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OT-Cub Scout /Pinewood Derby

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famousfather

01-16-2006 00:31:44




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Help! My last Pinewood Derby is fast approaching.
Built cars for myself nearly 50 years ago. Son #1 had his last race a couple years ago and son #2 is moving on to Boy Scouts in March. This will be his 4th and final Derby and since I'm out of sons, my final Derby also. We've done the 'go fast' stuff and made it to the Pack semi-finals in years past. This last time, we wanted the car itself to be diferent/special. I sort of thought a red, white and blue torpedo shaped bobsled type of thing in honor of the Olympics would be just the ticket. But NOOoooo, son #2 wants a TRACTOR! I'm trying to tell him, ain't no way we can take a 7" long, 1 3/4" wide, 1 1/4" high block of soft pine and turn it into a Farmall Super A lookin' thing and keepin' the same general dimensions to make it Derby legal.
I'm thinkin' we'll end up with a bobsled shaped car. What do you guys think? Any ideas, help, suggestions? Thanks in advance for any comments, plans, directions, etc. David H. Dexter, MI.

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Mark - IN.

01-17-2006 14:21:37




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 Re: OT-Cub Scout /Pinewood Derby in reply to famousfather, 01-16-2006 00:31:44  
That's funny. Years back, a fellow phone guy's son was in a pridicament too - the perfect car. So Tim (father) brings his block of wood to the job site, and there were at least a dozen of us working on that thing. General contractor foreman, wood guys, electricians, iron workers, laborers, pipe fitters, painters, machinists, more phone guys. All getting paid like $20 - $30 an hour to come up with the perfect car, all day long. Was before Pentium processors and AutoCad. Best we had was an new (at the time) IBM286 that none of us knew how to turn on anyway. Polishing axles in the drill press, cutting and sanding, drilling holes and filling with lead, lead paint, you name it. What a beaute she was too. Then came race day. Got blown away in the first race, or pretty close to it as I recall hearing. Bet we screwed that kid up forever. And, was one expensive car to whomever that customer was whom paid our wages that day. We probably should've just tossed it into the forms and let the concrete guys pour over it.

Good luck, I'm bowing out of this one.

Mark

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famousfather

01-16-2006 21:58:28




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 Re: OT-Cub Scout /Pinewood Derby in reply to famousfather, 01-16-2006 00:31:44  
Thanks guys for all of the replies. Got some great (Tub Scout/Flintstones/Wedge) ideas going on here. Son #2 decided it would make more sense to keep it simple as he's going for the Cub Spirit award where he has to do 90% of the work himself. Son #1 is helping out a bit. Nice to see them work together instead of argue! ;>} Think I'll enter what we call the Charity Race this year. It's for the Old Guys who remember how exciting the Pinewood was for them. We throw the rules out the window and charge $10.00 per car which goes to a local charity. Lots of Dad's, Grandpa's, older brothers, some really wild cars and tons of machismo competition going on. Got the axles all polished and Hobby Lubed (graphite). Should be a fun day. Nebraska Cowman is right...1st place doesn't matter as much as spending time with my young guys and making some great memories.
Take Care, David H. in (for sammy the Red, LOL)Webster Twp. MI, 7 miles north of Dexter, MI which is about 14 miles NorthWest of Ann Arbor, MI. which is about 40 some miles west of Detroit, MI.

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sammy the RED

01-16-2006 23:18:26




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 Re: OT-Cub Scout /Pinewood Derby in reply to famousfather, 01-16-2006 21:58:28  
You must be north of Territorial.

Go Bulldogs !



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famousfather

01-17-2006 03:46:31




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 Re: OT-Cub Scout /Pinewood Derby in reply to sammy the RED, 01-16-2006 23:18:26  
Yep, I am.

Go Dreadnaughts and Wolverines!

P.S. Where are you located?



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KEB

01-16-2006 20:07:05




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 Re: OT-Cub Scout /Pinewood Derby in reply to famousfather, 01-16-2006 00:31:44  
Worked with a guy a number of years ago who's troop had a separate race for the fathers. The idea was to have outlet for the fathers' competitivness without impacting the kids. He had a car with a model rocket engine mounted in the back. Understand the one time he actually fired it the car ran off the end of the track & just kept going. Won the race, though.

