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How To Page
Build a Car PWD Race Rules &Procedures Setup& Run a Registration
Pinewood Derby Car Building Steps Step 1: Design the car. On a piece of white paper, sketch the side and top views of your car. Include in your design where the axles will go and the locations in which you will place additional weight. Copy this design onto the wood block. (It's probably best to perform this step while not in the presence of any tools. Many have succumbed to temptation at this time.) If you are using one of Pinewood Extreme’s pre-cut body’s, then using a pencil lightly mark what area’s of the car body you want to sand down more to make the design your own. Step 2: Drill the axle holes (or drill out the pre-cut grooves if you are using them.) Skip this if you are using a Pinewood Extreme Pre-cut body! Get these as straight as you can. Use a #44 drill bit (0.086") for best fit. Step 3: Cut out the car body. Skip this if you are using a Pinewood Extreme Pre-cut body! You'll probably need a hand saw, jig saw, or coping saw for this, and possibly a chisel and hammer. It's a good idea to cut, chisel, or drill out areas for additional weight at this time. Step 4: Shape and sand the car body. Sandpaper is a must here, of course. A small wood rasp can also be useful. Shaping, smoothing, and detailing can also be done with a Dremel (or similar) tool. Attach any decorations, such as driver, steering wheel, fins, spoilers, etc., at this time. Step 5: Preliminary length and weight check. Measure the length of your car and make adjustments if necessary. Weigh the body, axles, and wheels together. Securely attach weight (5-minute epoxy is good for this) to bring total to 5 ounces. If you have purchased one of our Pinewood Extreme pre-cut bodies, then the weight is already included and the weight holes are pre-drilled. Just insert the Tungsten cylinders and use a scale to add the Tungsten Disc’s to tweak it until you get to 5 oz or 141.75 grams. REMEMBER to make sure you have the Wheels, Axles and wood plugs on the scale when you are doing this. Step 6: Seal, Paint and detail the car body. Before you start painting, it is important that you seal the pine wood before you apply any paint. Sanding Sealer (available under our Finishing Supplies), seals the wood and will give you a smoother paint finish. You should apply 3 – 4 coats of Sanding Sealer and then use the 220 grit or higher sandpaper to smooth out the finish. Use a clean damp cloth, brush or canned air to remove any wood dust before you start painting. Then apply a number of thin coats of paint, followed by a number of thin coats of clear finish. Add decals and/or stickers then add another 2 layers of clear finish on top of the decals. Step 7: Prepare the wheels and axles. Skip this if you are using the Pinewood Extreme Wheels and axles! Self-Preparation Sand away the mold projections from the wheels and wheel hubs then polish them. Place each axle in a drill. Remove the burrs from underside of the axle heads with a small file. Smooth the axles with wet, fine grit sandpaper, and then polish with, wet pumice, or jeweler's rouge on a strip of cloth. Note: Preparing the wheels and the axles will take some practice, so be prepared to damage a few wheels and an axle or two. Pinewood Extreme can supply you with the necessary items to do this yourself or you can purchase from our selection of wheels and axle’s that are already done. Please remember to always check with your Pack and District Pinewood Derby Chairperson to make sure the wheels you select will be allowed. We do not want any scout disqualified. This goes for the Awana’s, Royal Rangers, Indian Guides, etc. Step 8: Final length and weight check. Measure your car's length again and, if needed, make adjustments. Weigh the body, axles, and wheels again. Adjust the weight to as close to 141.75 grams or 5.0 ounces as you can without going over. Step 9: Install wheels and axles. At this point, your car should be able to roll straight on a level surface for a reasonable distance. Find a very flat surface like a piece of glass or a smooth countertop. Mark a straight line down the surface and roll your car gently. You will be able to see if it pulls to the right or left. To fix any drift, you may have to adjust front axles by bending them very slightly and then trying different positions until your car rolls as straight as possible. Weight that is distributed unevenly on the car can also cause it to drift. If you are using our Pinewood Extreme polished wheels and axles, then the axles will have already been straightened and should not be causing any drift. Before bending any axle, check to see if the axle slots (if you are using them) are at a 90 degree angle to the body of the car. If they are not, then take two hacksaw blades, tape them together and after marking out a line, use them to re-cut the slots. NOTE: This really should be done in Step #2 if needed, waiting until now will present some difficulties. Step 10: Lubricate wheels and axles. Skip this if you are using a Pinewood Extreme’s Fast, SuperFast or Extreme Lube! Follow the enclosed instructions instead. A lot of building tips state “Add a lot of graphite”, this is just not true. Too much graphite packed into the hub will bind the wheels and cause the 1^st and possibly 2^nd heat to have slower times until the excess lubricant works itself out. It is better to put a little in at a time and spin the wheels two or three times to coat the axles and the inside of the hub. Repeat this 3 or 4 times the night before you turn your car in to registration. Just before you turn you car in, add a little more graphite into the inside hub of the wheel and underneath the nail head and work it into the wheels. If you are using our “Extreme Wheels & Axles” then follow the application instructions on the enclosed sheet. Some Miscellaneous Construction Tips Avoid narrow, pointed noses. They are legal, but the cars may be difficult to stage at the starting line. Also, cars are detected as they cross our finish line because the nose of the car blocks an infrared beam. Such a car may not trip the sensor correctly. Check your clearance. It is very tempting to simply screw those flat weights to the bottom of a car. But if you do, your car will likely scrape the center guide strip on the track. You must inlay the flat weights if you're attaching them to the bottom of your car. Drill the axle holes before you cut out the car body. This was stated earlier, but it bears repeating. It's easier to drill a good hole into a squared block of wood than into a car-shaped block of wood. Don't epoxy the axles to the car body. You'll never get them out if you have to make a last-minute adjustment or an emergency repair. Use wood glue or my favorite, a high-temp glue gun. Apply many thin coats of paint and finish. Your car will look better if you apply 10 thin coats than if you apply 2 thick coats. Also, use brush-on paints over sprays. They're easier for a Scout to handle and they're less messy. Check your car's length early on. This was also stated earlier and it also bears repeating. Better to trim it sooner than later.
