One last time & the boys throw me a curve ball (More PICS.)

Secrets, tips, tools, design considerations, materials, the "science" behind it all, and other topics related to building the cars and semi-trucks.
User avatar
Scrollsawer
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 381
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 4:24 pm
Location: DFW Metroplex, TX

Re: One last time...and the boys throw me a curve ball

Post by Scrollsawer »

Thanks guys! Will post more pics. This weekend of the builds. This is the last weekend before next week's race, so it's crunch time! 7 days and counting...

Scrollsawer
"Laugh a while you can Monkey Boy."
User avatar
Scrollsawer
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 381
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 4:24 pm
Location: DFW Metroplex, TX

One last time, and the boys throw me a curve ball (PICS. ADD

Post by Scrollsawer »

We got some body work done today on three more cars. Thought I'd share before heading out for dinner. Daughter switched from Prada to Coco Chanel. Fashion's fashion, I suppose. :idk:

The ladder frame is the carriage for the 'Baconator' (pig car). The Sporty Spoon is a bit of a Skunk-Works 'dad racer' (more to come on this, with a 40 year old back story too).

Image

Image

Image

Image

Note the underside of the Sporty Spoon car. Good way to get more weight off using a router.

Made more progress on the pig super structure, but had a catastrophic malfunction with the fabricated pig head (apparently craft foam and valspar primer don't mix).

More to come tomorrow.

Scrollsawer
"Laugh a while you can Monkey Boy."
Topspin.D
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 183
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 12:10 am
Location: Kirkland, Washington

Re: One last time & the boys throw me a curve ball (PICS. AD

Post by Topspin.D »

On our spoon cars we've considered removing more weight on the underside, but never had a need to do so. If you've taken enough weight off during shaping you should be able to get 24 cubes in without doing that.

Nice scrollwork.... I guess you have that screen name for a good reason :D
User avatar
whodathunkit
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 2476
Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2009 5:56 pm
Location: Forgan, OK

Re: One last time & the boys throw me a curve ball (PICS. AD

Post by whodathunkit »

Nice work Team Scrollsawer!
What type of automobile can be spelled the same forwards & backwards?
User avatar
Vitamin K
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1245
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2013 7:26 pm
Location: Spotsylvania, VA

Re: One last time & the boys throw me a curve ball (PICS. AD

Post by Vitamin K »

Awww yeah, these pics are worth the wait! Can't wait to see more. :eager:
User avatar
Noskills
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 787
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:37 pm
Location: Bellevue, WA

Re: One last time & the boys throw me a curve ball (PICS. AD

Post by Noskills »

Very smooth looking cars. Is that another Green Lantern theme on the last?
Noskills
"Nunchuk skills... bowhunting skills... pinewood derby skills... Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills!"
Napoleon Dynamite
User avatar
Vitamin K
Pine Head Legend
Pine Head Legend
Posts: 1245
Joined: Sat Apr 20, 2013 7:26 pm
Location: Spotsylvania, VA

Re: One last time & the boys throw me a curve ball (PICS. AD

Post by Vitamin K »

Leave it to a guy to look upon a fashion emblem and see comic books... ;)

Image
Noskills wrote:Very smooth looking cars. Is that another Green Lantern theme on the last?
Noskills
User avatar
Scrollsawer
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 381
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 4:24 pm
Location: DFW Metroplex, TX

Re: One last time & the boys throw me a curve ball (More PIC

Post by Scrollsawer »

More progress on the builds this weekend. Looks like we'll be coming down to the wire this year, like always, but we are coming along.

Here's a pic. of three of the cars that progressed today. The Chanel car needs more Tungsten weight and I ran out, so unless I decide to break a car open, I'm going to need to head over to the local hobby store or the National Scouting Museum store near where I work tomorrow to get more weight for her car.

The following pics. show the 'Pig Car'; the Skunkworks car (this is the only pic you get of this car though. Hey, it's Top Secret, so whaddya expect!?!); and the Design Award entry for 'Most Cub Scout Spirit.
Image

This is the Pig Car. I really want to name it 'When Pigs Fly', but my son is sold on 'The Baconator'. 'Greased Lightning' and 'The Pork Chop Express' received Honorable Mention in the naming contest.
Image

Note the pine carriage and the hollow balsa superstructure. Everything's been routed out to conserve weight. The pine frame is a ladder car, weighing about 13 grams for the frame. The great news here is that my boy changed his mind, and now wants the car to go fast and be competitive. Thus my desire to get the car's weight as low as possible. We primer our balsa, and it works fine for us.
Image

This is my other boy's Design Award contender for 'Most Cub Scout Spirit'. As you can see from the pic., there is no intention of this car going fast. This car will go down the track, but it will have painted wheel/body surfaces, zero added weight, and no axle prep.
Image

See...painted wheel/body contact areas. 'All show, no go. The car will have yellow and blue wheels set diagonally from each other. Which should make for a nice effect.
Image

Cub car, rear view.
Image

Car Impoundment is this coming Friday. We gotta get hustling!

