How to Build the Best Pinewood Derby Car
Since 1953, the Pinewood Derby has been a major Cub Scout event. In 2006, Reader’s Digest magazine included the event in its list of America’s 100 Best. If you want to be competitive in the next Pinewood Derby, here are some tips for building the best Pinewood Derby Car possible.
1. Check the wheels
What should you check? While your car would not work well with square wheels, it is also important that the wheels are perfectly round. This will give you the best chance during the race. Also, examine the wheels and axles for burrs. If you find any, remove them immediately.
2. Polish the shafts
You can finish this task more efficiently if you get another person to help you. While it does require some time and effort, it is certainly worth it.
3. Make a sketch of your car before creating it
Even if you have the design of your future car in mind, it’s crucial that you put it down on paper or a computer file first. This will help you tweak the car’s design to perfection.
4. Allow sufficient time for the final coat to dry
This will prevent sticky paint from sticking to the wheels. To speed up the drying process of the paint, apply several light coats rather than heavy ones.
5. Learn the rules
The Pinewood Derby rules were meant NOT to be broken. For example, it is important to know the limits that the Boy Scouts of America place on car dimensions and weight. These limits are subject to change, so check them each year before you start building your Pinewood Derby car. There are other crucial rules that you will need to follow, such as those related to how to make your car faster. Please note that the speed of your car becomes irrelevant if you break any of the official Pinewood Derby rules.
6. Add lubricant to the wheels
Some options include penetrating oils, talc, and graphite powder. Experiment a bit to determine which method is most effective for you.
7. Get the right weight
It is crucial that your car does not exceed the weight limit. Remember that you will be adding paint and putty to the car, so their weights must be included in the total weight. The putty is for the places on the car where you added the weights and other places where it is needed. Also, while you don’t want to exceed the car’s weight limit, try to get as close as possible. You can do this by adding lead weights to your car.
8. Put the center of gravity on the rear wheels
This will allow you to make one of the front wheels slightly higher than the other wheel. So you can roll on three wheels, instead of four. That is a great advantage, since less energy will be needed.
9. Reshape the wheels (if allowed)
You will need to secure a chuck to reshape the wheels. Pretty much any approach will be effective as it will reduce the mass of the wheels. Therefore, it will take less energy to rotate them.