Keith



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RayP(MI)

01-16-2006 17:33:38




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 Re: OT-Cub Scout /Pinewood Derby in reply to famousfather, 01-16-2006 00:31:44  
Just helped grandson rough out his this weekend. He"s building a BATHTUB!!! (Yeah, naming the racer "TUB SCOUT" ). On his racer, the wheels must be from their kit, dimensions must be pretty standard too - Length, wheel span, weight. In the past, they"ve worked very hard on the wheels, axles, making sure the ridges are smoothed down on the shoulders of the nails, and then polished where the wheels slide. Only dry lubricants (graphite) are allowed. Make sure you check the rules that your contest is run under.

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BobinKY

01-16-2006 11:08:22




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 Re: OT-Cub Scout /Pinewood Derby in reply to famousfather, 01-16-2006 00:31:44  
You sure are bringing back old memories. When my boys were both in cubs together, we made the Flintstone cars. We put a top on Fred's car and covered it with a paper bag complete with fringe across the front. My other son got a piece of firewood and made Barney's car. They both won awards for being most original but I don't remember if they won a race. The tractor sounds like a neat idea. Maybe you could talk him into one of the old Moline tractors that had a full covered cab and full covered fenders. That would be a lot easier than trying to get the wheels molded into the back tires. Post up a picture when you guys get done with whatever you come up with.

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rpg52

01-16-2006 09:51:33




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 Re: OT-Cub Scout /Pinewood Derby in reply to famousfather, 01-16-2006 00:31:44  
I won the pinewood derby when I was 9. I didn't have any help building the car, so it didn't look so hot, but the reason I won was that I smoothed the nails under the wheels and lightly oil them. The cars don't go fast enough to need any aerodynamic help, i.e., tiny cars don't go any faster than clunky cars like mine. Reducing the friction of the wheels makes more difference than anything else IMHO. Ray

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Kevin in OK

01-16-2006 09:09:54




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 Re: OT-Cub Scout /Pinewood Derby in reply to famousfather, 01-16-2006 00:31:44  
If you want it FAST, make it a little tiny wedge, about a half inch thick in front, and 3/4 or an inch in the back.

Kevin



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old

01-16-2006 09:05:19




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 Re: OT-Cub Scout /Pinewood Derby in reply to famousfather, 01-16-2006 00:31:44  
Simple, make it slick and fast then put a tractor picture on the side of it, maybe even pulling some thing to boot. That way you have the best of both.



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john d

01-16-2006 06:24:51




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 Re: OT-Cub Scout /Pinewood Derby in reply to famousfather, 01-16-2006 00:31:44  
Just helped my grandson with one of those on Saturday afternoon. Thankfully, he wanted a simple design!

My suggestion is to save any and all pieces of wood you cut off that block, as you might be able to "recycle" them back on with a little glue. A kid in my son's troop many years ago had done his as a semi tractor by doing that.

It might be easier to make it into a lawn tractor than a farm tractor. Either way, enjoy the time together!

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sammy the RED

01-16-2006 03:54:16




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 Re: OT-Cub Scout /Pinewood Derby in reply to famousfather, 01-16-2006 00:31:44  
How about makeing it look like a plow ? ;o]


Hey, I thought you said you were from a city north of Dexter ???



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Nebraska Cowman

01-16-2006 03:24:34




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 Re: OT-Cub Scout /Pinewood Derby in reply to famousfather, 01-16-2006 00:31:44  
Sure, a little imagination and it can be a tractor. you can do a lot with paint. I'd taper the front and then have it flow back into what could look like flat-top tractor fenders. And famousfather, don't get to hung up on the boy winning the race to boost your ego, This is for him. Fifty years from now, he won't remember if he made it to the finals, but he will remember if his dad supported him in something he wanted to do.

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Rustyj14

01-17-2006 09:13:17




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 Re: OT-Cub Scout /Pinewood Derby in reply to Nebraska Cowman, 01-16-2006 03:24:34  
My oldest son and i worked on his derby car for several weeks, had it all re4ady to go, but 3 days before the race, he got sick with measles, or chickenpox, or something, and we didn't get to race! My younger son, about the time he could get into the Pinewood derby, was working on a dune buggy out back in the garage! Yeah, he got started early in life, did it all, hot-rods (both kinds) buggies, race cars, trail bikes, street rods, pickups, anything to go fast!
Went to trade school at 16, knew more than the instructor, got asked to leave, didn't! Rustyj

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