Tungsten dart shafts

[Guest]

Hey fellas,

Has anyone used tungsten dart shafts to get weight really close to the axle?

The dimensions seem close to what is needed but I have not seen any up close.

Of course this would be for a car with razor wheels since I think canted axles would complicate matters.

Thanks so much,

 

[Rocket car]

I haven't seen it done, but there is a first time for everything!!!

 

[bracketracer]

A dart shaft would be round, wouldn't it? I'm thinking cubes would pack tighter? But you can use any kind of tungsten for weight. Even scrap tungsten cutter inserts or tungsten electrodes work.

 

[Guest]

A dart shaft would be round, wouldn't it? I'm thinking cubes would pack tighter? But you can use any kind of tungsten for weight. Even scrap tungsten cutter inserts or tungsten electrodes work.

Hi Bracket,

I am thinking about the axle going thru the middle of the dart shaft. Or are you talking about after one has accomplished this how to go about the rest of the packing?

I was curious about the welding rods. I wondered if the density was the same as the PWD stuff.

These cutter inserts sound fascinating.

Thanks,

 

[Guest]

Dart shafts sound fitting for a Royal Ranger dowel car- could name the car Shart/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif

 

[Crash Enburn]

Dart shafts sound fitting for a Royal Ranger dowel car- could name the car Shart/images/boards/smilies/biggrin.gif

If anyone asks, "Huh? Oh. That was supposed to be a 'k'. *Shark*."

 

[Guest]

"Sharp" thinking there!

 

[bracketracer]

A dart shaft would be round, wouldn't it? I'm thinking cubes would pack tighter? But you can use any kind of tungsten for weight. Even scrap tungsten cutter inserts or tungsten electrodes work.

Hi Bracket,

I am thinking about the axle going thru the middle of the dart shaft. Or are you talking about after one has accomplished this how to go about the rest of the packing?

I was curious about the welding rods. I wondered if the density was the same as the PWD stuff.

These cutter inserts sound fascinating.

Thanks,

Ah, ok. You mean using the hollow body of the dart! I guess you would stuff it with a dowel and embed it in the body somehow?

TIG electrodes can be had in pure tungsten, not the sintered stuff we use now. They're not cheap, though! Unless you can get the leftover stubs in large quantities for free it's probably not worth it.

 

[Guest]

A dart shaft would be round, wouldn't it? I'm thinking cubes would pack tighter? But you can use any kind of tungsten for weight. Even scrap tungsten cutter inserts or tungsten electrodes work.

Hi Bracket,

I am thinking about the axle going thru the middle of the dart shaft. Or are you talking about after one has accomplished this how to go about the rest of the packing?

I was curious about the welding rods. I wondered if the density was the same as the PWD stuff.

These cutter inserts sound fascinating.

Thanks,

Ah, ok. You mean using the hollow body of the dart! I guess you would stuff it with a dowel and embed it in the body somehow?

TIG electrodes can be had in pure tungsten, not the sintered stuff we use now. They're not cheap, though! Unless you can get the leftover stubs in large quantities for free it's probably not worth it.

Hey Bracket,
Yeah. This is the only tube of tungsten that I could find in the PWD sizes. (generally speaking)

I had not thought the whole thing out, but yeah you get the idea.

It was about 8 months ago that I was researching it so I can't remember it exactly.

I DO remember my girlfriend at the time yelling from the other room "You should make the axles out of tungsten".
Poor girl probably knows more about the PWD than any woman in the Tristate area.

The TIG rods on Amazon are like 20 buck for a package. I wonder what they weigh?
Can I put them in a vise and break a piece off with a hammer?

Thanks pal

 

[bracketracer]

I would be afraid they might shatter. You could cut them with a wafer.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Bracket,

Any thoughts on tungsten axles?

 

[bracketracer]

Thanks Bracket,

Any thoughts on tungsten axles?

I think you better invest in a grinder toolpost for your lathe or you won't have much luck making those!

 

[Guest]

Thanks Bracket,

Any thoughts on tungsten axles?

