
Search found 1733 matches
- Tue Apr 03, 2018 10:40 pm
- Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
- Topic: BSA Derby Track across America
- Replies: 7
- Views: 327
Re: BSA Derby Track across America
California is due for another earthquake. That might help lift the western end of the track high enough to produce the needed slope. 

- Fri Mar 23, 2018 4:05 pm
- Forum: General Coordinator Topics
- Topic: Design Judging Article
- Replies: 7
- Views: 600
Re: Design Judging Article
I'm curious to hear what others think about a car that is automatically disqualified at the start because it is "too good". Unfortunately, I hear about that going on quite often. It ignores the fact that this should be a joint project of a child working with an adult, not the child alone. Besides, ...
- Sat Feb 17, 2018 11:34 am
- Forum: Scheduling Methods
- Topic: Single Lane Start Lane Rotation
- Replies: 3
- Views: 349
Re: Single Lane Start Lane Rotation
We used to use a similar system, except we always had a car in each lane: 1 2 3 4 2 3 4 5 3 4 5 6 ... 18 19 20 1 19 20 1 2 20 1 2 3 Years ago, we switched to a system that is essentially another implementation of Partial Perfect-N (PPN). The cars get to race against different opponents each time, th...
- Sat Feb 10, 2018 1:58 pm
- Forum: General Car/Truck Racer Topics
- Topic: Aerodynamics ?
- Replies: 23
- Views: 1260
Re: Aerodynamics ?
Now, the point of the post is "before you cut that block". Our "before you cut that block" emphasis is related to alignment (friction), not aerodynamics. We make sure that the kids press their axle holes before they cut the block, so all the sides of the block are still square. We saw a huge improv...
- Sat Feb 10, 2018 1:42 pm
- Forum: General Coordinator Topics
- Topic: Getting more Scout Races to support oil as a legal lubricant
- Replies: 10
- Views: 1523
Re: Getting more Scout Races to support oil as a legal lubricant
My experience changing the rules/procedures for a derby was at the local level, with no regional authority to stay compatible with, and no conflicts with the instructions in the box. And even then, it was a challenge. It's just a lot easier to keep doing things the way they've always been done. Ther...
- Sun Feb 04, 2018 8:30 pm
- Forum: General Car/Truck Racer Topics
- Topic: Aerodynamics ?
- Replies: 23
- Views: 1260
Re: Aerodynamics ?
Air flowing around the car is not why the car must be aerodynamic. It must be aerodynamic so the additional added weight (tungsten) can be placed in a certain area and can be placed where it will do the most good. "Get Rid of the Wood". I'm sorry if I did not make that clear at the very beginning. ...
- Sun Jan 28, 2018 10:24 pm
- Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
- Topic: Spray Booth
- Replies: 4
- Views: 447
Re: Spray Booth
We've always used big cardboard boxes set up outside, with plastic turntables.
- Fri Jan 26, 2018 11:06 am
- Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
- Topic: 2018 Spitfire Mark III
- Replies: 32
- Views: 2199
Re: 2018 Spitfire Mark III
Wow! That's a really nice design. I don't think it would fit our track (the rear wheel would probably drop into the slot for the start gate), but it's still gorgeous!
- Fri Jan 26, 2018 10:47 am
- Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
- Topic: Excellent Pinewood Derby Youtube Series
- Replies: 3
- Views: 416
Re: Excellent Pinewood Derby Youtube Series
The inline videos are not playing for me. If that happens to anyone else, you can go directly to the YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKdHZe ... EEw/videos
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKdHZe ... EEw/videos
- Fri Jan 26, 2018 10:44 am
- Forum: Planning, Preps & Running the Race
- Topic: Volunteer Thanks
- Replies: 3
- Views: 376
Re: Volunteer Thanks
Wow... Those are really nice!
- Sun Dec 03, 2017 12:24 pm
- Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
- Topic: 2017 car 1974 AMC Javelin
- Replies: 6
- Views: 1157
Re: 2017 car 1974 AMC Javelin
Nice work, really like the boxes too... which no doubt leads to people looking at them on display thinking, oh look that guy cheated by using a model, LOL - gotta love those people. We had a father-son team build matching cars one year. They bought the same plastic model kits, but used them very di...
- Sun Oct 15, 2017 10:07 pm
- Forum: General Coordinator Topics
- Topic: moral/ethics dilemma
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1272
Re: moral/ethics dilemma
For our All Comers class, we've had either separate design awards for adults and for youth, or design awards only for youth and none for adults. But we have only one set of speed awards, and any adults and youth in the All Comers class compete against each other.
- Sun Oct 15, 2017 3:54 pm
- Forum: General Coordinator Topics
- Topic: moral/ethics dilemma
- Replies: 11
- Views: 1272
Re: moral/ethics dilemma
Have you considered separate open classes for youth and for adults?
- Tue Aug 29, 2017 10:16 pm
- Forum: General Coordinator Topics
- Topic: Getting more Scout Races to support oil as a legal lubricant
- Replies: 10
- Views: 1523
Re: Getting more Scout Races to support oil as a legal lubricant
I don't know about "most places", but we've never restricted lubricants, as long as it isn't applied excessively so that it causes a mess. But about 10 years ago, we switched from providing graphite at our workshops to providing Krytox at our workshops. But the motivation was more to eliminate the g...
- Fri Aug 04, 2017 9:10 pm
- Forum: General Topics
- Topic: Inquiry into the use of spoilers to increase speed
- Replies: 4
- Views: 1037
Re: Inquiry into the use of spoilers to increase speed
The analysis I heard is that derby cars don't want spoilers (or anything else) that pushes them into the track (which is the role of spoilers on real race cars, to increase traction aka friction). And any spoiler that could lift the car would generate more aerodynamic drag than the reduced friction ...