My son had his Pinewood derby last week. When I asked him what he wanted for a car he said a "boom truck" like I build at work. So that's what we did. Not very aerodynamic but it actually did pretty well. I think we were about .02 seconds out of winning any hardware but at least it made it to the finish line!
Pinewood derby car
- Thread starter elf
- Start date
Cool!
The boom truck idea is great! Very unique, and he'll remember that years from now.
My older son has bridged to Boy Scouts so we only got to make one this year. Mario Cart was the theme.
No trophies here either but my goal is to make sure it runs well enough that he's not embarrassed first and everything beyond that is gravy. He ended up about top 25% but got the 2nd place ribbon for creative design.
The boom truck idea is great! Very unique, and he'll remember that years from now.
My older son has bridged to Boy Scouts so we only got to make one this year. Mario Cart was the theme.
No trophies here either but my goal is to make sure it runs well enough that he's not embarrassed first and everything beyond that is gravy. He ended up about top 25% but got the 2nd place ribbon for creative design.
freezinbevr
New member
Very cool design Elf.
Maybe next year a lil' snowmobile look???
Maybe next year a lil' snowmobile look???
Canoepaddler
New member
Elf, nice looking truck. That looks like a pretty sharp track too. If you want any tips for speed, let me know. I had 3 boys and we built lots of cars. The only one that didn't finish in the top of the pack was the one that crashed during a practice run. Lesson learned...if you want to run a car down the track during setup, take last year's car. 
I learned ideas from a mechanical engineer that I worked with. Wedge design can still be nice looking, with paint and stickers. It was fun video taping them...even back then with the old VCR recorder, and watch it in slow motion, frame by frame to see just where they pulled away.
I learned ideas from a mechanical engineer that I worked with. Wedge design can still be nice looking, with paint and stickers. It was fun video taping them...even back then with the old VCR recorder, and watch it in slow motion, frame by frame to see just where they pulled away.yamahauler
Active member
Do they make it so the parents can make one too?
Maybe girl scouts does it too....then I can get my daughter into that just for the racing and for sure the cookies, lol.
I would love to put one through some engineering programs and then onto the milling machine and see what happens....In theory it should come out to aerodynamic perfection, lol.
Maybe girl scouts does it too....then I can get my daughter into that just for the racing and for sure the cookies, lol.
I would love to put one through some engineering programs and then onto the milling machine and see what happens....In theory it should come out to aerodynamic perfection, lol.
Yes Nate, they do have a class for girls - Joni and Will took both their kids to the Pine Derby this past weekend and they both did great...
This is what she posted on her Facebook: "Well we didn't take first, but we didn't take last either! Megan got 1 1st and 2 2nd's in her heat races and Alex got 2 2nd and 1 3rd. It was a lot of fun. William is all ready to build his own car for next years open class."
So go for it!
I remember doing that when I was a kid too... in the Girl Scouts. My Dad was a total control freak - I didn't get to do much wth the cars... Mr. Wood Worker Carver Dude did the work! I wonder if he still has them...
REV IT UPx3!
Jul
freezinbevr
New member
Jul,
As a proud papa of 2 girlscouts, this has me thinking, I will look into it. Both of the girls call me Tink for "tinker" (where Tinker bell evidently got her name) and we would have a great time with the Derby!
Thanks for the heads up. My wife is a troop leader and didn't even know the girls could participate in the derby. I wonder how a furnace or air conditioner shaped car would do? Hmmmmm
Brad
Simple wedge design with main weight right behind front axle and lots of graphite in the wheels, will make fast car.
When I was a cub scout I took 1st. place 3 years in a row with this design. I have lots of brothers so dad had lots of practice. Now my son is in scouts he took 2nd. place his first year. Next year will be first place.
My son and I did some interesting designs. He was really into tractor pulling at the time so the first year's car was a tractor puller complete with big V8, blower, pipes, driver, roll cage. Didn't go fast but all the kids thought it was very cool.
Next year was a fire truck. Bright red, ladders, and the aerodynamics of a brick! But cool.
Third and final year came "E-Racer". You guessed it, car shaped like a big retangular eraser. We had the local paint shop mix paint based on the scan of an actual pink eraser. The shape of that car actually allowed it to do pretty well.
Best of times with my son.......
Next year was a fire truck. Bright red, ladders, and the aerodynamics of a brick! But cool.
Third and final year came "E-Racer". You guessed it, car shaped like a big retangular eraser. We had the local paint shop mix paint based on the scan of an actual pink eraser. The shape of that car actually allowed it to do pretty well.
Best of times with my son.......
snowfish
Member
Cherish the moments, Elf. They pass way to quickly.
Nice Track! My Dad made a track when I was in scouts. My son raced on the same track 25-30 years later! I think they have a new one now, similar to yours, complete with Lights & Lane Brain.
My Dad taught me how to polish the spindles (nails) with graphite & comet clutch lube and turn the wheels to a sharp edge with a "special wheel turning mandrel". (less rolling resistance) We melted split shot (fishing weights) and poured it into the Rear of the car. Theory is to give the car a little more push at the bottom. Worked great! One second place and two firsts. Same with my son, plus one best of show.
Better check current rules before doing any crazy mods. Enjoy.
Nice Track! My Dad made a track when I was in scouts. My son raced on the same track 25-30 years later! I think they have a new one now, similar to yours, complete with Lights & Lane Brain.
My Dad taught me how to polish the spindles (nails) with graphite & comet clutch lube and turn the wheels to a sharp edge with a "special wheel turning mandrel". (less rolling resistance) We melted split shot (fishing weights) and poured it into the Rear of the car. Theory is to give the car a little more push at the bottom. Worked great! One second place and two firsts. Same with my son, plus one best of show.
Better check current rules before doing any crazy mods. Enjoy.
You can really get em going fast with marbles or lead shot inside the body to where the lead or marbles roll to the front of the vehicle when it gets to the bottom of the track. Potential energy = mass*gravity*height. So the theory is here is to have the most potential energy at the top of the track and the least amount at the bottom of the track. Obviously the only thing you can change is the "height" part of that equation because the weight is fixed by the competition and the gravity is fixed by the laws of physics. So the further back in the car the marbles or lead shot sit when youre at the starting line the "higher" the center of gravity is, therefore more potential energy. As the car gets to the bottom you want to transfer that potential to the front of the car which is "lower"....
yamahauler
Active member
The only way I could think of that is by a mechanism...gear, motor, etc...and I would assume that is against the rules. What would be a different way?
You bore a slot in the bottom of the car so that when the car is in the starting position the slot is almost level, but keeping just enough of an angle to keep the marble/lead ball towards the back of the car. Once the car hits the bottom of the track, the change in momentum slings the ball forward. Remember, object in motion wants to stay in motion. So as the bottom of the track slows the car down, the marble/lead ball will want to keep going, which it will, and will give you that last little kick you need. I was in boy scouts for years and used to WHOMP the competition doing this and perfectly legal to have weights. Kind of hard to explain. You can use anything from good old fashioned tape to cover the slot, paper, etc. whatever you want really.
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yamahauler
Active member
great idea...that would be funny if it gave you a boost like if you hit nytro on a sled...all of a sudden it's close and then 2 car lengths ahead, lol.