Do you want fries with that?

Secrets, tips, tools, design considerations, materials, the "science" behind it all, and other topics related to building the cars and semi-trucks.
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whodathunkit
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Do you want fries with that?

Post by whodathunkit »

Hi Kids here's a cool car you can make quick if your father or some one you know is handy with a scroll saw.

I thought id title this topic do you want fries with that.. Because I'm going to share with you a way you can build your very own Mc Donald's french fry car.
First you'll need your PWD kit and maybe some extra wheels in yellow or red for this car.
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And a few tools & some extra axles to first open up the axle slots:
here you'll see me using the derby worx axle guide tool a clamp and some Max V axle pilers to do this first step.
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Next you'll need a sheet of paper to trace the kit block and pattern on.. or a car pattern template sheet to draw out your design:
For this i'll be using a standard wheel base template out of a pinewood derby book.
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Here is my design for the car (side view)
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In the next pic you'll see me using a plastic cup to make partial circles in the design.
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This is to give a little detail to the fry container.
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Here's the pattern and side view of the car ready to cut out.
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And what it looks like after cutting out.
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I'll be saving that little block as well to make the fries out of later.. because it's time for the weight pockets!
The weight pocket will look a little something like this.. however I'll be cutting it out and not routing it.
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And what they look like all drawn out and hole's drilled for the scroll saw blade to pass threw to cut out.
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Cut out:
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Remember that little block of wood i'm saving .. I'll be cutting it into three pieces to make the fires out of numbering 1.2.& 3.
3 will be the bottom plate to cover the weight pockets #2 the first set of fries and #1 for making the M with .. however you could just paint this detail on.
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A view of the bottom cover plate and one set of fries.
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And a view of the last set of fries on top.. I used the cuts out of 2nd set middle's for them.
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Here it is kids the Mc Donald's french fry car:
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However still needing paint.. But I hope it gives you the Idea on how to make your very own.

How long did it take me to cut this car out?
Well ..
It took me longer to post all of this then it did to cut it all out and take photos of all this in about 20 minutes.

Hope you have enjoyed it kids.
Last edited by whodathunkit on Wed Nov 07, 2018 7:33 pm, edited 2 times in total.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
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Vitamin K
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Re: Do you want fries with that?

Post by Vitamin K »

Very cool! Just might wanna take note that this couldn't run in a lot of Scout races unless the front was changed to not be concave, though.
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whodathunkit
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Do you want fries with that?

Post by whodathunkit »

Vitamin K wrote:Very cool! Just might wanna take note that this couldn't run in a lot of Scout races unless the front was changed to not be concave, though.
What ever do you mean if the Rule reads
Nothing is to stick past the starting pin.
Now is that to the front side or back side of the starting pin?

The concave on the noise of this one is so small.
That I can take a 3/16 dowel rod and a straight edge to back side of the dowel rod and the flat part of car noise doesn’t stick past the back side of 3/16 dowel rod.

However VK brings up a very good point about this detail!
So you’ll need to get justification on how the rule
Will be approved from the front or back side of the starting pin.



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What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
Speedster
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Re: Do you want fries with that?

Post by Speedster »

It would be the Backside because the backside is simply a part of the Pin.
It would be a disadvantage because the timing lights of today are centered in the middle of the guide strip and the car would need to travel a longer distance before it would set off the light.
We simply correct this situation by stretching a piece of duct tape across the front of the car.

Mighty cute car, Whoda, I have a feeling that model car is going to show up in a lot of races. If you hollow it all out, put a set of #8 wheels on it, set it up to rail ride, that little buggy might just win some races. It's probably going to win a lot of Design prizes especially if the scouts are the ones doing the judging.

So, do you need 3 Number 8 wheels and some Liquid Glass? You are going to run it on 3 wheels, aren't you? I'll be CHEERING for you. My Goodness this is Fun.

Don't make the car go too fast or you're going to burn the fries.
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whodathunkit
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Re: Do you want fries with that?

Post by whodathunkit »

Speedster
Your thoughts are the same as mine about the starting pin and the back side of the pin.

However there has to be a fixed point on the starting pin that all cars must start from.
So with that said it has to be the front side of the starting pin that all cars must stage on and not stick past a starting line from.

I have seen lots of ruling interpretation’s on cars protruding past the starting pin.

And my fix for that mistake in my design.
Is to use a popsicle stick and inset it flush to the noise and bottom side of the car.





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Darin McGrew
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Re: Do you want fries with that?

Post by Darin McGrew »

whodathunkit wrote: Wed Nov 07, 2018 3:07 pmAnd my fix for that mistake in my design.
Is to use a popsicle stick and inset it flush to the noise and bottom side of the car.
Yeah, that's the easy fix. I'd keep it as an option if the car fails inspection without it.

