posted
I'll run through ones that I made with my dad.
Carrot (simple wedge shape, painted orange, with green plastic Lego tree out the back)
USS Enterprise, NCC 1701-D (I'm sure it really didn't look like it, but at the time I thought it was the coolest thing. We used lead weights on the sides to act as the nacelles)
Comet (brown potato-looking thing on the front, yellow spiky tail out the back)
Shark (with fins, but had to kind of leave giant lumps where the wheels had to go)
Posts: 1711 | Registered: Jun 2004
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posted
If you want a chance at winning the race, order a dozen kits and take the fastest wheels and nails of the lot. At least that's how the winners in my Boy Scout days did it
also, graphite lubrication on the nails where the wheels sit.
Posts: 3950 | Registered: Mar 2006
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I've seen carrot shaped pinewood cars that were tapered all the way toward the front. The result is that the front wheels are toed in, and slow down the car like doing the snowplow on skis. Aside from lubricating the wheels and axles, the most important thing is the alignment. If the car rides up against the rails because it's pulling to one side, it will slow the car down. Try to get it so that all four wheels are touching the ground evenly, and the car rolls in a straight line WITHOUT THE TRACK to keep it pointing the right way.
Posts: 3735 | Registered: Mar 2002
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Great resource, and the guy has set national records.
Talks about wheel alignment, graphite, and weights.
IIRC, one of the most important factors are the nails used to anchor the wheels. He recommends shaping the inside surface of the nail and then polishing the whole nail.
He also talks about shaping the wheels, wheel hubs, and about the different types of tracks. The type of track affects where the weight should be placed on the car.
Probably the best chapter is how to align the wheels, and make sure they are aligned going forward and backwards.
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