General Outline of Topics

[Mr. Slick]

From a bashful reader's PM. . .

Here's a start at an outline.

How-To Guide

• History of the Pinewood Derby
  
• What scouts should learn
  
• Level of scout and adult participation
  
• Building a car
  
  • General design considerations (allowed materials, axle locations, use of slots, selecting a design, etc.)
    
  • Car body prep (weight pockets, axle locations, cutting, sanding, painting)
    
  • Weights (where, why, how much)
    
  • Wheel prep (what's allowed and not allowed, removing mold mark, hub coning)
    
  • Axle prep (what's allowed and not allowed, straightening, removing burrs, polishing)
    
  • Lubrication (what's allowed and not allowed, application, break-in)
    
  • Mounting the wheels
    
  • Testing and adjusting alignment
    
  • Buying a fully or mostly completed car
    
  • Buying aftermarket parts
  
  
• How the race is run
  
  • Car check-in
    
  • Racing
    
  • Scoring
  
  
• Appendix 1 - Rules
  
• Appendix 2 - Intent of each rule
  
• Appendix 3 - Rule Variations
  (league divisions, edge guide track, race scoring, etc.)
  
• Appendix 4 - Historical tricks ("cheater bar", liquid weights, magnets, etc.)
  
• Appendix 5 - Additional resources and information (Scout shop, derby forums, derby supplies, other websites, etc.)
  

For some of the rules, for specific measurement limits list the "typical" limit and then have an appendix of variations to the rules depending on the track configuration being used.

[gpraceman]

Looks like there needs to be a section addressing adding weight to the car, under the build chapter.

Doing a final weight adjustment can be hit upon under the "Car check-in" section.

We may want to cover what can/cannot be purchased before getting into detail on building the car.

[Mr. Slick]

I added the weight topic.

As I was informed we should also come up with a "Race Coordinator How-To-Guide" also. Something about sharing the knowledge. . . I have been told that I get a life time worth of races in each year so I should share some of what I have learned. . . .

Scary to think that running only 60 races is a normal lifetime's worth! I was told to think of it as two races a year(Pack and District) for 30 years.

Well, Chief Black Dog's District Race has registration and track set-up tonight with racing tomorrow!

[jayjayrocketman]

Race coordinator guide. wwsd = in case of emergency "what would slick do"
this would be a good idea coming from someone that has 60 races under your belt in a year. considering you have probably see and done it all

[gordon]

What ever happened to the Guide?? Our Pack races are on the 16th of Jan 2010. Too late for "The Idea" this year.