Packs around the country are preparing to hold their annual pinewood derby. There are many ways to make your pinewood derby car go faster. Here are some of them.
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR PINEWOOD DERBY CAR DESIGN
The possibilities are endless when it comes to picking a shape for your pinewood derby car. Before you begin, consider the following guidelines:
NEED IDEAS? See a slideshow of more than 100 cool pinewood derby designs created by Boys’ Life readers |
Avoid designs with a pointed nose. A pointed nose will make it difficult for your pinewood derby car to rest on the pin at the starting gate. It may also cause your pinewood derby car to get bumped around when the pin drops, and it can create problems for electronic timing systems.
Leave enough wood in the rear of the pinewood derby car so you can place additional weight there. You will end up putting most of the weight in the rear of the pinewood derby car.
Be sure that it is very clear which end of your pinewood derby car is the front and which end is the back. In many races, the race officials—not you—will actually place each pinewood derby car on the track. Sometimes the officials put the pinewood derby car on the track backward because they can’t tell which end is which.
Choose a design that allows the air to move over and around the pinewood derby car body in a smooth manner. Pinewood derby cars with aerodynamic profiles go faster.
DESIGNING THE ULTIMATE PINEWOOD DERBY CAR
You don’t have to strive for the “ultimate pinewood derby car” to build a fast car and have fun competing in your pinewood derby. But if you and a helpful adult are willing to put in the extra time and effort, these tips are for you.
LOOKING GOOD How to give your pinewood derby car that glossy finish |
Bake the Block: Start with your block of wood, and before you do anything else, bake it in the oven at 250 degrees for around two hours to remove moisture and make it lighter.
Create the Design: Select a fast design.
Cut the Design: Draw the outline of your pinewood derby car on a sheet of paper, cut it out and attach it to your block of wood.
Make a Three-Wheeler: Raise one wheel about 1/16 inch higher so it never actually touches the track. Less friction = more speed.
Extend the Wheelbase: The front and rear wheels should be as far apart as possible.
Determine Weight Placement: A heavier rear increases speed. Add weight to the rear of your pinewood derby car.
Create Glue Holes: Glue the axles firmly in their holes to ensure that they stay perfectly placed.
Sand the Pinewood Derby Car: Make it smooth to reduce friction.
Lubricate the Wheel Well: The less friction between the body and wheel, the better.
CHOOSING YOUR AXLES
Not all axles are created equal. Here’s a tip on choosing the straightest out of your bunch.
1. Start with a set of about 20 raw axles.
2. Can you tell the difference between the axles in the top row and the ones on the bottom? The ones on the bottom aren’t straight and will slow your car.
3. To tell which are straight and which aren’t, mark each axle with a marker about 1/2 inch from the pointed end.
4. Have an adult clamp a power drill into a vise, a device that will hold it perfectly still.
5. Have an adult help you clamp each axle into the drill at the location you marked in Step 3. Have the adult turn on the drill.
6. Bent axles will wobble as they turn in the drill. Straight axles will hardly wobble at all. Pick the ones that wobble least.
WANT MORE SECRETS?
Pick up a copy of “Pinewood Derby Speed Secrets” (BSA Supply No. 30538, 1-800-323-0736, www.scoutstuff.org) for lots more info on building the pinewood derby car body, preparing the axles and wheels, alternatives to the “ultimate pinewood derby car” and putting it all together.
And once you’ve built your pinewood derby car, get ideas on making it look great from “Pinewood Derby Designs & Patterns” (DK Publishing, $12.95 softcover), also available from a BSA retail store.
Remember: The No. 1 rule of a pinewood derby is that it’s supposed to be fun. While you should always strive to do your best, don’t get caught up in winning. Just enjoy the ride.
Tags: Pinewood derby
my car got radard to see how fast it was and it got 48.9 mph
what is the secret to making long distance derby cars?
I did a derby with my 4 kids for the first time. They didn’t have the fastest cars but they were made by THEM. The only thing my hubby did was cut them out. The kids designed, sanded, painted and helped place the wheels. I was proud of them for working so hard. With these tips and seeing different cars at the race, next time they might do better. We had a lot of fun!
still don’t get it.
it is very cool though it looks hard to make
my son got 2nd place, and the trick was to create a wedge with a block of wood at the back, and LOTS of graphite on the wheels. an older scout beat him once, but other than that, he was undefeated.
Great tips guy all across the board ! Where is the best place to drill hole into the bottom of car ? And where is the best place to set any additional weights ? Thx
If you drill holes in the bottom to reduce weight, will it slow the car down if they are not filled?
drilling holes will not slow the car down. but if u do want to fill in hole or fix a spot without adding weight I have found that dry wall plaster works great. easy to use sandable and comes in small tubes in hardware dept $2.50? And u can use it to cover up small dents scratches and nail holes in your wall befor u paint. so with kids being kids it wont go to waste.
My boys need to remove more weight, the tip book mentions drilling holes underneath near the front, but does not mention filling them with anything. Will the car go slower if there are holes in the bottom? We need to remove front weight to add it to the back.
Lots of great ideas out there. If your going to make modifications to the car make sure your son is the one doing it. My 7 and 10 year old both did all the work on there cars to include removing bers and polishing the axels. Its not dificult. They learned alot and had fun doing it. Show them how on one and let them do the others. They enjoyed there first place den wins and 2nd and 3rd wins in the overals.
Eh, aerodynamics don’t matter. Graphite and the axles are what matter.
i agree only the axles and wheels matter
a dad in my pack made a smoken fast block
I agree. But if the race comes down to 1-1000 of a second it might help?
I recommend to cut a notch under the front of the car
i would recomend to cut a a slot under the car in front so when the pin go down the car has been movin the whole time
Some people are whiners.our rules are what comes in the box.do check to make sure your pack has no additional rules.then do any tricks you can to make your car faster.there is nothing wrong with a winning legal car.do remember parents its about children. After setting your axles (nails) careful turn car upside down put a little glue on the end of the pointed part of the nails. Seen them come off on race day not a good think to happen
how do i make a derby car go faster any ideas thanks!
My son and I had great experiences building his cars together; he doing the labor and me in a supervisory role. In addition to the tips already listed, don’t forget that a good, smooth paint job can make a difference too. Light sanding between coats and finishing with a clear coat will help your speed and ensure you car looks good on the shelf in your room for years to come. Have fun!
i got first in the pack thanks to this