Its Pinewood Derby time

[Blindzman]

Its is time for my son and I to make our pinewood derby cars for this year. He is a 3 year champion in his division. I am three year reigning champion in the open division. So every year we have to make them that much better to make sure we don't get beat. This year almost everybody has told us they will take us down all we say is we hope you have fun making your car because that isn't going to happen. Will post pics when we get it made.

 

[Drstrangefart]

Awesome. I remember the one I did when I was a kid. 3rd place!!!

 

[StephenM]

My son's first entry (last year) - Second Place! I bandsawed the rough shape and he did all the sanding and painting. I did a few touch ups and the grill marks but he did everything else (a First Grader!)

The Lamborweenie

 

[mredburn]

My son's first entry (last year) - Second Place! I bandsawed the rough shape and he did all the sanding and painting. I did a few touch ups and the grill marks but he did everything else (a First Grader!)

The Lamborweenie

Way to cool, My grandson and I did one last year,he was 10, his first ever. He came in somewhere in the middle. although the difference between first and last was 2 seconds difference. I just had to keep reminding myself its his car let him do it his way. The local troop had a sibblings class and open class for the dads. So his sister and I built one also. There were some awsome entrees that year one looked like a pink high top rollerskate.

 

[Blindzman]

That is one awesome hotdog. The first picture on the track is four cars i built in 09 for my wife daughter and mine then my son and me work on his the blue with orange strip. On top of the truck the car on the left is his car from last year.

 

[mredburn]

Nice, but the two cars with the v cut outs wouldnt be allowed at our derby. YOu would have had to put something acros the front to place the entire car behind the peg.

 

[Blindzman]

yeah that is what i was told for the district race so we put a paperclip across the front to put it behind the line.

 

[Florida Marine]

We have always placed until last year...stunk on ice! Not sure what we did, but he car couldn't get away from itself.

At the same races, the girl-scouts race - so my daughter went 16-0 smoked EVERYONE including the winner of the overall from our cub pack so it wasn't just a fluke that she sent the smackdown to the "amateurs".

funny thing - I didn't do much to help her with her car, just gave her rough directions of what we were doing to the "real" car

Every year I pick up a speed tool for us, just did the deed from maximum velocity for a wheel truing tool.

Every year, I assist less and less and direct more and more - this year its my intent for him to do all the work as a 1st year Weblo.

 

[juteck]

We've been at it for 3 years now, and soon to start our 4th. I am a big proponent to let my boys be involved more than me. I help with the rough sawing and weighting, and help with the wheel/axle smoothing and placement to give them a fighting chance, but let them sand and paint their own designs. Unless they become auto body shop experts, they are just as happy sanding for 30 seconds with 100-grit paper, and painting it with poster paint. When they need important help on design and style, my daughter helps out in that department!

I have twin boys, so we have a minimum 2 to build every year, and my teenage daughter always wants one for the family race. I have wanted to build my own for the family race, but after helping with three sets of wheels, I'm usually done. Of all the one's we've made, the submarine sandwich my daughter made the first year for the family race was the fastest one -- she lost by a half-car length to an automotive engineer dad who really did make a cool frame-style car. The sandwich car surprised everyone how close it was to the lead car, since it defied most of the design considerations on weight placement and shape!

We have placed in the past, but there's one boy in our den who's dad makes two identical cars and races them the night before, then gives his cub the fastest of the two. He is undefeated in our den, and seems to have the magic of gaining speed every year. He admitted he pretty much does it all -- he wasn't even satisfied with his son's spray painting abilities.:frown:

 

[mredburn]

"but there's one boy in our den who's dad makes two identical car"
At some point the dad you mention is defeating the purpose of the event. Its not to see how fast a car that dad can build. At this point the dad is only concerned with winning at any cost. Its great to win or do well, but there are lessons to be learned from losing. How to be a good loser, how to try harder if you dont like to lose. We had those dads at our event also. I understand their choice and motives but they are simply not mine.

 

[LizardSpit]

In my son's Den (15 years ago) the Den leader made a car every year. He always had the best shaped car, with a great paint job. Then he would brag it up, tell every cub how he was going to get first place with his car (he did not have a child in the den). Man could he brag. His cars however never won a single race. There was never a child with a last place car. I believe he is one of the great Den leaders!!!!

 

[juteck]

"but there's one boy in our den who's dad makes two identical car"
At some point the dad you mention is defeating the purpose of the event. Its not to see how fast a car that dad can build. At this point the dad is only concerned with winning at any cost. Its great to win or do well, but there are lessons to be learned from losing. How to be a good loser, how to try harder if you dont like to lose. We had those dads at our event also. I understand their choice and motives but they are simply not mine.

I agree completely. The rest of the boys expect this cub to win, and they all compliment him on a great job, then take pride in their own efforts. It's great to see the boys who know they made their own be proud of what they've done, and good to see their good "sportsmanship" towards the winning boy (dad).

In my son's Den (15 years ago) the Den leader made a car every year. He always had the best shaped car, with a great paint job. Then he would brag it up, tell every cub how he was going to get first place with his car (he did not have a child in the den). Man could he brag. His cars however never won a single race. There was never a child with a last place car. I believe he is one of the great Den leaders!!!!

What a great idea.

 

[TellicoTurning]

I did a car with my son when he was in scouts... egads, that was almost 30 years ago... don't remember how it placed, but we had a ball making it...