Please critique axle and bore prep processes...

[TahoeGator]

Would appreciate any critique of the axle and bore prep my sons have planned for their cars. Here it goes:

Axles
[list type=decimal][*]Remove burs with nail file. Dremel turned off for this step. On for others.[*]Starting at grit 600, wet sand with strips, about 20 seconds each, including inside the nail head. Use a small piece of wood behind the strip for the last few seconds. [*]Progress through finer grits of wet sandpaper. Clean after each grit with a dedicated piece of chamois cloth for each grit (to keep micron abrasives separated).[*]Progress to Micro Mesh up to 12000, ditto clean after each with separate chamois piece[*]Polish with Brasso on piece of leather[*]Clean with chamois and then a string[*]Spray with pledge, let sit, wipe off with a jewler's / selvyt cloth[*]Burnish with graphite using Jobe method[/list type=decimal]Questions:

• I've read use Brasso instead of water to lube the sandpaper?
• Still burnish after the Pledge? Will it remove the Pledge?
• We used to leave ready to go axles in isopropyl alcohol until day before race, but that probably means waiting to burnish until then...do they really need to be protected from oxygen?
• Anything else wrong or missing?

Wheel Bores
[list type=decimal][*]With cutoff Studio 35 Q-tip in a drill press on slow speed, polish inside of bores with Novus 2, 10 seconds or so (more?) from each direction[*]Clean wheels with pipe cleaner in soapy water and then isopropyl alcohol to remove Novus[*]Apply Red Rocket, let dry, remove excess, wait, then polish with pipe cleaner[*]Blow with compressed air[*]Burnish with graphite using steel rode from one piece pinewood axle (polished to 3000 grit)[/list type=decimal]Questions:
[list type=decimal][*]Not sure we have all the cleaning steps correct?[*]We have Novus 1 also...should they use it?[*]Mix graphite into the Red Rocket?[*]Anything else wrong or missing?[/list type=decimal]Many thanks for any tips or comments!

 

[pony express]

Removing the burrs from the stock axles from the kits is nearly impossible to get a good finish with decent axle diameter. I think John sells some stock axles without the burrs. I think the Revel kits from the Chinese manufacturer are official BSA. Those axles do not have burrs. If you start with stock axles without the burrs many guys skip to 1000 to 1500 grit and go from there.
The wheel prep sounds like what John has in his video. Excellent video.

 

[TahoeGator]

The wheel prep sounds like what John has in his video. Excellent video.

Not familiar with this video, but I suspect would be good training if someone can suggest how to find it...thanks!

 

[Crash Enburn]

Go to: shop.derbydad4hire.com Then go to Videos and Books.

Running graphite, I don't think you're gaining anything in going to grits higher than 3K.

Otherwise, your plan sounds good to me.

 

[ngyoung]

Never burnished the axles so can't comment. Most looks pretty good. For the wheels use a variable speed electric drill that you can run really slow. So much that you can count the revolutions. A drill press even on low will be too fast.

I believe the pledge will protect the axles from oxidation. Unless you sand through the zinc coating I don't think you have to worry too much about that though. If you sand through that much you probably reduced the diameter too much as well.

Using a Dremel just be sure to keep the low grit sanding short. 10 sec on the shaft and another 10 under the head shold be fine. Make sure they're moving the sand paper back and forth and not just holding it.

If you have to use kit axles I also agree that using a set of non burred official BSS Revell axles. They come in the wheel packs but the wheels are heavier and often more out of round then the BSA kit wheels.

 

[TRE]

go buy the revell axles to start with

 

[Kinser Racing]

Removing the burrs from the stock axles from the kits is nearly impossible to get a good finish with decent axle diameter. I think John sells some stock axles without the burrs. I think the Revel kits from the Chinese manufacturer are official BSA. Those axles do not have burrs. If you start with stock axles without the burrs many guys skip to 1000 to 1500 grit and go from there.
The wheel prep sounds like what John has in his video. Excellent video.

+1

 

[Papa V Racing]

Just polished a set of Revell axles and they are way better then the stock kits axles for sure... I only had 2500 to get a decent finish on them.... /images/boards/smilies/thumb.gif/images/boards/smilies/wave.gif

 

[B_Regal Racing]

Clean wheels with pipe cleaner in soapy water and then isopropyl alcohol to remove Novus

I do isopropyl alcohol first, then soapy water (Dawn or something smilar), then fresh water before RR. I have heard that alcohol can leave a film from people faster than me. I believe 'em.

