Pinewood Derby Stories and Photos from Maximum Velocity

2016-01-15T07:36:00.000-08:00

PINEWOOD DERBY MEMORY
Up In Flames!

We were building four cars for the upcoming derby race. It was the weekend before the race, and the cars were finally painted. For some reason the yellow paint on one of the cars just didn't seem to be drying.

A dim light bulb suddenly switched on inside my head - I could use the microwave to dry the car! Quickly, I put the car on a paper plate, stuck it in the microwave, and turned it on. I left the room for a few moments, and then all of a sudden I heard a scream coming from the kitchen. I quickly rushed back in and found the car in flames, with the owner (my lady friend's 13 year old) screaming in horror! I quickly shut off the microwave and removed the car. It was rather warm to the touch, the paint was burnt and slightly bubbled, and the 13 year old was crying, (not to mention the stench which remained in the house for a week). With a lot of sanding, repainting, and consoling,we managed to get the car completed on time.

On race day all of the trouble was justified. The car won 1st place for speed in its division and took 2nd place in the design category.

I don't think we will quickly forget the "Flaming Car", and will certainly leave the microwave out of our car building process in the future.

Duane Hittle
Capac, Michigan

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 15, Issue 5

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2016-01-08T09:26:00.000-08:00

PINEWOOD DERBY CAR SHOWCASE

Here are our two cars for the Outlaw Race this year. The rules were
tightened up so they are pretty much stock.

Flower Garden - Elisa Davis

This was the original prototype of the new Annihilator body style. My wife used her Cricut to make flowers out of sticky-back vinyl. The car placed 1st in the Adult race.

Fender Bender - Randy Davis

This car was built to show fenders, and had never been raced. So I fixed it up for this year's race. The car placed 2nd in the Adult race. (Always a good policy to let your wife win!)

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 15, Issue 4

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-12-31T07:25:00.000-08:00

Displaying Your Pinewood Derby Car
By Randy Davis

The sawdust has settled, the race is over, and now you must decide what to do with the car. Whether or not your car won an award, you put a lot of effort into building it, and you want to display it proudly. But how can you display the car and at the same time provide some level of protection? This article will explore the various display options available to you so that you can pick the method that best fits your situation.

SHELF METHOD
The most common method for displaying a car is to simply put the car on a shelf in your room. The method is free and allows easy access to the cars. However, the problem with this method became very evident one day when our youngest son was changing his clothes. Instead of placing the dirty clothes in the basket, he decided to throw them upwards towards the spinning ceiling fan. I am sure you can imagine what happened; the clothes hit the fan, flew across the room, and wiped out a few cars. We managed to glue things back together, but realized then that the shelf method of storing cars is not the safest. Not only can cars be knocked off easily, but since cars roll very easily, any bump to the shelf or furniture can cause a car to roll off.

HOMEMADE PEDESTAL OR PLAQUE
Another common method for storing pinewood derby cars is to build a pedestal to hold the car. The pedestal doesn't eliminate the "flying object" problem, but does eliminate the "rolling problem". An advantage to the pedestal (and other non-shelf methods) is that a label can be placed on the pedestal noting the car owner, date of race, any awards, etc. Building a pedestal is fairly easy, but if you would like some inspiration, a simple plan for a pedestal is given Here.

An alternative is to build a wall plaque. Typically, the car is attached to the plaque with screws into the bottom of the car, or with a patch of Velcro. A plaque may be a bit more difficult to make than a pedestal since the lettering is generally larger. For inspiration and plans, take a look
Here.

Note that making a pinewood derby pedestal or plaque can be a great craft project for your pack or club.

PURCHASE A PEDESTAL
Maybe you don't have the time or tools to build a pedestal or plaque to display your car. Not to worry, these items are available for sale. Below I have listed some options available on the Internet. The current retail price and the web site are also provided.

PineCar Pedestal - $6.99
This unit consists of a wood base with a curved metal arm to which one
car is attached.

Scout Stuff Pedestal - $10.49
The unfinished stand holds one car, and includes an engravable brass plaque.

Derby Gurus Pedestal - $34.95
The pedestal holds four cars and optionally mounts on a wall. Price shown is for the pre-finished version, but an unfinished version is available for a lower price.

PURCHASE A DISPLAY CASE
All of the options listed above have two inherent problems: 1) The car will collect dust, and 2) the car is not fully protected from flying objects (clothes, elbows, baseballs, etc.). A display case solves these two problems. If you have many cars, then you may want to consider building or purchasing a trophy case. But for a few cars, the DerbyDome display case is a nice solution.

DerbyDome - $10.95
(Click on "Car Stand")
The DerbyDome is a sturdy case for displaying a pinewood derby car. The product has a clear, protective dome, and a black base with a no- tools-required mounting system for holding the car in place. A custom plastic label is available from the manufacturer.

CONCLUSION
You and your child have made an investment of time in a pinewood derby car. Once the race is over, don't put the car in a box. Instead, display your car proudly and safely.

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 15, Issue 4

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-12-24T08:39:00.000-08:00

PINEWOOD DERBY CAR SHOWCASE

Some fan powered cars...

Elsa - Brian Taylor

My daughter and I had a great time making the car with your kit and enjoyed showing it off at the girls' pinewood derby activity night at the church. She went with an Elsa Frozen theme (not my choice :)). We wired lights to a separate tiny battery and they looked great. Thanks for your help!

