Subject: **I Need Some Way to Bala

From: [email-masked] (Roy Parker)
Date: Tue, 23 May 95 20:11:00 -0600

Larry, as a former Cubmaster and Den Leader, let me point out that the 
reason for the Pinewood Derby is twofold. First, the Cub in question 
gets to work with his parent(s) to build a project car. This is 
intended to help ensure the parent(s)/child spend some time together 
working on a common theme. 

Second, the intention is for the Cub to learn some rudimentary 
wood-working skills. He's supposed to build as much of the car himself 
as he possibly can. You are _not_ doing him any favor by building it 
for him!  Let him learn!

Of the 6-8 PWD I attended over the years, it was readily apparent when 
it was "daddy's" car against that built by an 8 year old kid. What kind 
of 20-30-40 year old adult gets his jollies by waxing an 8 year old kid?
I'm sure you mean well, and only want your son to enjoy the honor of 
winning. But winning only means something if the boy did the work to 
earn the win. I speak from experience. I 'built' my older son's first 
car. He straightened me out when it came time to build his second. HE 
wanted to build and enter the car. So I let him. And he got beat, but he 
was _very_ proud he did it himself. He told me that winning isn't 
everything. I'm pretty proud of him. I've tried not to make that same 
mistake again. Both my sons are in Boy Scouts now, and I try very hard 
to make sure they understand how to do the projects they are working on, 
but I _don't_ do the projects for them.  

Anyone flame if you want to. But I've seen parents show up with illegal 
ball bearings, illegal knife-edge tires, overly heavy cars, and then try 
to argue to get the rules changed. Granted, there aren't many, but 
there was always at least one each year. 

Bottom line is that the PWD is set up so the kids can learn and work 
with their parents. Everybody is supposed to have fun. The kids are 
supposed to learn. Yes, you can _help_ them, but don't do the project 
for them. It's the difference between getting the award you know you 
earned, versus getting an award by chance. Adults, and kids, know the 
difference.

<off soapbox>

--> This spring, I was helping my son build his Pinewood Derby race car
--> for Cub Scouts. For those not familiar with this, the Pinewood Derby
--> is a race where motorless model cars race down an incline. One
--> problem we had was that because of the variation in manufacture of
--> the small plastic wheels, some run smoother than others, and it is
--> purely a matter of luck when you get one that is balanced.

--> What I am trying to figure out is how to balance these wheels so
--> they will be perfect. The wheel is about one inch in diameter, with
--> a molded center hole that slides onto a nail driven into the wooden
--> body. The hole measures about .098 to .101 in diameter, and is about
--> .25 inch in length

--> I need something similar to the magnetic balancers that are used to
--> tune model airplane propellers.  The problem I have with that is
--> coming up with a center rod that is precise enough, and straight
--> enough to run perfectly true.

--> Does anybody out there have an idea that would work?

--> Larry Mayo

 * RM 1.3 02784 * It always rains right after I wax philosophical.

---

From: [email-masked] (Jerry Kaidor)
Date: 25 May 1995 19:42:59 GMT

>of 20-30-40 year old adult gets his jollies by waxing an 8 year old kid?

   *** At our Cub pack, we had a simple solution - a separate category for
"parents" cars.

                                - Jerry Kaidor

---

From: [email-masked] (Barry Workman)
Date: Fri, 26 May 1995 05:51:19 GMT

><off soapbox>

Uh, hear, hear.  In my son's pack, the packmaster collected *ALL*
the cars the week before the run.  He then drilled holes in the
bottom and poured lead to insure that all the cars weighed in at
the maximum allowable weight.  My son finished the first year, 
took second the next.  We worked together on the project, I spent
time doing some of the rough work on the power tools, he did the
hand work.  I figure it was more his than mine.  I simply tried
to explain to him what he was doing and why.

> * RM 1.3 02784 * It always rains right after I wax philosophical.

It doesn't matter.  If you don't have your axles straight the wheel
balancing won't help.  However, given the rules, (supplied alexs 
only, use the screws supplied, etc.) you can have your son polish
the bearing surface.  Use an old shoelace and toothpaste.  When
the bore is as good as your son can get it, have him work in graphite.
Use the same technique.  LET HIM DO IT!!!  This is a job that will
help him understand patience in the shop when doing small important
tasks.
-- 
    - Barry Workman