The Pinewood Derby Car Pro Mandrel
is used to hold wheels in the chuck of a drill or a lathe in order
to polish or machine the wheels.
The narrow shaft of the mandrel is intended for
use in a dremel-like tool, or a drill with a small chuck. When
mounting the mandrel in a standard drill, drill press, or lathe,
fasten the chuck around the wide portion of the shaft.
The face of the mandrel has a step-down to allow
mounting BSA wheels with the spokes facing towards the mandrel.
This simplifies polishing the inside edge of the wheel.
The mandrel screw has a beveled face to ensure that
the wheel is centered on the mandrel screw. For best results,
wiggle the wheel slightly as the screw is tightened.
Tighten unitl the wheel is firmly in place, but
do not over tighten as the wheel could be damaged.
This is especially important for wheels made with a softer plastic,
such as those supplied by Awana.
The
easiest way to make your wheels perfectly round and smooth is
to mount each wheel on the mandrel then use a drill to spin
the wheel while holding it lightly against a sandpaper block.