Blazing Bus - Dusty Bradford

I built a school bus with a small brushless ducted fan and some RC parts. I made it so that the back door was hinged for the exhaust. The first run was unpowered and completely unnoticed, but it still posted a time of 3.4 seconds. When I turned on the fan, it raced across the finish line with a time of 2.2 seconds! It weighed less than 4.5 ounces.

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 15, Issue 3

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-12-18T09:17:00.001-08:00

The Valuable Lesson My Father Taught Me
By C.J. Marshall

A while ago, I attended a Cub Scout Pack meeting, in which the group was holding a Pinewood Derby.

For those of you who were never in the Cub Scouts, a Pinewood Derby is a small wooden model race car.

However, it is not a toy car that you purchase ready-made in the store. Instead, it comes as an unfinished block of pine wood in a vague shape of a car. It also comes with a set of plastic wheels and a few other items necessary for assembly.

The whole idea of a Pinewood Derby is the person involved must carve the wood into the proper shape, sand it, paint it, and properly assemble the rest of the provided materials.

Once completed, the car fits on a wooden rack, along with other Pinewood Derby cars carved and put together by other competitors. The track is an elevated one, with a bumper or a stop that holds the car in place. Once the bumper is removed, the cars, propelled by gravity, race down the track to the end.

The first car to arrive is the winner. Cars are usually raced in heats, and at the end of the competition, the car that wins all the heats is the grand prize winner for the proud Cub Scout who owns it.

It's nice to know that even in this age of flash-and-thunder video games and technology, some things have remained the same, and kids can still obtain thrills from simple carved pieces of wood on an elevated track.

Let me tell you about my personal experiences creating my own racer.

I was 8 years old when I got my Pinewood Derby. I was so thrilled when I looked at that piece of wood, wondering what kind of car was going to be produced by it.

My father helped me, of course. He did so by tracing the outline of a car on the block of wood, then telling me to carve it down to the line. He also warned me not to get impatient and go too deep,otherwise I'd ruin the car.

Well, I took my Cub Scout knife, went outside in the back yard and began to carve. I don't think five minutes passed before I went back in the house, told my father how hard it was, then asked him if I was finished.

"You're not even halfway done," my father said, after looking at the car. "Go back outside and continue until you are finished."

This continued several times, with me whittling a bit more, then bringing it back inside and my dad saying I wasn't finished and to keep going. When I suggested he give me a hand with the carving, he said, "No, it's your project; you do it."

Eventually, after dogged persistence, and the fact I wanted that car done, I finally got the car whittled down to the point where my father had indicated. But it wasn't over at that point, no sir.

Dad handed me some sandpaper, told me to go back outside, and sand it down until it was smooth.

You're probably ahead of me by now, aren't you?

Yes, I came back in several times and said, "Am I finished yet?" And each time Dad replied, "No, keep going."

By this time, I had begun to learn a few things, so I didn't ask Dad for any help as far as the sanding was concerned.

Sage advice he was free with, but the actual physical labor was my job.

I did have an inspiration and asked Dad about the possibility of using his portable hand sander to do the task.

"If you use my portable hand sander," Dad said, "you'll have nothing but a pile of sawdust."

It seemed to me that Dad was deliberately making it tough. There I was, rubbing the wood over and over, seeming to get nowhere, when that sander could have done the job in seconds.

But I finally did get the car sanded down to the point where it was acceptable.

Then came the painting part, which was fun. Dad even made a few suggestions, such as putting a screw at the top of the car to make it look like a radiator cap.

Finally, it was complete. Although I didn't realize it at the time, I was very proud of the fact I had put the car together myself. I had also learned a very valuable lesson, although it would be a number of years before I fully realized what it was.

When I raced my Pinewood Derby against the other kids in my Cub Scout Pack, I noticed there were a small number of cars which had been beautifully carved, painted and assembled.

I looked at the cars and at the kids who "owned" them and knew immediately, even in my 8-year-old mind, that they could never have done such an expert job at creating their racers.

I knew that either their parents had done all the work, or an older relative had done the job of creating their racers.

As I grew older, I began to realize the importance of my dad insisting that I do the lion's share of the work in creating my Pinewood Derby. He showed me that there's just no substitute for hard work to get what we want. In addition, those that obtain something via hard work take much more pride in their projects and cherish them much more highly than things which are merely handed to you.

Originally published March 1, 2015 at thedailyreview.com. Used by permission

C.J. Marshall is a writer/columnist for The Daily/Sunday Review. He can be reached at:
cjmarshall@thedailyreview.com

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 15, Issue 3

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-12-11T08:46:00.000-08:00

PINEWOOD DERBY CAR SHOWCASE

Today's cars were submitted by Stacy Bodder.

Raspberry Rocket - Lydia Bodder

My daughter called this one the Raspberry Rocket, and so it was. It received first in speed.

Crazy Fast - Lydia Bodder

This car that my daughter and I made together was crazy fast. She went on to the regional races where she took first place there as well. Simple design, but it works!

Peterbilt - Isaac Bodder

My son and I had lots of fun with this one. It was made to look like a Peterbilt Daycab which I had been driving at the time. It was pretty fast, but didn't take first place. It did get best in show. The smoke stack broke off during the race. Fun times.

