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How to Sand HO Slot Car Magnets

People who race any kind of vehicle will try many tricks for optimal performance. Tricks for HO Slot Cars include sanding the wheels, trying different types of magnets, and playing with the positioning of magnets. Sometimes the magnets don't fit in the car as well as a racer would like. One of the ways this can be fixed is by sanding the ends of the magnets to cause their ends to be closer to the apertures of the car.

Things You'll Need

Fine-grain sandpaper
Track
Screwdriver

Instructions

- 1
  Take the magnets out of the car. These should be snug, but not so tight that they can't be pulled out. One magnet may fit in the car's body a little more tightly than the other.
- 2
  Take the sandpaper to the edges. The sandpaper will only be used on the vertical edges of the magnet. It'll take some time to wear down the edges. Be careful not to sand the magnets too aggressively.
- 3
  Put the magnets in the car. The edges, if you shaped them properly, should be closer to the aperture. If the magnets haven't been shaped properly, take the magnets back out and use the sandpaper again. Repeat the process until the edges of the magnet are the desired shape.
- 4
  Put the HO Slot Car back together. How this is accomplished depends on how the car was made. In some cases, this will be as simple as putting the chassis of the car back on top. On other HO Slot Cars, the bottom must be taken off the chassis. (This is why you may need a screwdriver.)
- 5
  Place the HO Slot Car back on the track and note its new performance. The car should be a little faster than before. The sanding should give an HO Slot Car operator the extra performance needed to win the long and short contests on these grueling race car tracks.

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