Making BSA Stock Grooved Axles
- whodathunkit
- Pine Head Legend
- Posts: 2477
- Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:56 pm
- Location: Forgan, OK
Making BSA Stock Grooved Axles
Well Guy's VK made a comment on my BSA stock grooved axles.
Yes these are stock BSA axles I just have them stuck in cardboard keeper to help keep them cleaner and from rolling around.
(the axles in the image have not been sanded with papers or liquid polish)
And yes I will share with you the axles in the card board keeper.. in the last photo of how I make my own BSA stock grooved axles and the tools I use.
( Some pack's do not allow grooved axles so please check your rules!)
For making grooves in axle shafts it's best done on a drill press.. The drill press I'm using.
I find for my self its best to cut grooves with a higher rpm... I have it set for 3100 rpm ( for sanding the axle shaft I'll use 620 rpm.)
Image of the tools I like using.. Metal files in different sizes and shapes.
Image shows the type of grooved axle I'm going to do.
First thing to remove after finding the best axles you can is to remove the burs at the tip.
For doing this i just hold the axle in my fingers and use a small file to remove them.
For removing the 2 burs at the axle head.. I like using a large hand drill pen vise and file.
See the #4 mark on the ruler and where the crimp marks are on the shaft away from the axle head.. this is where I'll start cutting the large groove in.
Using an old wheel I'll mark the axle shaft at the inner hub.
This image shows from the crimp mark closest to the head the span for the groove using a 1/8'' thick file. ( and how the axle groove will set inside a wheel bore.)
For cutting in the groove closest to the axle head I'll start of with a hack saw blade to cut the groove. ( non- wavy type hack saw blade)
Ill set the drill press bed so that the blade cuts flat with axle head.. and use the hack saw blade with it's teeth pointing to my left hand side and drill rotation clockwise.
Now for the wide 1/8 Groove in the shaft using the file to set the drill press bed.
Next I'll lower the bed on the drill press and taper back the axle head with a triangle metal file.
Yes these are stock BSA axles I just have them stuck in cardboard keeper to help keep them cleaner and from rolling around.
(the axles in the image have not been sanded with papers or liquid polish)
And yes I will share with you the axles in the card board keeper.. in the last photo of how I make my own BSA stock grooved axles and the tools I use.
( Some pack's do not allow grooved axles so please check your rules!)
For making grooves in axle shafts it's best done on a drill press.. The drill press I'm using.
I find for my self its best to cut grooves with a higher rpm... I have it set for 3100 rpm ( for sanding the axle shaft I'll use 620 rpm.)
Image of the tools I like using.. Metal files in different sizes and shapes.
Image shows the type of grooved axle I'm going to do.
First thing to remove after finding the best axles you can is to remove the burs at the tip.
For doing this i just hold the axle in my fingers and use a small file to remove them.
For removing the 2 burs at the axle head.. I like using a large hand drill pen vise and file.
See the #4 mark on the ruler and where the crimp marks are on the shaft away from the axle head.. this is where I'll start cutting the large groove in.
Using an old wheel I'll mark the axle shaft at the inner hub.
This image shows from the crimp mark closest to the head the span for the groove using a 1/8'' thick file. ( and how the axle groove will set inside a wheel bore.)
For cutting in the groove closest to the axle head I'll start of with a hack saw blade to cut the groove. ( non- wavy type hack saw blade)
Ill set the drill press bed so that the blade cuts flat with axle head.. and use the hack saw blade with it's teeth pointing to my left hand side and drill rotation clockwise.
Now for the wide 1/8 Groove in the shaft using the file to set the drill press bed.
Next I'll lower the bed on the drill press and taper back the axle head with a triangle metal file.
Last edited by whodathunkit on Sun Feb 25, 2024 8:45 pm, edited 4 times in total.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
- whodathunkit
- Pine Head Legend
- Posts: 2477
- Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:56 pm
- Location: Forgan, OK
Re: Making BSA Stock Grooved Axles
For cleaning up the file cuts and removing burs I'll use a Dremel emery wheel.
https://www.dremel.com/us/en/p/425-02-26150425aa
And then use some (0000) steel wool:
Axles:
Note: these axles have not had sand papers or liquid polish used on them... (Just the Dremel emery wheel and steel wool)
Well there you have it.. just some of the tools and things I use and do to make my own BSA stock grooved axles.. while trying to keep the axle shaft diameter large.
https://www.dremel.com/us/en/p/425-02-26150425aa
And then use some (0000) steel wool:
Axles:
Note: these axles have not had sand papers or liquid polish used on them... (Just the Dremel emery wheel and steel wool)
Well there you have it.. just some of the tools and things I use and do to make my own BSA stock grooved axles.. while trying to keep the axle shaft diameter large.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
Re: Making BSA Stock Grooved Axles
These are so clean, so pretty.
We don't actually remove the crimp marks anymore on our axles (well, we haven't run BSA kits in a while), but I do love the way these look.
We don't actually remove the crimp marks anymore on our axles (well, we haven't run BSA kits in a while), but I do love the way these look.
- whodathunkit
- Pine Head Legend
- Posts: 2477
- Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:56 pm
- Location: Forgan, OK
Re: Making BSA Stock Grooved Axles
Thanks VK,
For polishing them I’ll use a Dremel drill press
and some liquid polish and an old T shirt cut up for rags.
Then buff with a clean micro fiber towel
And call them done for graphite lubes.
For sanding the axles with out grooves
I’ll leave the crimp marks and run sand paper grits
400-3000 and stop for graphite lubes.
Oil lubes as fine as grit that I can find around 6000
or higher.
For polishing them I’ll use a Dremel drill press
and some liquid polish and an old T shirt cut up for rags.
