Pinewood Derby Race for Dam Gathering. Spring 2013

[campmaster-k]

I really should not share this with the group but I want everyone to have fun. The race is much more fun if the cars are close in speed. If one is fast and one is a dog there really is not a contest . So here are a couple of tip that will keep you in the running.

1. Use only powdered graphite. Do not use Teflon or oil or anything else. Powdered Teflon will slow your car down.

2. Apply powdered graphite to your axles and wheels then roll your car alot. Yes you get to PLAY with it. It is my experience that the graphite is working at it best after being ground into the axles and wheels.

3. Make sure your car is rolling strait . If your car has a right or left gate it will slow it down as it rubs on the center of the track.

4. Its ok to run 3 wheels. The Pinewood derby cars run with less drag with one wheel in front or one wheel not touching the track. Some just set one wheel a little higher so it does not touch.

More tip to come.

[mikeschn]

I never did pinewood stuff growing up. But a few years ago we had an employee enthusiasm thing at work, and the event was a pinewood derby.

I didn't do anything fancy... but I trued up the wheels, polished the axles, made sure it tracked straight, and used graphite lube. It paid off. I've got the trophy to prove it!

Mike...

P.S. Oh yea, for some reason only 3 wheels were touching the track. My drill press must be off a bit!

[campmaster-k]

Mike brought up the axle polishing so I will touch on now .

The Pin or Nail axles are the only way to go. If you have kit with solid axle that go from wheel to wheel with little caps on the hub area you will lose sure as the sun will rise tomorrow. Don't panic just go get a kit with individual axles and replace the ones that came with your car.

There are two different styles of pin axles. One is a finished looking pin that is perfect and smooth . If you have those do nothing just use them.

If you have boy scout nail type axles they need to be cleaned up and polished. They come with burrs and webbing under the head of the nail. That stuff will cause drag. Chuck up the nail axle in a drill and grind off the junk with a small file. Then sand and polish.

[mikeschn]

I had the boy scout nail type axles, so do what ever campmaster-k says!!!

Mike...

Hint: I used a buffing wheel with fine polishing compound!!! Similar to this...

[wagondude]

1+ for polishing the axles. I also poured graphite into the hubs of the wheels then "burned them in" by touching the wheels to the rubber drum sanding bit of my Dremmel (no sandpaper drum on it). I would spin them fast in hopes that the graphite would become one with the wheel. Then add more graphite at check in. I wasn't fastest, but could hold my own.

[campmaster-k]

In general your car will gain in speed the amount of care and time you put into the wheels and axles. But not always.

At our family race there were two kids that somehow did not get the memo about the race ( long sorted family distrusts) so I ran up to the store and got some kits and weights and glue and stuff. The two new racers did not have time to fix the boyscout axles so we just put them on stock. Graphite on, a few test races and off they went. The little 6 yr old girl took second over all and won one of the huge trophies I had for them. She (her father) had about 15 min of labor into the car. So sometimes you get lucky.

[campmaster-k]

Just a heads up - If you really want to race and just cant get it together to come up with a car BEFORE the Dam I will have kits with me at the Dam Gathering. I will get a case of the boy scout kits. They will cost about $4.00. Its just a block of wood with wheels but you will be racing instead of wishing you were.

[campmaster-k]

Finally I am able to get to photobucket!

Here is a pic of Marys school bus. She is very proud and protective of it. And it is pretty fast.

[Gage]

Where's the teardrop? Arn't they suppose to be towing teardrop trailers also? After all this is a teardrop gathering, not a car show.

[campmaster-k]

Good point Gage. Still working on that.

[mikeschn]

Should be easy to cut some teardrops on the bandsaw!!!

Mike...

[Thawley]

the 20th will NOT be the last Dam Gathering! I've been saying that all along!

Good.

Sharon and I were just talking yesterday about what to do for our 20th anniversary in 2016...

[campmaster-k]

My check is in the mail to grant for all four days. Build on people.

[Rhino Ray]

I'm going to build one to look like my 52 Chevy and if I have enough time it will tow my TD. it will be VERRY fast Parts are arriving daily.

I will have extra parts if anyone needs them.

[Rhino Ray]

I have a t shirt and trophy business, I can make some plaques or trophies as awards if anyone is interested. PM me if you are.