"Jim" wrote in news:1169565701.609099.145250 @m58g2000cwm.googlegroups.com:
*snip*
*snip*
From what I remember about my two (and only two) pinewood derby races is the track had a raised section that made the actual "track" You could do this with a piece of 1/4" plywood, ripped to a little under the width of the car spacing (or find out what the official width is if they use that style) and with a square and some geometry (maybe) you can lay two tracks on a board to race against each other.
Cut a piece of plywood in half (2' x 8') or quarters (1' x 8') and you can make a longer run. You'll want to support it with 1x4s minimum.
Agreed, and I'll add this- it deviates from the pinewood derby a little, but not as much as a guy might think.
We have to stop insulating people from failure. Too many people never learn because they're sheltered until they're too old, and then the first time it happens when they hit the real world, they crack like an egg. I know a whole lot of people who are unwilling to risk
*anything* because they might fail- I would hope that the scouts would have an interest in helping those kids involved learn to "Be Prepared" for the inevitable disappointments they're bound to encounter from time to time, and it would seem that a wooden car race would be a fine way to do that in a controlled setting. It's not the Special Olympics, after all. Let those kids make their own pineywood jalopies- if they win, they might want to keep at the woodworking. If they lose, it's a good opportunity to pick themselves up and dust off- they can try again next year.
I'm sure this will p.o. someone but it has to be said,
It is really supposed to be about the principles being reinforced by the Scouts, acceptance of those principles and embracing them as one's own ( and subsequently our son's) which is why we / they join scouting. All the rationalizing in the world, and more specifically on this topic, on this site, does not and will not change those principles. Dad's are supposed to supervise, help, or advise. I can't recall power tools ever entering the equation when I was a kid. Very modest hand tools such as a coping saw, sandpaper and a pocket knife is what required utmost supervision, guidance and advice rang in for the science; (friction, w5eight distribution, aero-dynamics) etc.
In a nutshell, it is about the process as well as the end result. The end result should be satisfaction in learning to create, compete, win/lose and to do all of it with dignity. Dads who don't respect that or just don't get it, should just drop the boy off and let another responsible adult LEAD by a PROPER example and justifications and rationalizations be damned.
OK, off of my soap box. I endure my share of OT political crap that shouldn't even be discussed on this site so I felt comfortable chiming in here because there is at least a theoretical block of wood involved... :)
There is some luck, no doubt. Your friends are right. Making the car run straight is critical. I'm not one of the big experts, but we've finished in the top 3 (different kids)
4 out of 7 times.. Of course, we've also failed to get out of the first round in other years, as our pack is very competitive.
Makes me think maybe I should revisit Kipling- I had kind of missed him as a kid, and figured it wasn't much use going back to revisit the same fella who wrote the Jungle Book at this point.
Oh, you really want to. While Kipling wrote some books for kids most of his writing was not aimed at that audience, and even his books for kids aren't "kid stuff".
Man, why'd you even bother using "we" in this post? Sheesh.
Blame the engineers you refer to in another post ("Hey, they're cheating, so I will, too!")
Rationalize it as a learning experience ("Son, you're going to have to do this for your son some day, so pay attention.")
Rationalize it because you did well. Make excuses all you want, and I know you will.
But if your kid gets kicked out of school for cheating, let's see how well those excuses hold water. Since pinewood derby is nothing like school, he's not being taught cheating is OK, right? Riigghht.
Whether you realize it or not, when you're not around, the kids talk about who did what. (this coming from a former pack leader) Kids being kids, the ones that didn't do well (but did it themselves) will have lots of ammunition for those that had DaddyCo make their car. And they -will- use it. ("Loser, you can't even build a car! Your Dad had to do it for you!" That's a verbatim quote.) They all know. The kids are psyched when they win, until later, usually during the trophy presentation, they get called out. And all those wonderful lessons you think you imparted are washed out by a few choice words from an eight-year old.
The winners learn the wonderful life lesson that hey, I won, so who cares if my dad did it? And please, spare us the tripe about his "involvement" in the process. Eight year boys don't polish axles down to sub-microscopic levels.
But hey, at least yours will know Kipling. At least have it memorized, anyway.
I think that what is needed is a Budweiser Ebony Wood Pro Derby with big prizes and free beer, unlimited engineering innovation is allowed, no one under 21 is admitted, and all cars must be made of species that sink in water.
While the adults are all competing for bucks and pissing for distance the kids will be able to get back to being kids, and having fun with their simple cars that float, learning what they can as the aspire to being allowed to build a sinker.
Winning the PineyWood Derby is a simple process, J.
Make your car weigh five ounces and distribute your weight so that one ounce is on the front wheels.
After that it is a game of alignment and friction reduction.
Get your axles square to the body and parallel to each other.
Then it is a game of who spent the most time with the abrasives.
The team with the best sandpaper wins.
My story is true.
In every endeavour that I have been involved with in my life, be it sports or business, or music, or whatever - the person who is willing to go the extra mile beats raw talent nearly every time.
It's a good lesson for kids and it is a good lesson for us old bastards that might have forgot.
Just my 2cents as a former Cubmaster for 15 years of scouting and 3 sons. I have seen almost every possible cheat tried and have had to remove a parent from Pack night. I've seen cars that Detroit would have liked to copy and cars that were blocks of wood right out of the box with the wheels pushed on. win. I knew that the dads did most of the work and I tried to insure that at least the boys watched and helped somewhat (paint, sand, stickers etc.).
It is my observed opinion that to win pinewood derby there are three things required. (Luck, Smooth wheels, Aligned wheels)
Luck --- The starter setws the car shight on the track Smooth Wheels ---The wheels are sanded very smooth and the axles are lubed with just enough grafite Aligned Wheels --- The spot that the wheels touch the car body is pararell to the edge of the wheel
It is the same as bobsledding the smoother you go down the track the faster.
Please remember to have the boys root for thier pack mates as well as them selfves.
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