Now, I'm not one to Bnag.....

[HolyMoly]

....

 

[RiverDave]

I'd strap a model rocket engine to the top of my car for your unlimited class..

If I was into such things..

RD

 

[Ziggy]

I'd strap a model rocket engine to the top of my car for your unlimited class..

If I was into such things..

RD

Mutliple stages of bottle rockets work well too
One of my co-workers chaired the event for many years, he ended up having to store the racetrack too.

 

[Guest]

Isn't the ...."Cub Scout" ...supposed to build the car?......

 

[It's All Good]

Building a car this week for Y-Guides. Any suggestions for techniques to weight the car?

 

[snake321]

Did you have GPS on that thing?

 

[Guest]

and your point?

These are cub scouts, not boy scouts...so there is a lot more "assistance" needed by the parent. The shape of the car has the least and a negligible effect on speed, so the kids can go wild on the design and shape. It is the installation of the wheels and tuning of the wheels/axles that require someone with an attention span of longer than 5 minutes...which actually disqualifies many of the parents. Friction is the number 1 enemy of the pinewood derby car. Weight and weight placement/distribution is the 2nd most important. It would be fun as hell to build a pinewood derby car with RD's dad!

My kid will do 95% of the build this year...and all I am going to do is do the major cuts on the block. I will do the final check, but he will have to make any adjustments. We have a nice selection of specialized tools that will make it easy for him to due the tuning and set the tolerances. My kid inherited my obsession for "more power" (insert Tim Taylor grunts here) and tricking things out (insert more grunts). But I want to build a car too...hence the unlimited class.

My point is a simple one.......the cubbie is supposed to build the car.....pay attention midget!

 

[It's All Good]

There are several theories on weight placement, and only 1 is correct!!!

Thank you very much.

 

[Baja Big Dog]

But it is Pinewood Derby time and you are looking at the father of the cub scout who got Fastest in the Pack at the Pack 346 2007 Pinewood Derby. And we were not just fast, we were wicked fast....3 car lengths faster than the next car and we had 50 cars.

Now, we got accused of cheating because we "tuned" our car. Nevermind that the BSA not only allows tuning, but actually ENCOURAGES tuning because the pinewood derby kits are made with stamped steel (axles) and plastic injection molded wheels that end up costing less that $4 per scout. With that kind of cheap manufacturing costs, cars are very unpredictable on how fast they when built "as is" out of the box with no checking and tuning. We were cleared by the Cub Master of any cheating allegations, but there were still some bad feelings because some people claim to not have the talent or the resources or the talent that I do.

Because I was the only one (out of parents of over 50 kids) that read the rules AND the Cub Scout Grand Prix boox (this book was not provided by our local pack, but was easy enough to find on the BSA website)....I was nominated Racing Chair and will run the entire event......oh....BNAG!

Also looks like I will probably be chairing this dealio for the next 6 years.

I was thinking of having an unlimited class of racing, so the parents can have fun too along with any scouts that want to build a 2nd unlimited car...and we can remove some of tuning rules to create more of an unlimited class of grudge matches. No awards...only bragging rights. Any thoughts?

What the fock is this world coming to, some guy takes the time to spend his kid, (and not playing video games) teaches the kid to use his hands (which is rapidly becoming a lost art, or talent) teaches a little physics, and in the mean time gets the kid involved in the competitive world, and most important you teach him to do a little research, and define the rules, and some one has to claim he is cheating!!! And then the kids get the opportunity to see the judicial process unfold before him...You wonder what the whiner parent tells his kid....hey junior, I know we lost, but we can keep this thing tied up in the courts for years!!!
Next they will keying your car in the parking lot!!!:swear

UN-FRICKEN BELIEVABLE!!!

Keep up the good work, and if you guys need anything from us let us know...maybe titanium axles, billet magnesium sharpened wheels with nylon axle bushings....hmmmmm I think I see a new business....

Good luck.....:fsakes

 

[BrianB]

Set up some grudge matchs shorty.
I want to be there when the first complaint comes in with you in charge.
Will your cars have Dicky Vale paint ?
Any chrome ?
Brayden and I have got to be there for this.

 

[Deleted Account]

Will your cars have Dicky Vale paint ?

I wanted to use that one...

