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| jammin0:
So I have mixed feelings about the pinewood derby. I had a awesome dad growing up but he was usually pretty busy and there were six of us kids. When the pinewood derby rolled around for the 3 years that I was in cub scouts, he was very willing to let me use his tools but I don't remember him participating much in the way of helping me out. I would always feel fairly proud of my car until I showed up and saw all the other cars that the boys' dads had helped quite a bit more. I usually got last place and my designs/paint jobs while unique were sub par compared to the competition. Fast forward 25 years later and my son is now 8 years old and having his first pinewood derby. A little bit of disappointment never hurt anyone but I felt like I should at least help level the playing field some. I am pretty sure that he won't win for the fastest car but I thought he should have something that at least looked cool. While I did a lot of "helping" he learned how the circuit worked, learned how to solder, and even did a lot of work with the graphics. Here's what we came up with: What do you think? |
| BadMouth:
I'm sure it got lots of attention, which he probably liked. My dad obsessed over my pinewood derby car and wouldn't let me work on it. It came in 2nd to someone else's father's car. IIRC their father had polished the axles and used some better type of powdered graphite. This is before you could do a google search on how to make the fastest pine derby car. |
| pbj:
I saw a kid with a single mom win it once. She went to the hobby store, bought some kit and a hand saw and made the kid do everything while she observed. I got second place one year. I think my dad let me paint it and nail the wheels on. :lol |
| jammin0:
--- Quote from: BadMouth on April 17, 2015, 04:24:11 pm ---I'm sure it got lots of attention, which he probably liked. My dad obsessed over my pinewood derby car and wouldn't let me work on it. It came in 2nd to someone else's father's car. IIRC their father had polished the axles and used some better type of powdered graphite. This is before you could do a google search on how to make the fastest pine derby car. --- End quote --- I know right, if you're willing to fork out the money you can even buy custom "axles" (I still like to call them nails) that have graphite baked into them and they are precision machined. |
| j.fitzenr:
I remember all the precision machined 'aftermarket' stuff, and then rumors of actual 'cheater' stuff that you could get mail-order to SMOKE THE COMPETITION. Parents + youth competition is weird. I loved it as a kid; I did okay one or two years, but basically my dad would basically make me do the work, then clean it up; I'd do the design and major cuts, he'd tighten them up, I'd sand, he'd sand better, I'd paint, etc. I loved that damn derby, even though I think my best finish was like, 6th. Anyway, that Tron car is really friggin cool. I loved the experience of working with my dad on that stuff and learning about all the tools, work, etc., and I'm sure your son had a blast... and wtg for teaching him how to solder! |
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