The easiest way to reduce friction is to lubricate the surfaces that cause friction. Lubrication is an essential part of pinewood derby racing. Purchase a tube of dry PRO Graphite with moly and shoot it onto the axle shaft and inside the wheel bore. Spin the wheel so the graphite works in.
What makes a derby car go faster?
5 Quick & Easy Tips For Improving Your Pinewood Derby Car’s Speed
- Put all of your weight in the back.
- Lube the car at the body/wheel friction point.
- Spend a fair amount of time on axle prep.
- Make sure your wheels are ready.
- Finally, once your wheels are mounted, check their alignment.
How do you weigh down a derby car?
Tungsten is an excellent weighting material for pinewood derby cars because of its high density. Only gold, platinum, and a few other rare and expensive metals boast a similar density. Because it’s so dense, it allows for a tremendous amount of freedom in the car’s design.
What is the most aerodynamic shape for a pinewood derby car?
simple wedge
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.
Where should most of the weight be on a pinewood derby car?
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.
Should you bake your Pinewood Derby car?
Per the Pinewood Derby rules, the weight of the car shouldn’t exceed 5 ounces. One way to ensure your car doesn’t go over the weight limit is to bake the block! Naturally, wood holds water, and water adds weight. You’ll want to help your Scout by baking the block in an oven at 250 degrees for one hour.
Why do you bake a Pinewood Derby car?
Bake the Block: Start with your block of wood, and before you do anything else, bake it in the oven at 250 degrees for around two hours to remove moisture and make it lighter. This will allow you to place more weight to the rear of the Pinewood Derby car where you actually want it.
Is it better to put weight on top or bottom of pinewood derby car?
Weight should be placed towards the rear of the car. You can drill the weight holes in the bottom, side or rear of the car as shown in these examples. Stay at least 1/8″ away from the axle slots.
What weight should I use for my derby car?
Tungsten is the best weight for your pine derby car because it allows you to pack more weight in a smaller area giving you more flexibility in your car design and more accurate weight placement for speed. Package contains eight 3/8″ diameter cylinders with chamfored edges for easy insertion.
Where do you put the center of gravity on a pinewood derby car?
Center of gravity placement should be between 1⁄2″ – 1″ in front of the rear axle. This is true for all wheel base types. Whether you are using a standard wheelbase or an extended wheelbase.
Does a longer wheelbase make a pinewood derby car faster?
The longer the wheel base, the greater the turning distance (a short car turns much more quickly than a long car). A pinewood derby car should go as straight as possible, so a longer wheel base is an advantage.
Which shape is best to reduce drag?
streamlined shape
The fluid friction or drag can be reduced by giving a shape called a streamlined shape to the objects which move through fluids like air or water. A streamlined shape is like a thin wedge or triangular objects lying on its base and sloping upwards gradually.
Does a heavier pinewood derby car go faster?
Weight and Distribution
One of the most fundamental rules in the Pinewood Derby is the maximum weight limit of 5.000 ounces, or 141.643 grams. Simple physical principles dictate that a heavier car will run faster.
How do you increase the speed of a pinewood derby car?
Use All of the Graphite
High-carbon graphite is used to lubricate the wheels of a Pinewood Derby car for increased speed and performance. Tube-O-Lube is an odor-free, extra-fine dry powdered lubricant that is dark grey/black. Graphite should be used with adult supervision only.
Can a pinewood derby car be too heavy?
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.
Is a shorter pinewood derby car better?
Can a pinewood derby car be shorter than 7 inches? Yes, you can make your car shorter but it is not recommended. A shorter car will have a lower center of mass at the start so it will have less energy to convert into speed when going down the track.
Should I sand my Pinewood Derby wheels?
Running the drill at low speed, carefully sand the tread area of the wheel just enough to take off the mold “flash” at the outside edge of the tread and smooth the tread area down to take out the “dimple” which is typically where the wheel was cut off the “sprue” or mold tree.
What is the perfect weight for a Pinewood Derby car?
The more your pine car weighs, the faster it will go on a downhill ramp. Most rules specify a 5 oz. maximum weight. Most Pinewood Derby cars weigh between 1.5 oz and 3.5 oz (depending on design) without weights so a car may need 3.5 oz or more of additional weight.
What is a good Pinewood Derby time?
Pinewood Derby Results. The average times with just weight added was 3.288 seconds. There was 0.188 seconds between the fastest and slowest car, about 23 inches. The average time was 2.994 seconds, about 44 inches faster than without graphite (0.353 seconds).
Does graphite help pinewood derby car?
Powdered graphite is an excellent lubricant to reduce friction on pinewood derby axles. Why do you want to reduce friction on your axles? It’s simple physics; reduce friction to make your car faster. Stated another way, the fastest cars have the least friction.
What kind of paint is best for pinewood derby cars?
Acrylic Paint
High-quality, Testors-Model Master acrylic paints are easy to apply, wash up with water, and most importantly, provide a great finish for your pinewood derby car.