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[edit]
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
Parts[edit]
Blocks[edit]
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
Axles[edit]
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.
Wheels[edit]
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
Lubricants[edit]
Graphite powder with molybdenum disulfide lubricant.
Graphite powder lubricant.
Nyoil II synthetic hydrocarbon lubricant.
Spray on graphite paint
Stick-on graphite axle bushing
Tools[edit]
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.
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Diagrams[edit]
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)
Orthographic projection of a Pinewood Derby car block
Measuring the coefficient of friction on a flat surface.
Measuring the coefficient of friction on an inclined surface.
Alignment[edit]
Wax paper wheel shim
