60 replies to this topic

[Rotorranch]

I was just thinking about some tungsten guides done on CR guides. I ordered some tungsten.

 

This might have come to a screeching halt at least for now. 

 

I need a different tungsten!

 

Mine arrived like this. If it can't survive the mail, it probably won't be able to make it on a slot car!

 

Rotor

 

[gotboostedvr6]

Exact size strips can be custom ordered but tariffs and shipping is big $

[Rotorranch]

I planned to cut my own but this stuff is too brittle to use, in my opinion.

 

Maybe there is a different alloy?

 

Rotor

[gotboostedvr6]

Many. For this application I'm not sure it matters, such a short peice will be plenty strong

[Rotorranch]

Suggestions?

 

Rotor

[MSwiss]

Jeff,
You're not weighting a guide for a 1/1 car.

Like David said, on the size of the piece required, it won't matter.

BTW, your name is getting close to the top, on orders, to do and ship.

PS-I think you realize you'll need a diamond coated disc to cut that material.

[Upfront slot cars]

Actually you dont need a diamond wheel to cut that stuff. And if you buy quality pure tungsten instead of that cheap S... , it wont be as brittle.

[MSwiss]

I'm not an expert on tungsten.

On the (free) stuff I used on the 3 or 4, I made, you had to use a diamond.

It probably is tungsten carbide.

Here's a leftover piece.

See the marks on the right.

A Dremel 409 disc just shines it up.

[Matt Sheldon]

Pinewood derby tungsten is your friend

[Phil Hackett]

TIG welding electrodes aren't hard to cut.... but then they're round rods..... that's what I used way back when...

 

Oh, I recently found the old weighted guide. I should weigh it...

[Bill from NH]

Phil, how well did your weighted guide work? Did you get what you were expecting from it?

[Dave Crevie]

TIG electrodes are not 100% tungsten, regardless of what it says on the package. They contain Thorium, of varying percentages. 

[Alchemist]

For me, I acquire my Tungsten rods from Castlebar on eBay - excellent quality rods with a large selection of diameters!

 

Here is a link to their store:

 

https://www.ebay.com...=p2047675.l2563

 

Thank you.

 

Ernie

[Dave Crevie]

Ernie; That is tungsten carbide. We are talking about just tungsten. Different stuff.

[Phil Hackett]

TIG electrodes are not 100% tungsten, regardless of what it says on the package. They contain Thorium, of varying percentages. 

Thoriated rods are slowing going away: Thorium = radioactive. The replacement for the Thoriated rods are Lanthanated Tungsten or Ceriated Tungsten. The Thoriated rods are about 1.5-3% Thorium and Thorium is a heavy metal so it's not like those rods had a 50% Lithium content.

 

I used Tungsten wire not TIG electroodes that I had bought from a metals specialty company. It wasn't that expensive then. I only mentioned Tungsten TIG electrodes since every welding store, many hardware stores and even some auto parts stores have TIG elecctrodes.

 

Tungsten Carbide is also very heavy but is very difficult to fabricate (grinding is the only option).

[Phil Hackett]

Phil, how well did your weighted guide work? Did you get what you were expecting from it?

 

I was racing open wing cars when I made it. 

 

The idea of the guide I modified was to reduce the "popping" the car would have on restarts after track calls. Locating a weight as far forward and as low as possible should have reduced the lifting the front end on restarts. I also thought better braid contact might be a secondary benefit. The final idea was that when the plasitic wore through to the metal there might be a lower amount of friction between the guide blade and the track.

 

Did it work? I don't think it helped as much as I thought it would. Someone who was a better and more consistant driver than I probably would have had better results.

 

Mike's creation works because the cars aren't "stuck down" with glue and air control and a weighted guide is a logical improvement for keeping and stablizing the guide in the slot. "Popping" generally isn't a problem with the cars he's promoting the guides for.

[Phil Hackett]

I was just thinking about some tungsten guides done on CR guides. I ordered some tungsten.

 

This might have come to a screeching halt at least for now. 

 

I need a different tungsten!

 

Mine arrived like this. If it can't survive the mail, it probably won't be able to make it on a slot car!

 

Rotor

 

IMG_20200123_163525.jpg

 

How thick is that sheet?

[Revtor]

https://midwesttungs...tungsten-sheet/

[Rotorranch]

How thick is that sheet?

 

0.025.

 

Rotor

[gotboostedvr6]

That's insanely expensive.

[gotboostedvr6]

I found a vendor that will do exact sized peices for $3 each, in large quantities. Price varies wildly with your choice in tungsten purity and binder.


I've found manufacturers will dance around facts by quoting the metal purity without expressing the actual density. Pure tungsten has a density of 19.25 g/cm3. To form a very high purity of tungston and retain a high density you must add a binder. For our purposes you want your binder to be a relatively heavy metal such as nickle and or copper.

[Pappy]

What is the legality of making your own weighted guide? Most rule sets say a part must be commercially available to use it. Just asking.

[Upfront slot cars]

You buy the guide that is available. What you do with the guide after you get it is your business.

[Matt Sheldon]

I have pin vise drilled and use tungsten rod as the weight/filler. Easier to just order them done.

[Bill from NH]

What is the legality of making your own weighted guide? Most rule sets say a part must be commercially available to use it. Just asking.

 

Do they tech guides thoroughly?