Pinewood Derby

[MarkSingleton]

[DaveR1]

Question for you: Were you allowed to add more wood to your cars? The rules our pack follows say only the wood from the blank provided in the kit can be used.

[Bill Wilson]

We weighted my son's car to 4.98 oz out of 5.  My car was overweight as it was, so I used a Foerster to carve out the inside.

I felt like I saw every possible trick on display. Heavily canted wheels, rail riders, skinny bodies, etc. But the kid who won had a simple body that looked vaguely like a sports car and appeared to be one continuous bandsaw cut. Wasn't the heaviest car there, and he had clearly painted it himself. Nothing weird with the wheels.  But it ran smooth, straight, and very fast.  While I wanted my own kid to win, of course, I was very pleased that the kid who did win had a car that looked like a 10 year old designed and built it.

These days, the internet takes a lot of the mystery out of the Pinewood Derby book of tricks and tips.  Everybody knows all of the legal ones.  I remember, back in pre-internet days, probably 30-35 years ago, I had a couple buddies, with sons who did the derby.  They spent countless hours messing with the wheels, axles, weight placement, etc.  The "secrets" were closely guarded in those days.  One of the fathers was a mechanical engineer and figured some out on his own.  They both told me the same thing, the kids who usually won had cars that were basically a painted wooden block, with the corners rounded off.  

[stav]

 the kids who usually won had cars that were basically a painted wooden block, with the corners rounded off.  

So they had a 1980's style Volvo...

[Bill Wilson]

So they had a 1980's style Volvo...

 

Yes, they were also quite safe.  

[JohnnyEgo]

Question for you: Were you allowed to add more wood to your cars? The rules our pack follows say only the wood from the blank provided in the kit can be used.

Yep, no restrictions on adding wood. In fact, the local scout store sells fender kits that are fairly similar to the ones I cut out of an extra block. There are rules regarding the overall dimensions, a few related to some specific conditions about how it rests on the starting post, no exposed lead, and no modification to the wheelbase. Also, has to be stock wheels and axles, although you are allowed to prep them. I gather there are three common rule sets, with the one our pack uses being in the middle in terms of regulation. But I have heard of several packs who use the 'no wood other than the block' rule.

The Cub Scouts seem to have taken a much more nuanced approach from my day, which was very similar to yours and Bill's. Now they talk a lot about the STEM value of researching pinewood derby physics and talking about the effects of weight distribution, friction, and other forces on the car. You can also buy all manner of BSA approved official go-fast parts, to include graphite lube (a no-no in my own day), pre-polished axles, all manner of jigs and fixtures, an amazing variety of weights, and even a pre-cut wedge body. As Bill said, they have pretty much democratized all the specialized knowledge to level the playing field.

[BrokenOlMarine]

WAY back... When I was a cubbie in FL, we did the Soapbox Derby.  Is that even done anymore?  If not, why?  Too costly, rollover accident chip a baby tooth? 

[BrokenOlMarine]

BTW, love all the cars, but the Marine in me leans toward the jeep. (Though it needs a pedestal mount in the back. 
 just sayin.)

[DaveR1]

That's interesting. I think the packs here in town still follow the no-additional-wood-rule. It was probably seven years ago that Ian built his car. It's cool that they are looking at the STEM model.