Pinewood derby

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Pinewood Derby cars are made from kits containing a wood block, plastic wheels and metal nails for axles. The completed cars race down a multi-lane track powered by gravity.

[edit] Cars

Pinewood Derby car based on Mark Donahue's 1972 AMC Matador	Pinewood Derby car based on Richard Petty's 1970 Plymouth Superbird	Truck based on reverse axle slot setup	extended axle wedge
Bullet wedge	Pack 178 cars 2004	Pack 178 cars 2005

heres a hint use graphite

[edit] Parts

[edit] Blocks

Official Pinewood Derby car kit.

Wedge body with holes drilled for weights.

Precut, drilled and weighted Pinewood Derby car block

Lead (left) and tungsten (right) weights for Pinewood Derby cars

[edit] Axles

Stock Pinewood Derby car axle.	Closeup of stock Pinewood Derby car axle showing stamp marks (left) and nail head burr (lower right).	A notched and polished Pinewood Derby axle.	A Pinewood Derby axle notched and coated with graphite.
Grooved and graphite coated axle.	Nickel-plated pinewood derby car "speed" axle	Alignment of a pinewood derby car axle.

[edit] Wheels

A lathed Pinewood Derby wheel from mold #4.	Closeup of Pinewood Derby wheel from mold #4.	Pinewood Derby car coned wheel hub (right)	Blemish from sprue gate trim (mold mark) on a stock Pinewood Derby car wheel
Front view of lathed wheel	Side view of lathed wheel	Outer tread area of a lathed wheel	Stock Pinewood Derby wheels (left) and modified (one gram) wheels (right); front (top) and rear (bottom) views (note the mold #7 indicated at the 3 o'clock position on the lower left wheel).
Closeup of Pinewood Derby car wheel (rear view) for a one gram aftermarket wheel (upper) and stock 3.6 gram wheel (lower).	Pinewood derby car "outlaw" wheels - thin Delrin machined wheels

[edit] Lubricants

Graphite powder with molybdenum disulfide lubricant.	Graphite powder lubricant.	Nyoil II synthetic hydrocarbon lubricant.	Spray on graphite paint
Stick-on graphite axle bushing

[edit] Tools

Axle insertion tool.	Pinewood Derby car axle hole drilling tool.	Wheel bore polishing tool	Hub tool
hub tool closeup	Wheel shaving tool	Wheel shaving tool closeup	Wheel balancing tool
A drill press is useful for drilling holes for axle and weight insertion holes.	A bench vise is useful for holding the car block.	Another view of a bench vise	Let dad use the belt sander.
Let Dad run the band saw.	A scroll saw can be used to cut the block.	Calipers are handy if you have them around.	A CNC lathe is used for professional wheel and axle treatments.

[edit] Diagrams

Dimensions of a stock BSA wheel	Dimensions of a stock Pinewood Derby axle.	Diagram of Pinewood Derby car block with standard BSA wheelbase.	Pinewood Derby car design template for standard wheelbase (100 dpi)
Diagram of Pinewood Derby car block with extended wheelbase.	Pinewood Derby car design template for extended wheelbase (100 dpi)	Measuring the coefficient of friction on a flat surface.	Measuring the coefficient of friction on an inclined surface.
Orthographic projection of a Pinewood Derby car block