What should a pinewood derby car weigh

For Derby Dust, we will always drill lead from the side or apply from the bottom. We will never do anything from the top down. Just remember you can not drill tungsten weights to make it go lighter. SO whatever you do, plan ahead and make sure to be a bit underweight when using tungsten weights. Your email address will not be published. Remember me Log in. Lost your password? Your personal data will be used to support your experience throughout this website, to manage access to your account, and for other purposes described in our privacy policy.

All Rights Reserved. Weight placement is important because you want the longest possible push time while balancing stability. The further back you can move the weight distribution, the more kinetic energy your car stores up, which in turn translates into more push down the track. This article is only going to address the issue of weight. There are numerous scientific equations that will explain the science behind this. Simply put: the more weight you can shift towards the rear of the car, the more potential energy it will have.

It is believed that the more stored energy you have, the faster your car can travel. However, the PWD world has proven that COG center of gravity is more important than shoving all the weight in the rear of the car. COG is the balance point of your car. This will be measured by using the ruler.

This is true for all wheel base types. Whether you are using a standard wheelbase or an extended wheelbase. This has been determined not by mathematical formula, but by the PWD junkies with thousands of builds underneath their belts. Take notice of one particular detail. For best results, mount your wheels onto an electric drill so that you can polish at a higher speed and reduce the likelihood of adding accidental imperfections.

You can also grab this sanding kit , which includes three types of sandpaper designed for use on your Pinewood Derby wheels and axles. Check alignment. Another way to pick up speed is to ensure that your car has true straight alignment. Level two, use an Axle Press Tool to ensure straight axles.

You can also glue your axles into place to ensure there is no wiggling out of place — just make sure not to get glue anywhere near where your wheels will be! Spend time on sanding.

The smoother your car is, the more friction is reduced and the faster your car can slice through the air. Start with a coarse grit, move to a medium grit, and finish with a fine grit. It is helpful to wrap the sanding paper around another block of wood for better grip and to help prevent the addition of unwanted dips in your car. You can also up the ante by wet sanding the car after the first coat of paint so primer, then paint, then wet sand. We have used grit ultrafine carbide sandpaper. After this, proceed on with painting the rest of your coats!

Use a high-quality paint. I have found the most amazing paints. Especially if you are using the Glow-in-the-Dark or Fluorescent paints. The next tip on painting is to use a wide sponge to paint. It creates a much smoother surface.

Add decals! Use a credit card to press out all of the air bubbles, and then seal everything in with a clear gloss paint. You can test it off to the side by sticking a decal to a piece of plastic and spraying with the gloss paint. Mount headlights, taillights, and running lights! With black lights and glow in the dark races being the next big thing for Pinewood Derby races, adding headlights, taillights and undermounted glow lights will look so cool!

Use floor wax and shine to a high-shine finish. You do need to make sure that your coats of paint are completely dry before you do this think about a week. This final coat will make your car extra glossy and even more aerodynamic!

Use tungsten for weight. Polish wheel bores. Do not get overly concerned about the axles. The axles do not turn. If every car has identical weight, wheels, axles, alignment then the resulting winner is the one that has maximized the available potential energy.

The one variable in the car design is its center of gravity which is the only factor used to calculate the potential energy. The math gets fun when you start to factor in a 30 degree assumed ramp angle. Overdue due it on the super high weight position and you battle with lost stability, friction braking.

Testing over multiple builds is the art in finding balance between high rear weight position and a counter balancing low front weight position to keep you pointed down the track. Please do not put your weight in the front. Weighting your car is the key to increasing momentum.

In most races, the maximum allowable weight of a pinewood derby car is five ounces. By meeting this maximum limit — while also strategically placing your weights at the rear of your vehicle — you will improve your momentum and increase the distance your car travels towards the finish line.

Maximum weight can be achieved with any type of weight, but there are benefits in choosing specific kinds. 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.

At Maximum Velocity, we offer 20 different kinds of tungsten weights to choose from. Browse our inventory of cylinders, COG weights, rounds, bars, cubes, canopies, beads, plates, putty, disks and even decorative pieces like skulls and triangles. However, lead is one of the most harmful pinewood derby car weights to handle, and only adults should work with the material.