I have a Derby Worx Pto Axle Press. Should I use it to taper the heads? What will be the benefit?
Tapering axles
- Thread starter DuckOfAllTrades
- Start date
When holding up an untouched axle and looking at it... the underside of the head is basically perpendicular to the shaft meaning the whole underside will make contact with the wheels hub. If it’s tapered in that it is now on an upward angle that means there is now substantially less of the underside of the nail contacting the whee hub. This is better. The less contacting surfaces the less friction, the greater the speed. That’s why when you look at a speed wheel that has the hub lathed it will be “coned” so only the very top ridge of the hub contacts the axle instead of the entire flat surface.
Less contact, less friction, more speed.
Hope that helps.
Jimmy
Less contact, less friction, more speed.
Hope that helps.
Jimmy
Any question that starts with “should I” and contains “derby worx” ends in the same answer = no.
That’s hilarious! I bought a few of there tools lately and have yet to be impressed! I’m starting to see they are aimed at people like me getting into the hobby and yet to know what REALLY works.
I use my axle press ALL the time ! ! !
To hold my axles when I am cutting my tuning groove in the head of my axles.
To taper my axle heads?? NO ! No Way! ! !
To hold my axles when I am cutting my tuning groove in the head of my axles.
To taper my axle heads?? NO ! No Way! ! !
Curious, has anyone used the the Pro Axle Press to straighten nails and square the heads? Is either or both going to make a difference?
I never had much luck straightening axles with it. Now I just buy axles in bulk and sort out the straight ones. I suppose if an axle was really bent it would make it more straight. It's a fun tool for the kids to use though. They like hitting stuff with a hammer... It is good for holding an axle in a vice too.
If it’s tapered in that it is now on an upward angle that means there is now substantially less of the underside of the nail contacting the whee hub.[/QUOTE said:
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Interestingly enough I only concern myself with the tapered head on our Awana Grand Prix axles when I am prepping and filing those myself. But in the pro league it’s all about vendor supplied speed axles. I don’t hear much mention of tapered heads so I looked at axles I am using on my Basico (BASX) over at APR and also looked up Derby Evolutions Velocity axles because I know they have a diagram showing the mods. The velocities have a tapered head. The 93 TX that I am running my BASX on from DD4H don’t have a taper but have a very small shoulder it runs on and not the entire undersurface of the head.
So in short trying to keep contact to its smallest and that will obviously be closest to the center.
This much I do know... I am just following suit to run as fast as I can while attempting to run with the big boys.
As I re-read what you mentioned it looks like not a contradiction but actually adding to the concepts validity.
I think???
So in short trying to keep contact to its smallest and that will obviously be closest to the center.
This much I do know... I am just following suit to run as fast as I can while attempting to run with the big boys.
As I re-read what you mentioned it looks like not a contradiction but actually adding to the concepts validity.
I think???
As I re-read what you mentioned it looks like not a contradiction but actually adding to the concepts validity. I think???[/QUOTE said:Sorry ... I didn't communicate my intent very well ...... you're way more experienced than I am and don't need my input or validation. Your last response took the post in the direction I was hoping for and confirmed my thoughts regarding the distance from center and friction. Thank you.
Well I can’t say way more experienced to be honest. But I did finally take the jump to get my feet wet racing with the big boys over the last year. I just do what they advise and pay as much attention as I can. It helps that the gurus are all awesome guys who want newbies to succeed and grow this awesome hobby.
While you are using the file to remove the burrs under the head of the nail you can use that same file to put a slight taper on the inside of the axle head.
Scott
Scott
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