Derby Talk

Awana Clubs International. Awana is an abbreviation for Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed as taken from 2 Timothy 2:15. Awana is an international, Bible-centered children's and youth ministry providing local churches with weekly clubs, programs and training for students in preschool through high school. Our goal is to equip churches to reach kids, and their families, with the gospel of Christ and train them to serve Him. For more information on Awana go to http://awana.org/

A power saw with a metal band type blade for cutting wood and other materials. Safety is a big concern with this saw since it can easily cut off a finger, if the operator is not careful. This type of saw is not recommended for use by children.

The Boy Scouts of America provides a program for young people that builds character, trains them in the responsibilities of participating citizenship, and develops personal fitness.

Designed specifically for cutting wood, brad point drills are a cross between spade bits and twist drills. The shaft of the drill resembles the twist drill, with fluted chip channels spiraling around the shaft. Most of the cutting is done at the lips of the channels, but the hole is actually started with a smaller diameter brad point (or spur) that leads the shaft into the hole. Two other spurs at the outer edge of the drill help keep the drill on line. The channels are usually cut deeper on brad point drills that on twist drills, in order to clean out the wood debris.

An instrument for measuring thicknesses and internal or external diameters.

The downward or upward tilt of an axle, called positive (+) when the axle tilts downward and negative (-) when it tilts upward. Measured as the angle, in degrees, from the horizontal.

In physics, the center of gravity of an object is a point at which the object's mass can be assumed, for many purposes, to be concentrated. For example, if you hang an object from a string, the object's center of gravity will be directly below the string. The center of gravity of an object is the average location of its weight. In a uniform gravitational field, it coincides with the object's center of mass.

In physics, the center of gravity of an object is a point at which the object's mass can be assumed, for many purposes, to be concentrated. For example, if you hang an object from a string, the object's center of gravity will be directly below the string.

The point at which all the mass of a body may be considered to be concentrated in analyzing its motion. The center of mass of a sphere of uniform density coincides with the center of the sphere. The center of mass of a body need not be within the body itself; the center of mass of a ring or a hollow cylinder is located in the enclosed space, not in the object itself. If the gravitational field is uniform then center of mass and center of gravity coincide. On this board, this is commonly used interchangebly with Center of Gravity.

A raised bar (like a bent coat hangar) mounted on the front of a car that contacts high up on the starting pin. If the cars are allowed to start rolling before the start pins drop away, then a car touching high up on the start pin will actually get a bit of a lead over a car touching lower on the start pin, since the pins rotate away from the cars. The advantage disappears with a start gate that snaps open quickly, so the pins drop away before the cars actually can start rolling. Though called a "cheater" bar, it is not specifically forbidden by most rules, since a high nose design can naturally have the same possible advantage.

Christian Service Brigade is a discipling ministry dedicated to raising up the next generation of Christian leaders. For more info on CSB, go to http://www.csbministries.org/

A dimensionless quantity which is used to quantify the drag or resistance of an object in a fluid environment such as air or water. It is used in the drag equation, where a lower drag coefficient indicates the object will have less aerodynamic or hydrodynamic drag. The drag coefficient is always associated with a particular surface area.

A dimensionless quantity which is used to quantify the drag or resistance of an object in a fluid environment such as air or water. It is used in the drag equation, where a lower drag coefficient indicates the object will have less aerodynamic or hydrodynamic drag. The drag coefficient is always associated with a particular surface area.

The ratio of the drag on a body moving through air to the product of the velocity and surface area of the body.

The ratio of the force of friction between two bodies and the force pressing them together. This depends on the materials used; for example, ice on steel has a low coefficient of friction, while rubber on pavement has a high coefficient of friction.

The ratio of the force of friction between two bodies and the force pressing them together. This depends on the materials used; for example, ice on steel has a low coefficient of friction, while rubber on pavement has a high coefficient of friction.

Complementary Perfect-N charts used in race scheduling.

Complementary Perfect-N charts used in race scheduling.

A computer controlled machine used for cutting, sanding, knurling, or drilling a piece of material.

On a 3 wheeler, with one raised front wheel, the dominant front wheel is the one in contact with the track. This wheel provides the steering of the car.

A race scheduling method where two strikes (losses) and you are out.

A race scheduling method where two strikes (losses) and you are out.

A drilling machine having a single vertical spindle. Useful for working on the blocks (axles holes, weight pockets, and shaping) as well as working on sanding wheels (using a wheel mandrel).

A drilling machine having a single vertical spindle. Useful for working on the blocks (axles holes, weight pockets, and shaping) as well as working on sanding wheels (using a wheel mandrel).

These clever bits drill holes with virtually flat bottoms. Rather than having a steeply ground tip that is followed by angled cutting edges, the Forstner bit is guided by the rim. Channels in the drill clear the hole of chips and dust. The resulting hole has a virtually flat bottom, marred only by a 1/32-inch hole at center where the starter spur of the drill is located.

GrandPrix Race Manager software from Lisano Enterprises.

Graphite is carbon that has been crushed into a fine powder and is the most commonly used lubricant in Pinewood Derby type races.

