Professionally Built Pinewood Derby Car Red C (2024)

FAQs

What is the best design for a Pinewood Derby car? ›

The wedge is a classic and probably the easiest shape (besides keeping a block) to build your Pinewood Derby car. The Wedge is the foundation of many cool car designs, and it is designed to be aerodynamic and is a one-cut wonder.

“So we're partnering with the local Boy Scout Council,” said Wood. “Our employees will use our tools to cut a seven inch block of pine into a winning race car.

Mahoney State Park in Ashland, Nebraska, USA on 15 October 2016. The successful Pinewood Derby car was provided by Glenn Jewkes of Jewkes Engineering. It completed the run in 1 min 16.7 sec, and weighed 137 g (4.83 oz).

Baking your Pinewood Derby wooden block helps to remove the moisture so that you have more wiggle room to add extra weight at the end. Remember, every little bit of weight in the right place makes a difference! Bake it in the oven at 250° for about 2 hours.

Sanding the wheels

Work up to as fine of grit as you can find. Only sand enough to remove imperfections and make the wheel round as possible.

Slide the axles and wheels onto the car and glue into place. Use an epoxy or nonresin glue, and make sure you don't get any on the surface of the axle where the wheel rides.

Assuming all other factors are equal, a heavier car will be faster than a lighter car. The Pinewood Derby rules limit the weight of each car to 5 ounces.

PUT MOST OF THE WEIGHT IN THE BACK

Science says the heaviest part of your car should be about 1 inch in front of the rear axle. The idea is that the farther back the weight is, the more potential energy you have because your center of mass is higher up on the track.

Step 3: Choose a color for your Pinewood Derby car. Then apply two to three coats of enamel paint to the car's body. Spraying the model with paint from an aerosol can is easier than using a brush. If you use a brush, dip only the lower third of the brush into the paint.

How long does a typical pinewood derby last? An entire pinewood derby program, from opening to closing cermony, typically lasts just under an hour (add one or two minutes for each car over 20).

What does baking a Pinewood Derby car do? ›

The idea behind baking the block is to remove moisture which will make the block lighter. You can then add more weight to the back of the car. The risk with baking is that you could warp the block.

But aerodynamics rule the day, and the best shape is a simple wedge. Just like a spoiler on the rear of a sports car, the wedge shape allows as much air to flow over the top of the car without hinderance while keeping the car pinned to the track.

An Outlaw Derby is a Pinewood Derby with rules that are either identical or more lenient than the standard scout rules. It is generally done so that other family members besides the Cub Scout can build a car and enjoy the Pinewood Derby experience.

Three areas on a Pinewood Derby® car must be aligned; failure to do so leaves speed on the track! The rear wheels should be set at a 3-degree angle (camber). This angle reduces friction as only a tiny portion of the wheel makes contact with the track.

For example, on a smooth aluminum track, a wheelbase of 4.75” offers a good balance between speed and stability. For a rougher track where instability could be a concern, the Race Team might consider going with a 5.0” to 5.25” wheelbase. New axle holes must be made to move or extend the car's wheelbase.

Best Location to Weight Your Pinewood Derby Car

When deciding on where to weight your car, you should try to reach a final balance point of the car 1 inch or less in front of the rear axle. To achieve this, place 2/5 of the added weight behind the rear axle, and the remaining 3/5 in front of the rear axle.