Graphite Attached permanently to car body?

[DerbyAddicted]

I'm sure at some point this has been thought of and covered, but I wasn't sure how to search for it. What are the thoughts on permanently attaching graphite to the area where the hub contacts the body?? ie putting graphite into the wet paint or coating the area with glue and adding graphite?

[Speedster]

Assuming you are running a rail rider, only the DFW hub will ever touch the car body. Many do not paint the area where a wheel can touch the car body. Leave the wood bare and rub graphite onto the wood. I have coated this area with fingernail polish before graphite but I have no way of knowing if the speed was increased.

[ngyoung]

I am not an expert on the science of it but i think what makes graphite a good lubricant is that the grains sheer easily from each other.

[sporty]

Oh were going back to the old days here.
I have tried graphite pads and stuff they use to call liquid graphite. You wiped on and then it dried and was leaving graphite behind.

I found back then. They worked okay. U did need to often burnish. Smooth the graphite more. After using.
had a ruff surface.

Really. Not needed these days.

Think of learning as evolving.

You will try many products. Many ways. The more years. The more building. The more time at it. Tons of building.

You will end up with the best car you can build. Or your son. And it may not be using a lot of what you tried or use to use.

I think just since 2008/2009.
people started becoming more open and sharing more and sharing and showing in a way. So others could learn or try those things.
I've alway shared and posted the best that I could.

[DerbyAddicted]

Thanks for the input guys. Makes a lot of sense.

[whodathunkit]

DerbyAddicted,

Found this topic about the Graphite pads.. that Sporty tuched on.
It has some good info about what you might be looking for as well.
http://www.derbytalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=2087

[sporty]

Assuming you are running a rail rider, only the DFW hub will ever touch the car body. Many do not paint the area where a wheel can touch the car body. Leave the wood bare and rub graphite onto the wood. I have coated this area with fingernail polish before graphite but I have no way of knowing if the speed was increased.

The reason why many due not paint the area. .

Is many people paint the car only days before the race.

Many paints take weeks or even months to cure. Unless you use paint that you add a hardening again to it.

I am not sure about air bush or brush on bottle paint.
when I air brushed. The base coat seem to dry and cure and hardened fast. But the clear coats did not.
many paints. Are not a smoother surface. Unless sanded/ wet sanded after painting it. It's more pourious.

So. The prep work. Good sanding. Thru the higher grits is important.
Those who clear coat. Same thing. Aside from the curing time and long time to cure.
wet sand. Polish.buff. to get a super smooth or slick surface.

When that rail rider wheel comes into contact with the body.
that soft paint. Stick, grap, added friction. = slower performance.

So people either sand smooth the wood and burnish the area that the wheels will come in contact with the wood.

Due to cure time.
how many build the cars two or three months before the race ?

Or have professional paint and harder added to the paint ? Unless you got $$$ or work at a auto body shop. Not very likely.

Monokote works as a option and burnish graphite on top of the monokote.

Many scout races won't allow graphite pads or the Teflon pads.

and if you're rules do allow this.

Some of the pads out there and even the Teflon ones. If you don't get from a proven vender. And we'll tested.

It's easy to go find something you think will work. And unless you have a track and timer. May in fact cause you more friction then thought and slow you..

The one good think about thin low profile car design.

It makes it easier to round over that area. And reduce the the contact area. Of where the wheel can even touch at.

[whodathunkit]

Assuming you are running a rail rider, only the DFW hub will ever touch the car body.

seem's to me that the rears will always hit the body regardless your cant.

[Speedster]

Whoda, why do you think the rears will hit the car body?