I love your reply Ed. I’ve been watching some of your tutorials on YT. Haven’t seen this one yet though so will check it out.
In other news - as we approach FAF, Do folks “cheat” and use MR or is that “against the spirit of things?” Also, if the latter, is doing a “locked bearing” in an MR “close enough?” If so, where does one buy a locked A size bearing?
Fixed - no bearing
A locked bearing (or bearing blank) is ok.
I kinda assumed that but figured I’d ask. Been scouring the forum trying to find A and C blank options. Looks like McMaster-Carr might be the solution. Not sure how fast they ship or what the shipping cost will be - off to see if placing an order makes sense.
$19 shipping for $4 of aluminum parts - that’s not happening. Off to find a different source for blanks.
Have a 3d printer or know someone who does? I just modeled an a bearing blank and can share the file.
I have an Ender 3 that’s a bit finicky (more my own knowledge and comfort with it) - but would love to try printing an A and a C blank if you want to share the .stl. Thanks!
Zgrt does c and d blanks, Luftverk does c blanks,
various markers 3d print blanks. Myself, @AudreySickburn and a few others I’m forgetting
Soul fuel makes teak and brass blanks
https://www.instagram.com/soulfuelskilltoys?igsh=ZDcxbGxrMHpxazhp
@Xanadu makes epoxy filled blanks
@Saltman360 has tinkered with blanks for his RTD /Rover designs that fits C/D stem kits.
Lathed back designs makes blanks
@Fellhoelter makes c blanks and maybe other blanks if we nudge hard enough.
@Lotaxi has a lathe and might make a ti blank if we beg 
Mcmastercarr sells spools/blanks and bearings of various standard sizes
I’m probably forgetting folks but lots of blank options depending on size/material your looking for
There’s also several.step files for blanks you can use to print your own here hosted by boomer club Bearing blanks - Google Drive
I’ll post STLs today. I’ve done a, c, and mr85 models.
I’m a 3D Printer Novice with an Ender 3. Not sure what a STEP File is or how to convert it to an .stl. But it appears Andy is going to post some .STLs so I’ll give a go at trying to make my printer cooperate and print a couple of blanks to see what happens. Woohoo!
Back to Ed’s video to try and land some stalls. LOL!
.step can be sliced same as an STL to g code. Step files are usually more detailed for cnc stuff but works just fine for 3d printing.
So Cura should be able to open the STEP and slice it? I’ll try that out later this week. Thanks!
Here are a bearing and mr85 bearing blank models.
How’d you make out with it?
Thanks for all the files/info guys.
Odd technicality question - using blanks, do the blanks spin? Isn’t this more like converting to “trans axle” than converting to “fixed axle”? Just curious.
Bearing blanks don’t spin. They get caught between the halves and act as a fixed axle. Transaxles spin because they are narrower than the space accommodated by the halves when they are fully tightened.
I’ll note that I’ve literally never met a blank I’ve actually liked. When we were designing the Flying V the initial idea was to have it go from unresponsive C bearing to fixed axle, but we couldn’t make it work in a pleasant consistent way. Closest we came was using the thin inner race of a dissected slim bearing but even that was (imo) icky. So we included a responsive slim bearing and that was good enough.
I just prefer a thinner axle than almost any conversion blank can accommodate. I’ve got my fixed axles and my bearing throws and they’re each great at what they do and I just don’t push them into each other’s space. 
And here is the c bearing blank.
This makes great sense - I do have an old Duncan Butterfly - maybe it will suffice with the right string. Was trying to avoid spending more money on a fixie. 
Plus though using throws I already have/like makes sense.
you might like these, they are out of stock at the moment, but they do shrink the axle size a good bit with that dip.I can’t do tricks like you at all but they feel really nice to me.
it will do more than suffice! watch this man work and then see if you still have any doubts about the butterfly’s capability
