Are Nails Perfectly Round?

[Gavin Chafin]

I recall reading something once that said the shafts of nails are not perfectly round. It said they are out of round from between 5 to 10 thousands of an inch. If this is true, wouldn’t this slow the car down? Would it be beneficial to lightly run a file over the shaft to get the nail more round?

[TurtlePowered]

They are surely not completly round. Check out the comments on the axel polishing thread right below here.

[RACER X]

Gavin,

They are not round, but you do know how to fix them.

Hint: Tap, Tap, Tap.

[Barga Racing]

I have measured almost .005 out of round but not any more than that. If you hold a file against the nail while it is spinning the file will simply follow the contour and you will have smaller diameter axles that are still out of round. If your rules allow it you could get machined axles such as aftermarket or Awana axles, or start tapping

[Gavin Chafin]

I have measured almost .005 out of round but not any more than that. If you hold a file against the nail while it is spinning the file will simply follow the contour and you will have smaller diameter axles that are still out of round. If your rules allow it you could get machined axles such as aftermarket or Awana axles, or start tapping

Ah, excellent point. Kind of like the same problem you have when you put a wheel into a mandrel and knife it as opposed to lathe-turning the wheel. But, I will say that if you file the nail, you may end up following the contour of the nail, but I'll bet it'd end up being more round after filing it than before filing it.

[Gavin Chafin]

Gavin,

They are not round, but you do know how to fix them.

Hint: Tap, Tap, Tap.

Speed, I thought that the purpose of the Tap, Tap, Tap tool was to straighten the nails. I didn't realize that it also made the nails more round. Way cool! (Note: I just threw in this "hip" term in an attempt to confuse Stan).

[Darin McGrew]

If you hold a file against the nail while it is spinning the file will simply follow the contour and you will have smaller diameter axles that are still out of round.

One of the general principles we try to teach in our derby workshops is the skill of letting the tool do the work. This looks like one of those situations. If you press the file against the axle, then it will tend to follow the contour of the spinning axle. If you "let the tool do the work" and hold the file so it lightly touches the axle, then it touches (and removes) only the high points.

[terryep]

If you "let the tool do the work" and hold the file so it lightly touches the axle, then it touches (and removes) only the high points.

Well said Darin. Patience is a rare commodity. Same goes for wheel sanding using a drill press. Hold the paper to a block on the table and bring it to the wheel slowly so high spots will disappear.
Terry

[Stan Pope]

Way cool! (Note: I just threw in this "hip" term in an attempt to confuse Stan).

Okay! Make fun of the old farts!

Well, if you're lucky, you'll be an old fart, too, someday! Kewl?

[RACER X]

Speed, I thought that the purpose of the Tap, Tap, Tap tool was to straighten the nails. I didn't realize that it also made the nails more round. Way cool! (Note: I just threw in this "hip" term in an attempt to confuse Stan).

Gavin, I think Stan caught ya!!! Watch, we will "Hip" Stan all up by just hanging around hear before too long.

Oh yes, the press will help make the nails, excuse me, the axles more round like.