Best place to find pin gages is McMaster Carr, although not the cheapest place. You may also want to search eBay, Zoro, Fastenal, etc...
How to Precisely Check Alignment
- Thread starter LightninBoy
- Start date
Troy, I bought them from McMaster Carr. Some of the sizes were special order, if you don't see a size listed that you want, just scroll the drop down size box to the bottom and click "Other" then type in the size you want.
http://www.mcmaster.com/#23065a504/=13vfuq8
Even in the half sizes too! Tough to beat that deal if you have a Prime account, free shipping! I seem to forget about looking at Amazon for some of these items.
Those pins on Amazon are class ZZ go pins, the ones on Mcmaster are class Z no-go pins. The ZZ's have a greater allowable tolerance so they will be cheaper. Probably absolutely fine for what we use them for, just be aware of the differences.
Not necessarily - not for a very slight toe. None of my cars have had Lightnin Boy textbook alignment and have still done well.
Shoot for perfection but don't let imperfection keep you from racing.
Good luck!
This alignment test is really really really .... really sensitive. Is exposes even the smallest errors. There is certainly a point where its close enough to perfect that getting more perfect would be of no benefit. I have no idea where that point is. So when going up against the best of the best - yeah I toss the block if I see light. Or I flip it over and try again on the other side.
Fill the bad hole with toothpick and super glue then cut it off and sand it smooth and re-drill until u get it perfect. I do it all the time.
V
Vitamin K
Guest
Maybe check the alignment of your tool? Insert two .089" pin gages through the bushings, and check to see that they are meeting in the middle, and that they are parallel.
I just checked, the tool is dead on. For some reason all the blocks I ordered have just a touch of play in the tool instead of over tight like ones I have had in the past. I am trying to press one side tight and clamp and I have had better luck doing that and drilling real slow. I have several bodies now that are perfect on one side and very very close on the other and they are passing the roll test, so I am thinking good enough for a scout race.
If you press it to one side, it will make a lazy drill with your car. One side will be a different angle than the other because one side is higher. Do both sides evenly
I have lots of blocks that were set aside as perfect for the snug fit. Then just before drilling, tested again and they were all too loose. Wait for a rainy day and they will be too tight. Moisture will come and go. Impossible to not have wood change somewhat. When I cut blocks, I cut inside the house @ 50% R.H. ( hooked up to a vacuum cleaner - I have not been caught by my wife yet) Then they should not need sanding, but often will need the tape to get snug. I have both thin and thicker shipping tape for shimming.
So would you drill the wood block first and then start cutting it for weight pockets and so forth, or would you cut the pockets first and then drill? I normally do the last since I always thought that cutting a signification amount of wood away could change the alignment.
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