Help selecting straight BSA axles?

[Vitamin K]

Howdy folks, another question from a n00b.

So I'm running with angled axle holes, meaning that I need to select straight axles to get good alignment. The rules for the Pack say "Only Official BSA Pinewood Derby Kit wheels and axles will be used."

Now, I could use the axles that come in the Revell tubes (since they have the 'official' BSA stamp on them), as those come pre-polished and seem pretty straight to me, but I think I'm going to stick with the actual "BSA box" axles to keep within the spirit of the rules.

So here's my question: Does anybody have any tips (links to video would be awesome) regarding what to look for when trying to select a straight axle from stock BSA nails? I've got about 100 or so to choose from, so I figure there's gotta be a few straight ones in there somewhere. It's just that when I chuck them into a drill and spin, I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking for.

Educate me, please.

[macd]

Think about the extreme case: if you have an axle with a 45 degree bend, chuck it, and spin it you'll see a cone shape.
If you have a perfectly straight axle, chuck it, and spin it, you'll still see a "nail shape".

Look for axles with no cone.

[whodathunkit]

Howdy folks, another question from a n00b.

So I'm running with angled axle holes, meaning that I need to select straight axles to get good alignment. The rules for the Pack say "Only Official BSA Pinewood Derby Kit wheels and axles will be used." It's just that when I chuck them into a drill and spin, I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking for.

Educate me, please.

Vitamin K, your looking for Wobble in the shaft or axle head.

Out of the 100 or so nail axles you say you have group them in pairs of 20 or so..
Next take each axle and put a mark 1/2" down from the pointed end.

Insert axle into a drill or drill press.. clamping it to the 1/2" marked location.
Then turn on drill or drill press to medium to high speed and observe the spinning axle..
watch for wobble as it turns in the drill or drill press.

Relatively straight axles will only have a little bit of wobble to some degree.
Pick the four the have the least amount of wobble..
The 1/2" mark is a gauge point for clamping the axles into the chuck.

(TIP.) sometimes the burrs on the pointed end of the axle can also play a role in the axle shaft wobble.
Befor chucking the axle into a drill or drill press remove the burrs on the pointed end with a file.
(This will also help to keep the burrs from missing you up while clamping the axle into the jaws of the chuck.)

Plus.. by removeing the burrs on axle tip it will help to keep from scratching the wheel bores
while attaching the wheels.


While your looking for wobble on the shaft.. look at the head of the axle for wobble..
as some are not true to the axle shaft or the heads could be off centered to the shaft also.

[FatSebastian]

...when I chuck them into a drill and spin, I'm not exactly sure what I'm looking for.

Look on p. 91 of Troy Thorne's Building the Fastest Pinewood Derby Car for a (slightly exaggerated) illustration. If you still don't have your own copy yet, then:

• Visit the book's Amazon page.
  Click on the book illustration.
  Type in the search box good set straight axles.
  Click Go.

[Speedster]

The condensed version of "Building the Fastest Pinewood Derby Car" is "Build a Winning Pinewood Derby Car" and is available at Michaels if you want one immediately. The same page FS referred you to is on Page 54 of "Build a Winning Pinewood Derby Car". "Build a Winning Pinewood Derby Car" has all the building tips including how to build FatSebastion"s concentricity gauge. What appears to be missing is a lot of car patterns.