Workshop Weekend

General discussions for car and semi-truck racers.
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TDean
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Workshop Weekend

Post by TDean »

This is my first season in five years without a Cub Scout (he's a big Scout now), and so no more overseeing the building a PWD. But I was able to stay an active Pinehead by offering to help with a weekend workshop. The Pack took me up on it, but little did I know that meant I would be running the whole show! The workshops were set up for both Saturday and Sunday -- but only for two hours each day (I think they arranged that for my benefit -- though 2 hours just isn't enough).

This is the first year our Pack has EVER (at least as far as anyone can remember) held a PWD workshop. I held one for my own den a couple years (11 boys in that den!) but they were already Webelos by that time, so they had been fairly well educated in the ways of PWD. This time I was dealing with newbies. I remember what it was like the first time I held that intimidating block in my hand -- and the pitiful results my son and I came up with -- yikes!

Now, I hardly knew where to start! I started with Darin's suggestion of promoting Design as Step 1 and provided blank templates. I touched on the importance of weight placement, wheel alignment, polishing axles, and reviewing the rules as to what could and could not be done. After going on for a while, a little tike raised his hand. His question? "When can we start?" :oops: Next year I'll work to make it more kid-friendly!

Nuff said -- I let them get to work and spent the rest of the time bouncing around from station to station: drill press, mounted drill for axles, band and scroll saws, sanders, dremels (not used much at this stage) -- and answering as many questions as I could. I had made up diagrams showing fundementals of car design, weight placement/CM; axle cleanup and wheel cutaways (similar to those in Stan's excellent PowerPoint presentation). I also made a chart showing the various types of weights available (hobby-store zinc weights, lead in a variety of forms, and tungsten). But though I mentioned it, I never got to address HOW to align the wheels (something I am always learning more about anyway...).

I also dragged out my collection of 17 crazy cars for inspiration -- just to give them an idea of what could be done outside a wedge (hopefully not to intimidate them further...).

I had a lot of fun -- wished it could've lasted all day -- but had to repress a wince when I'd see a youngster carrying his newly cut out car -- with the wrong slot in front! Or designed with the wood cut out BEHIND the rear axle (leaving no place for weights). One boy had a very slim streamlined design -- but it could not have been more than 5 inches long.

All in all, it was a great experience for me -- and I think most participants went away with a slightly better grasp of what PWD racing is all about, and hopefully straighter axle slots and cleaner axles. But since there were about 15-20 parent/child teams each day -- I was hard-pressed to see how everyone was doing. At least I have some things to think about before next year's workshops (two hours doesn't cut it...).
Sorry for the interminable post. :roll:
TDean
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Darin McGrew
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Re: Workshop Weekend

Post by Darin McGrew »

TDean wrote:I also dragged out my collection of 17 crazy cars for inspiration -- just to give them an idea of what could be done outside a wedge (hopefully not to intimidate them further...).
Wow! Seventeen huh? I'm building my 17th car this year. :-)

I've started being more careful with how I show off my cars, though. Many of the designs are so over the top, and so far beyond what a kid can do (even with adult help), that I hesitate to show them at the derby kick-off meeting where we explain the process and hand out kits. I've started bringing only a few cars, and emphasizing the ones that are more similar to what a kid could achieve.
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TDean
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Re: Workshop Weekend

Post by TDean »

Darin wrote:
Wow! Seventeen huh? I'm building my 17th car this year.

I've started being more careful with how I show off my cars, though. Many of the designs are so over the top, and so far beyond what a kid can do (even with adult help), that I hesitate to show them at the derby kick-off meeting where we explain the process and hand out kits. I've started bringing only a few cars, and emphasizing the ones that are more similar to what a kid could achieve.
Actually I brought 18 of my own -- plus two more that were still "under construction" so they could see the process at work, and one old vintage one I got off of ebay just for kicks. I still have an additional 4 or 5 in various stages of completion... but I haven't gotten back to building them for quite a while... (yes, I'm a pinenut)

As for putting them on display -- I understand what you are saying -- but I tried to make it a point to say these were NOT built by Cubs -- and could easily take 40, 50 even 100 hours to create (though a competent woodworker could probably replicate them in a day...). I never heard any child say -- I wanna build one like THAT -- they accepted the cars for their entertainment and inspirational value.

I had been asked to bring some along to our Blue & Gold banquet where the Best of Show cars from each den were displayed -- but declined, as this was the BOYS time to shine.
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Darin McGrew
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Re: Workshop Weekend

Post by Darin McGrew »

TDean wrote:Actually I brought 18 of my own -- plus two more that were still "under construction" so they could see the process at work, and one old vintage one I got off of ebay just for kicks.
For the derby kick-off meeting where we explain the process and hand out kits, I have a set of oversized blocks in various stages of construction. As I explain each step, I hold up the corresponding block so everyone can see it.
TDean wrote:I had been asked to bring some along to our Blue & Gold banquet where the Best of Show cars from each den were displayed -- but declined, as this was the BOYS time to shine.
Yeah, I've been asked to bring my old cars to the derby, "so everyone can see them." But I figure that one of my cars (the one in that night's All Comers race) is plenty.
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