 

[Obsessedderbydad]

not sure about this Jobe method. I've never heard of it and I've never burnished axles before. I'll echo what ngyoung said about sanding too long. On your lower grit numbers 400,600,800, you shouldn't go longer than 8-10seconds because you're just eating away at that metal. Then 1000-5000 or however high you want to go (never saw much if any change going above 5000), go 15-20 seconds.

• I've read use Brasso instead of water to lube the sandpaper? Never heard of this, but let us know your results. Protect your eyes!
• Still burnish after the Pledge? Will it remove the Pledge? Never burnished axles before. I would not after pledge is applied, but again, let us know if it works for you.
• We used to leave ready to go axles in isopropyl alcohol until day before race, but that probably means waiting to burnish until then...do they really need to be protected from oxygen? I wouldn't do this after you've applied the pledge. Once that dries, Id keep the axles in a dust free, clean ziplock bag until they're applied to the car.
• Anything else wrong or missing? A question everyone asks.

Not sure we have all the cleaning steps correct? Steps appear correct to me, but everyone has their own way of prepping wheels. Start with the basics as John's video shows and use that as your baseline. Then experiement from there if you want, but only change 1 thing at a time so you know what works or doesnt work.

We have Novus 1 also...should they use it? Up to you. Test it. I don't use it.

Mix graphite into the Red Rocket? Some people do, some dont. I haven't found the need to do this as burnishing the wheel bore after RR has always made my sons cars fast. Fast enough to win in our area anyway.

Anything else wrong or missing? Don't get caught up on what people tell you is the right or wrong way. Do this/don't do that. John's method should be everyone's starting point only because it's a proven method. Then from there experiment and find what works best for you. It's a process and a marathon not a sprint. As long as you enjoy it your doing it right.

 

[txchemist]

m2c on Jobe method. The fastest Jobe process would use a tiny drop of silicone oil after the graphite burnish on the axle. If you think that is OK- then forget it and go 100% to John's oil process. If you are NOT going to add any silicone oil to the mono-layer of graphite, forget it and do the pledge on the axle for a faster car. You can not tell if you have a correct graphite mono-layer on axle and it drops off in a few races-

 

[GravityX]

Questions:

• We used to leave ready to go axles in isopropyl alcohol until day before race, but that probably means waiting to burnish until then...do they really need to be protected from oxygen?

I would not leave the axles soaking in isopropyl alcohol (IPA), IPA is hygroscopic by nature. In other words, it will draw in moisture. So... soaking your axles in IPA and leaving them in there, well... you are asking for problems. The moisture absorbed by the IPA will oxidize the axles as they sit there soaking. Clean the axles with IPA, dry them off and then put them in a sealable bag afterwards.

 

[Kinser Racing]

+1 to what GX said. IPA also has a certain percentage of water which will cause them to corrode faster. Most metals suffer from corrosion, they try to turn back into their original form, DIRT. lol

 

[NeedforSpeed]

Dang it! We soaked our axles in alcohol for a couple days after we sanded because we didn't have time to prep them the rest of the way. Here's what we did after we dried them off.

-hit them very lightly with our last grade of sand paper again
-polished with red rocket
-cleaned with string
-glass cleaner
-pledge

Is doing all that negated by the fact we soaked them in alcohol? We don't have time to get another set and prep them.

 

[ngyoung]

I think you will be fine. They still shine like a mirror? I don't think I have heard anyone use red rocket on their axles though.

 

[NeedforSpeed]

Yes they looked like a mirror.

I meant I used the cheetah kiss axle polish not the red rocket. My apologies

 

[Guest]

...

 

[Obsessedderbydad]

Oil doesn't dry. If you're going to use oil when you are supposed to use graphite, just use a drop or 2. You dont need much like many people think, but if you're worried about your son getting disqualified, you can always follow the rules /images/boards/smilies/wink.gif. You can make fast graphite cars that will dominate in scout races. Graphite just doesn't work in league racing because you can use oil and oil will always beat graphite. Also, Pledge for graphite, and silicone/jig spray for oil.

 

[Guest]

...

 

[Obsessedderbydad]

Ya Chris is a bit of a rebel. All depends on if you want to go by the rules or deal with the consequences if someone challenges you. I personally would just go graphite and be done with it. If you follow every thing everyone has said in here you'll be golden.