PINEWOOD
DERBY 101 - QUICK START TIPS FOR BEGINNERS The "Essentials" Of Pine Car Construction And Racing
How To Prepare To Race In Hours, Not Weeks
Time for the Pinewood Derby. Don't know anything about it?
Don't worry. This web site will help! Building a
pinewood car can be a lot of fun... especially
if you have a little knowledge and the right priorities.
There are many sites that explore the minutia of Pinewood Derby
car construction. This isn't one of them. This site
is for beginners who need to know the basics. Pinewood Derby 101 will quickly give you the essential
information you need to build a competitive car in a reasonable
amount of time... even if it's the last minute. It will also
introduce you to the race process so you'll feel informed and
confident on race day. This site contains over 30 instructive
photographs, all taken specifically to illustrate the Pinewood Derby
process. This site emphasizes fun through ease of
participation.
CONTENTS - Here's what you need to know (information you'll find by
scrolling down):
1. Having the right attitude.
2. Getting informed.
3. The basics.
4. Building the car.
5. Simple things that will make your car competitive.
6. Racing the car.
7. Planning for next year.
STEP 1 - THE RIGHT ATTITUDE
There are some people who take the Pinewood Derby extremely
seriously. Don't try to be one of these people when building your
first car.
The Pinewood Derby is about kids working with adults to
learn about tools and basic physical principals (cars are affected by
things like momentum and friction.) While kids don't have to do
everything by themselves, they should touch each step of the process
(design, woodworking, painting.) This is your kid's car.
Keep the focus on learning, interaction, creation and (above
all) FUN. The competition of the race is secondary.
It takes no more time to assemble a competitive
car than a slow car. It takes a lot more time to
assemble a first place car than a competitive car.
Your
first car should focus on using the easy, competitive tips below.
Save the really fancy and time-consuming techniques for another
year. Don't be intimidated by others. Some people spend
a lot of time and money trying to build the fanciest and fastest car.
It's easy to think "why bother... I'll never beat them."
Don't let them stop you. These people are in the minority
(there may only be a couple of truly fast cars out of a field of 50.)
Of course the
faster cars will likely beat you, but that's not the point. You
should
have the fun of designing and building your car. When you
arrive on race day you will find most people do an "average" job.
If
you follow the tips on this site, your car will be above average.
Enjoy the process, have fun and don't get too caught up
in who wins the race. Click here
for more on the Pinewood Derby philosophy.
STEP TWO - GET INFORMED
For the first timer, understanding the car and the race
will really help you enjoy the Pinewood Derby. Open the
car
kit. Read the instructions, look at all the parts
and understand the rules of your event. This will take
about 10 minutes.
Next, do research using the internet. Plan
to spend 1-2 hours reading this web site and some of the links
below. Look at the pictures
and read the tips. Some sites want to sell you
instructional videos and books. Don't spend your money on
these unless you plan to get extremely competitive. There is
plenty of good information available for free on the internet.
People involved in serious competition do so after they've had a
couple of years of experience. Remember your goal is to enjoy
building and racing your first car (not to beat last
year's champion.)
After you've read the internet, ask people around you
for their advice. Look at their old Pinewood cars
and ask them for their tips. Ask if they know of a good local
hobby shop for supplies. These people may also share
their
old supplies with you (like primer paint, weights or graphite
lubricant.)
The steps above should take you less than two hours.
Once you've done these things you'll feel confident and ready to
build.
STEP 3 - THE BASICS
Everyone starts the race with the same
basic materials (a block of wood, four plastic wheels and "nails"
for axles.) You can not substitute any of these basic parts
(though some people may add store bought plastic accessories such as a
driver,
a steering wheel or "bubble machine" lights on a fire truck.) The
completed car can't exceed the dimensions specified in the
rules.
On race day the car will be tested for size using a
box (the car must fit entirely within the small box which has been made
to
the maximum specifications for length, width and height.)
Everyone will race
one the same track.
The car is first
pulled by gravity down a steep hill, then the car coasts over a long
flat run to the finish line. The track may have several lanes
so several people can compete simultaneously.