A strip of wood, metal or plastic that guides the car down the track and keeps it in its lane. The guide rail can be in the center of the lane, where the car straddles it, or there can be a guide rail as a separator between each lane.

The energy that a body possesses as a result of its motion. It is the work needed to accelerate a body from being at rest to its current velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes. Negative work of the same magnitude would be required to return the body to a state of rest from that velocity. A car's potential energy is converted to kinetic energy when the start gate releases the car down the track.

The energy that a body possesses as a result of its motion. It is the work needed to accelerate a body from being at rest to its current velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes. Negative work of the same magnitude would be required to return the body to a state of rest from that velocity. A car's potential energy is converted to kinetic energy when the start gate releases the car down the track.

A thin-film liquid lubricant that has a very low viscosity.

Lane Rotation charts used in race scheduling. Every racers runs in each lane, everyone races the same number of times, but racer go against a limited number of other racers.

Lane Rotation charts used in race scheduling. Every racers runs in each lane, everyone races the same number of times, but racer go against a limited number of other racers.

A laser sensor unit that is mounted at the start line. On one side of the track the laser will be mounted and the other side will have a sensor that the laser will point at. When the beam is broken, either by the first car to cross the beam or by the starting pins themselves, the timing starts.

A machine tool which spins a block of material to perform various operations such as cutting, sanding, knurling, drilling, or deformation with tools that are applied to the workpiece to create an object which has symmetry about an axis of rotation.

An electronic device similar to the light tree used in drag racing. These provide a visual countdown to the start of the race.

A tool that mounts in a power drill or drill press, which holds a wheel firmly. As the wheel is spun, the tread and inner rim can be sanded to remove mold defects and make the wheel tread more round.

A measure of length. One thousandth of a millimeter. One millionth of a meter.

The mark left on a wheel from the molding process. Also referred to as the sprue mark.

A dry lubricant, most often mixed with graphite.

A dry lubricant, most often mixed with graphite.

The amount of resistance that a mass has to rotational motion. In our case, this is the resistance that a wheel has to start it rolling.

A thin-film liquid lubricant that has a very low viscosity.

Usually used in reference to the outer diameter of a wheel or axle.

An Outlaw Race is one that has a reduced set of rules. This type of race is usually put on for adults.

Partial Perfect-N charts used in race scheduling.

Partial Perfect-N charts used in race scheduling.

Perfect-N charts used in race scheduling.

Perfect-N charts used in race scheduling.

A person "highly involved" in Pinewood Derby type races. Some would say "obsessed".

A gravity powered race of wooden cars.

The energy of a body with respect to the position of the body or the arrangement of the particles of the system. A car (or any other object) has more potential energy, the higher above the ground that it is raised (starting line height). A car's potential energy is converted to kinetic energy when the start gate releases the car down the track.

The energy of a body with respect to the position of the body or the arrangement of the particles of the system. A car (or any other object) has more potential energy, the higher above the ground that it is raised (starting line height). A car's potential energy is converted to kinetic energy when the start gate releases the car down the track.

Pro Body Tool, made by DerbyWorx

Basically, a rail car is very thin car with a square section cut out of the middle. This leaves two "rails" as the edges of the car and a wood crossbar on the front and back of the car for the mounting of wheels and weights. The aim of these cars is to remove as much wood as possible so you can then better control where the COG is located.

A car that is deliberately built to ride the track's guide rail down the race track.

A car that is deliberately built to ride the track's guide rail down the race track.

A car that is deliberately built to ride the track's guide rail down the race track.

The number of rotations per minute of the wheels.

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A power saw with a narrow ribbonlike blade for cutting curved or irregular shapes. This is the recommended saw for cutting out cars, as it is safe enough for kids to use (with supervision), and is faster than hand saws.

A power saw with a narrow ribbonlike blade for cutting curved or irregular shapes. This is the recommended saw for cutting out cars, as it is safe enough for kids to use (with supervision), and is faster than hand saws.

An electrical device used to open the start gate. The solenoid can be triggered by a switch, some race management software packages, and other electronic means.

The mark left on a wheel from the molding process. Also referred to as the mold mark.

Stearns charts used for race scheduling.

Two solid objects pressing against each other (but not sliding) will require some threshold of force parallel to the surface of contact in order to overcome static cohesion. Stiction is a threshold, not a continuous force.

Toe is a measurement of how much the front and/or rear wheels are turned in or out from a straight-ahead position. When the wheels are turned in, toe is positive (+). When the wheels are turned out, toe is negative (-).

In physics, torque can be thought of as turning or twisting force. Torque is measured in units of newton metres. The concept of torque, also called moment or couple, originated with the work of Archimedes on levers. The rotational analogues of force, mass and acceleration are torque, moment of inertia and angular acceleration respectively. The force applied to a lever, multiplied by its distance from the lever's fulcrum, is the torque. For example, a force of three newtons applied two metres from the fulcrum exerts the same torque as one newton applied six metres from the fulcrum. This assumes the force is in a direction at right angles to the straight lever.

Tungsten is a very hard, dense, steel-gray to white metal used for getting a car up to the weight limit. It is denser than lead and other typically used weighting materials, so it takes up less volume in a car. Tungsten, however, is rather expensive.