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January 29, 2008
Pinewood Part 1
By Katherine
AKA atomicalex
It’s that time of year again, when Cub Scouts’ thoughts turn to wood and speed and all things fast. And in the case of some hyperactive parents, quite furious. It’s not uncommon for den leaders to discover cars that were in no way built by scouts. Fortunately, my sons’ pack is reducing that impulse by offering up an open class for parents to compete in this year. What car lover wouldn’t? I’ve cut my blank already (thank you, band saw), and I’ll post my progress on the car as I move along. I’m hoping to knock off a rather famous Kamm-tailed car that’s not an Opel GT. Is it obvious yet? Next step–it’s Dremel time.
Post up your Pinewood entries!
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Anonymous
Jan 29, 2008 at 10:34 pm
a startling forgotten memory as a result of this post. My car did great 25 years ago. it was the only silver one… i was a bit embarassed when it was realized to be quicker….I didn’t feel the serious tension the adults around us did.
ub3rduck
Jan 29, 2008 at 7:13 pm
If you happen to get the Boy’s Life Scouting magazine look in the very back, there’s an ad for a $5 ‘Secrets to winning pinewood derby’ thing. I got some of the tricks out of it from a neighbor and they work amazing. I won our pack championship 4 years in a row.
It has some minor things like sanding the wheels smooth, adding as much weight as possible, tilting one wheel up so that only 3 are touching the track and it has less friction and the one that seemed to work best was spraying the old school pine-sol on the nail axels, the kind with the oil still in it. The tricks sound minor but they make a suprizing difference.
I remember my pack started an adult competition too, but they decided to make it no rules ‘cept for nothing flamable. My dad stuck a massive electric motor with a propellor on some balsa wood and that thing screamed.