How to Create a Pinewood Derby Car

Well, here it is Pinewood Derby time, again, for our Pack.  We hold the Derby in January and hand out the car kits at November’s Pack Meeting.  Each year the Cubs need to create a new car.  They can’t use last year’s previously experienced car.  We run two sets of races.  Cubs race against Cubs, and Open Class, is for everyone else.   Now I will show you how I set about creating a Pinewood Derby Car for the Open Class, although everything I show will be allowed for the Cubs cars.  Remember that there is no “Pinewood Derby Car Police” which will rule on how the car is created.  The cars are only judged on whether or not they meet the stated, race time, requirements, as found on the paper included with the kit.  Here we go!

Step 1:

Supplies:
Car Kit
Sand paper (Grade, 120, 140, 180, 220)
Knife or hack saw or rotary tool
Pencil
Spray paint
Scissors
E-6000 glue
Paper cups (to set the car on while being painted)
Digital scales
Screw driver
Drill
Square file
Hammer
Terry cloth
Pumice
Square (to see if the axel channels are square to the car, if not, you will need to redo them)
Boby tool,
Wheel mandrel
Axel press

Comments

[BluesBayou]

We have the boys build sanding stick for this step. Trace out a craft stick on the back of the different grits of paper, then cut them out and glue the cut outs onto the craft sticks - this way little fingers aren't too close to spinging drill parts..

[dimtick]

this comment comes a little late.
one thing that i did with my sons car is that instead of mounting the weights to the bottom, i mount them to the top and as far back as possible. the idea is this puts the weight higher off the ground and will give you a little extra gravity boost.
in case you didn't do it you should put some graphite lubricant on the axels and on the side of the car where the wheels hit the wood. i'm guessing you did this but i didn't see it in the write up.
:)

[craftknowitall]

Never too late, someone is making a pinewood derby car, somewhere, so something new is good. I didn't thing of the graphite, because our Cub Master does it to all the cars the day of the race. So Thanks for the additional info. And thanks for looking.

[thrashermanTotalDIY]

I made one too! i'll post a picture soon it's almost finished

[thrashermanTotalDIY]

it's a hummer i got a new camera so i'm tryin to learn how to upload pix to comp.Thanks!

[craftknowitall]

I am excited to view it! Thanks for looking.

[thrashermanTotalDIY]

ur welcome!

[pliska]

Dremel tool works great for this.

[craftknowitall]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I am not comfortable with the Drimel, I'm not sure why. We bought the tools as a Pack because we have many single Moms and their personal tool list is limited. I usually lend them my drill and the tool kit. We offer to cut the car to the design the Cub draws on the sides etc. We do the best we can to help as we can without doing it all ourselves. Thanks again for your comments.

[hjjusa]

I missed Cub Scouts and went directly to Boy Scouts, but my little brother was in Cubs and he asked me to help him to build his pinewood derby. I Built the most areodynamic one I could, But when he saw it he cried cause it was too light and back then any kind of weights were illegal so I screwed up his car but it sure looked good!

[craftknowitall]

When my son was in Cubs, I was a single Mom, his cars didn't win either. He is now a Cub Master and he says he doesn't hold it against me. He plans on making his own car this winter for an early spring Derby. I am so proud of him.

[pliska]

I recommend recessing the weights about a millimeter when going under the car with them. That way they are sure not to drag on the track.

[pliska]

I used a heavier wood one year and cut it to specs. This allows for more balance in the weight of the car. It was easier for my son to work as well since it did not scratch an ding as much as the soft pine.

[pliska]

As an alternative. I used my drill press to square up the axle holes. Make sure you are using the right size bit by doing a test drill in scrap wood.

[artisnotfart]

Oh my. I am completely prepared to lose to you!

[craftknowitall]

LOL, Thanks!

[mikeasaurus]

Great design! I used to race these derby cars all the time when I was a kid (I didn't win ever either).

[craftknowitall]

I bet you learned stuff while you made your cars, didn't you? I know I do and I have been in Cub Scouting going on 20 years. Have a Merry Christmas!

[mikeasaurus]

Cub Scouts was great for this kind of thing, learning how to do it yourself and then seeing how everyone else made theirs. I was always more of a fan of the designs than the speed, but both were fun!

[PinewoodDerbyDen]

The PinewoodDerbyDen.Com Has a lot of links & Tips for Pinewood Derby also.

[craftknowitall]

I am aware and I direct the members of my pack to that site. I am the one making this car for January's race, and I have learned to make an Instructable of everything I do. Since I was making the car anyway, why not! Thanks for looking.