Pinewood Derby

What is Pinewood Derby?

Check out this short introduction video:

In Pack 421, the big race usually happens in late January or early February. Kits are normally distributed to each Scout at the pack meeting in December.

Cars are to be designed and built by the Scout with help of a parent or other adult partner, using materials from the kit and other craft supplies. Building the car is supposed to be a fun, collaborative project that enhances the bonding between a Scout and his/her adult partner. This works best when the Scout takes the lead and there is good communication and alignment on the plan, and plenty of time to complete the work in short stints together (younger scouts have short attention spans and will need frequent breaks).

Don’t let your Scout wait until the last minute to get started. While it is possible to build a functional car in a few hours, it typically takes several days or a weeks, depending on the complexity of the design and skill of the builders. Certain steps, like gathering supplies and waiting for glue and paint to dry can take longer than anticipated. Cold, wet weather can make it unpleasant to work in an unheated garage or outside. Some ideas might not work the first time and need to be redone. Use these opportunities to teach your Scout planning and persistence.

Build Workshop

Pack 421 usually hosts a build workshop in January where Scouts can get help with two of the early steps that are easier to complete with specialized tools:

  1. Sawing the rough profile of the car using a bandsaw (which is easier than using a coping saw)

  2. Drilling axle holes using a special drill bit and jig (which provide better stability and reliability than the precut axle slots on the wood block)

Before the build workshop, each Scout should come up with an idea for the shape of their car and draw the profile on the side of the wooden block using a pencil or marker. This profile will be cut at the build workshop using a bandsaw (adult operated with Scout “supervising”).

Here are some example profiles:

Note that a bandsaw can only cut angles and broad curves through the wooden block. Further shaping, sanding, painting, decorating, and detailing of the car will need to be completed at home after the build workshop.

When picking a design, it pays to be creative! Awards will be presented for the best car in various design categories. For the full list of categories, see the Design Awards section of the Pinewood Derby Rules.

For inspiration and build tips, see the Additional Resources links at bottom of this page and/or search online for “pinewood derby design ideas”. Keep in mind that some design ideas take a lot more skill and effort to execute than others, so gently guide your Scout to pick a design that they can reasonably complete with your help in the available time, using craft supplies and tools that you can pull together for the project. A simple but clever design idea is often just as likely to win a design award as one that is much more difficult to execute.

Rules

Every Cub Scout pack has its own rules for Pinewood Derby that are similar to—but NOT exactly the same as—the printed rule sheet that comes in the Pinewood Derby kits. Make sure to review and follow our pack’s Pinewood Derby Rules. All cars are inspected at check-in before the race, and the Pack’s rules are kindly (but strictly) enforced for fairness.

aDDITIONAL rESOURCES

There are lots of Pinewood Derby tips, tricks, and ideas online. It’s easy to find yourself going down some deep rabbit holes. Here are a few links to start your journey…

Make sure that any tips you follow comply with our Pack Rules.

Pack 421 is a chartered by Capitol Area Council and meets at Covenant United Methodist Church