The design looks great, BTW. Please post photos of the finished car!
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whodathunkit
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Do you want fries with that?

Post by whodathunkit »

Ok kids you know how VK said to take note of the concave design on the nose of my car design
And how Speedster said that it would have to be the backside of the starting pin.

Well kids we all make mistakes in design and it's okay that's how we learn.

So lets look at this as if :
VK & Speedster were the race officials at different packs or councils.
There would be a variance in there ruling interpretation from pack to pack or there councils.

So for the sake of the topic on my concave design mistake
Or that of a ruling that states all cars must stage to the front side of the starting pin as a fixed point for the starting line.

Let's take a closer look at how my concave design mistake on this car effects how it stages on the staring pin.

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In the photo above you'll see a top view of how the car stages on the starting pin painted in red and how its pasted the front side of the starting pin.
Okay in the next photo i'll share how this concave design does not stick past the back side of the starting pin.
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Now hears a different view of the car staged on the staring pin and how it sticks past the front side of the starting pin.
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Okay kids lets fix this design mistake.
But still leave the concave'd french fry container look to the nose of the car.. because it's one detail and look that were dead set on keeping.
For this fix i'll be using a popsicle stick and setting it in flush to the bottom side and to the nose of the car.
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Drawn out for cutting out:
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Cut out:
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And now glued in place:
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OK kids here it is once more on the starting pin staging to the front side of the pin top view.
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Side view:
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Well kids All this time VK must of thought I was trying to get a head start off the pin. Image
Not so.. I just wasn't finished sharing this hidden little detail with you.. that's all!
Last edited by whodathunkit on Fri Nov 09, 2018 4:45 pm, edited 5 times in total.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
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whodathunkit
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Re: Do you want fries with that?

Post by whodathunkit »

Darin McGrew wrote: Wed Nov 07, 2018 6:09 pm
whodathunkit wrote: Wed Nov 07, 2018 3:07 pmAnd my fix for that mistake in my design.
Is to use a popsicle stick and inset it flush to the noise and bottom side of the car.
Yeah, that's the easy fix. I'd keep it as an option if the car fails inspection without it.

The design looks great, BTW. Please post photos of the finished car!
Thank's Darin & I will post photos of it!
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
Speedster
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Re: Do you want fries with that?

Post by Speedster »

There has been a misunderstanding. Let me try to clarify it without making it more confusing.

Where the car first touches the Pin I called it "The backside of the Pin". My error. When staging a car the car would rest up against "the Front" of the pin.
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whodathunkit
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Re: Do you want fries with that?

Post by whodathunkit »

It’s ok Speedster!
And thank you for what you said ..
Because it can get confusing as to what’s the front or backside of the starting pin.


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whodathunkit
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Re: Do you want fries with that?

Post by whodathunkit »

Okay Kid's
Here's the car painted with it's first coat of clear spray paint.
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The clear coat I'm using is by RUST-OLEUM 2X semi-gloss.
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Kid's here's a little detail you can do to the fries with some salt.. if you like your french fries with salt on them.
And that's to use salt in a salt shaker to sprinkle some on the fries when your 1st or 2nd coat of clear is tacky.
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And what it looks like with salt on the french fries:
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And a front view with a 3rd coat of clear and the concave'd front design fixed!
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What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
Speedster
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Re: Do you want fries with that?

Post by Speedster »

I notice you covered up the axle slots before painting. I'm curious. Where does this little beauty balance?
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whodathunkit
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Re: Do you want fries with that?

Post by whodathunkit »

Speedster wrote: Fri Nov 09, 2018 4:11 am I notice you covered up the axle slots before painting. I'm curious. Where does this little beauty balance?
Speedster
Been's how your chomping at my fries on this car to know what it's balance point is here you go!
And yes I did cover up the axle slots with painter's tape before painting the car.. however I pulled the tape to use the derby guy's paint stand to spray the clear coat.

So best I can tell if you'ed quit eating my fries..
IS that's it COG is around 1 1/8" to 1 1/4"..
( Sorry Speedster Just had to type this in as little bit of fun as if you were here in my work shop.. Hope your okay with it?)
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And what these fries weigh in at:
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And oh Speedster.. the car is set up run 4 on the floor.

Kid's & Darin here are some photo's of the finished Mc Donald's French Fry car!
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Kid's
With a little bit of imagination and some different paint schemes you could easily change up this design:
Into a Burger King, Wendy's or a Whataburger's French Fries car.

All of this has made me hungry .. for the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat .. so I'm out of here.. who wants some fries?
Hope you enjoy'ed this car build kids.
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
Speedster
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Re: Do you want fries with that?

Post by Speedster »

Everything looks good to me. Beautiful Job.
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Darin McGrew
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Re: Do you want fries with that?

Post by Darin McGrew »

Wow! That is beautiful! And nice job adding the salt detail too!
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