Build My Car: Finding the Right Axle

[eric12421]

well I am building my car, now the paper recommends that you use paper clips that are like unfolded. After then you put the paper clip inside a rolled up piece of paper. but i can never seem to get the paper clip like exactly straight. The paper clip is the axle. So when ever the car moves the axles can turn to its fullest potential because i can't get it exactly straight. does anone how any different suggestions than a paper clip?

eric

 

[andrevdh]

The paper clip is used for the rubberband hook on the front of the car. You need wire that is not bend for the axles. See
http://www.usd116.org/ums/projects/sciencenet/projects/pcarshints.html"

 

[drhanzon]

well I am building my car, now the paper recommends that you use paper clips that are like unfolded. After then you put the paper clip inside a rolled up piece of paper. but i can never seem to get the paper clip like exactly straight. The paper clip is the axle. So when ever the car moves the axles can turn to its fullest potential because i can't get it exactly straight. does anone how any different suggestions than a paper clip?

eric

This is "DrHanzonScience," James P. Louviere, the inventor of the Lou-Vee-AirCar. Here are some ideas for you:
1. use pliers to "squish" the bends out of your paper clip when you have pulled the wire fairly straight in the fashion you'd use when opening a pocket knife.
2. When you have the wire nearly straight, roll it under your shoe (you'd need to be wearing shoes that have a flat sole, not a bumpy sole as on athletic shoes.) The rolling will give you a satisfactorily straight wire.
3. If you are a teacher, you can purchase a quarter-mile or half-mile roll of Electric Fence Wire (stainless steel) at a building supplies or lumber store. This wire is rolled, so it needs to be straightened, but that's easy enough using a shoe with a flat sole, as described in #2 above. The Lou-Vee-AirCar as shown in the Feb 1988 issue of The Science Teacher is not so sensitive that the wire has to be "perfectly" straight. For perfectly straight wire, email me at drhanzonscience@gmail.com and let me know what you need. I can supply excellent piano wire (that's just a name, it's not necessaritly musical) at a reasonable price.
Teachers, professors, youth group leaders, Scout leaders, etc. can obtain a free sample of the commercial Lou-Vee-Air(TM)Car from me by requesting one by email, with the word "sample" in the subject line.
I am always happy to answer questions posted on Physics Forum or drhanzonscience@gmail.com and would like to hear from teachers/others who have used the Lou-Vee-Air car in scratch-built form or the commercial version sold through SargentWelch.com and other science supply companies.
James P. Louviere 548 Trapelo Rd #3 Belmont MA 02478