Pinewood Derby Times Newsletter Volume 14 Issue 8

Pinewood Derby Times
Volume 14, Issue 8
January 14, 2015
In this Edition:

- Editor's Notes

- Feature Article - Shop Talk - The Best Pinewood Derby Rule

- Humor

- Product Showcase - Incra 6 Inch Precision Bend Rule - $2.00 Off

- Pinewood Derby Car Showcase

- Q&A

Editor's Notes

New Product: Propeller Car V3 We have just introduced the latest version of Propeller Car kit. It is equipped with a larger ducted fan for more speed, and has a recessed front switch. You can find photos, videos, and more information Here

Help! We Are Almost Out of Car Photos In order to continue including a Car Showcase section in this newsletter, we need your car photos. Please send us a photo of your car along with a description of any special features to: [email protected]

Please include your full name. If selected, we will include the photo and description in this newsletter.

Photos must be sent by e-mail in JPG format (minimum size of 640x480, maximum size of 1280 x 960). Please shoot photos from the front left of the car, similar to the orientation of car shown at:

For better focus, keep the camera four or five feet away from the car, and then use the camera's zoom to fill the frame with the car. Also, use a solid (preferably white) background for the photo.

Send only one photo per car, unless an additional photo is needed to adequately show a feature. Thanks.

Inventory Clearance Sale We also are clearing inventory on several items including:

Light-weight (3.2 ounces and under) plain and slotted blocks,
Most of our SuperCar kits,
The ever-popular Wedge SE,
The special edition Funny Car Kit (only 19 left), and
The Truck Kit.

We don't have many left, so don't delay. Click Here to find our clearance items. Don't miss out on the great prices.

MV Basic & Wedge Car Kits

If you are planning a race and are not required to use a specific kit type, our MV Basic or Wedge Car Kit are just what you need. These attractively priced kits are equipped with:

Quality Block - Unlike the blocks provided by some organizations, our blocks are soft, northwestern pine blocks, cut precisely to 7 inches long, 1-3/4 inches wide, and 1-1/4 inches tall. These dimensions, as well as the axle slots accurately duplicate the dimensions of standard pinewood derby blocks from BSA and PineCar.
Simple Axle Preparation - Don't worry about filing off flaws, or losing hub caps. Our Speed Axles have no burrs or crimp marks, and install without hub caps. With or without polishing, they are ready to go. We supply five, so you have a spare.
Quality Wheels - Forget cheap, out of round wheels. Our MV wheels are top-quality wheels. You will not be disappointed with the quality of these wheels.

So, if your organization does not mandate a particular kit type, consider our MV Basic Car Kits or MV Wedge Car Kits

Can We Help? If we can help you in any way with your pinewood derby project, or if you have any feedback regarding this newsletter, please contact us at: info@maximum-velocity.com

Feature Article

Shop Talk: The Best Pinewood Derby Rule
By Randy Davis

Although you can get away with using a cheap plastic ruler for an occasional pinewood derby car, having a nice, accurate rule (not ruler) is a must for any serious craftsman. But like any tool, there is a large variety of rules available on the market. Today, I want to share with you my favorite rule. In my opinion, this rule is a must have for pinewood derby enthusiasts.

The rule I am referring to is the Incra Six Inch Precision Bend Rule. Although this rule wasn't specifically designed for pinewood derby use, I have to believe that the designer was a pinewood derby parent.

Photo 1 - Incra Six Inch Bend Rule
The obvious feature of the Incra Bend Rule is the shape. The rule is specifically designed to fit over the edge of a block or board in order to make precise measurement with ease. The rule is marked in 1/32 inch increments, and at each increment is a hole and a slot that allows insertion of a 5mm pencil (standard mechanical pencil size). These holes and slots eliminate the inaccuracy that comes with trying to make a pencil mark along the side of a regular ruler.

Photo 2 - Making a Measurement
This feature in itself makes this a nice tool, but there's more. On one end of the Incra Bend Rule you will find measurements that are perpendicular to the rule. These are used to mark offsets from the edge of a block. For pinewood derby cars, the obvious use is marking axle locations, weight hole positions, car thickness, etc.

Photo 3 - Marking a 1/8 inch Offset for Axle Holes
But this offset measurement feature is not just to make a tiny dot, but it can also be used for drawing horizontal lines. Just insert the pencil at the desired location, and slide the rule along the edge of the block. Sweet!

Photo 4 - Drawing a Horizontal Line
Now the "pièce de résistance". Do you want to locate the center of your block? One half of the Incra Bend Rule is 3/4 inch wide, while the other is 7/8 inch wide. 7/8 inch is a familiar number - it is one-half of the width of a standard block. So to find the center of a block, lay the rule with the wide portion on the top or bottom of the block, and strike a line. Since blocks are not consistent, put the rule on the other side, and draw another line. "Voilà!" The center of the block will be between the two lines (or coincident with the two lines if the block is exactly 1-3/4 inches wide).

Photos 5 & 6 - Finding the Center of the Block
I am confident that you will enjoy this rule as much as I do. You can find it on our web site Here, or in our Product Showcase.

