Pinewood derby

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.

Cars

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

heres a hint use graphite

Parts

Blocks

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  Official Pinewood Derby car kit.
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  Wedge body with holes drilled for weights.
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  Precut, drilled and weighted Pinewood Derby car block
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  Lead (left) and tungsten (right) weights for Pinewood Derby cars

Axles

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

Wheels

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  A lathed Pinewood Derby wheel from mold #4.
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  Closeup of Pinewood Derby wheel from mold #4.
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  Pinewood Derby car coned wheel hub (right)
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  Blemish from sprue gate trim (mold mark) on a stock Pinewood Derby car wheel
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  Front view of lathed wheel
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  Side view of lathed wheel
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  Outer tread area of a lathed wheel
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  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).
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  Closeup of Pinewood Derby car wheel (rear view) for a one gram aftermarket wheel (upper) and stock 3.6 gram wheel (lower).
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  Pinewood derby car "outlaw" wheels - thin Delrin machined wheels

Lubricants

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

Tools

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

Diagrams

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

Alignment

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  Wax paper wheel shim
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Track

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