Any success with "composite filled" axle bores?

[whodathunkit]

Back in the day of the.. 1947 monogram models co2 car kits.
Used several poly tube brass inserts compression fittings that were pressed into the rubber wheels.
The axle passed all the way threw the car body the inserts were used next to the car body.
The wheel installed with the brass insert then a shorter sized insert was used on the end
of the axle by soldering it on.


However it's a co2 car building design from the past!
And what kid woulden't enjoy trying some of the tips and tricks that were used long ago.
Just Saying .. thats the way grandpaw would do it!

[FatSebastian]

I doubt many 9 year olds are going to be exploring....

A typical 9-year-old might not think to lubricate (or even build!) a car if left to his own devices, so I suppose almost every discussion on DT might be prefaced with that doubt!

In fairness to the topic, fitting axles into non-wood probably holds no decisive advantage by itself; many other things would need to be done exquisitely which have been previous topics on DT and elsewhere. (Thus the playing field never seems level when some parents are "into" PWD more than others.)

I'm also not a proponent of Teflon inserts next to the wheels in either Pack or District races.

Like a washer - or something else? (Most rules disallow washers, bushings, etc.)

[Scrollsawer]

FS, the Teflon I was referring to is essentially a washer that is countersunk into the wood at each wheel so that the inner hub face of the wheel rubs the Teflon washer rather than the (hopefully well burnished) wood whenever the hub makes contact with the car body.

Scrollsawer

[Curse You Red Baron!]

My son and I filled with Epoxy, J.B. Weld, and wood putty. In the end we found we liked to go with the putty or nothing at all. A good straight drill and a good bit, drilled slowly, got us high quality holes and fast cars. We had to use the pre-existing slots, but we drilled holes so the nails would be reasonably accurate. I will say for those curious, that the putty tended to flake off in chunks if any pressure was applied, and the J.B. Weld drilled.... oddly. The bits didn't seem to like it much, I kept having to clean them.

[ngyoung]

I read on another site about someone using delrin or teflon rod, similar I think to Royal Rangers using the wood dowel. Insert the rod into the body and drill axle holes into the rod ends. This then also doubles as a slide glide surface. For the front axle it is also drilled canted but is movable enough to push the rod in or out and turn the rod to set the angle for steer. This also allows for not having to bend the front axle.

[sporty]

I read on another site about someone using delrin or teflon rod, similar I think to Royal Rangers using the wood dowel. Insert the rod into the body and drill axle holes into the rod ends. This then also doubles as a slide glide surface. For the front axle it is also drilled canted but is movable enough to push the rod in or out and turn the rod to set the angle for steer. This also allows for not having to bend the front axle.

I've tried Teflon, delrin, brass tubing in the rears. Was very hard for me to drill the can't right. Allot of trial and error. My goal was to have the axle be able to spin too. Using a tight fitting on the axle end to allow the axle to spin, turn if needed. With a pocket in the wood to allow the fitting on the end of the axle to spin. Never got it perfected and moved on.
Lots of drilling to try and get the right angle for cant and found allot more slop. Then I could ever resolve.