As of this post, there are only 3 more weeks to complete your cars before Pinewood Derby! When designing and building your car remember the number 1 rule… Have Fun! Building a Pinewood Derby car with your son can be a great experience for your family to work together to achieve something. It can be an opportunity for your son to learn how to use a variety of new tools and woodworking techniques. Following are a couple of last minute tips for you when building…

Adjust your axles so that your care rolls straight. If it rolls with a curve to one side, your car will wobble it’s way down the track. However make sure that all your wheels touch the track according to the rule book.

Bring your car to Test and Tune night just slightly underweight. It is much easier to add a little weight than to remove it. Use a kitchen scale or find a friend with a postage scale to get you close. You can always add a little weight after your car has been weighed. I usually recommend you shoot for around 4.9 oz., and bring a little weight with you. There will be glue at build shop that night.

Don’t glue your axles in place yet. If your wheels aren’t aligned properly at inspection, you will need to adjust them. We will allow you to glue your axles after inspection.

Use graphite wheel lubricant. Avoid the white powder lubricant sold at hobby stores. It doesn’t work near as good as graphite. Lubricate your car with graphite prior to coming to inspection or outside the building. We will not allow lubricating inside the building due to mess it creates on the floors and tables.

Pick a theme! Even if you don’t win the race, you might come home with a design award! A list of the themes that we will judge on are on the Pinewood Derby page.

Read the rule book. Make sure you thoroughly read the Official Pack 371 Design and Build Rule Book to avoid doing something to your car or it’s components that will cause you to fail inspection.