I think you better invest in a grinder toolpost for your lathe or you won't have much luck making those!

Are you being facetious?
I have never heard of such a thing.

Oh! like this?
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.micro-machine-shop.com/tool_post_grinder_20.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.micro-machine-shop.com/tool_post_grinder.htm&h=480&w=640&sz=57&tbnid=Lw_LjOI913XQyM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=127&zoom=1&usg=__BhV0awrbNGNGnt4I9LuKmFkUkyM=&docid=37qPz99DLPWiwM&sa=X&ei=iM-jUoKNGvKqsQTBlICoBA&ved=0CC0Q9QEwAA

Are there not .09" tungsten rods out there?
I think I saw some a while back. For headless axles.

Yeah, I can definitely see a problem for classes that require a head. LOL

Thanks pal,

 

[Kinser Racing]

I think at best this is an exercise in chasing your tail. There are a lot of other things you could better invest your time in. IMO /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif

 

[Guest]

I think at best this is an exercise in chasing your tail. There are a lot of other things you could better invest your time in. IMO /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif

LOL. Kinser, I thank you, but you have no idea who you are talking to.

If only I had a nickel for every time I heard that one.

One of my favorite aspects of the PWD is the mental gymnastics.

My friends and family are up in arms that I am into this thing to begin with. LOL

It is like I am a drug addict or something. They say "but you have so much potential".

Not from you too! Say it isn't so!

It will probably be allotted its time, right after I get around to making the pinewood derby track with automatic return and miniature elevator. Non the less. The question remains.

Thanks though for your answer.

 

[Kinser Racing]

laserman, all I'm saying is try to master the box before you think so far outside of it.

 

[Guest]

HAhaHAHAHlol.

That is one of the best quotes I have ever heard!

Thanks.

No matter the outcome of this particular question, you and I both know that you are totally right on. LOL

Especially about time being better spent. (No sarcasm intended.)

However, I feel that it is far easier to think outside the box BEFORE you find its boundaries.

Afterwards it is such a chore to remember the free spirited way one used to think.

I am still a young man. I have the rest of my life to worry about settling down.

Thanks again for the words of wisdom.

TED sent me a PM with the same advice. It is definitely sage, but more so for a builder with a direction. Building the fastest car for instance.
For me I just want to build these cars around the abstract idea of speed. If it comes as a by product all the better, but it is not the goal. Someday I would like to be in the top 10 racers but for now I am having too much fun playing.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond.

 

[shovelhead]

laserman, just reading old posts and thought I would chime in. The tungsten welding electrodes would be too brittle for axles I would think. But, you can hold one in a pair of pliers and place on edge of workbench and break off whatever size you need. I do this to get the weight exactly at 5.09. I have a little box of them on race day in case official scales read different than mine. I can add a small piece or remove a larger piece and replace with a small piece to tweak the weight. Works great. Just my two cents.

Also, I have a drawer full of this stuff, (I used to Tig weld). If you PM me your address, I will drop some in an envelope and send to you. If want to try this.

 

[zeebzob]

laserman, just reading old posts and thought I would chime in. The tungsten welding electrodes would be too brittle for axles I would think. But, you can hold one in a pair of pliers and place on edge of workbench and break off whatever size you need. I do this to get the weight exactly at 5.09. I have a little box of them on race day in case official scales read different than mine. I can add a small piece or remove a larger piece and replace with a small piece to tweak the weight. Works great. Just my two cents.

Also, I have a drawer full of this stuff, (I used to Tig weld). If you PM me your address, I will drop some in an envelope and send to you. If want to try this.

Getting the weight to 5.09 will get you a big ol' DQ. (Unless the official scale increments to the whole number and not the tenth....then go ahead and bring that baby up to 5.49....hahahahaha)
I would suggest 5.04

 

[shovelhead]

Yes sir it might somewhere else. The official scale that is used at the pack race and the district race reads 5.0 - 5.1 - 5.2 etc. Not 5.01 - 5.02 etc. So I guess just tenths no hundreds. So I get it to 5.09
on my scale at home. Because that will still read 5.0 on official scales.