Derby Talk

BSA box axle. I'm sure that there are many different ways to prep axles, but this is what we're doing this year. Thought the pics might be helpful to some (although not the best, macro-scope, through my phone camera, lol)

I still have two more steps to do, once the MaxV Diamond polish shows up, then barnish with graphite.



Out of the box -






Filed (w/angled head) -






Put in axle block and trued, then 400 grit w/s -






800 grit w/s -






1000 grit w/s -






1500 grit w/s -






2000 grit w/s -






2500 grit w/s -






3M Rubbing Compound (36060) -






Mothers polish -

What a great resource! Thanks for posting this!

Our rules state you can remove material defects and sand/polish but we can not materially change the shape of either the wheels or axles. So we filed ours square, but I sure like that angled head...

Are you using water in your sanding steps, or a chemical like wd-40 or brasso?

Great pics. Thanks!

Our prep is: File, 400 grit, 600, 800, 1000, 1250, 1,500, 2,500, 4,000, 6,000, 8,000, Brasso. Graphite burnish.

Will be adding Lemon Pledge to that for the Mid-America.

Scrollsawer

iflytii wrote:
Are you using water in your sanding steps, or a chemical like wd-40 or brasso?

Thanks, & water only.

Now I want to go buy a Macro Scope! Great photos. What macro scope are you using?

Loder66 wrote:Now I want to go buy a Macro Scope! Great photos. What macro scope are you using?

Newage HiLight 20x Brinell Scope, model # 5620-05


http://www.hardnesstesters.com/Products ... Scope.aspx

That axle looks great! Is the coning all done by hand with a file?

Also, where are you buying the fine grit paper from? Locally, 800 is the finest I can find.

Perry24 wrote:That axle looks great! Is the coning all done by hand with a file?

Also, where are you buying the fine grit paper from? Locally, 800 is the finest I can find.

Thanks! The head was angled/coned with file only, and most auto parts store should carry to at least 1500 grit. I get mine from the local auto body store though.

Walmart carries a variety pack of paper up to 2500 and Auto Zone carries a single sheet of 3000.

I've found up to 2500 pretty easy local at auto parts stores, 3000 in a few places.

I ended up ordering some finer paper from Amazon

Variety pack of traditional wet/dry paper - 3000, 5000, 7000: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SD1 ... ge_o03_s00

I also picked up a variety pack of "Zona" paper ranging from 1 to 30 micron which gives you a good overall spectrum.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BH ... ge_o03_s01

Thank you. I never thought to check Wal-Mart. It looks like my local one has paper up to 2500.

Found this on one of the Derby speed supplies sites earlier this week....

30 micron - 400 grit
15 micron - 600 grit
8 micron - 1350 grit
5 micron - 1500 grit
3 micron - 2500 grit


Was told that Mothers is a 2 micron polish, and that Brasso is 1 micron.

Gtdhw, I think those might be a little off. These numbers are what I found when researching:

American
Standard
(Grit) - Mesh - Micron
100,000 - 0-0.5 - 1/4
60,000 - 0-1 - 1/2
14,000 - 0-2 - 1
13,000 - 1-2 - 1.5
9,000 - 2-3 - 2.5
8,000 - 2-4 - 3
5,000 - 2-6 - 4
4,500 - 4-6 - 5
2,800 - 5-10 - 7
1,800 - 6-12 - 9
1,400 - 8-20 - 14
1,200 - 10-20 - 15
1,050 - 12-25 - 18
800 - 20-30 - 25
600 - 20-40 - 30
500 - 30-40 - 35
325 - 40-50 - 45
285 - 50-60 - 55
240 - 60-80 - 70
225 - 80-100 - 90
160 - 100-120 - 110
100 - 120-160 - 150

Here is a handy .pdf
http://www.idrockman.com/documents/grit ... nchart.pdf

...and here is a .pdf that keys the zona colors
http://ep.yimg.com/ty/cdn/yhst-16765698 ... Papers.pdf

I feel pretty lazy compared to you guys. My polishing steps are 500->1000->2000->3000->Brasso.

I only use the 500 if I'm running BSA axles. If rules say I use a smoother axles (like Max-V or Awana), I start at 1000.

iflytii wrote:Gtdhw, I think those might be a little off. These numbers are what I found when researching:

Good stuff!