The Physics of the Pinewood Derby

Announcements: The most important activity in building a winning car is to understand the construction rules. The new Lecture 23 shows construction rules for the largest Council in the BSA, namely the Sam Houston Area Council or SHAC for short. These rules are not very different from the ones we are used to and they clear up certain inconsistencies in how existing rules are interpreted across the USA. We are proposing that these rules be adopted as a National set of construction rules so that we can have a true National Champion race like the Soap Box Derby. After you review Lecture 23, please send your comments under Contact above.

THE PHYSICS OF THE PINEWOOD DERBY BOOK - The days are over for tips, hints, old wive's tales, and all the other rumors that accompany the popular pinewood derby racing scenario. Rather than superstition and hearsay, we can now share facts with our kids based on physics and natural laws. The large library-quality simulated leather-bound Physics of the Pinewood Derby book captures 15 years of professional research and development on the dynamics of gravity-driven model race cars. The equations of motion have been solved for various types of tracks and cars, even large gravity-driven cars with drivers. And practical designs are presented based on subjects that range from friction studies, wind tunnel testing, and statistical analyses.

PINEWOOD DERBY CAR DESIGN AND THE VIRTUAL RACE is a booklet written to the youngster that explains how to make the measurements associated with his (or her) car design and input them into the virtual race program. There is now available an E-book version of this program called Measure Parameters for the Virtual Race that could be substituted for this paper-back booklet if you have an Adobe pdf file reader. The E-book version comes with the Virtual Race program.

THE VIRTUAL RACING AND GRAVITY - DRIVEN CAR DESIGN CD

has been expanded with new features that will let even the first year Cub work effectively in a team with their parent or adult partner. Click on the links below to get more detail on the 3 main parts of this CD. One part, a well illustrated Car Construction E-book (also see Lecture 14 & 15) starts right when you open the official Pinewood Derby car kit. This part also contains a car lubrication (see lecture 16,17&18) section with video clips. A second file on the Virtual Race CD is a Measure Parameters E-Book which is a condensed printable version of the pdf booklet Pinewood Derby Car Design and the Virtual Race described in the section above. And, finally, the third part is the original Virtual Race program. This race simulator lets the user put in whatever design or measurement they desire for any kind of gravity car on several types of track. The program uses the advanced mathematics developed in the Physics of the Pinewood Derby book to predict the precise motion of any gravity car based on its parameters. This Virtual Race program has embedded in it a Virtual Race Help manual which is a third very extensive E-book that covers every aspect of racing at 2 levels, one for the Cub and one for the advanced user. The program has been tested on Windows 98, XP, and 2000 systems, requires 35 MB disc storage space and works best at 1280 x 1024 or greater screen resolution.

FOUR PACKAGES offer various types of hardware in addition to or in combination with the CD and books above. The Design Package

gives all three items above along with vernier calipers that allow the youngster to take measurements of key dimensions of their race car for input into the virtual race program. The Speed Package

provides a swivel-head pin vise, polishing block and axle file to be used for drilling, axle polishing and lubrication. It also contains the Super Z graphite, a specially blended mixture that has an extremely low coefficient of friction when applied properly. In addition, this package has bore polish and axle polish compounds which can further reduce the wheel/axle friction. The polish cloth and cardboard dowels which are provided are key to proper lubrication techniques. The Basic Package

is new and has been developed especially for the new users who want to start with fundamentals so this package contains everything mentioned above except Super Z oil and the big Physics of the Pinewood Derby book. Finally, the fourth package is the Complete Package

which contains all the items (except Super Z oil). Also, we are now advertising a free Grab Bag of 8 or 9 incidental items to help in lubricating and building a car that will come with all packages except the Design Package. Remember the Super Z oil is a speciality item which is not contained in any package and must be ordered separately since some race rules do not allow oils.