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Fundamental Rule Number Two: The weight must be as far to the rear of the car as possible, but... Roll the car on the alignment board a few times and watch that the DFW stays against the rail. This information might be helpful as you plan your car's design because you'll probably want to add additional weight. You can also polish (with graphite again) the wheel's bore. Always keep in mind, the Northern Star Council's derby rules will be the ones that you need to follow. Pinewood Derby Scale Measures CG. Weights shall be passive (non-moveable, non-magnetic, non-electric, non-sticky, etc.
Spend a fair amount of time on axle prep. Alignment is another area that many racers do not consider, but I would contend it's the most critical aspect of a winning car past the basics of weight and friction. Fundamental Rule Number Two: The. Car Repair: If during the race, a car becomes damaged, the Scout may, to the best of his ability, perform repairs with the assistance of his adult partner or Pit Crewmember. All of the cars are spotted at the same height on the track, but. Of weight 6" (rather than 5") uphill from the starting gate. The wheels and axles balance that a bit but the rest I had to do by carefully placing the weights – but you don't have to use tungsten to do it. Front or back of pinewood derby car loan. What kind of paint do you use on a Pinewood Derby car? It is doubtful much more will soak into the wood, but it can help to even out the surface and maximize the amount of reinforcement. Which side is the front of a Pinewood Derby car?
A typical Pinewood Derby Car block is 7" long by 1. The maximum weight for a Pinewood Derby car is 5. How do you bend Pinewood Derby axles by hand without a tool? The scale you used to weigh the car compared to what the "official" scale says. It will look shiny where the glue has dried on the surface and dull where it has fully soaked into the wood. Be sure to double-check your pack's rules before your first cut into your pine block. IMPORTANT: The speed in derby cars come from the momentum of forward motion generated when the car goes down the track. Photos of pinewood derby cars. Winning Tips and Hints. Before cutting your car, use a straight edge to draw lines down the center lengthwise and widthwise across your car.
For safety reasons, use of mercury is prohibited. With some thought the process can be adapted to "4-wheelers" (temporarily remove the 4th wheel) and to "straight runners" (temporarily replace the axle for the dominant front wheel with a slightly bent axle. Front or back of pinewood derby car insurance quotes. This spread the weight out. Weight Top or Bottom? The document shows alternatives for constructing a temporary cantilevered weight harness and how to use them in aligning the rear wheels.
There are no official nationwide rules. Both were primarily in front of the rear axle. Every pack sets their own rules and guidelines for their Pinewood Derby race. By meeting this maximum limit – while also strategically placing your weights at the rear of your vehicle – you will improve your momentum and increase the distance your car travels towards the finish line. If you drill too close to the bottom or sand away too much of the bottom of the car, do not worry. Car must weigh exactly 5. Since heavier cars have more gravitational pull and go faster, experienced builders will add weight to the car to reach maximum weight. Bottom of the car, sized for a #4 flat-head screw. "If it's not for the boys, it's for the birds! 5... Center of Mass and Balance. The Best Place for Weights on a Pinewood Derby Car. Jan 13, 2015 - David. We would cross-drill three half-inch diameter. Council Pinewood Derby Races. Wheels may be lightly sanded to remove the molding seam on the tread and the hub may be trued.
Plus, the angle makes the wheels rub against the axle head rather than the car body, greatly increasing speed. Polish Axles - the standard axles have imperfections that will increase friction with the wheels. This allows you to push the CG even further back (i. e. higher potential energy) at the starting gate while maintaining the stock wheelbase and stock axle slots. Wheels and Axles: Use only Official Grand Prix wheels and axles (including the BSA colored wheel kits). 5 Quick & Easy Tips For Improving Your Pinewood Derby Car's Speed. Randy is "spot on! " It's about $8 per ounce but can is like Silly Putty and cab go to whatever pinpoint location you need. For maximum speed the front and rear of the car must be level with each other. You can also glue the weight to the top or bottom of the car. These will touch the center rail before the wheels, reducing the friction to the wheel rotation.
If you want to dial in your weight as precisely as possible, tungsten is the best material to use. I believe it's important that his car be his own. The two most common questions about specific Pinewood Derby car weight placement are 1. ) As you can see, the balance point (triangle) on the car example below is closer to 13/16" than 3/4" but it works well for the design and provides a very stable ride. Read over 90 Customer Reviews and check out our Winners Gallery! Once the main fuel source is exhausted (the weight reaches the flat of the track) your reserve kicks in with that little extra oomph. Pinewood Derby Car Weight: The Basics. If the same car again leaves its lane and interferes with another car, that car will be judged to have finished with a time of 9. Cars/lanes not involved in the tie will not be part of the re-race, and will keep their finish positions from the original heat. Weight Back or Front?
Thanks, Pinewood Pro! Where should you put weight on Pinewood Derby car? 25" tall and weighs 3. Where to place the weights in the rear of the car can be a process of trial and error. Most packs will have an official weigh-in before a Pinewood Derby race to make sure that cars aren't too heavy. Denser weights take up a lesser volume of space, so it's easier to reach max weight while also having the freedom to place the weights strategically on your car. The rods are then hot-glued into the holes. From a block of wood, four plastic wheels, and four nails, a Scout produces a vehicle that can reach 20 mph! 32 ounces of wood weight after cutting the wedge and milling out the space for tungsten weight cubes. Put the board on a very slight incline and allow your car to roll a few feet. Tips to Going Straight. I like to be a little more aggressive than this, but the more aggressive you get in placing the CoM closer to the rear axles, the more likely things like alignment or even debris or imperfections on the track will negatively affect you, because of the lack of weight over the nose of the car.
A heavier car will run faster. Pro Tip: If you want to conceal your weights by drilling cavities and putting the weights there and don't want to drill in from the bottom for some reason – that is fine. When the car reaches the flat end part of the track, its extra weight means more momentum to continue moving fast. When preparing for the Pinewood Derby one of the most critical factors in car performance is how to best weight the car. Lubricate wheels and axles with graphite and work in thoroughly. But, do you know how to determine where? Wheel Grinding - the cap on the axle touches the plastic wheel across its surface. Those two concepts are intricately intertwined! Decisions of the Race Officials on questions of rules interpretations and procedures may be appealed to the Race Chairman. 25 inches in front of rear axle.
High-density: Our Tungsten is of 99. The weight shown on the official scales (Blue Pinewood Derby® Scale, item number 16989) during the pre-race inspection will be considered final. This means the longer you can have the car being pushed forward by the weight falling with gravity – the longer it will stay in motion. That was the first reference to the Pinewood Derby in any BSA publication. This is accomplished by canting the front wheel at an angle (negative camber) and by turning the wheel slightly (toe in). Abreviations used in this document: The following procedure causes each rear wheel's contribution to direction to be most prominent in the observed test results. It has to do with the physics of velocity and length of travel of the weights. Axles right out of the box often have burrs and imperfections that cause unwanted friction on your car's wheels. The noble goal of the derby is to foster a stronger relationship between the Cub Scout and his parent by working together to create a personalized, custom, one-of-a-kind car from a basic BSA kit. While this is true, most people do not realize that more of something does not automatically make it better. You should start experimenting with placing more weight behind the rear axle. Reportedly, these tracks favor more centrally located CM than the more commonly used current tracks. Car Staging: Race Officials will be responsible for staging the cars at the starting line as the cars for each heat are announced.
This is usually accomplished in one of 2 ways, the first more common and the second less so. IMHO, the important issues are, axle alignment, weight placement, axle prep and wheel prep.