Straight axel rail rider

[FatSebastian]

Have a new drill press fence/table coming today and that just about got me murdered.

At least a drill press can be used for projects besides PWD. (The jigs not so much, but the need for a jig is mitigated if you have a drill press.)

[Vitamin K]

(The jigs not so much, but the need for a jig is mitigated if you have a drill press.)

I never had a good time trying to drill angled holes with the press. I would rather use bent axles than deal with that. The jigs are soooo much nicer.

Just my experience, though, YMMV.

[FatSebastian]

...the need for a jig is mitigated...

I never had a good time trying to drill angled holes with the press. I would rather use bent axles than deal with that. The jigs are soooo much nicer. Just my experience, though, YMMV.

That's my experience too. Today, I would buy a jig with a DFW guide option before a drill press, if the press was only going to be used for PWD purposes. A jig is (usually) cheaper, takes up less space (easier to hide from the spouse ), and more accurate for the purpose; the market for drilling jigs that rival the cost of a drill press exists for a reason. (Although, drilling jigs didn't exist when we started out...)

But I was speaking generically; the word "mitigated" means to lessen the burden, not eliminate it. With a drill press, at least there are more options and one is no longer limited to using slots, in general. But BSAdadGriffindork already has the Pinewood Pro jig that drills the cambered rear angles, just not the DFW.

[Vitamin K]

...the need for a jig is mitigated...

I never had a good time trying to drill angled holes with the press. I would rather use bent axles than deal with that. The jigs are soooo much nicer. Just my experience, though, YMMV.

That's my experience too. Today, I would buy a jig with a DFW guide option before a drill press, if the press was only going to be used for PWD purposes. A jig is (usually) cheaper, takes up less space (easier to hide from the spouse ), and more accurate for the purpose; the market for drilling jigs that rival the cost of a drill press exists for a reason. (Although, drilling jigs didn't exist when we started out...)

But I was speaking generically; the word "mitigated" means to lessen the burden, not eliminate it. With a drill press, at least there are more options and one is no longer limited to using slots, in general. But BSAdadGriffindork already has the Pinewood Pro jig that drills the cambered rear angles, just not the DFW.

Very fair points. I still get decent use out of my HF drill press. If you're using round holes for weight pockets, it's a must. (Also, if you get into pen-making ever, it's great for pressing pen parts together).

My Harbor Freight band saw, on the other hand, has earned nothing but contempt from me, but that's off topic...

[BSAdadGriffindork]

...the need for a jig is mitigated...

I never had a good time trying to drill angled holes with the press. I would rather use bent axles than deal with that. The jigs are soooo much nicer. Just my experience, though, YMMV.

That's my experience too. Today, I would buy a jig with a DFW guide option before a drill press, if the press was only going to be used for PWD purposes. A jig is (usually) cheaper, takes up less space (easier to hide from the spouse ), and more accurate for the purpose; the market for drilling jigs that rival the cost of a drill press exists for a reason. (Although, drilling jigs didn't exist when we started out...)

But I was speaking generically; the word "mitigated" means to lessen the burden, not eliminate it. With a drill press, at least there are more options and one is no longer limited to using slots, in general. But BSAdadGriffindork already has the Pinewood Pro jig that drills the cambered rear angles, just not the DFW.

I think the main way I've been impressed with the drill press and its most simple feature...is the depth stop. Used a ½" forstner bit to hollow out a wedge in a way that ends up being perfectly flat and square to the outside of the wedge. Just lay the top of the wedge flat to the table and set the depth of the press so the tip of the bit goes to but not all the way through the top of the wedge. Just drill and slide, drill and slide.

Ends up being an 1/8th inch on the sides and a little more for the top but nice and square all the way around. May need a little extra sanding on the sides since it's cutting circles into a rectangle. Hopefully I explained all that well enough. Only better way to get a perfectly flat and square hollow wedge would be with an automated CNC machine.

It's the opposite of using a router table since you have to carve "steps" into it and that leaves a lot of weight in it.

I ended up having to add all my tungsten putty to the front of the car in order to get a COM above ½" and didn't feel ready for such an aggressive car.

[FatSebastian]

Hopefully I explained all that well enough.

Yup! We also did that to make our own version of a "Stock Block".

[BSAdadGriffindork]

Hopefully I explained all that well enough.

Yup! We also did that to make our own version of a "Stock Block".

Oh wow that’s awesome. May have to give that a shot in a couple years once my son’s sense of humor matures a tad

[FatSebastian]

May have to give that a shot in a couple years once my son’s sense of humor matures...

Ha ha, yes. At our event that year, one older teen with a rather slow car (he didn't lubricate and was still assembling his car 10 minutes before race time) complained that "we ought to have a rule" prohibiting "that type of car" (just a raw block of wood with wheels into which no effort was put), because he found it discouraging that such an entry could still be so competitive. I explained the gimmick to him. He raced the next year, a little better prepared.

