Pre-cut pinewood derby cars (2024)

FAQs

What is the best saw for cutting Pinewood Derby cars? ›

Band saws are the best tool for cutting a Pinewood Derby car block. If you don't have access to a band saw, a coping saw will do. Coping saws are economical and can cut unusual shapes and curves.

Much has been written about the physics of pinewood derby cars, and this is one rare case in racing where heavy = fast. Aerodynamics have little effect in such a short race, but weight does and putting the weight at the back of the car will make your car faster on the flat of the track.

“Our employees will use our tools to cut a seven inch block of pine into a winning race car.

Baking your Pinewood Derby wooden block helps to remove the moisture so that you have more wiggle room to add extra weight at the end. Remember, every little bit of weight in the right place makes a difference! Bake it in the oven at 250° for about 2 hours.

A coping saw should be your next best choice. After you cut your car with a saw, use a Wood Rasp to smooth the cut and give your car more shape. Use a metal file to smooth out the grooves created by the rasp.

Rear wheels at a 3 degree angle (camber). This greatly reduces friction as only a tiny portion of the wheel is making contact with the track. Plus, the angle makes the wheels rub against the axle head rather than the car body, greatly increasing speed.

Slide the axles and wheels onto the car and glue into place. Use an epoxy or nonresin glue, and make sure you don't get any on the surface of the axle where the wheel rides.

Use the high grit (1000) sandpaper to sand the edge of the wheel while spinning it with the drill. Do not over-sand; you want to sand just enough to remove the flashing. With modified wheels, you'll want to sand off any burs from the cutting process but don't round over the edge.

Push until the wheel touches the car body. The base is designed to leave the proper gap between the wheel and body. 5. The axle will need to be glued if it slips easily into the car body.

Pine wood is a very light material, so we wanted to remove as much of it as possible while still keeping the structure intact. The best way to do this was to hollow out the bottom and up through the middle, attempting to keep the weight about one inch infront of the rear axle (for the most part).

Can you cut Pinewood Derby car on table saw? ›

Goodbye bandsaw. I sliced the pinewood derby block into 1/8 inch thick sheets on a table saw, then cut various profiles with the Glowforge and laminated the whole thing back together. Small dowels running laterally helped with alignment of the layers.

Most pinewood derby rules limit the length of the car to 7" so don't add any LEGO pieces that extend past the front or back of the block. You can add LEGO pieces that make your car wider but the width should not exceed 2 3/4 inches. As a general rule, the height of your car should not be greater than 3 inches.

PUT MOST OF THE WEIGHT IN THE BACK

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.

Seal and protect it by spraying the entire car with clear gloss paint. Some clear paints might make the numbers curl. To make sure yours works, test it on a decal or number stuck to scrap plastic before spraying your car.

Try to make the wood as smooth as possible for best results. Do not pre-coat with primer or wood sealer.

On the side of your pine block, sketch the general shape of desired car and use a band saw or any type of saw to cut out the chasis. Next, in order to smooth out the car's shape, go over the surfaces with sandpaper smoothing out any rough or uneven edges.

Goodbye bandsaw. I sliced the pinewood derby block into 1/8 inch thick sheets on a table saw, then cut various profiles with the Glowforge and laminated the whole thing back together. Small dowels running laterally helped with alignment of the layers.

You'll find that most contractors keep a circular saw on hand for straight cuts, along with a miter saw for angled cuts. You might also have a chop saw, which is great for straight cuts, though it doesn't handle angles like a miter saw. Each of these tools is effective for slicing through steel studs.