IMSA GTP - Isaac Bodder

This was the first pinewood derby car my son and I ever built. It was the start of some fun years building cars together. This car was made to look like an IMSA GTP car from the late 80's. It took first place in speed even though it had a very short wheelbase.

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 15, Issue 2

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-12-04T08:34:00.000-08:00

Staging Cars - Don't Lose Speed with Bad Staging
By Randy Davis

Several times I have had people tell me that their car did great in preliminary events, but then in the finals the car lost speed. They asked me why that happened. I then offer several possible reasons:

- Loss of lube (response: "It didn't run very many times."),
- Car damaged (response: "Didn't see any mishandling."),
- Different track (response: "No - same track."),
- Temperature change (response: "No - climate controlled room."),
- Different person staging (response: "Uh - yes, I believe a different person staged the cars.").

I can't say for certain that staging accounted for the lower speed, but it is certainly a possibility.

But how much does staging affect car performance? Certainly it has to have some effect, but is the amount of the effect really measurable? Let's find out.

EXPERIMENT SETUP
Six staging variations were tested:

Figure 1 - Car Staging Variations

- Straight, centered, wheels pulled out to axle heads.
- Straight, centered, wheels pushed in to car body.
- Car shifted left as far as possible, wheels pulled out.
- Car shifted right as far as possible, wheels pulled out.
- Car angled, pointing to the left, wheels pulled out.
- Car angled, pointing to the right, wheels pulled out.

The car from "Shifting the Wheelbase" in V14, I11 was reused.

The car is equipped with Pro-Stock Speed Wheels and Polished BSA Speed Axles. These wheels and axles were cleaned, and then the car was re-lubed with Krytox 100.

On this car, the front-left wheel was raised, and the front right axle was bent for aligning. The car was set to rail-ride, by drifting left five inches over eight feet.

Figure 2 - Test Car

Each staging variation was tested once, and then the cycle was repeated five times for a total of 30 heats.

RESULTS

Wheels Out - 2.549
*Wheels In - 2.547
*Shift Left - 2.547
Shift Right - 2.551
*Angle Left - 2.547
Angle Right - 2.556

The results were a bit surprising. I expected more variation, but to my astonishment the three starred results were the same, while the "Wheels Out" number was very close (this could just be statistical noise as the standard deviation was just over 2ms).

Clearly, the worst performance was attained when the car was shifted or angled right. This can be readily explained due to the raised wheel contacting the guide rail at the start. This contact would result in some energy loss, and thus reduce performance.

CONCLUSION
So, what we can draw from these results is that with a raised wheel, make sure that the raised wheel is not in contact with the guide rail at the starting line. This clearly is detrimental to performance. But otherwise, you don't need to get too fanatical about perfect staging.

Now, I guess I'll have to come up with some other reasons for slow performance in the finals.

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 15, Issue 2

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-11-27T08:57:00.000-08:00

PINEWOOD DERBY MEMORY
Third Place for Perseverance

I was not very enthusiastic about my son's first pinewood derby. But I pitched in and helped him create a very basic (ugly) car. We simply cut a wedge shaped piece of wood off the front and back of the car (resulting in a trapezoid for those of you that remember your basic geometry). It was then painted military green with some black animal spots. The car weighed less than 5 ounces, the axles weren't polished, but we did put a drop of silicon oil on each axle. Thus, in less than an hour of work, the car was finished.

The night of the derby came, and I could quickly see that we were outclassed. But the race was organized in (what seemed to me) an unusual way. Although the track was four lanes, the race leader decided that the double elimination format could only identify the first and second place cars. So, a primary race to identify first and second place was held for each of the four classes. Then setting the winners aside, each of the four classes was raced a second time to identify 3rd place. During the primary race for our class, our entry finished somewhere in the lower half of the 25 or so entrants.

Since there were well over 100 cars total (and since the race procedure had quite a few wrinkles) it was getting rather late by the time the 3rd place races began. Many people had become frustrated (with the race procedure and with the antics of their kids) and had picked up their cars and left. So when the time came for our class to race there were only a few cars remaining in the staging area. Amazingly, my son's car took 3rd place!

Although I realize that the result was a fluke, I must admit that I did get "pinewood derby fever" as a result of that race!

Randy Davis
Peoria, Arizona

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 15, Issue 1

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-11-20T08:35:00.000-08:00

PINEWOOD DERBY CAR SHOWCASE

Today's cars were submitted by Dennis Pemberton.

Red Car

Yellow Car

Corvette

These three cars were entered in our Awana GrandPrix. The fenders were
made of poplar. The Red car won design for kids, the Corvette won for
adults, and the Yellow car was fast as snot, but did not place due to
a timer error.

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 15, Issue 1

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-11-13T07:51:00.001-08:00

PINEWOOD DERBY CAR SHOWCASE

Red Snake - Steve Truver

This car was built by my grandson, Nathan and me in 2008. It took first place for speed in his pack, and placed in the top five in the regionals.

Mater - Jeff Trush

This car was my son, Nicholas' idea. It actually won first in his den (it was a lot faster than I expected). While it was not quite as aerodynamically competitive in the overall pack derby (over 80 cars) he did end up winning the "Best Overall Car" trophy, and the kids loved watching Mater run down the track -- it was quite funny to watch to say the least.

