How many is too many?

General discussions for car and semi-truck racers.
Topspin.D
Master Pine Head
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Re: How many is too many?

Post by Topspin.D »

One week to go. I think I will have 4 really good cars and 4 decent cars (intentionally mediocre). Im a little behind because I've been helping my den. The goal is for all 12 bears to make the final round. Lots of drilling and cutting have been going on in my workshop this year. I helped 11 of the kids and supervised wheel and axels prep for the den to ensure everyone did it right. Now to deal with training the inspectors and ordering the food.....
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Noskills
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Re: How many is too many?

Post by Noskills »

Topspin,

Good for you for stepping up and taking a leadership role in the pack for the PWD. I met your leaders at summer camp and I think they can be a little touchy. :D Its also great that your bears are so invested as to show up at your shop. I think my bears would not show up if I invited them all.

Keep us posted and post some final photos!

Noskills
"Nunchuk skills... bowhunting skills... pinewood derby skills... Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills!"
Napoleon Dynamite
Topspin.D
Master Pine Head
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Posts: 183
Joined: Wed Jun 13, 2012 12:10 am
Location: Kirkland, Washington

Re: How many is too many?

Post by Topspin.D »

Only 2 days left until the race. I'm trying not to neglect my own kids, but I'm getting pulled in many different directions. Unfortunately, the boys have not shown much interest in working on thier cars during the windows of time that I've had the last 2 weeks. They only want my attention when others come by for help... which doesn't really work.

Our cars need to be assembled and aligned tonight (after my Tiger's den meeting). I'm pretty sure that tonight and tomorrow we'll have people stopping by for last minute help (as we did all weekend).

I think the volunteers are all lined-up to help with food, registration, inspections, and side activities.

We even made PWD car neckerchief slides for all the kids in the pack this weekend.

Hopefully it will all come together. I'm trying to raise the bar on the event for our pack.
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Noskills
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Re: How many is too many?

Post by Noskills »

Dave,
Good for you for stepping up for the pack. We need more parent volunteers in my pack!
I am sure it will be great. Raising the bar is whats its all about!
Seth
"Nunchuk skills... bowhunting skills... pinewood derby skills... Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills!"
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Topspin.D
Master Pine Head
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Location: Kirkland, Washington

Re: How many is too many?

Post by Topspin.D »

Image
Image
Well turns out the answer to this question... for me was 6 cars. We started with 10, but only got 6p totally done.

4 out of 6 ran sub 3.0 and the last 2 ran under 3.05
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Noskills
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Re: How many is too many?

Post by Noskills »

Nice line-up Topspin,

So the the top rail cars, the gold Sporty Spoon and the blue fender car were under 3? Did you have any trouble with the clear packing tape (looks like packing tape) for the rail cars? Did you cover top and bottom? Tell us about your experience and musing on fenders (first time right?)

I have always wanted to try a canopy, looks like a 2.5 oz on the red car and a 3 oz on the black? Did you augment with cubes on the bottom? Also what kind of COM did you have on those rail cars? I have heard people say that you need to turn the canopy 90 degrees and put it very far back to have an aggressive COM (yet that would put the "stem" of the canopy right in the path of the rear axels). I see your canopies are rooted in front of the read axels.

Congrats on the smoking fast cars!!

Noskills
(thanks for the pics!)
"Nunchuk skills... bowhunting skills... pinewood derby skills... Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills!"
Napoleon Dynamite
Topspin.D
Master Pine Head
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Location: Kirkland, Washington

Re: How many is too many?

Post by Topspin.D »

Yes, those are the 4 that all ran below 3.0.

Orange rail car with black wheels - 1/2" COM
Gold Spoon - 5/8" COM
Black rail car - 3/4" COM
Blue fender car - 5/8" COM

Yes the tungsten canopy cars have additional cubes set in at the rear. I used clear packing tape on the top and bottom to close up the air space.
Topspin.D
Master Pine Head
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Re: How many is too many?

Post by Topspin.D »

Noskills wrote:I have heard people say that you need to turn the canopy 90 degrees and put it very far back to have an aggressive COM (yet that would put the "stem" of the canopy right in the path of the rear axels). I see your canopies are rooted in front of the rear axels.
Image

In this photo, from before shaping, you can see where the additional weight pocket was created.
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Noskills
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Re: How many is too many?

Post by Noskills »

TopspinD,

I am finally going to use my canopy. From doing some initial testing I am going to put the canopy as far back as I can. I will then cut out a 1/4 weight pocket behind it as it will only take 3 more cubes after the canopy. Going to have to cut the tips off the nails though to make this work. Still in the planning mode.

Noskills
"Nunchuk skills... bowhunting skills... pinewood derby skills... Girls only want boyfriends who have great skills!"
Napoleon Dynamite
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