Then buff with a clean micro fiber towel
And call them done for graphite lubes.
For sanding the axles with out grooves
I’ll leave the crimp marks and run sand paper grits
400-3000 and stop for graphite lubes.
Oil lubes as fine as grit that I can find around 6000
or higher.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
Re: Making BSA Stock Grooved Axles
They turned out real nice, one thing I will note is to watch your rules and know the check in procedure... While reviewing dozens of rules I found online when I was drafting my own set of rules, there was at least one set of rules I found that said that the crimp cut off of the BSA axle must be visible so that they could confirm they were BSA nails...
- whodathunkit
- Pine Head Legend
- Posts: 2477
- Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:56 pm
- Location: Forgan, OK
Re: Making BSA Stock Grooved Axles
Thanks exoray,
That’s a new rule iv never ran into. And it could be just a typo
And there talking about the axle tips.
Most of the time they just view the tips of axle
while in the axle slot.
Don’t know why at check in inspection you would want have a kid
Pull his wheel and axle to view for crimp marks on the axle shaft.
So I don’t understand how they’re to be visible for viewing
while hidden inside the wheel bores.
Maybe this comes about after the race and if the axles are in question..
But thanks for the heads up.
That’s a new rule iv never ran into. And it could be just a typo
And there talking about the axle tips.
Most of the time they just view the tips of axle
while in the axle slot.
Don’t know why at check in inspection you would want have a kid
Pull his wheel and axle to view for crimp marks on the axle shaft.
So I don’t understand how they’re to be visible for viewing
while hidden inside the wheel bores.
Maybe this comes about after the race and if the axles are in question..
But thanks for the heads up.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
Re: Making BSA Stock Grooved Axles
The cut off crimp marks aka the pointed end of the nail, not the vise marks from when the head was stamped... The rule was to more easily identify non-BSA nails like the blunt tipped hinge pin style ones found in Maximum Velocity kits, or the turned tips seen in many imported machined axles...whodathunkit wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2024 1:34 pm Thanks exoray,
That’s a new rule iv never ran into. And it could be just a typo
And there talking about the axle tips.
Most of the time they just view the tips of axle
while in the axle slot.
Don’t know why at check in inspection you would want have a kid
Pull his wheel and axle to view for crimp marks on the axle shaft.
So I don’t understand how they’re to be visible for viewing
while hidden inside the wheel bores.
Maybe this comes about after the race and if the axles are in question..
But thanks for the heads up.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUTTmtLKD2g&t=98s
- whodathunkit
- Pine Head Legend
- Posts: 2477
- Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:56 pm
- Location: Forgan, OK
Re: Making BSA Stock Grooved Axles
Okay I understand now!
I've always thought it was flashing or burrs at the axle head.. crimp marks on the shaft.. burrs or flashing (at the crimped off shaft to make the nail tip.)
So Ill try not to file to much off at the tips from now on.
I've always thought it was flashing or burrs at the axle head.. crimp marks on the shaft.. burrs or flashing (at the crimped off shaft to make the nail tip.)
So Ill try not to file to much off at the tips from now on.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
Re: Making BSA Stock Grooved Axles
That all depends on your race rules, just something I read in some rules I was reviewing while I complied and authored my own... For my races (and every race around me that I have participated in) having the pointy tip of the nail visible has never been a requirement, but if it was and you filed them down like you did it would probably send up a red but false flag, thus my warning...whodathunkit wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26, 2024 7:23 pm So Ill try not to file to much off at the tips from now on.
- whodathunkit
- Pine Head Legend
- Posts: 2477
- Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:56 pm
- Location: Forgan, OK
Re: Making BSA Stock Grooved Axles
exoray,
I guess 3 out of the 5 BSA axles seen on top in the image do look filed down to much and the tips.
Thanks for putting your inspection skills to work and for telling viewers what to watch out for on the axle tips.
I guess 3 out of the 5 BSA axles seen on top in the image do look filed down to much and the tips.
Thanks for putting your inspection skills to work and for telling viewers what to watch out for on the axle tips.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
Re: Making BSA Stock Grooved Axles
It's honestly not something that has ever concerned me (beyond my first race where I was wondering if they would want to see the nails as I plugged the slots) nor something that I have had to worry about locally, but I have seen it in other rules... I probably read 2 or 3 dozen sets of unique derby rules when I was authoring my own, from the simple rules found in the box, to rule pamphlets that were 5+ pages long micro-managing every aspect of the build in detail... I guess it all depends on how serious the race is to those running it...whodathunkit wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 7:15 pm I guess 3 out of the 5 BSA axles seen on top in the image do look filed down to much and the tips.
Thanks for putting your inspection skills to work and for telling viewers what to watch out for on the axle tips.
- whodathunkit
- Pine Head Legend
- Posts: 2477
- Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:56 pm
- Location: Forgan, OK
Re: Making BSA Stock Grooved Axles
The Diamond point tips on the BSA axles and installing the axle into wheel bore and cut axle slots in the body are a disaster.. if not filed down.exoray wrote: ↑Tue Feb 27, 2024 7:57 pm It's honestly not something that has ever concerned me (beyond my first race where I was wondering if they would want to see the nails as I plugged the slots) nor something that I have had to worry about locally, but I have seen it in other rules... I probably read 2 or 3 dozen sets of unique derby rules when I was authoring my own, from the simple rules found in the box, to rule pamphlets that were 5+ pages long micro-managing every aspect of the build in detail... I guess it all depends on how serious the race is to those running it...
By trade I started out in construction as a carpenter/welder .
And had a old time finish carpenter share his wisdom about the 5 types of nail tips.
1: Diamond point
2: Diamond point offset
3: Round point
4: Chisel point
5: Cut point
Here's what said about the diamond point nail tip.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?