I am a big fan of details, and we tried to stay pretty true to Mater from the movies. We used Play-Doh for the top lights, teeth, and headlight. The Play-Doh was swabbed with super glue to firm it up. We also used several Dremel Tool sanding drums and grinder wheels for the air cleaner and the rollers for his tow hook. The structure in the rear is just pieces of cardboard painted and glued together. For the faded paint effect, we dabbed the colors with a paper towel. It was great fun building it together, and we hope you enjoy it.

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 9, Issue 8

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-11-06T06:40:00.000-08:00

PINEWOOD DERBY CAR SHOWCASE

Road Grader - Rob Knapp

This is my 2009 Pinewood Derby car, entered in the adult division. As a Cub Scout Den leader, I try to show the boys what is possible to build from a block of wood. This road grader started life as an official BSA kit. The grader is all wood except for a few pieces of copper wire and part of a pop can I used for the cab roof overhang. This was a very challenging build, but I think the results are favorable.

Queen Bee - William Lund

Every year my boys were in Cub Scouts I had to build extra cars for my daughter and me to race in the Open class. Well, one year my mother-in-law wanted a car to race. I thought and thought ... then I remembered that I had always called her "The Queen Bee" of the family. So I went to work making her a car. I cut the shape on a band saw, added a little extra wood to the top to make the body of the bee taller. I hand-sanded the round shapes, found some balsa wood for the wings, added the antennae and crown, and painted it to look like a bee. It was the hit of the pinewood derby. It did not win, but came in second in all of its races -- I couldn't let my mother-in-law's car beat mine!

Hot Wheels - Randal Veenker

It was my last year as Cubmaster of my pack. I ran the pinewood derby race for the pack as well as being the chairman for our district race. I wanted to have a show car for the last pack race in the open class. I found a Hot Wheels car that gave me the inspiration for this car. It was a looker as well as fast, but not quite fast enough to win.

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 9, Issue 7

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-10-30T10:30:00.000-07:00

SHOP TALK
Drilling With Accuracy

If you were reading a book and the phrase "drill bit" was used, what mental image would you conjure up? Most people would think of a standard high-speed steel (HSS) drill bit that is part of the drill bit set in most people's toolbox. This type of drill bit is certainly the most popular, but it is not the best drill bit choice for many woodworking tasks.

Today, we will discuss the various drill bit types available for woodworking, and how they apply to pinewood derby cars.

Regardless of the drill bit type, make sure to know the chuck size of your drill. The chuck size determines the maximum shaft diameter of the drill bit that can be used. Most drills today have a 1/2 inch chuck, but there are some drills that have a 3/8 inch chuck. If your drill has a 3/8 inch chuck, make sure to purchase bits with a shaft no larger than 3/8 inch.

Drill Bit Types

For woodworking, you will find the following drill bit types at your local hardware store:

Forstner - Produces a flat-bottomed, clean edged hole with no chipping. The center point ensures that the hole is drilled where desired. For drilling holes over 7/16 inch, Forstner Bits are generally a better value than Brad Point bits. Some Forstner bits have a saw tooth edge (as seen in the photo) while others do not. Either type works well for pinewood derby use.

Forstner bits are commonly used for creating wheel wells for attaching to the side of a pinewood derby block. They are also used for creating holes for tungsten rounds.

Figure 1 - Forstener Drill Bit
Photo Source: www.rockler.com

Brad Point - Produces a clean edged hole will no chipping. The center point ensures that the drill bit doesn't wander. For drilling holes between 1/8 and 7/16 inch, Brad Point bits are usually a better value than Forstner bits and do a better job than HSS bits.

Brad Point bits are commonly used for drilling weight holes in pinewood derby blocks

Figure 2 - Brad Point Drill Bit
Photo Source: www.rockler.com

Auger - Produces a clean, accurate hole. The screw tip causes the bit to "power feed", and the auger shape helps in chip removal, so this type of bit is beneficial for drilling very deep holes.

Although Auger bits can be used for pinewood derby cars, Brad Point or Forstner bits are usually a better choice. The screw tip on the Auger bit is not desirable for pinewood derby cars as it makes the hole too deep, and the power feed action can be a bit unwieldy for novice woodworkers.

Figure 3 - Auger Drill Bit
Photo Source: www.toolbarn.com

HSS - A general purpose drill bit for use in wood, metal, plastic, etc. Especially in larger sizes, HSS bits often chip the edge of the hole, and can "wander".(1) But for holes in a pinewood derby block under 1/8 inch, these are the only real choice.

To minimize chipping, keep the drill speed high, but the feed speed low. To minimize drill bit wander, make a small dimple in the wood at the drilling location with a nail or a punch.

Figure 4 - HSS Drill Bit
Photo Source: www.rockler.com

Spade - Also known as a "Paddle Bit" this type of inexpensive bit is used for rough boring. Typically they are used in carpentry where a clean hole is not necessary. I strongly recommend avoiding Spade Bits for pinewood derby use.

Figure 5 - Spade Bit
Photo Source: www.drillspot.com

(1) For drilling axle holes, a cobalt "split point" drill bit is desirable. The split point prevents drill bit wander, and the cobalt material keeps the bit from flexing. You can find cobalt split point drill bits for standard axle holes (#44) Here.

