Search found 178 matches

by MathGuy
Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:45 pm
Forum: Scheduling Methods
Topic: Looking for a kinder, gentler, fairer scheduling format
Replies: 9
Views: 21624

Re: Looking for a kinder, gentler, fairer scheduling format

We have been out of scouting for a while, but was curious about this topic, so I decided to stop in. Hope other current and future DerbyMasters take note: This year we had many reports of younger kids crying during or after the race in the parking lot because of poor performing cars. (Recall that th...
by MathGuy
Wed Jan 19, 2005 2:26 pm
Forum: General Topics
Topic: Derby Talk Traffic
Replies: 7
Views: 11456

Re: Derby Talk Traffic

As someone that posted last year quite often, I am not posting as much for two reasons. 1. I did learn allot during last season. but... 2. I was to be the derby chairman this year for our cub scout pack, but our pack event coordinator (Without consulting the derby chairmen (me).) moved the derby fro...
by MathGuy
Tue Jan 04, 2005 2:05 pm
Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
Topic: Aerodynamic Drag
Replies: 29
Views: 28902

Re: Aerodynamic Drag

The worst source of aerodynamic drag about a typical low profile pinewood derby car is not the car shape, but rather those darn wheels. I believe I read that a rolling wheel has Cd of .58. I don't know good way of getting rid of that. The top 5 keys to have the fast cars seem to be: 1. Have the axle...
by MathGuy
Mon Nov 15, 2004 11:01 pm
Forum: Scheduling Methods
Topic: Best Race Method for 40 kids and 2 hrs. to Run Race
Replies: 21
Views: 33082

Re: Best Race Method for 40 kids and 2 hrs. to Run Race

50 racers? Two Lanes? Two Hours? Figure Conservatively 1 minute per race. Stan says he and there crew can run 40 seconds? but I wouldn't plan on that. So maybe 100 races? 100 minutes. For any elimination method, you have to figure each race will have a loser, thus the number of races would be equal ...
by MathGuy
Wed Nov 10, 2004 1:57 pm
Forum: Scheduling Methods
Topic: Which race scheduling method do you use?
Replies: 28
Views: 104722

Re: Which race scheduling method do you use?

The Tier Method that I had did last year was shooting at the same goal to have the boy's start to go against the same speed opponents. Thus different boys start to win races, and get very competitive. As I would see it, if you had 21 boys, and 3 lanes, and each boy races in each lane either once or ...
by MathGuy
Tue Jun 01, 2004 8:26 pm
Forum: Car & Semi-Truck Construction
Topic: Race Day Prep
Replies: 4
Views: 6813

Re: Race Day Prep

If you are using graphite, you might be in good shape doing that for a while, but that is probably not going to be optimal. Car Alignment doesn't happen by accident, you need to work on it. The only way to do it is by working with the wheels and axles. The car needs to roll straight, period, or you ...
by MathGuy
Tue Jun 01, 2004 7:56 pm
Forum: Planning, Preps & Running the Race
Topic: Help on setting up pwd race & workshop
Replies: 2
Views: 6962

Re: Help on setting up pwd race & workshop

Point on Advice is to recruit, recruit, recruit folks with tools and such. I personally believe that the parents"winners" of last years races aren't a bad starting spot to ask for help. There are always the folks that help with everything, they will be there regardless, but with scouts, it...
by MathGuy
Sun Apr 25, 2004 3:11 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Alternative tracks to "spice up" the District PW D
Replies: 17
Views: 22629

Re: Alternative tracks to "spice up" the District

I really like the idea of the Death Derby. :lol:

And truely think that most of the boys would have allot of fun with it too. Good use for last year cars.
by MathGuy
Wed Apr 21, 2004 8:50 am
Forum: General Car/Truck Racer Topics
Topic: new member - need rules ideas
Replies: 9
Views: 12513

Re: new member - need rules ideas

My philosophy has always been (in my long two year GP / PWD career) to use the event as a teaching tool which my kids. We home school and I love to sit down with my two oldest (7 & 9) and talk thru what different design ideas have going for them. They learn so much science and math from the ?ex...
by MathGuy
Tue Apr 20, 2004 10:02 am
Forum: Scheduling Methods
Topic: 1500 scout council pinewood derby
Replies: 8
Views: 15885

Re: 1500 scout council pinewood derby

If I was starting from scratch, well..... We can discuss that too. That would be an interesting discussion also. Our council is made up of 5 districts, and 150 packs. I am not sure of the break down, but it might be 50 packs in our pack, and an average of 25 packs in the other districts. (I don't kn...
by MathGuy
Tue Apr 20, 2004 9:58 am
Forum: Scheduling Methods
Topic: 1500 scout council pinewood derby
Replies: 8
Views: 15885

Re: 1500 scout council pinewood derby

1st,2nd and 3rd place trophies and runner up ribbons for each sessions runner up. Was mistated. There is a council 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place trophy currently. The runner up of each session get's a ribbon. I understand your thoughts about the evils of Single Elimination, but I have a hard time thinkin...
by MathGuy
Mon Apr 19, 2004 10:32 am
Forum: Scheduling Methods
Topic: 1500 scout council pinewood derby
Replies: 8
Views: 15885

Re: 1500 scout council pinewood derby

I will state the current method a different way, each session at each station currently has brackets that can handle 54 boys, there are 3 sessions with the winners of each session race in the council finals. 1st,2nd and 3rd place trophies and runner up ribbons for each sessions runner up. Current Ra...
by MathGuy
Sun Apr 18, 2004 2:00 pm
Forum: General Car/Truck Racer Topics
Topic: District Race
Replies: 7
Views: 9446

Re: District Race

Last year my friend had a super highend professional quality (30k worth borrowed from work) digital cameral. He took an MPEG video clip of some of my sons races, they were higher quality than the WIRL races, but it would have been great to get some of them because my memory or powers of personal obs...
by MathGuy
Sun Apr 18, 2004 1:45 pm
Forum: Scheduling Methods
Topic: 1500 scout council pinewood derby
Replies: 8
Views: 15885

Re: 1500 scout council pinewood derby

I had strong appreciation for the large organization effort that was involved. Each participant was given a specific time to race, and if you won, you would have to wait around at most 40 minutes until the next race. The bracket system and single elimination was primative, but given the number of vo...
by MathGuy
Sun Apr 18, 2004 1:04 pm
Forum: General Car/Truck Racer Topics
Topic: District Race
Replies: 7
Views: 9446

Re: District Race

The wheels you mentioned are probably older BSA wheels or the Pinecar "clones" Either way, our rules states that the wheels need to be from the official BSA kit (#17006) or the replacement wheel kit. (#17007). So unless the wheels are from older kids are have the same stock number, I thin...