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First and foremost go and check your rules to see what lubricants are allowed or disallowed in your race. Many rules will usually allow one lubricant to be used, but not the other. The last thing you want to have happen is to be disqualified for using a lubricant that was not permissable by the rules.
This question is a very big debate in the Pinewood Derby forums. Most seasoned Pinewood Derby racers will probably go with a light oil such as NyOil or Krytox 100 (by DuPont). I've even seen instances where 3in1 oil or WD-40 have been used successfully.
However, on the graphite side, a lot of changes have taken place in the last couple of years. The old Tube-O-Lube and Hob-E-Lube brands aren't the graphites of choice any more. Serious racers now use a much finer and purer graphite that has longer lasting capabilities. Some are even pretreating there axles (NOT the wheels as they can melt the plastic in their wet form) with more advance formulated spray lubricants, such as SailKote from Team McLube. These new spray lubricants contain different forms of Krytox (such as Krytox 102). They are still considered dry lubricants, but when used in conjunction with purer graphite, they are equaling and even besting the speeds of the oil compounds.
Then their are some who have found breakthroughs of certian oils and graphites mixed together that are astounding the Pinewood Derby communities. To learn more on this, go to Google and search on the words "Pinewood Derby Physics Lectures". The first link up will take you to Doc Jobes Pinewood Derby Physics Lecture pages. Check out Lecture 13, the results are highly interesting.
A few years ago, your question would have been an easy one to answer, as the newer lighter oils available were far superior. Today, that's just not the case anymore. My recommendation is to follow your rules and if you are allowed to use any lubricant go with what you know works for you. You'll be much happier with your results that way.
Personally, I lean towards the graphite camp, but when it comes to lubricants I always keep an open mind.
What else can I help you with?
Does Hobby Lobby have pinewood derby cars?
They do.
Can you spray paint pinewood derby cars?
Absolutely.
How big is average pinewood derby stop stick?
If you are referring to the stop section on a Pinewood Derby track, the average length is about 4 feet; however, if you are good at making fast Pinewood Derby cars, it will take nearly double this length to safely stop your car. Because of this most Pinewood Derby races place a pillow or a jacket at the end of the stop section to abruptly stop those cars that over shoot the stop sections.
Where is a pinewood derby cars?
Pinewood Derby cars are popular for young boy scouts or anyone who is interested in soap box car racing. You can purchase them quite cheap online and they are sure to be a fun way to spend a day or few.
What is the difference between a pinewood derby car and a co2 dragster?
There are several differences. CO2 Dragsters (sometimes known as "Blast Cars") are longer and have thinner lighter wheels than Pinewood Derby cars. Also Pinewood Derby cars race using gravity as their only power, while C02 Dragsters use CO2 cartridges to power the car. The standard track size for a Pinewood Derby race is about 32 feet, while the track size area for a C02 Dragster is usually 80 feet or more. C02 Dragsters run on a filament string to guide them down the track, while most Pinewood Derby cars run on a center guide rail. C02 Dragsters usually can only run two cars at the same time due to the starting gates only being designed to accept two cars. Pinewood Derby cars on the average run on a four lane track (I've seen tracks as high as 12 lanes). There are very few C02 Dragster tracks that utilize an electronic finish line, while the majority of Pinewood Derby tracks use an electronic finish line. These are most of the differences between the two cars.
Does Micheal's have pinewood derby cars?
They usually carry "PineCar" and/or "Revell" brands. They do not carry the official BSA kit.
How tall is a pinewood derby car?
7 inches 7 inches is the length of the car, not the height (aka tall). Pinewood Derby cars are generally less than 3 inches in height; however, the actual height varies based on the electronic judge sensors that attached to the finish line of the track. The cars run under these sensors, so it is the height of the sensors from the track that determines how tall a Pinewood Derby car can be. I've seen some that can accommodate cars that are 6 to 7 inches in height.
Why isn't there an 8 in your pinewood derby kit?