*WHAT ARE THE RULES & RACE PROCEDURES?* Below you will find the documented minimum race rules and suggested race procedures that are published in the Cub Scout Leader How-To Book, the Cub Scout Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Guidebook and the Grand Prix Pinewood Derby Kit. The rules and Procedures are general guidelines that should be used at all races. Your race or Pack Committee should decide on any additional guidelines and what will be allowed or not allowed beyond these baseline rules. One note, if your group sends your winners to a District , Regional or Council race, make sure someone obtains a copy of those rules before your committee starts adding to or subtracting from these. It will save a lot of heartache’s later with your winners. From the Cub Scout Leader How-To-Book All cars must pass the following inspection to qualify for the race: Width shall not exceed 2-1/4 inches. Length shall not exceed 7 inches. Weight shall not exceed 5 ounces. Axles, wheels, and body shall be from the materials provided in the kit. Wheel bearings, washers, and bushings are prohibited. No lubricating oil may be used. Axles may be lubricated with powdered graphite or silicone. The car shall not ride on any kind of spring. The car must be free-wheeling, with no starting devices No loose materials of any kind are allowed in the car. PINEWOOD DERBY PROCEDURE Each boy brings his car to the inspection table to have it inspected and numbered. After inspection, the boy goes to the registration table where his name and car are entered on the heat schedule. After registration and inspection, cars are brought to the starter's table by dens. As each heat is announced, drivers place their own cars at starting gate. Starter releases the gate. Judges at the finish line will determine results of the race. The car whose nose is first over the finish line is the winner. Judges will pick first, second, and third places. Winner of heat takes his car to the awards platform. After receiving his ribbon, he goes to the spectator area to await his next heat. Losers of each heat take their cars to the starter for the second running, which will determine the second-place car for the heat. If a car leaves the track, runs out of its lane, interferes with another car, or loses an axle or other part, let it run in the next heat if it can be repaired quickly. In the first heat of a den race, if a car jumps the track, it is judged as finishing last. After first, second, and third place winners have been selected in each preliminary heat, run as many quarter-final and semifinal heats as necessary to determine contestants for the final heat. Den winners are determined first. The first three places from each den will advance to the championship heats. The remaining drivers participate in consolation heats. TIPS ON PLANNING AND CONDUCTING DERBY Have a pre-race inspection of cars about a week before the derby to catch all possible problems before race time. This minimizes disqualifications and disappointments. Have a meeting prior to the derby to orient officials with their jobs. Use some type of board to post the derby's progress, such as with tags on hooks. Some packs use an instant-developing camera to photograph the finish. This simplifies picking the winners in a close race, and the photo can be given to the winner. Consider using judges from outside the pack to prevent parent problems when a boy doesn't win. Have some activity planned for about 15 minutes after completion of registration, to allow time to organize den heats. Have some activity planned between den finals and pack heats to allow time for organizing the next heats. Have enough ribbons and awards so that every Cub Scout can take home an award. A CUB SCOUT/PARENT PROJECT KIT NO. 17006 OFFICIAL GRAND PRIX PINEWOOD DERBY KIT Please read these Rules and Instructions before building your car. The Pinewood Derby is open to all Cub Scouts. Cars should be built by the Cub Scouts with some adult guidance. Any technical assistance should be fully explained to the Cub Scout so that he can use that knowledge on future projects. Because it is difficult to establish how much help was given in building the car, some Packs have a separate Pinewood Derby Race for adults. IMPORTANT: The Race Committee should decide on rules and race procedures, then have them printed and distributed to all participants at least two weeks before the race. CAR SPECIFICATIONS: Width: - 2-3/4" - Length - 7" - Weight - Not over 5 Ounces Width between wheels - 1-3/4" Bottom clearance between can and track - 3/8" RULES Wheel bearings, washers, and bushings are prohibited. The car shall not ride on springs. Only official Cub Scout Grand Prix Pinewood Derby wheels and axles are permitted. Only dry lubricant is permitted. Details, such as steering wheel and driver are permissible as long as these details do not exceed the maximum length, width and weight specifications. The car must be free-wheeling, with no starting devices. Each car must pass inspection by the official inspection committee before it may compete. If, at registration., a car does not pass inspection, the owner will be informed of the reason for failure, and will be given time within the official weigh-in time period to make the adjustment. After final approval, cars will not be re-inspected unless the car is damaged in handling or in a race. BUILDING INSTRUCTIONS Check the grooves to ensure that each is at a perfect 90-dearee angle to the car body. A car with untrue axles tends to steer to