Humor

Kid Quotes

Never trust a dog to watch your food.
Patrick, Age 10

When you want something expensive, ask your grandparents.
Matthew, Age 12

Never smart off to a teacher whose eyes and ears are twitching.
Andrew, Age 9

Wear a hat when feeding sea gulls.
Rocky, Age 9

Sleep in your clothes so you'll be dressed in the morning.
Stephanie, Age 8

Never try to hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
Rosemary, Age 7

Don't flush the john when your dad's in the shower.
Lamar, Age 10

Never ask for anything that costs more than five dollars when your parents are doing taxes.
Carrol, Age 9

Never bug a pregnant mom.
Nicholas, Age 11

Don't ever be too full for dessert.
Kelly, Age 10

When your dad is mad and asks you, "Do I look stupid?" don't answer him.
Heather, Age 16

Never tell your mom her diet is not working.
Michael, Age 14

Don't pick on your sister when she's holding a baseball bat.
Joel, Age 12

When you get a bad grade in school, show it to your mom when she's on the phone.
Alyesha, Age 13

Never try to baptize a cat.
Laura, Age 13

Never do pranks at a police station.
Sam, Age 10

Beware of cafeteria food when it looks like it's moving.
Rob, Age 10

Never tell your little brother that you're not going to do what your mom told you to do.
Hank, Age 12

Remember you're never too old to hold your father's hand.
Molly, Age 12

Stay away from prunes.
Randy, Age 9

Never dare your little brother to paint the family car.
Phillip, Age 13

Listen to your brain. It has lots of information.
Chelsey, Age 7

Product Showcase

Incra 6 inch Precision Bend Rule
$2.00 off

Put the school ruler back in your desk, and use this purpose-built rule for accurate and easy car layout. This rule simplifies measuring, marking, and drawing lines.

Through January 27, 2015, you can get an Incra 6 inch Precision Bend Rule for $2.00 off. To take advantage of this limited time offer, add part 5127 to your shopping cart Here, and apply coupon code JAN14NL before pressing the "Proceed to Checkout" button.

Pinewood Derby Car Showcase

Smaug - Holt Family

Smaug was raced at our local race. It is made from light-weight modeling clay.

Stanley 220 Block Plane - Dennis Bjorn

I built this car 16 years ago out of pallet wood that held granite blocks from India. My weights are hidden under the lever cap. The blade adjuster on the back is from a Stanley block plane.

Share Your Car With Our Readers
Do you have a car you would like to "show off" to our readers? If so, send us a photo of your car along with a brief description of any special features. Please include your full name. If selected, we will include the photo and description in this newsletter. Please e-mail photos to:
info@maximum-velocity.com.

Photos must be sent by e-mail in JPG format (minimum size of 640x480, maximum size of 1280 x 960). Please shoot photos from the front left of the car, similar to the orientation of this car:

For better focus, keep the camera four or five feet away from the car, and then use the camera's zoom to fill the frame with the car. Also, use a solid (preferably white) background for the photo.

Send only one photo per car, unless an additional photo is needed to adequately show a feature. Also, only one car per subscriber per year please. Thanks!

Q&A

What is the best type of paint to use on a pinewood derby car? I am looking for something quick drying and not tacky feeling.

I use "Duplicolor - Perfect Match". It is a lacquer paint for autos. You can find it at any auto parts store (AutoZone, etc). Avoid enamel paint, as it is slow drying and has a tacky feel.

If you want to brush paint, use Acrylic paints which are available at any hobby or craft store, and on our Web Site. Acrylic paints clean up with water.

Is there any way you guys could precision drill the block I bought to accommodate the needle axles?

We do not custom drill for needle axles. But instead, we offer a Needle Axle Upgrade Kit (part 4049)

These upgraded axles install into blocks with regular axle holes or slots, and step down to fit the needle axle wheels. Retaining beads are provided to hold the wheels in place. An insertion tool is provided for installing the axles. This is a much better solution than using the needle axles that come with the wheels.

Do You Have Questions that Need Answers? Do you have a pinewood derby-related question? If so, send your question to: info.maximum-velocity@com. We answer all questions by e-mail, but not every question will appear in the Q&A section of the newsletter.

Back Issues

Are you a new subscriber, or have you missed some of the previous newsletters? Don't miss out! All of the issues for Volume 5 through Volume 14 are posted on our web site and can be found using our Newsletter Index.

Issues from Volumes 1 to 4 are available in four formatted documents, ready for immediate download. To find out more, Click Here.

Newsletter Contributions

We welcome your contributions! If you would like to contribute an article, a web site review, or a speed tip, please send it to: [email protected].

Please read our submission policy.

Subscription Information

The Pinewood Derby Times is a free e-newsletter focused on the Pinewood Derby. It is published biweekly from October through March.

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Randy Davis, Editor, Pinewood Derby Times
E-Mail: [email protected]
Copyright ©2015, Randy Davis. All rights reserved. Please do not reprint or place this newsletter on your web site without explicit permission. However, if you like this newsletter we grant permission, and encourage you to e-mail it to a friend.

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