How To Drill Axle Holes without the Silver Bullet

[Guest]

Maybe this is what QT said, didn't catch it all...but, how bout the front DFW inside out, camber with bottom edge out, extended out a tad more than the rears (which are on a standard camber), very slight steer into the outside rail on DFW side? This is given the outside lane edge is vertical enough to keep the DFW from climbing up it. Inside out rail running?

Yeah. That sounds pretty good too.

Let's face it though.

If the fella doesn't even have enough time to get The Bullet, then by the time he even understands what the heck we are talking about the race might be over.

Just use the slots like QT said.

Cant the axles so that the wheels are positioned like the wheel chairs made for sports.

Then pray to the lord almighty.

 

[Vitamin K]

Slightly off-topic, but I really wanna know what the heck kind of track that is. The only plastic tracks I know of are the Supertrack (non-center guided) and Derby Magic (center-guided). That doesn't look like either.

Somebody solve this mystery.

 

[timmi20]

Thank you all for the expert advice! As I read through the posts it seems there are differing opinions on how my wheels and axles should look.

To be clear, I do have a drill press, so that is not an issue. I am also fairly decent at building pinewood cars, at least at the local level. However, this is the first year I have really decided to knock it out of the park.

I liked what OPARENNEN wrote so let me clarify.

Legend: The red | is the track edge, it is sloped and the lanes are wide, much wider than I have seen on other tracks. The lanes are probably 5 inches wide. The blue / are the wheels. And the ------ is the car's body. ___ is the lane width:

So would this be the correct configuration?

_/---_/ (back)

_|---/_/ (front)

 

[quadad]

I understand what people are gravitating to relative to the fronts (reverse and put negative cant on the DFW, have it steer away from the raised NDFW), but I don't understand why, if you had the time and equipment for it, you wouldn't inset both rear wheels and put negative cant on those wheels as well. I wouldn't want them going to the body or bouncing.

Whatever you do, you should be able to test this out on a long 2x4 with some plastic edge on top to act as one of the outside rails.

 

[Crash Enburn]

In other words (or pics, as it were):

_|----_/ (front) Steering ->

__/--__/ (back)

Without actually testing on the track, I think that this configuration is the best. Wheels are not running against the body. Wheels are angled such that they'll roll along the edge of the track (both bottom and side). And rears are inset to minimize the chance that they'll be in contact with the edges of the track.

 

[bracketracer]

Slightly off-topic, but I really wanna know what the heck kind of track that is. The only plastic tracks I know of are the Supertrack (non-center guided) and Derby Magic (center-guided). That doesn't look like either.

Somebody solve this mystery.

Just a guess, but looking at it I would say it's a five lane Derby Magic track but they've got it striped to run between the lanes for some reason. That's why the edges are angled, because they're running on the "wrong" side of the guides?

 

[Crash Enburn]

Based on his description, though, and the pic itself, I believe that what we're seeing is actually 11 lanes! Two timed lanes, a lane spacer, two more timed lanes, etc. Furthermore, it looks (from the pic) like the lanes are not timed, but rather the track runs four head-to-head races at a time. The more I look at it, the weirder it gets. /images/boards/smilies/confused.gif

Derby Magic tracks are only available in blue or yellow from what I saw earlier when I was searching for this track.

 

[Guest]

Slightly off-topic, but I really wanna know what the heck kind of track that is. The only plastic tracks I know of are the Supertrack (non-center guided) and Derby Magic (center-guided). That doesn't look like either.

Somebody solve this mystery.

Just a guess, but looking at it I would say it's a five lane Derby Magic track but they've got it striped to run between the lanes for some reason. That's why the edges are angled, because they're running on the "wrong" side of the guides?

Lol!!!
Yes! That is it!
What do we have for him Johnny?

The black lanes are "U" shaped, but the colored lanes are flat.
The black "gutter" lanes are meant to be set up between each of the colors to act as the rails.

I see a "play" arrow on the picture.
Can we get some video to go with this?

 

[DerbyDad4Hire]

Simple, narrow the rear. Insert the rears canted into the slots. DO NOT DRILL WITHOUT THE SILVER BULLET. Negative cant on the front dominant steering toward the outer rail. Make sure the rear wheels won't touch the outer rail. Done.

 

[ngyoung]

+1 on this. That is what DD4H recommended as well in another thread that I can't find ATM. You should only need to inset the back 1/16" on the one side. I would also stage it so the car sits close to the side you want to steer into so it won't bounce off.

Being 5" wide have you previously set them up to run straight? I am kind of wondering if you could make it down the track without touching the sides. One would need time with the track to test that out though.

In other words (or pics, as it were):

_|----_/ (front) Steering ->

__/--__/ (back)

Without actually testing on the track, I think that this configuration is the best. Wheels are not running against the body. Wheels are angled such that they'll roll along the edge of the track (both bottom and side). And rears are inset to minimize the chance that they'll be in contact with the edges of the track.

 

[timmi20]

Thanks John. I have a block that no longer has slots, so I will need to drill holes. This was the reason for my original question. No one should even think about drilling without the silver bullet, but what if we have to?

Looks like this is the correct configuration based on the latest input.

_|----_/ (front) Steering ->

_/---_/ (back)

 

[Crash Enburn]

No one should even think about drilling without the silver bullet, but what if we have to?

I have used a second block. I clamped the block I'm drilling to another block. I'm not remembering exactly, but I believe a 5/32" drill bit at the top of the side of the bottom block will result in a drill angle of 6 degrees (I recommend you do the math instead of trusting my memory).
The math:

Code:

height of block x sin(angle you want)= drill bit thickness

Line the block you're drilling carefully on another block, and clamp it on top. Take a drill bit, and tape it lengthwise at the top of the side of the lower block.

Drill Bit Size	Angle
1/16"	2.87°
5/64"	3.6°
3/32"	4.3°
7/64"	5°
1/8"	5.75°
9/64"	6.4°
5/32"	7.2°

 

[Vitamin K]

Honest question here. I know how most of you guys feel about bent axles, but if he lacks a good setup to accurately drill can't, would running bent axle rears be the lesser of evils?

If you go with the block-and-spacer method, be sure to check your alignment with a 90 degree tool and also do a roll test. If things aren't good, fill the hole with a round toothpick and some quick-dry epoxy, sand flat and drill again.

 

[Kinser Racing]

Honest question here. I know how most of you guys feel about bent axles, but if he lacks a good setup to accurately drill can't, would running bent axle rears be the lesser of evils? If you go with the block-and-spacer method, be sure to check your alignment with a 90 degree tool and also do a roll test. If things aren't good, fill the hole with a round toothpick and some quick-dry epoxy, sand flat and drill again.

It's my belief that running straight drilled rear axles would be the best for this situation.

 

[Guest]

Nice!
That was what I said!
What about the front Chris?