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 9, Issue 7

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-10-23T10:56:00.000-07:00

PINEWOOD DERBY CAR SHOWCASE

Radio Controlled Propeller Car - Bill Klingler

This is my radio controlled propeller driven car. It is powered with a motor, a 7.2 volt battery and the receiver/speed control from a Losi Mini-T RC car. The joy comes from watching the scouts laugh and run along side the track as the car is zooming past. Since it is radio
controlled it will also back up. Lots of fun.

Corn Dog Propeller Car - Bruce Kempf

Every year after NASCAR season is over we have a party and a corn dog Derby race. We use a three lane pinewood derby track, pinewood derby car kits, etc. The only difference is racers have to use a corn dog with the car.

This car was made from your Propeller Car Kit. I attached the corn dog to the propeller car with Velcro, so I could remove it for the race -- although it blew away the field with the corn dog attached.

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 9, Issue 6

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-10-16T08:51:00.000-07:00

SHOP TALK
Keep it Square

Drawing lines square to the side of pinewood derby block is a very common step. To do this accurately requires a tool called a "square". A common type of square is the "Engineer Square". This is a simple, but highly accurate square (see Figure 1).

Figure 1 - Engineer Square

However, I prefer to use a "Combination Square" (see Figure 2). The Combination Square is sufficiently accurate, and has features not available on the Engineer Square.

Figure 2 - Combination Square

The Combination Square provides the following features:

- Draw 90 degree and 45 degree lines,
- Adjustable ruler position (allows use as a depth gauge and a drawing guide),
- Simple bubble level,
- Scribe tool - I use this to make an indent in the wood where I plan to drill. This minimizes drill bit "wander".

Combination Squares come with 6 inch or 12 inch rules. For carpentry work, the 12 inch version is generally used, however, for pinewood derby use, the 6 inch version is much more handy.

Adjusting the Ruler Position

1. Loosen the locking knob,
2. Slide the ruler to the desired position,
3. Tighten the locking knob.

Drawing a Line Perpendicular to the Block (see Figure 3)

1. Ensure that at least 1-3/4 inches of the ruler is extending beyond the head of the square,
2. Hold the head of the square tightly against the block at the desired position,
3. Draw the perpendicular line.

Figure 3 - Drawing a Perpendicular Line
(User’s right hand not shown for clarity)

Drawing a Line Parallel to the Block (see Figure 4)

1. Extend the ruler the desired amount beyond the head of the square (i.e., if you want a line 1/2 inch from the edge of the block, set the head at 1/2 inch),
2. Hold the head of the square tightly against the block,
3. Place the pencil at the end of the ruler, then
4. Slide the head of the square along the block, keeping the pencil tight against the end of the ruler, and the head of the square tightly against the block.

Figure 4 - Drawing a Parallel Line
(User’s right hand not shown for clarity)

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 9, Issue 6

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-10-09T10:52:00.000-07:00

PINEWOOD DERBY CAR SHOWCASE

Street Rod - Janel Davis

This car wasn't particularly competitive, but I wanted to use up an extra PineCar kit that I had lying around. It took fourth place, in the Outlaw behind the extended wheelbase cars with four disk wheels (instead of the two disk wheels on this car).

Green Stealth - Stephen Davis

This car came from my son's imagination. The green ball is a plastic marble that is just there to "look cool". The car is painted with flat black paint, and trimmed with 1/4 inch green pinstriping. We used needle axle wheels, allowing the car to easily blow away the competition to take first place. In addition, it took third in design.

(This car, and its twin will be further discussed in an article on needle axle wheels later this season.)

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 9, Issue 5

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-10-02T08:35:00.000-07:00

PINEWOOD DERBY CAR SHOWCASE

(I am dedicating the Car Showcase this week to a car
built by Stephen Parks).

I was browsing your newsletter archives, and saw the article on the direct drive outlaw car that you built Volume 8, Issue 3

It was interesting to me because, as an engineering student, I competed in the ASME student design competition, and designed a "string transmission" for a transport device.

For last year's pinewood derby event at work, I wanted to make an electric car for the Outlaw class, and initially thought of using the same type of transmission. However, it has some issues. If the
wheels spin, then you may not have enough string to power all the way to the end, and if the wheels don't spin, then you probably should have used more power! Eventually I abandoned the idea of a string transmission, and decided to just use a gear drive. A co-worker races electric RC boats, and sourced a Lithium-Polymer battery. These batteries are expensive, but relatively light, and have almost no internal resistance. I found a few motors that looked to be a reasonable size, then built a dynamometer to test and compare them. This approach wasn't very consistent, so in the end I simply picked the motor that sounded and felt the strongest.

So far, this wasn't nearly complicated enough for me. I figured that this drag car ought to look like one, so I decided to hide the drive train, switches, etc. into a drag car model so that it would be a "sleeper". The model I chose was the Stone, Woods, and Cook Willys.

Model Box Photo

My Car

The start switch is hidden behind the grille. When it is race time, a pin fits through one of the holes in the grille and into the switch, and rests against the start post on the track. There is an arming switch underneath the car just in front of the rear bumper. There was also a cutoff switch underneath the car, so that when the car falls down onto the stop strip at the end of the track, the power is cut (well, that was the idea).

Quite a bit of work was required to transform a model kit that was intended to be stationary into a rolling, self-powered, self-guided vehicle. Here are photos of the chassis, showing the motor and gear layout. The silver rectangle is the battery pack. The gears are out of a broken DVD player.

