Jump to content

Pinewood Derby (Need Help)

PGH STEELERS

By PGH STEELERS
in Dumpster

 Share

Recommended Posts

PGH STEELERS Newbie

PGH STEELERS

Posted
Posted
Ok guys, I know there are some of you out there that get into this for your kids and I need some help on this. Just like the title says, I need help. Last year my son's car did pretty well, but I would like to take it to the next level if possible. If there is anyone out there that could help me in this Technical Pine Wood Darby building, would be greatly appreciated.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
2 Sweet Newbie

2 Sweet

Posted
Posted

Center the weight as far towards the rear axle as you can. Polish and lubricate the axles. You also want to make the wheels perfectly round and balanced, and might even sand them, I can't remember. I know if you fuck with the wheels somehow it helps.

 

Google found this, seems legit...

 

http://boyslife.org/hobbies-projects/projects/2952/speed-secrets/

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Cordell Rookie

Cordell

Posted
Posted
My brother and I won the pinewood derby when we were scouts, it was just a matter of cleaning up any casting on the wheels, get it to weigh the maximum allowed (we cenetered the weight in the car), making sure the thing sat properly, and wasn't shaped like a brick. Our speed secret was to throw the graphite lube in the trash and use some Pledge furniture polish for lube on the wheels.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gergwheel1647545492 Newbie

Gergwheel1647545492

Posted
Posted
My brother and I won the pinewood derby when we were scouts, it was just a matter of cleaning up any casting on the wheels, get it to weigh the maximum allowed (we cenetered the weight in the car), making sure the thing sat properly, and wasn't shaped like a brick. Our speed secret was to throw the graphite lube in the trash and use some Pledge furniture polish for lube on the wheels.

 

Me and my brother always won too. my dad had ordered perfectly round wheels from a derby place and then we polished the axles and centered the weight.

 

 

 

Side note: when I won there was an angry mother in a wheel chair that came over and started yelling at me for cheating when there was no other people around. I just lol'd cause i had my trophey!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rally Pat Newbie

Rally Pat

Posted
Posted
I won one year as well, my car was a sort of wedge shape that was low to the track, and now that I think about it looked a bit like an LMP car (no wing though). We had two large holes drilled with weights in them, and the axles were lubed with graphite I think.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
PGH STEELERS Newbie

PGH STEELERS

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Thanks guys. There was someone last year that went all out, for example, he had carbon fiber bottom to it and the weight was 3/4 in the back and no one could touch him. I know his dad put a lot of money in this. I don't want to do that but I need to know how to place the weight. Last year I put a lug nut on the top of the car and it did pretty good, surprisingly. This year I would like to put the weight underneath but I'm sure there are place I can go that will have this special weight. The guy with the CF the car sat low and was only may an inch thick (tall). I like the pledge suggestion.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
zeitgeist57 Newbie

zeitgeist57

Posted
Posted
I won once with a wedge body, max weight, and modified wheels

 

+1. Same here...it was like the Pinewood Derby of LeMons:

 

1) Make the thinnest wedge you can, starting from the front of the block. You'll want enough material in the front that the axle(nail) slots are surrounded by enough wood to prevent it from breaking (saw some break as well).

2) Cut the rear at an angle to eliminate any "overhang" behind the rear wheel.

3) I can't remember if I used coins or one of the lead plates that screw into the block underneath. Minimum wood, maximum weight.

4) i used the powdered graphite. In retrospect after reading Scott's post above, I know now there is no product more slick than Pledge. I clean my dining room table, and invariably wipe out on the wood floor from overspray. Shit's Teflon in spray form. Use that.:thumbup:

5) Lightly scuff the surface of the tires. Just enough to get the shine off. I also sanded the edges of the "tread" to eliminate flash and round off the contact patch.

6) Does your son build plastic models? Use whatever decals are left over. I had military plane insignia, hot rod flames, etc, all over my car.

 

Winning the Pinewood Derby is definitely something that seems silly, but I still remember it to this day.

 

I will say, after winning, I was all about show from then on. I had a Pinewood Derby racer with a bunch of leftover plastic model parts glued on it. Big ol' Roots blower, zoomie headers, painted the wheels white and blue like BMW roundels, thing had '33 Ford headlights with taillights from a Corvette, decals galore, fighter pilot sitting in the middle... :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gergwheel1647545492 Newbie

Gergwheel1647545492

Posted
Posted
This year I would like to put the weight underneath but I'm sure there are place I can go that will have this special weight.

 

We used to drill a hole about 3/4 of the way back in the car and then we filled it with lead shot and the put wax over the opening to fill in all the gaps. works pretty well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest GMoney

Guest GMoney

Posted
Posted

Just what every one else has said for recommendations (Sorry not going to share my secrets) I have built a few cars as kid with a little help from my dad and over the years for friends kids, it becomes a science and can be a money pit. I have won numerous times and as a kid pissed off a lot of fathers that had better looking cars but they didn't perform like mine did. I really don't care what my race cars look like just as long as they are fast.

 

My number one recommendation is to show your child all the tricks and tips that your going to learn off the internet and make sure they are involved in the build. They can help select and polish the axles, etc. Show and tell them why your doing the things your doing if they are interested in that type of engineering and physics based stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ImUrOBGYN Newbie

ImUrOBGYN

Posted
Posted
What does sanding the wheels do? It would seem it would create more friction. Or does it actually keep the full width of the wheel from touching the surface (Rides on the raised sanded area so less surface area touching the racing surface)? I can see it working that way since they're just tiny, light cars.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gergwheel1647545492 Newbie

Gergwheel1647545492

Posted
Posted
What does sanding the wheels do? It would seem it would create more friction. Or does it actually keep the full width of the wheel from touching the surface (Rides on the raised sanded area so less surface area touching the racing surface)? I can see it working that way since they're just tiny, light cars.

 

yea, some wheels you can buy actually have 2 little groves in them so there is less contact surface hitting the wood. the wheels that come in the PD kits are shitty and have casting marks on them and they need to be cleaned up and smoothed out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
LJ Newbie

LJ

Posted
Posted
We used to drill a hole about 3/4 of the way back in the car and then we filled it with lead shot and the put wax over the opening to fill in all the gaps. works pretty well.

 

What happens when their scaled slightly differed from yours and you couldn't remove weight?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gergwheel1647545492 Newbie

Gergwheel1647545492

Posted
Posted
What happens when their scaled slightly differed from yours and you couldn't remove weight?

 

I would put that in as margin of error. Don't put it right exactly at the limit, allow for .5 ounce or something. That was like 25 years ago, so i don't recall.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...