread: is it really critically important to completely remove the crimp marks on the shaft? Our first year, we removed the crimp marks completely, but it seemed the diameter was reduced a noticeable amount (son's car won Pack, placed at District). Last year, we experimented with polishing without fully removing the crimp marks by having the wheel ride on the smooth space between the marks - that car seemed to be just about as fast (2nd at Pack due to a mishap, OK at District). I'm just about ready to help a bunch of Cubs and parents work axles, and I wanted to make sure I was giving best advice.

[Speedster]

The scouts should be fine if they are skilled enough to do it. It might cause a problem on the DFW because of turning the axle while tuning. If the casting marks are removed very carefully the diameter will remain the same where the wheel will ride. A grooved axle will have been made which might be the biggest benefit of removing the marks. It might take away a bad section of the nail.

A bit of Trivia since jorrflv pointed it out. The word "axel" is an ice skating move named after Axel Paulsen, a Norwegian Skater who died in 1938. Since the word axle is so popular on DT it might help those using the Search function if it were always spelled "axle".

[FatSebastian]

Sorry for the typo on title. I am using an iPhone .

FYI, you can edit your own posts to correct typos. I corrected it in title of my post above, and this one.

it might help those using the Search function if it were always spelled "axle".

Agree!

[rcmoeur]

I was thinking about correcting the subject line, but didn't know if it would mess up the thread. Thanks for the advice.