 

[BrianB]

Beer Can Racing !
16oz only No Tall Boys
Classic division for Olympia-Pabst
Powder Puff class Club Cans

All cans subject to concentricty testing
Any dispute may be settled if the defendant opts to Beerbong the racer in question:beer

 

[BrianB]

For the roof:

Short Stroke Racing

You can pick the font Lil Buddy

 

[BrianB]

Will the Canyon Lake MILF club be present ?
Shoot I'm not picky,call the GILF's too....

 

[lebel409]

I won in '68 and '69...1970 I came in 3rd because I wouldn't let my dad fix the nails...I mean axles.

Dad filled a cavity with lead melted on the stove...he used a 4oz bag of peanuts as a counter balance to guess the maximum weight...stupid thing weighed 11oz and he cut the crap out of his finger digging lead out to make the weight.

A few years ago my son was in cubs...nothing's changed.

If you end up storing the track, maybe you could set it up and use the canyon lake MILFs in a game of strip pinewood derby racing?


Just a thought...

 

[RiverDave]

holy I would think Axle placement, and most importantly "alignment" would be a huge thing.. As well as the roundness of the tires, the thinner the better to scrub friction..

How are you aligning the wheels to each other?

RD

 

[socalmoney]

Lets see a pic of this car.

We could have 1st Annual RDP Pinewood Derby at Franks house. I am sure if he is in charge of this for the next 6 years, he will be storing the track as well.

http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/ppr/ppr10063.htm

 

[RiverDave]

Do the rules state that you have to use those wheels and screws?

I could machine you some Ultra thin, slick as shit wheels.. and I'd definately mount them on something less Friction then the shoulder of a screw..

RD

 

[lebel409]

40 years ago it was a nail with the flashing around the head and solid plastic wheels that also had casting flashing and were dubiously round.

Now the wheels are very concentric...most of the time...and only BSA certified wheels are allowed. The axles are heavier "pins" not actual nails and are mostly deflashed. Again only BSA approved wheels allowed, no bearings, washers etc. Getting the axle set into the wood axle receiver is pretty hard...trying to get a mass produced kit to all be 90 degrees.

I'd buy three sets and pick the best 4 wheels. Getting the spacing between the axle head and the wood (keeping the wheel from wobbling) is crucial.

Biggest thing seems to be make sure the car doesn't drift to the side where the wheels drag on the track sides.

 

[Sherpa]

I can see how to "tune" parts of the cars...

wheels: deburr/polish all parts of the wheel.... using a lathe, cut the wheel
surface to a slight crown to lessen ground contact.

alignment jig for inserting "axle" pins into car frame.

weight is weight. no way to get around that one.

--Sherpa... oh, and this thread sucks without pics of hott-ed pine cars.

 

[Cole Trickle]

Lets see a pic of this car.

We could have 1st Annual RDP Pinewood Derby at Franks house. I am sure if he is in charge of this for the next 6 years, he will be storing the track as well.

http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/ppr/ppr10063.htm

That would be a good time!!!

Only rules would be weight and no power adder:beer

I have never been a boy scout but always wanted to build/race the cars...lol

 

[BajaMike]

I was thinking of having an unlimited class of racing, so the parents can have fun too along with any scouts that want to build a 2nd unlimited car...and we can remove some of tuning rules to create more of an unlimited class of grudge matches. No awards...only bragging rights. Any thoughts?

Helping the kid is fine, but keep the adults out of the "unlimited" class of racing...........you will end up stealing the thunder away from the kids.
:hmm

If you want your race (and unlimited cars) do it at another place and time.

Come on dad, this is about the kids, not you!

:beer

 

[OCMerrill]

Sounds like a fun event to me. Brings back some memories of what I did as a kid in a group called Indian Guides which was really an excuse for all the Dads to get drunk during the week.

As for an RD event I could widdle something up for that. Sounds like fun.

I built many of those when I was a kid. Weight far back, accurately drill the block so the wheels are properly aligned are some of the things I also remember. Of course we had phenolic wheels (1970) and the blank was truly a blank.

HM is just your oldest in this or your next in line as well? You may have to go into full blown production in the near future.

And I would advise against the use of wheels that have tubes in them...:smackhead

 

[Stalkaholic]

That would be a good time!!!

Only rules would be weight and no power adder:beer

You mean we gotta keep it naturally aspirated?

 

[Baja Big Dog]

Oh yea...hard chrome the axles, then polish and cut the sides of the head away, so it looks like a "T", less friction surface. A little dry graphite, and your rollin...

"Imperfections"..that could open up a whole can of worms!!!