New to scouts and derbies

How to have useful construction workshops.
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msfprobass
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Joined: Wed Mar 11, 2009 5:33 pm
Location: Kingsport,TN

New to scouts and derbies

Post by msfprobass »

Hello all. My name is Mike my son is a first year scout and this will be his first derby. I did scouts as a child but stopped after 5th grade. He picked out a design(truck) and we cut it out(looks pretty good). I remembered enough that we need to sand the wheels so I got them and the axles good and smooth using my drill as a lathe( I'm a maintenance mechanic so I have good mechanical apptitude and my 8 year old probably has even more). Any way I'm draggin on here......we filled in the original axle slots and are going to drill holes and glue the axles in...my question is using a truck design body, what would y'all recomend as the best distance. It looks like about where the rear axle slot used to be will be pretty close to where the back wheels go but any dimensions you can give for the best performance. Our race is this weekend so I dont have time to try all the things you guys mention, I'll just chance it on the sanded wheels and polished axles and weight placement. Which I assume should be near the rear about 1" or so in front of axle? If not some help on that wouldnt hurt either. Again I understand mechanics as I am an industrial mechanic but I'm not an engineer( but I believe I'm raising one), so maybe this isnt the best location for the weights, just let me know any ideas. Thanks
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pack529holycross
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Re: New to scouts and derbies

Post by pack529holycross »

msfprobass wrote:Hello all. My name is Mike my son is a first year scout and this will be his first derby. I did scouts as a child but stopped after 5th grade. He picked out a design(truck) and we cut it out(looks pretty good). I remembered enough that we need to sand the wheels so I got them and the axles good and smooth using my drill as a lathe( I'm a maintenance mechanic so I have good mechanical apptitude and my 8 year old probably has even more). Any way I'm draggin on here......we filled in the original axle slots and are going to drill holes and glue the axles in...my question is using a truck design body, what would y'all recomend as the best distance. It looks like about where the rear axle slot used to be will be pretty close to where the back wheels go but any dimensions you can give for the best performance. Our race is this weekend so I dont have time to try all the things you guys mention, I'll just chance it on the sanded wheels and polished axles and weight placement. Which I assume should be near the rear about 1" or so in front of axle? If not some help on that wouldnt hurt either. Again I understand mechanics as I am an industrial mechanic but I'm not an engineer( but I believe I'm raising one), so maybe this isnt the best location for the weights, just let me know any ideas. Thanks
First thing you need to do is qualify! The best way to do that is to get a copy of your official rules, so that you do not inadvertantly violate any restrictions = typically you will be restricted to a specific wheelbase that emulates the stock slots, if not being required to actually use the stock slots. Sometimes the rules will allow extended wheelbase cars, but be sure that none of your car extends past the starting pin. Again - get the rules for your race to insure compliance.

Generally on this board you will find that you should be able to balance the car at about 1 1/4" in front of the rear wheels with all weight and wheels in place. Additionally, if you have a scale, balance the rear wheels on the scale and the front wheels on an object at the same level. The goal is 1 ounce on the front wheels and 4 ounces on the rear wheels. shifting weight front or rear will help with that.

Beyond that, look at your car body as a balancing act - the more material you can remove from the wood is more weight you can concentrate into the weighted area.

I am sure that others will weigh in, but those are the most rudamentary construction instructions I can give.

Nicholas
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