Scrollsawer
"Laugh a while you can Monkey Boy."
User avatar
Noskills
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 787
Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:37 pm
Location: Bellevue, WA

Re: One last time & the boys throw me a curve ball (More PIC

Post by Noskills »

Looking good. Sounds like that pig is going to fly. Love the metallic blue on the scout theme car. Those scout shop stickers or custom decals?
Noskills
"Nunchuk skills... bowhunting skills... pinewood derby skills... Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills!"
Napoleon Dynamite
User avatar
Scrollsawer
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 381
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 4:24 pm
Location: DFW Metroplex, TX

Re: One last time & the boys throw me a curve ball (More PIC

Post by Scrollsawer »

Noskills wrote:Looking good. Sounds like that pig is going to fly. Love the metallic blue on the scout theme car. Those scout shop stickers or custom decals?
Noskills
Scout Shop stickers. I'm fortunate in that I work near the Boy Scout World Headquarters, so they have several things to assist with Derby car decorations, including stickers and what-not. Got these from their main Scout Shop at HQ. Some pics. below of the National Scout Museum.

Image

Image

Scrollsawer
"Laugh a while you can Monkey Boy."
User avatar
pwrd by tungsten
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 723
Joined: Wed May 24, 2006 1:51 am
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: One last time & the boys throw me a curve ball (More PIC

Post by pwrd by tungsten »

WoW!!!! Beautiful builds!!!
W Racing!!!!
User avatar
davet
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 539
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2013 1:33 am
Location: MN

Re: One last time & the boys throw me a curve ball (More PIC

Post by davet »

That ladder car looks as if it were laser cut. Just varnish it and show it off. Don't cover it up.
User avatar
Scrollsawer
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 381
Joined: Sun Dec 30, 2012 4:24 pm
Location: DFW Metroplex, TX

Re: One last time & the boys throw me a curve ball (More PIC

Post by Scrollsawer »

Quick couple of pics. on our progress. 48 hours and counting until 'weigh-in'; We gotta get these cars across the finish line! Pig car (body) will be completed tonight. Cub Scout Spirit car is almost done. Daughter's car is really lagging, but got the first coat of paint on. Hope to spray a stencil design and apply jewels to it tomorrow. No clear coat will go on it because of the flat black paint stencil overlay yet to be applied. Don't panic on the weight on her car...it's racing in the 'Unlimited' (7oz.) division. I'm rather proud of the individual weight pockets for the cylinders and single cube.

Dad's car theme is now revealed. The 'Black in Black' car is almost done (just waiting for the clear coat to dry). This car is an ode to my childhood. In 1976 I was a Wolf Cub Scout. My father had a badly debilitating stroke when I was three years old. I was handed a Pinewood Derby box that year. 'Did My Best' on that car all by myself, as my dad was bed-ridden, and he couldn't speak due to the stroke's Ephasia after-effect. Needless to say, I poured my soul into that little car. On race day, my car was easily the slowest, saddest car in the race. I watched as other Scouts cheered their much better-made cars, along with their dads right there beside them. To say that this particular Pinewood Derby had an effect on me was an understatement. I don't think I ever participated in another Derby after that day. Dad eventually died when I was 13.

I have since gotten to experience the joys of the Pinewood Derby as a father alongside my sons, cheering them on. And we have won the Derby twice, and been 1st in Rank 4 years. The 'Back-in-Black' car is my gift to that 9 year old boy back in 1976. The underside of the car will display an old picture of me in my Wolf Cub Uniform from that year, and it will have the date '1976' on it. The car will race in the adult 'Open' division, and I can assure you, this car can achieve warp speed. The song fits the occasion.

Image

Image

Image

Image

I tabled the 'Racer-X' theme for now. Maybe do that for an upcoming Mid-America.

Axle and wheel prep tomorrow. Tuning Friday morning. Weigh-In Friday night.

Why do we always seem to go down to the wire?!

Scrollsawer
"Laugh a while you can Monkey Boy."
User avatar
pwrd by tungsten
Master Pine Head
Master Pine Head
Posts: 723
Joined: Wed May 24, 2006 1:51 am
Location: Seattle, WA

Re: One last time & the boys throw me a curve ball (More PIC

Post by pwrd by tungsten »

Beautiful cars and a wonderful story.

Best Wishes to you and yours!
W Racing!!!!
Post Reply