How to Install Wheels on a Pinewood Derby Car
The Pinewood Derby has been a tradition in the Cub Scouts since its introduction in 1953, according to the National Scouting Museum. Since that time, the design of Pinewood Derby cars have undergone subtle changes, all geared toward getting the tiniest extra bursts of speed while adhering to the strict design restrictions placed on derby participants. The smallest details have been looked at with speed in mind, including the installation of the car wheels. After decades of trial and error, there's still no single method guaranteed to give you the fastest setup, but there is a general method for installing the wheels that will at least give you the speed to maintain pace with your competitors.
Things You'll Need
- Hammer
- Anvil
- File
- Lathe
- Polishing compound
- Sandpaper
- Lint-free cloth
- Graphite pencil
- Grinder
- Nail
- Carpenter's square
- Cyanoacrylate glue
Instructions
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1
Straighten the axles using a small hammer and an anvil, and then file off the burr and the stamp marks (from the manufacturing process) that run around the nail near the head.
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2
File a 1/4-inch groove located 3/16 of an inch from the head of the axles to reduce the friction between the wheel and the axle. Grooves can be cut into the axles using a lathe.
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3
Polish the axles of your car with polishing compound and fine-grit sandpaper. You can purchase the compound from most auto parts shops. Polish the axles until they shine with a mirror-like finish.
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4
Dry the axles completely using a lint-free cloth and then apply graphite to the axles. To apply the graphite, take a graphite pencil and press the lead firmly to the polished axle. Rotate the axle along the pencil led to spread the graphite evenly.
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5
Sand the wheels on a grinder to round out the wheel shape and remove excess material from the manufacturing process. To sand the wheels, place all four wheels onto a nail and then sand them all together until they spin in unison. Mount the wheels onto the axles for installing to the body of the car.
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6
Mount the axles into the slots of the derby car body. Axles should be placed at a 90-degree angle from the side of the car; check the angles with a carpenter's square and make adjustments where needed.
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7
Glue the axles into place with cyanoacrylate glue to prevent the wheels from falling off during the race.
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Tips & Warnings
Test mount your wheels and push the car along a flat surface to be sure it runs straight, if it veers in either direction, correct for the misalignment by cutting new axle slots for the wheels.