Top of Chassis

Bottom of Chassis

I should mention that the track is not set up until the night before the day of the race (after the impound). So, testing is very difficult. But I did get the coordinator to allow a couple of practice runs. On the first run, the tires had too much traction and lifted the front end when they caught on a track joint, resulting in a
derail. But that run put enough graphite on the tires to reduce grip enough so that didn't happen again. The next run was 1.998 seconds, on 49 feet of BestTrack!

Video of a Run (WMV format)

On race day, the car got a lot of interest for looking good, though some thought that it was "just a plastic model." No one expected a two second run, and it was easily faster than the other Outlaws, all of which were gravity powered. The run times gradually increased, not because of the battery, but because of graphite buildup on the tires. Going fast was not a problem with this car, but getting it stopped was. I seriously underestimated the speed at the end of the track, and didn't have a good way to stop the car. At the end of the fourth run, one of the guides that keeps the rubber wheels from contacting the center rail broke, and the car could not stay on the track after that. I took the car out of the race instead of needlessly damaging it further.

This year I'll probably reuse the motor and battery, but forgo the fancy body in favor of a much more robust frame, and I'll build a stopping device to fit onto the end of the track. I may also switch to front wheel drive to eliminate the possibility of wheelies, and I can then clean the graphite off of the tires after each run to maximize traction and maintain consistent times.

Stephen Parks

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 9, Issue 4

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-09-25T08:41:00.000-07:00

SHOP TALK
The Best Pinewood Derby Rule

Although you can get away with using a cheap plastic ruler for an occasional pinewood derby car, having a nice, accurate rule (not ruler) is a must for any serious craftsman. But like any tool, there is a large variety of rules available on the market. Today, I want to share with you my favorite rule. In my opinion, this rule is a must have for pinewood derby enthusiasts.

The rule I am referring to is the Incra Six Inch Precision Bend Rule. Although this rule wasn't specifically designed for pinewood derby use, I have to believe that the designer was a pinewood derby parent.

Photo 1
Incra Six Inch Bend Rule

The obvious feature of the Incra Bend Rule is the shape. The rule is specifically designed to fit over the edge of a block or board in order to make precise measurement with ease. The rule is marked in 1/32 inch increments, and at each increment is a hole and a slot that allows insertion of a 5mm pencil (standard mechanical pencil size). These holes and slots eliminate the inaccuracy that comes with trying to make a pencil mark along the side of a regular ruler.

Photo 2
Making a Measurement

This feature in itself makes this a nice tool, but there's more. On one end of the Incra Bend Rule you will find measurements that are perpendicular to the rule. These are used to mark offsets from the edge of a block. For pinewood derby cars, the obvious use is marking axle locations, weight hole positions, car thickness, etc.

Photo 3
Marking a 1/8 inch Offset for Axle Holes

But this offset measurement feature is not just to make a tiny dot, but it can also be used for drawing horizontal lines. Just insert the pencil at the desired location, and slide the rule along the edge of the block. Sweet!

Photo 4
Drawing a Horizontal Line

Now the "pièce de résistance". Do you want to locate the center of your block? One half of the Incra Bend Rule is 3/4 inch wide, while the other is 7/8 inch wide. 7/8 inch is a familiar number - it is one-half of the width of a standard block. So to find the center of a block, lay the rule with the wide portion on the top or bottom of the block, and strike a line. Since blocks are not consistent, put the rule on the other side, and draw another line. "Voilà!" The center of the block will be between the two lines (or coincident with the two lines if the block is exactly 1-3/4 inches wide).

Photos 5 & 6
Finding the Center of the Block

I am confident that you will enjoy this rule as much as I do. This rule is available at some specialty wood stores, but to save you the trouble of tracking one down, Maximum Velocity is now offering the Incra 6 inch Precision Bend Rule. You can find it on our web site Here

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 9, Issue 4

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-09-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

PINEWOOD DERBY CAR SHOWCASE

Bi-Plane - Doug Kile

Last year I sent in a picture a picture of my John Deere Tractor. This Bi-Plane is what I made for this year. It legal to run with the wings removed.

Model T - Gary Trousdale

My son's pack has a siblings and parents category, so I decided to enter. As far as what design I would use, I had about 100 ideas flying around in my head. The Model T came about mostly because I knew no one else would do it, and I'm fairly sure I've never seen one before.

I downloaded a lot of pictures of old Model T cars and trucks and settled on the touring car design. The body is still the original wood block from the BSA kit, just cut up and re-arranged a bit. The running boards are brass strips from a hobby store, likewise the grill, mounted in foam core. The headlights, taillights and compression tank were from a jewelry and craft store. The brass front bumper had to come off due to weight. The canopy is paper, measured, cut, folded and painted over a wooden frame (again, the metal was too heavy). The seats are foam rubber with lacquered and painted tissue paper seat covers. The gear shift levers, horn, and windshield were fabricated pretty much from wire, Sculpey, sheet styrene and paint.

The car ran pretty slow, despite my grinding and polishing the axles. I don't think it was a question of air resistance as much as the wheels themselves were out of balance -- I put hub spokes made of painted toothpicks on them. Oh well, it looked really cool.

