Help! Taking inventory of many supplies and deciding process

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davidwilkie
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Help! Taking inventory of many supplies and deciding process

Post by davidwilkie »

Help!

It's that time of year for my sons to start building their derby cars. We went skiing during last year's race, so it has been 2 years since we've built cars. I went through the toolbox I had stored all the materials in and need to sort out what we are going to use, and what we are missing and need to buy before it's too late to do so. Over the years -- based largely from reading Derby Talk -- we have acquired a lot of materials. We would greatly appreciate any advice -- which should we use? which should we not use? what are we missing? Also, we suspect in the two years we've taken off, there's been some new innovation, so any other suggestions welcome too!

FWIW we plan to once again build rail riders using the stock BSA parts (per rules)

Wheel Drilling

We have various drilling jigs but prefer Stan Hope's drill press method: http://www.stanpope.net/camdrill.htm

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and using the Derby Work Pro Axle Press II tool to put a 1.5 degree bend in the DFW for tuning the steering

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Q: we presume this is still a good method, but please opine if you don't think so.


Axle Polishing

We have lots of sandpaper on hand...which should we use?

sandpaper we purchased at an auto supply store -- grits 600, 1000, 1500, 2000
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some sandpaper we probably ordered in some kit -- grits 1200, 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000 and 8,000
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some Micro-mesh I believe we bought to use in a method that uses carbon rods for wheel bores -- grits 4000, 6000, 8000, 12000
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Q: Which of these abrasive papers should we use?


Bore Prep / Axle Polishing

We have several polishes on hand...Red Rocket, Brasso and Novus 2
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Oh, and here are the carbon rods with Micro-mesh on them (trying to duplicate this method: http://www.derbytalk.com/viewtopic.php? ... rod#p69135)
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Q: Which should we use on the axles? Which should we use on the wheel bores? (and if the Novus, do we need the #! and #3?)


Wheel Prep

We have these various wheel prep devices
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Q: Any advice on if/which of these we should use or avoid?

Other

We also have this "grab bag" from Jobe and some other compounds we aren't sure about
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Q: I seem to recall the Jobe method feeling a bit antiquated -- and laborious with the manual turning device -- but maybe not? Would this be better substitute for any of above?


Lubrication

We have all of these graphite on hand
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Q: Which is best? (note: the Super Z is for the Jobe method kit above)


Thank you for reading. Any and all tips greatly appreciated!!!
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Scrollsawer
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Re: Help! Taking inventory of many supplies and deciding pro

Post by Scrollsawer »

Some quick thoughts, based on a very quick review of your posting:

:arrow: instead of bending the axle on the DFW, just drill a negative (opposite) CANT axle hole. It's been my experience that it's MUCH easier to tune the car for rail-riding, versus using a bent axle. People are reporting good results from setting the DFW steer to approx. 4" in four feet of rolling from the start of movement.

:arrow: we use Hob-e-Lube with good results.

:arrow: we use Novus 2 (fine scratch remover) and then the 1 (polish). We don't use the 3 (heavy scratch remover).

Looks like you've got a lot of experience there, with those tools. More than I use. Sporty can likely guide you more on the micro mesh question.

One thing you may have forgotten is how long it take to wait between spray paint coats (especially when using enamels). Give yourself 48-72 hours between coats and 3-4 days for any clear gloss to set. Plan your builds out on a sheet of paper, and that should help you plan your work so that you're not scrambling to finish at the last minute like we did (day before yesterday :wall: ).

Good Luck! (Oh, and P.S., be extra careful when using power tools! Lol! I speak from experience. :/ )

Scrollsawer
Last edited by Scrollsawer on Sun Jan 25, 2015 1:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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ngyoung
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Re: Help! Taking inventory of many supplies and deciding pro

Post by ngyoung »

Axle polish--file the burs off then wet sand with 400-12000. Then apply the Brasso for final polish with cloth or strap of leather.

Wheel bore--Take a walgreen's brand q-tip stem chuckef in a hand drill and apply a small drop of Novus 2 polish to the wheel bore and slowly slide up the q-tip stem with the drill turning very slow. Go in and out 2 times. Clean up the bore with a pipecleaner dipped in iso - alcohol. Then use the red rocket and apply a thin coat, like waxing a car, to the bore and hubs. Let dry 10 mins then blow off excess, let dry another 15mins. Now buff off the red rocket with a clean pipe cleaner or strip of microfiber cloth. Let the red rocket cure over night before burnishing with graphite or applying oil.

Making micro mesh rods to polish bores is Sporty's baby so he'd be the best one to help you with that if you want to try that method for bores.

I personally wouldnt mess with the hub shavers or most of the other tools. If you use the axle bender DONT use a hammer. Put it in a vise to apply even pressure.

Scrollsawer tip about drilling the DFW is a little more advanced and you still need a slightly bent axle to tune the steer.
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sporty
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Re: Help! Taking inventory of many supplies and deciding pro

Post by sporty »

Holly cow batman.

Those bore prep rods/ micromesh. Look torn up.


That bore prep process I still find equal or a tad faster results when doing it.

However. I also feel the novus 2 process is equal to. A tad slower results. But easier to do and cheaper.

The novus 2. Gives a good polish. Not super shiny. Like my prep process I came up with there back years ago.

The trade off is a little less speed as I mentioned. But further more. The burniswing graphite process is a bit different between the two bore polishing process es.

Due to the micro mesh. Being slicker and shiner.

I like hodges graphite from win derby for my base burnish. Then add layers with hobbilube.

Where for me on the novus 2.

I like to use max-v for burnish and hobbilube for layers.

It was that combos. That worked best and fastest times.

I still flip around and use the rods and novus 2. when i would enter multiple cars. Ran each one with minor differences.
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pwrd by tungsten
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Re: Help! Taking inventory of many supplies and deciding pro

Post by pwrd by tungsten »

You are in deep :-)

I confess to having most of those items and then some :-)

For the axles the Brasso is a nice finishing polish. Then clean with Alcohol.

For sure drill the rear axles holes at 2.5 degrees and leave the axles straight. I also like the two graphite technique. However my favorite graphite is zero friction.

Design and build a quick car and fine tune the COM and then build a second car designed from the start to have proper COM.
W Racing!!!!
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