one side or the other, causing it to rub up against the side of the lane strip, slowing it down. You can check the groove angles by using a square, a protractor, or even a piece of paper. Lay square on block to check for squareness and alignment of slot. Use two hacksaw blades side by side to redress the slots. Use the edge of the square as a guide. NOTE: If the car design you chose has a narrow body, make sure the area where the axles are inserted into the body remains 1-3/4" wide, or wheels will not fit over the guide strips of the track. PAINTING AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY Apply several coats of sanding sealer; then sand entire car with a fine-grade sandpaper. Give model at least two coats of fast drying paint, in your choice of color. When paint is completely dry sand with a fine sandpaper, apply a final coat of paint and allow to dry thoroughly. TO FINISH, rub entire car with a rubbing compound. Details such as windshield, driver, racing numbers, etc., should be added now. For a super finish apply a coat of auto wax and rub to a high gloss. Pre-lubricate axles and wheels using, dry powdered lubricant. Do not use regular oil or silicone spray, since it may soften the plastic. Slide wheels over axles, then gently tap them into the car body grooves with a 1/4" dowel or similar object to within 1/32" of car body. (See Figure 4). Make sure wheels turn freely. Due to many requests we have eliminated the cockpit section in the Pinewood Derby block to allow for more designs. Copyright ©, 1997, Boy Scouts of America, All Rights Reserved From the GRAND PRIX PINEWOOD DERBY GUIDEBOOK Getting Started Step 1. Know the Rules Read the rules and specifications found in your kit. Also read any rules provided by your local derby committee. Discuss your ideas with your parent or adult partner and determine a plan for the construction of your derby entry. Racing Specifications from the Kit Width. The overall width of the car shall not exceed 2Y4 inches. Length. The overall length of the car shall not exceed 7 inches. Weight. The weight of the car shall not exceed 5 ounces. No loose materials of any kind are permitted in the car. The car may be hollowed out and built up to the maximum weight by the addition of wood or metal only, provided any additional material is securely built into the body. Wheel bearings, washers, and bushings are prohibited. Springing. The car shall not ride on any type of springs. Details. Details such as the steering wheel, driver, decals, painting, and interior detail are permissible as long as these details do not exceed the maximum length, width, and weight specifications. Attachments. The car must be freewheeling, with no starting devices. Inspection. Each car must pass inspection by the official inspection committee before it will be allowed to compete. The inspectors have the right to disqualify those cars that do not meet these specifications. Each local derby committee provides copies of the rules for that specific race. See the example provided. Example: Pinewood Derby Rules All cars must pass inspection to qualify for the race. The inspection points are as follows: a. The car must have been made during the current year (the year in which the derby is held). b. The width of the car shall not exceed 2Y4 inches. c. The length of the car shall not exceed 7 inches. d. The weight of the car shall not exceed 5 ounces. e. Axles, wheels, and body wood shall be as provided in the kit. f. Wheel bearings, washers, and bushings are prohibited. g. The car shall not ride on any kind or type of springs. h. Any details added must be within length, width, and weight limits. i. The car must be freewheeling, with no starting devices. j. No loose materials of any kind (such as lead shot) are allowed in the car. k. The official number must be clearly marked or visible on both sides of the car. Each heat will be announced. Drivers will report to the starting line and place their cars on the track. All other people must remain behind the barrier. The starter will make sure the cars are on the track properly and then will start the race. The starter and drivers will then report to the finish line to record the results. The car whose nose is over the finish line first is the winner. Place spotters will select the first-, second-, third-, and fourth-place winners. If a car leaves the track, runs out of its lane, interferes with another car, loses an axle, etc., the heat will be rerun. If the same car gets into trouble on the second run, the contestant is disqualified and automatically loses that race. If, on the second run, another car is interfered with, the heat will be run a third time but without the disqualified car. When the results of each heat are recorded, the drivers will take their cars and return to their seats. Awards will be announced shortly after the heat for which the awards are to be given. The drivers and their partners will report to the stage for the awards as their names are called. There are a total of _________ heats and _________ awards to be given. Den winners will be determined first. The first four places from each den will advance to the pack championship heats. The remaining drivers will participate in consolation heats. May the best car win! Suggestion: Modify these rules to fit your needs and furnish a copy to every race participant at the same time he is issued his pinewood derby car kit. Copyright ©, 1992, Boy Scouts of America, All Rights Reserved
How to Setup & Run a Car Registration Day [IN PROCESS]