[FTC]: Alternative to axles? Does hardening work?

[aklego]

Originally Posted by RRLedford

Well this is a turn around from when first I asked that same question a few years ago after our first FTC season demonstrated how horrible the TETRIX axles are. We ended up belt sanding flats on 3/16" solid round hardened stainless steel shafts -- very tedious but totally worth it.

Yeah, the rulings on this one have been rather puzzling. The question was actually asked twice last season and the answers conflicted. The upshot was that McMaster-Carr D-shaft is legal but Servo City D-Shaft, due to a chamfered end, is not. That would sort of make sense except that McMaster-Carr shaft is chamfered as well....