Valentine C-A-R - Galen Jordan

This car was made as a Valentine C-A-R (not card) for my wife since our race was on February 14. we originally did not intend to race it. but, we caved to peer pressure and let my daughter race it in the 11 and under open class without any preparation other than graphite. It took second place. It was a great day of racing for the whole family.

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 9, Issue 3

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-09-11T08:02:00.000-07:00

SHOP TALK
Measuring for Success

Making a pinewood derby car calls for a number of measurements, and marking several cut lines and drilling marks. Although this seems like a simple part of building the car, making accurate measurements quickly and repeatedly takes some practice, the knowledge of a few tips, and the proper tools.

Today, we'll focus on measurement tips; tools will be discussed in a future Shop Talk.

MAKING A MEASUREMENT
A typical measurement for a pinewood derby car is measuring off the bottom of the block for drilling weight holes in the side or back of the car. Let’s say you want to measure 7/16 inch off the bottom to locate a weight hole. Where do you start the measurement from? Typically, one would align the end of the ruler on the bottom of the block, and then make a mark at the 7/16 inch tick mark. This will work, but it is not necessarily accurate for several reasons. First, the end of the ruler (especially on an inexpensive ruler) is not precisely ground. Second, ruler ends are often a bit chewed up. Finally, it can be awkward to align and hold the end of a ruler on the edge of the block.

A more accurate technique is to align one of the inch marks (typically the 1 inch mark) with the edge of the block, then make the pencil mark at 1-7/16 inches. This will work for any measuring or marking task. But if you are measuring, make sure to subtract one inch to get the correct measurement.

Figure 1 - Making a 7/16 inch Measurement

DRAWING A HORIZONTAL LINE
Let’s say that you want a pinewood derby car to be 7/16 inch thick. Sounds easy; just measure 7/16 up the side, draw a line, and cut. But there are a couple of ways to do this, depending on the accuracy needed. If you don't need any significant amount of accuracy (e.g., a line is needed for a rough cut), then an easy way to draw the line is to measure at one spot on the block, then use your fingers to guide the drawing of the line. Just place the pencil at the marked location, place the tip of your middle finger along the side of the block, lock your fingers in place and draw.

Figure 2 - Finger Method

With a little practice, this will result in a reasonably accurate line. If you need to repeat the line (other side of the block, or a different block), just keep your fingers locked and keep drawing.

For a more accurate line, measure at two points on the block, place the pencil tip at one of the marks, slide a ruler against the pencil lead, align the ruler with the other mark, and then draw. If the ruler is firmly held in place, then this will result in a quite accurate line.

Figure 3 - Two Point Method.

An even more accurate way to draw horizontal lines will be discussed in the next Shop Talk.

DRAWING A CENTER LINE
Oftentimes a horizontal line is needed down the dead center of the block. This is useful when drilling weight holes on the bottom of the block. Either of the previously mentioned methods can be used, however, since blocks are not always exactly 1-3/4 inches wide, another method can be used to get more accuracy.

Using the Two Point Method, instead of measuring 7/8 inch from one side of the block, place one of the inch marks on the ruler at the approximate center of the block. We'll use the 3 inch mark on a 6 inch ruler, but it can be any inch mark. Then adjust the ruler so that the 2 and 4 inch marks extend off the block the same distance. Make a pencil mark at the 3 inch mark, which will be the center of the block.

Figure 4 - Locating the Center

Repeat this technique at another spot on the block, and then connect the two marks.

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 9, Issue 2

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-09-03T08:13:00.000-07:00

PINEWOOD DERBY CAR SHOWCASE

iPod Jeep - Jeff Jouett

This was my oldest son Jack's final Pinewood Derby and he wanted something different. The result is the red car. It did play, though not loud enough unless you were right next to it.

Darth Vader - Dan Blythe

Attached is our Darth Vader car my seven year old and I created. I have experimented over the years with paint and making my own decals using pictures off of the Internet, magazines, etc. I give them some special backgrounds and highlights on the computer and then print them on adhesive backed label paper.

The boys pick out the theme, help with the painting, and pick from a variety of decals and where they want them placed on the car. I put it all together with them and teach them some speed tricks along the way.

Music on Wheels - Bruce Edney

My eight year old granddaughter inspired me when she asked me to make a "guitar" pinewood derby car. She sketched a concept and I designed the car based on my old Martin Ukulele that I had on my shelf since high school. The car's Ukulele is a one-third scale model using Myrtlewood and Purpleheart. The strings are mono-filament fish leader. The frets and tuning knobs are brass rod. I finished off the design with piano music copied from a music book and glued to the car body. She named the car, appropriately, "Music on Wheels". The car won first place in the "Show" class at WIRL in November 2008.

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 9, Issue 2

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-08-27T08:20:00.001-07:00

PINEWOOD DERBY MEMORY
Outlaw Race is a Winner

At last year's derby we had so many families hanging out after the race having a good time that we thought next year we'd add an "Outlaw Race" open to anyone. The only rules were that the car had to fit on the track, not damage it, and not interfere with any other racer.

We had a great turnout with all kinds of outlaw cars. We had brother racing sister, parents vs. kids, grandparents vs. grandkids, and Cubmaster vs. everyone! Everyone was very pleased with all the competition and are anxiously waiting for next year’s race.

