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The weight of the car should be no more than 5 ounces. You can also use tungsten weights to add weight to your car while keeping it small. Your pine wood derby car moves from the force of gravity and is slowed down from friction.
Project step-by-step (
From there, we then chose the best wheel for your track. Not all packs are equal and all rules are different. Then choose your wheels based on what your pack rules allow and what type of track you are racing on. My advice is usually a running tally of a few things. However, we have to know a few facts, and then we can work on helping you build that champion racer with your cubber. I know I can build a winner – so let me help you build your winner!
Before building your car, please follow the rules and safety guidelines
In December, my son’s Cub Scout pack announced that their Pinewood Derby race would be scheduled in February. So, it was time to start planning our car—I say our car, because it is expected to be a collaborative project between a parent and their scout. During the process we discussed various options, and priorities, but I left the final decisions up to him. When it came to power tools, I used the table saw, while he was able to help with the hand drill and drill press. Sanding, priming, and painting were things he was able to do with some instruction.
How Weights Make a Fast Car
The thresholds are just not present to require adding an additive to a pure graphite lube for pinewood derby. Once you figure out what wheels you can use, my next advice is wheel prep. This is an important step in getting the most out of your wheel. Reducing the weight of the wheel helps it achieve faster results and so does wheel prep.
Ready, set, Derby! - Rochelle News-Leader
Ready, set, Derby!.
Posted: Wed, 17 Jan 2018 08:00:00 GMT [source]
How to Build the Fastest Pinewood Derby Car:
Cub Scout Pack 432 hosts Pinewood Derby News presspubs.com - Press Pubs
Cub Scout Pack 432 hosts Pinewood Derby News presspubs.com.
Posted: Tue, 09 Apr 2019 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Properly set up metal tracks give the most consistent data for Pinewood Derby Racing out there. A well maintained metal track is the best racing track as it will give the most consistent experimental data results. This is where all the data comes from that is given out on the league forums. Wood Track- Since most adult league racers race on metal tracks, they tend to give out false info regarding wood tracks.
How to win your pinewood derby race
I had some ideas about what we needed to do, but with this question in mind, I began some research. There is no shortage of tips and tricks on the internet and it can be difficult to vet each one and figure out which actually work, and which are a waste of time. Fortunately, I found a YouTube video by Mark Rober, which does exactly that. If you are unfamiliar with Mark, he’s a former NASA engineer responsible for the Glitter Bomb vs. Porch Pirates videos.
The Pinewood Derby is a gravity race held on a straight, multi-lane track. Each car’s wheels straddle a wide rail that keeps it from coming into contact with other cars. Starting at a height around four feet, the track runs downhill and transitions to a flat run-out on the floor.
Consider a #43 Drill Bit, which is a perfect match at .089" for a snug fit. The stock BSA "nails" that come in your kit are mass produced. These nails have burrs, crimp marks and can also be crooked, all of which severely limits your car speed. An Axle Polishing Kit and Axle File are essential to fix your axles and increase your car speed. Once the axle is pressed in, remove the spacer tool and make sure there is a suitable gap between the body and wheel.
Aligning the right front wheel to steer the car gently into the rail actually creates less friction. If you’re using bent axles, you can use a pair of pliers to grab the head of the axle and rotate it forward to make the car turn left. You can lay a 5 foot strip of tape on the floor to check the alignment. Over that distance the car should only deviate about one inch from that line.
His suggested setup is fastest for his track conditions. His reasoning was also that the way the hub rubbed against the car body slowed cars down. The experts at Pinewood Pro have been racing and managing pinewood derby races for over 15 years. As an engineer, I have designed the most complete list of speed secrets in my #1 selling book, Winning Pinewood Derby Secrets. Most people pick up the basic hints from friends or searching the internet but to be a winner, you need to know all the secrets...
Drill a hole in the bottom of your car and insert Tungsten Putty as the last step to bring your car to 5.0 oz. If the official scale weighs you in at 5.1 oz, simply remove a small amount of putty to bring it back to 5.0 oz. When your wheel rubs against the axle head it can cause the wheel to wobble because the corner of the axle head is not a perfect 90 degrees. Cutting a groove directly under the axle head removes this source of wheel wobble, but it is difficult to do by hand. Consider our Grooved Speed Axles that have a groove cut directly under the axle head. Oil builds will take a special wheel prep which is a highly guarded secret among league racers.
Some of the building process is the parts that go into your car, but the rest of the speed lies in the actual building! Our Speed Secrets will help you build your car and give you that extra speed you need to leave your competition in the dust. Optionally, you can drill a raised wheel hole to make your car even faster.
While a classic wedge shape is always a good choice, don’t be afraid to think outside the box. Maybe you want to go for a sleek sports car look, or maybe you want to add some funky fins or a spoiler. Whatever you decide, make sure to sketch out your design on paper first. Winning Pinewood Derby Secrets tells you ALL the secrets you need to build a fast, winning car.
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