Helping the local Cub Scouts

[stevers]

On Tuesday night the local Cub Scout troop, run by a Friend of mine, visited my shop so they could work on their "Pine Box Derby" cars. First I gave them a tour and explained how all the tools in the shop work. We first talked about safety, like Norm says, "there is no more important rule,,,, than to ware these,,,, safety glasses". We talked about other safety issues also, saw safety, push sticks, dust safety and so forth.
The main reason for the visit was to work on their cars. We had them draw their designs on the sides of their blocks of wood. Then I cut them out for them on the band saw. That was kind of cheating, they are supposed to cut them out themselves, but they still get to sand, shape, paint and detail them with stickers. So they still get to learn things for them selves. Also, they each watched me cut their cars out.
The derby is coming up in February, and I hope to attend.

 

[DocStram]

I enjoyed reading your post. To be honest with you, Steve .... my money is on the kid in the back with the red sweatshirt. He has NASCAR written all over him.

 

[stevers]

If I go to the race, i'll let you know.[]

 

[wudnhed]

I think the boy in blue is in the running too![] What a fun thing to do, Steve.

 

[Tanner]

Wow, that’s really nice of you Steve. Nobody was that nice to our pack. I was in scouting for many years and achieved Eagle Scout. The kid in the blue jacket on the right has I'm going to win this thing written all him.

 

[Thumbs]

My money would go on the two young fellows at the left, front and back. They seem to have the best grasp of aerodynamics and control surfaces. []

Good job, Steve![]

 

[johncrane]

l agree with you BOB.and l think they all look very keen' l wish l was that young again .[]

 

[stevers]

It was a lot of fun. I found myself really getting into it after a while. Mostly because the kids were so excited to be there. They really got a kick out of it when I ran the table saw.
I know what you mean John, but I don't know if I could do it all over again. It's a lot different now a days. Don't know if I would want to be a young person now.

 

[Thumbs]

I was going to agree with your wish, John; but, Steve, you sobered me up again! [:0][]

 

[stevers]

sorry.

 

[fiferb]

This is really great! I have a friend bringing his son over on Sunday to work on his car. I think I'm more excited than they are. My vote is for the young man that figures out how to weight his car to the right spec.

 

[TBone]

Good job Steve. I not only had someone offer to do that when I was a kid, but where I grew up was so small we didn't have Scouts.

 

[TellicoTurning]

Agree with Bruce... the guy who wins will have the weight and aerodynamics right.. it's been quite a few years since my son was a scout, but remember it was all gravity..The heavier cars seemed to do better.

Steve, Good job with the scouts... most fun I had in my life was while I worked with the scouts..

 

[JDPens]

That's the truth, exactly 5 oz, not 4.95, 5 oz! []

Our church had an Awana Club, and we have a "pinewood derby" called the Awana Grand Prix. It's a blast, I'm looking forward to this year's race.

Of course it also helps to have the ideal lubricant, sanded wheels, polished axles ...
It's alot of fun! []

 

[woodwish]

Years ago I taught "wood shop" and also taught kind of crafts class to all high school seniors. We built this same gavity powered cars in there as a project. It seems normal to see cub scouts doing this, but watching a bunch of 18-year-olds screaming and cheering those little wooden cars was a riot! Ahh, the good old days! []

 

[stevers]

Isn't adding weight where the nickles come in handy? The fellow thats putting on the race has a full on fabricated track for the kids. 40 feet long and on a tilt the whole way. Cant wait to see it myself.
Don't see the kids using lubricants and polished axles, but it should be lots of fun for them.
Ya Ray, I could just picture a bunch of teenagers cheering on a little wooden car.