This is because the staging area on the track between the starting pin and the back end of the track is only suitable for a car that is 7 inches long. If you build your own track, you can extend this area so that your group can race longer cars (such as Pinewood Derby Big Rigs).
Which organization encourages boys to build their own pinewood derby car?
Building a pinewood derby car together can be a fun parent-child activity. Sites like the Boy Scouts of America offer a variety of templates and Scout Movement (WOSM) or other Scouting and Guiding Organizations. To help better answer your question, there are no organizations that encourage boys to "build their own" Pinewood Derby Car. The entire purpose of the Pinewood Derby activity is to help foster a relationship between a child and an adult. It's all about working to create something together that the adult/child "team" can be proud of. Although the racing of the cars is fun, it is actually irrelevant to the actual purpose. Pinewood Derby helps teach kids about what life is actually like. Not everyone can be a winner, but it doesn't mean you give up and you continue each year to strive for success. This is probably one of the hardest morals to teach in the Cub Scout environment. So, the question becomes, "how do we make Pinewood Derby a more pleasant experience for all involved?" The answer is to help level the playing field without restricting the adult/child team from "doing their best". Good rules (not the ones out of the box) are essential so that everyone understands what needs to be accomplished. Ample time to complete the project must be given and knowledge of making fast Pinewood Derby cars must be presented. A workshop should be devised so that everyone has equal access to proper wood working equipment. These actions are the responsibility of the organization. Any organization that hosts a Pinewood Derby without these actions are letting their members down. It is not enough now-a-days to just hand out kits and say "see you all on race day". More has to be done by the organization to see to it that everything is done within a fair environment. If everything is done right, losing a Pinewood Derby will only be by fractions of an inch, which is much easier for kids and adults to except, instead of being beaten by several feet. For more on this, check put some local Pinewood Derby forums.
Who started Pinewood Derby?
Cubmaster Don Murphy organized the first pinewood derby, held on May 15, 1953 in Manhattan Beach, California by Pack 280c.[2] Murphy's son was too young to participate in the popular Soap Box Derby races, so he came up with the idea of racing miniature wood cars. The cars had the same gravity-powered concept as the full-size Soap Box Derby cars, but were much smaller and easier to build. After Don Murphy's first race in 1953 the Los Angeles County Department of Recreation copied the pinewood derby with Murphy's permission.[3] Don Murphy died July 1 2008, at age 90 of pneumonia.[4] In the 1980s, the design of the block was changed from a cutout block, consistent with a 1940's style front-engined Indy 500 car, to a solid block. The tires were also changed from narrow, hard plastic, to wider "slicks". * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinewood_derby
Why is the Pinewood derby rigged?
What makes you think that it is rigged? If you have the same people win your Pinewood Derby over and over, it is most likely because they are putting more efforts into their cars. When this begins to happen at a Pack, the Pack needs to offer workshops that can raise the bar, so that all racers can compete fairly at the elevated level. If the Pack doesn't do anything, people will lose interest in competing in the derby and before you know it, only the winners will be the ones showing up to race. This scenario has killed many good Pinewood Derbies in scouting. It is not enough now-a-days for a Pack to hand out kits and say "see you all on race day!" Packs must offer a competitive program that allow racers to build competitive cars. It is the Pack that is letting down it's members when failing to create a fair enviroment.
How do you make a car made out of wood?
One of the easiest wooden cars to make is the pinewood derby car. Take a small block of pinewood (7" long x 4" wide x 1" high) and shape it to design. Place notches on the bottom for the wheel axles between 1/4" to 1/2" from either end. Place the axles, and be certain they do not protrude from the bottom of the car- Do not attach yet. Sand down the car body, and paint. Attach axles to the bottom of the car. Attach wheels to the axles. You've just made a car out of wood. Please bear in mind that there may be stipulations when attempting to create one of these vehicles for an official showing, such as a Pinewood Derby.