STEP 4 - BUILDING YOUR CAR
DESIGN
The first and most difficult part of building your car is
thinking up the design. You should sit down several
sheets of paper, a pencil and the block of wood that is to become
your Pinewood Derby car. Brainstorm several ideas.
You
may want to trace an outline of the block of wood onto the
paper.
This will allow you to easily mock-up several designs. Look at various car photos on the
internet for ideas.
When designing
your race car, think in terms of shapes (rectangles for SUVs,
buses and fire trucks, wedges for dragsters, half bubbles for VW bugs,
etc.) Getting the shape is the hardest part. Don't over
think your design. Keep it very simple for your first
car. I recommend a wedge (click here to see an
example). A wedge is easy to cut from block of wood.
The wedge design allows most of the weight to be properly
positioned above the rear wheels.
Remember, keep your design clean and straightforward.
Don't was a
lot of time on designs that are difficult to carve or paint. Go
for a basic shape and paint it in one solid color. This will
save you hours of time and frustration. FYI... Many people find that
"aerodynamics" (the shape of your car) does not affect race
performance to a significant degree.
CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS
Your finished car will have to conform to certain standards.
Check the rules of your specific event. This is an example
of standards for Pinewood Derby cars:
> Overall length must
not exceed 7 inches.
> Overall width must
not exceed 2 and three quarters inches.
> Overall height must
not exceed 3 inches.
> Total car weight
must not exceed 5 ounces (141.75 grams) including everything-wheels,
paint, trim, decals and weights.
> Wheel bearings, bushing,
washers and springs can not be used.
> Cosmetic accessories are
okay, as long as the car still conforms to the dimensions and
weight above. Approved accessories include decals, steering
wheel, driver and car trim.
> There must be three
eighths of an inch clearance between the bottom of the car and
the ground (to allow the lane strip to pass under the car between the
wheels.
The lane strip keeps the car traveling in its own lane.) Click here to
see how your car is checked for these standards on race day.
CONSTRUCTION
Once you have selected a simple design, mark the
design on the wooden block. From here you will do the major
construction. You will make major cuts in the wood, do minor
shaping, then sand
and paint your car. Installing the wheels and adding
weights
will be the final things you do. Cutting can take a long time if you don't have the right
tools. For making the big cuts, the most efficient thing to
do is to find a friend with a band saw. Band saws make
quick
work of making the major cuts in Pinewood Derby cars. You can
also
purchase a hand operated coping saw inexpensively at a home
store,
but this tool will take a lot longer to use.
Minor wood shaping can be done with chisels and files
(click here for
more on basic Pinewood Derby hand tools.) Sanding can be
done by hand or with a electric finishing sander.
You will make woodworking mistakes when building
your car. This is normal and should be expected. Click here for
tips on repairing most common construction mistakes.
Kids may find it easiest to paint their cars by hand
using small brushes. You may wish to apply some spray paint
primer first (thought it is not necessary.)
Add stickers or accessories. You may wish to seal
the paint/stickers with a spray-on clear coating.
Install the axles and wheels (see tips for axle
polishing and wheel graphite lubrication below.) Weight can be added to the car several ways.
Weight should always be placed in the rear of the car,
preferable above the rear wheels. Remember, in most competitions
the total weight of the car can not exceed 5 ounces. Your target
is a car that weighs 4.9-5.0 ounces. Check weight
using a postal meter or a food scale from your kitchen. Click here for more on
adding weight to your car.
The cheapest weights to use are lead fishing weights
(inserted into holes drilled into the car's wooden body.) You can
adjust car weight by change the size of the weights, or by
filing lead from existing weights and reinserting them. Special pinewood derby car weights can be purchased from
a hobby shop. These are easy to adjust and install. You
simply tap them into the car's bottom with a hammer. (the weights have
a tack-like spike that holds them to the wood.)
Weight can also be added by drilling holes into the bottom of
the car and filling the holes with molten lead. Excess
weight can later be removed by drilling out small portions of the lead.
Molten lead is very dangerous and should only be handled by
adults.
Once your car is complete, set it aside and don't touch it
until race day. It is easy to get the wheels out of alignment
or damage the car by playing with it. TIP-- Many Pinewood Derby organizers will have a
car construction workshop day. You should plan to attend
this! Leaders will gather all the power tools, paints, weights
and
a scale for you to use. It is possible to complete a car in an
hour
or two at one of these workshops. It's also a great place to
watch
and learn from others.