I entered my car, the 10 ounce "Dragonator". The car beat other cars that weighed 2 pounds or more!! And after all the years of helping my own son build cars, this was the first time we'd won anything. Needless to say my boy was a bit jealous of my Outlaw trophy which is proudly displayed in my game room.

For next year's Outlaw race the gauntlet has been laid down and challenges made from all.

Thanks for putting on a great site with good information.

Rick Wold
Pack 457, Covina, CA

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 9, Issue 1

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-08-20T08:18:00.000-07:00

PINEWOOD DERBY CAR SHOWCASE

Speed Racer - Mike McBride

I have dozens of cars, some built for speed some just to look at. This car was designed after the Speed Racer Mach 5. It has not been raced yet. It is wider than BSA specs, but will be raced in a modified class that we do with our church's men's group every year.

Winged Rail - Rick Ellis

This car raced in our church's 2009 Awana Grand Prix. It got the award for best workmanship and finished fourth for speed in the Open Division. It weighed exactly 5.00 ounces on the entry scale and has three wheelson the ground. This was my second derby. I took first in the Open Division last year and second overall. I don't mind finishing fourth as I helped build the other three cars.

Commodore Outlaw - Bill Klingler

This car is radio controlled, and will cover the track in a bit over a second. I can run it fast or slow. I can also throw it into reverse and back it up the track. It's great fun to stop it on the track, wait for a gravity car to pass, and then do a burn-out and pass the other car.

The electronics are from the Losi Mini-T RC car. The motor is an upgraded one over the one that comes with the Mini-T, and the drivetrain is built from slot car parts. It uses a 7.2V Nickel Metal hydride battery. The body is from a car kit.

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 9, Issue 1

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-08-07T08:06:00.002-07:00

PINEWOOD DERBY MEMORY
Peter's Car

Back in 2001, I was a Tiger Cub Den Leader. When the day of our Pinewood Derby arrived, all of the boys brought their cars to the inspection. You could tell that parental help was involved, but you could also tell that the boys had a hand in building the cars.

The exception was Peter. You could tell that Peter's parents probably offered little help. The block was an unsanded, rough cut wedge with a coat of gold spray paint. When we inspected Peter's car, it was way under weight. Peter went to the pit area, borrowed some duct tape and taped coins on his car until it weighed exactly 5 ounces. What a sight: rough cut, unsanded, with a clump of duct-taped coins on top. But to our great surprise, that car took 2nd Place and earned Peter a spot in the district competition. I don't think I've ever seen a boy more excited at a Pinewood Derby.

Gary Holewinski, Scoutmaster, Troop 38
Erie Shores Council, Toledo, Ohio

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 8, Issue 15

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-07-30T10:31:00.000-07:00

PINEWOOD DERBY CAR SHOWCASE

1962 Cub Cadet - Bill Mathews

This is a model of our 1962 Cub Cadet original by father-son team Bill and Taylor Mathews. Pine and balsa wood were used in the construction. The snowplow is cut from a scout popcorn tin.

Pink Flip-Flop & Spine-O-Mite - Kevin Willhite

This is my daughter's "pink flip-flop" car and my "Spine-O-Mite" car. She loves pink and flip-flops and I am a chiropractor. Both cars were made with Maximum Velocity parts, except the flip-flop thong which came off of a car air freshener.

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 8, Issue 15

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies

2015-07-23T08:06:00.003-07:00

PINEWOOD DERBY MEMORY
Liam's Car

I joined Cub Scouts with my stepson, Liam, last year. He was seven years old and I was the Den Leader. The den shrunk over the winter and there were only 3 boys who attended meetings. I was feeling mighty low. I was not a Cub Scout when I was young but wanted to be more involved with some fun stuff with my stepson.

We received a pinewood derby kit from Santa at the Christmas pack meeting. I did not do any research and knew nothing about pinewood derby racing. I admit that I did not even know the date of the race. There was a Pinewood work day scheduled, but it was canceled due to 30 degree rainy weather.

I went to our den meeting and information was given about the race. It was the following Saturday! I told my son that given the short notice we would not be participating in the derby. Normally, he talks a lot and is very animated, but when I gave him the news he was very sullen. I found out later that he really wanted to enter the race but never had the opportunity.

I felt bad that night. I told my wife, and she said, "You work really hard; don't worry about it."

The next morning she said, "Honey don't worry about the derby; I took care of it."

I said, "How."

She said, "eBay."

I was driven from that moment on. I took off three days from work and every day after school Liam sanded the car and I showed him how to use spray paint.

When the eBay car showed up; it was really slick compared to the one we made.

We went to the weigh-in and had both cars weighed. The eBay car weighed 4.94 ounces, the one we made was exactly 5 ounces. Liam had no idea that his Mom had bought an eBay car.

I said, "Well Liam, which one do you want to race -- the car we slaved over or the one the 'Pinewood Fairy' brought?"

He picked the car we made. When I asked him why, this very logical boy said, "Because it weighs more."

Liam's car ended up taking second place in the pack! The eBay car was not wasted. I entered the Leaders and Cheaters race and blew away every car we ran against. It was the fastest car in the pack and would have won the overall event. But, that doesn't matter. What's really important is that we did our best on Liam's car. In our minds, it was the real winner.

Pete

From Pinewood Derby Times Volume 8, Issue 14

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Maximum Velocity Pinewood Derby Car Plans and Supplies