[exoray]

Only better way to get a perfectly flat and square hollow wedge would be with an automated CNC machine.

You can do it with a simple 'sled' jig on a router table that holds the top of the car parallel to the router table, like so...



You could also do the same by building a frame around the car that allows a hand held router from above to remain parallel to the car top that is on the bench below it...

If spare time permits I'm actually going to build a router table dedicated to hollowing out the bottom of cars for our next build day as I saw that being a big deal for many that lack the proper tools...

[BSAdadGriffindork]

Only better way to get a perfectly flat and square hollow wedge would be with an automated CNC machine.

You can do it with a simple 'sled' jig on a router table that holds the top of the car parallel to the router table, like so...



You could also do the same by building a frame around the car that allows a hand held router from above to remain parallel to the car top that is on the bench below it...

If spare time permits I'm actually going to build a router table dedicated to hollowing out the bottom of cars for our next build day as I saw that being a big deal for many that lack the proper tools...

I’ll agree that’s it’s alternative with the potential to be cleaner haha

Sled or jig for this would require ton more work but could produce a much cleaner product in the long run.

I would also never let my young son or another “cub” scout anywhere near a router. Think it might be my most deceptively dangerous tool in my shop.

I feel comfortable letting my first grader pull the lever down on a piece that I’ve clamped down tight and set the depth for. That way my only focus can be on keeping his hands out of the bit.

[exoray]

I’ll agree that’s it’s alternative with the potential to be cleaner haha

Sled or jig for this would require ton more work but could produce a much cleaner product in the long run.

I would also never let my young son or another “cub” scout anywhere near a router. Think it might be my most deceptively dangerous tool in my shop.

Agree, routers are quite dangerous... This would be something I did for the Scouts at a build party, thus why my plan is to build a single-purpose router table and jig just for this...

Another one of my gripes I have that the BSA Pinewood derby should be extended into Boy Scouts were they are actually old enough to use many of the power tools, or at least get instruction on those tools even if not fully hands on...

[FatSebastian]

the BSA Pinewood derby should be extended into Boy Scouts...

Like a PWD Merit Badge? Or PWD participation having application to one or more existing Merit Badges?

IIRC, Scouting units plan their own activities, both Pack or Troop. I don't know of anything that prevents Troops from organizing a derby, and I am sure some Packs don't have a derby. Maybe a District-level or Council-level race event somewhere can invite Troop race participation, and that might start the ball rolling at a higher level...

I agree that there is something to be gotten out of it for older kids too, if they wanted it. But I also wonder if we "Pineheads", having a higher-than-average interest in this stuff ourselves, project that interest onto the masses. Only a few racers will place; these are the enthusiasts. As an assisting race organizer, I can tell you that many people regard derby participation as significant effort without reward. Some resist until their arms are twisted hard enough, and then they are surprised that they enjoyed it as much as they did! So perhaps BSA as an organization can figure out a way to incentivize (twist some arms).

[exoray]

IIRC, Scouting units plan their own activities, both Pack or Troop. I don't know of anything that prevents Troops from organizing a derby, and I am sure some Packs don't have a derby. Maybe a District-level or Council-level race event somewhere can invite Troop race participation, and that might start the ball rolling at a higher level...

I agree that there is something to be gotten out of it for older kids too, if they wanted it. But I also wonder if we "Pineheads", having a higher-than-average interest in this stuff ourselves, project that interest onto the masses. Only a few racers will place; these are the enthusiasts. As an assisting race organizer, I can tell you that many people regard derby participation as significant effort without reward. Some resist until their arms are twisted hard enough, and then they are surprised that they enjoyed it as much as they did! So perhaps BSA as an organization can figure out a way to incentivize (twist some arms).

Yeah, nothing prevents the Boy Scouts from participating, but 'traditionally' (at least around me) it's a Cub Scout event and the Packs have the investment in the track...

I'm working/pushing to extend it into our sister Troop (and possibly other local Packs) because as you said a lot of work goes into it, I would like to spread that work over a bigger participation group...

FYI I am the race coordinator for our local Girl Scout service unit level race (open to all Girl Scout troops in the towns the service unit covers) and I stepped up to be part of the local Cub Scout race organizing team as well... I also have one other parent that I work with for both races as they have children in both Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts so we work pretty closely organizing both races...

My biggest thing is that Cub Scouts simply are not old enough to do much until they age out into Boy Scouts... I would like to see it progress from the obvious parents helping and doing most of the work early on in Cub Scouts to the Boy Scouts doing most if not all of the work later on, a full circle program... We will see where it goes, I have expressed my desire to bring the sister Troop into the fold so the wheels are in motion... But it would be great is BSA as a whole tried to tie the Packs and Troops together in a co-level event like the derbies...