STEP 5 - SIMPLE THINGS TO MAKE YOUR CAR
COMPETITIVE
Here are some simple things you can do to make your car more
competitive:
> Adjust all four
wheels so that they sit flat and evenly on the ground. Do this
using
a kitchen countertop or desk surface you know is truly flat.
> Polish your axles
with metal polish or a slippery car wax. Wax the axles prior to
installation, then add graphite as you install the wheels on the axles.
> Lubricate your
wheels with graphite prior to the race. Don't use to much or it
will
get all over the car's paint job.
> Distribute as much of the weight
as possible over the rear wheels.
> The car should weigh as
close to the maximum as possible. Typically the weight
limit is 5 ounces. Your car should weigh 4.9-5.0 ounces.
You can achieve ideal weight by adding lead weights. Weight
is key to success. Momentum from the weight will help speed
your car through the straightway part of the Pinewood Derby racetrack.
These things are very easy to do and don't require much
additional construction time. They will give you a significant
advantage over people who don't do them. Click here if
you would like some additional speed tips.
STEP 6 - RACING THE CAR Arrive early on race day. Get weighed in.
Bring tools (drill,
hammer, chisel, etc.) that will allow you to reduce the weight of your car if
necessary. Most rules allow you to reduce the weight of your
car on race day, but you can not add to it. Once your car has
been weighed and checked for proper dimensions it will be set
aside where it can not be touched prior to the race.
The race track
will have several lanes. There will be a mechanism to start
all of the cars simultaneously. The starting hill
will
be very steep at first, then give way to a long, flat straightway.
Judges will sit at the finish line. After the finish
line,
the lane strip under the cars will slowly rise, stopping the cars by
lifting
up the undercarriages and removing the wheels from the track.
Of course races
are run by volunteers, so the event may not run as quickly or
smoothly as you like. Be patient. Relax, have a
good time. While waiting, you may want to talk with other people
about their building
experiences and tips. You may also want to take your
camera/camcorder to capture the action and take pictures of
your favorite cars for future reference.
Above all, cheer for your car and your friends cars. Have
a fun with others. Understand that, of course, the odds of
winning are against you (your car is one of a large field)... but
that's not what matters. What's important is that you kept
your project manageable, that you participated and had a good time.
NEXT YEAR
Now that you've been through your first race you
can evaluate how you much liked it. If it was a positive
experience, start thinking about next year. Make
notes
about what worked well this year (and what didn't work well.)
Note the cars that won and why they won. Note
designs that you liked and may want to emulate next year.
During the race take photos of cars you like.
Start doing more research. Investigate more
time-consuming construction methods such as baking your wood block,
cutting grooves into your axles, increasing wheel base and reducing
tire width. There's plenty of free tips for
advanced Pinewood Derby car building on the internet. You may
now also want to invest in those books and videos for sale.
You can start working on your Pinewood Derby car
for next year at any time. You can get a kit from your
organization, the local hobby shop or online via the internet.
Building a Pinewood Derby car can be a great rainy day project
or the solution to the mid-winter blues. Having extra time will
allow you to obsess over the details and give you the best chance for a
first place car.
Click below to continue
with pictures from a Pinewood Derby race day.
LINKS TO FREE INFORMATION
These links focus on free Pinewood Derby car information
available on the web. If you would like to suggest your site for
inclusion here, please send an email by clicking here.
ABOUT/CONTACT
I wrote Pinewood
Derby 101 after going through the Pinewood Derby process. I
was a novice and had to learn it all from scratch. This site's
goal is to share practical tips that help kids and parents enjoy
building
pinewood cars together. Linking to this site is encouraged
(no permission required.) Click
here if you would like to contact the webmaster of this site.
Thank you for
visiting Pinewood Derby 101-Quick Start Tips For Beginners.
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Pinewood Derby racing is an
important part of the following programs: Boy Scouts, Girl
Scouts, Cub Scouts, Awana Grand Prix, Pine Car Derby, Shape N Race, Kub
Kar Rally, Royal Ambassadors and Royal Rangers. This site is
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