Not "real" woodworking but
- Thread starter mcoleman
- Start date
- Status
Now that's one slick looking derby car! :eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap Did you cut it out on the band saw?
I remember my dad (not very mechanically inclined) helping me make one of those for boy scouts. Only three wheels actually touched the track but that thing sure did fly! :gar-La;
I remember my dad (not very mechanically inclined) helping me make one of those for boy scouts. Only three wheels actually touched the track but that thing sure did fly! :gar-La;
Now let's see
Some dead tree + insight and planning + working with hands + working with tools = something unique, practical , purdy and fun to do :eusa_thin
Sounds like "real" woodworking to me bro :eusa_clap
I used to feel that way about my scrolling but the folks on this site changed my thinking pretty quick :mrgreen:
Nice job :icon_thum
Some dead tree + insight and planning + working with hands + working with tools = something unique, practical , purdy and fun to do :eusa_thin
Sounds like "real" woodworking to me bro :eusa_clap
I used to feel that way about my scrolling but the folks on this site changed my thinking pretty quick :mrgreen:
Nice job :icon_thum
It's wood = woodworking,slick looking car.Tony
Aah, brings back memories my (oops, my son's) pinewood derby days. Isn't it hard to remember that the kids are supposed to be part of the project?
That is a very cool car body. Make sure that you put the axles (nails) in a power drill & polish them smooth like glass, and mount each wheel on your lathe & sand them perfectly round & buff them to a glass like finish. (These are great opportunities to teach your son about some of the tools you use in the shop) (you could also let him help, I suppose)
And remember, no fighting with the other dads on race night.
That is a very cool car body. Make sure that you put the axles (nails) in a power drill & polish them smooth like glass, and mount each wheel on your lathe & sand them perfectly round & buff them to a glass like finish. (These are great opportunities to teach your son about some of the tools you use in the shop) (you could also let him help, I suppose)
And remember, no fighting with the other dads on race night.
Here are the gory details:
I actually got to use several tools in the derby car. I asked my son to find a Hot Wheels car that looked like what he wanted and he picked this all silver racing truck. Since we needed wheel wells and the wheels couldn't be closer than 1 3/4", I ripped a 2x4 scrap that I had laying around to 2 1/2 inches wide, then drilled the wheel wells 3/8" deep with a 1 3/8" forstner bit. Since the wheel wells are only 1/8" from the bottom of the block, I clamped 2 blocks together so the forstner bit wouldn't blow out the bottom of the car.
The forstner bit also gave me a nice centered point to drill the axle holes with a #44 hobby bit. I knew I was doing OK after I drilled all 4 axle holes and you could see daylight through them.
The nice thing about using a 2x4 is that it's 1/2 inch taller than the standard derby car block. That made it easier to bandsaw the shape and make the cab more proportional to the body.
The weight will go in the back of the car between the spoiler and cab.
For the axles I chucked them in the drill press and first smoothed them out with a triangular mill file, then went from 220-> 2500 grit sandpaper. I found this stuff that is supposed to be slicker than greased lightning that I am going to try - http://www.sentrysolutions.com/. My son helped with the axle polishing and is working with his Mom on painting it. She wanted to be involved too and likes to paint. He's going to put a #37 on it.
This was our third car as I built 2 prototypes to test drilling and cutting. That was a good thing too since they will keep him from playing with the race trim machine.
I'll post some pics after the car is completed. I'm also working on a bookcase right now too, but we've got to get the car done!
Thanks for looking!
I actually got to use several tools in the derby car. I asked my son to find a Hot Wheels car that looked like what he wanted and he picked this all silver racing truck. Since we needed wheel wells and the wheels couldn't be closer than 1 3/4", I ripped a 2x4 scrap that I had laying around to 2 1/2 inches wide, then drilled the wheel wells 3/8" deep with a 1 3/8" forstner bit. Since the wheel wells are only 1/8" from the bottom of the block, I clamped 2 blocks together so the forstner bit wouldn't blow out the bottom of the car.
The forstner bit also gave me a nice centered point to drill the axle holes with a #44 hobby bit. I knew I was doing OK after I drilled all 4 axle holes and you could see daylight through them.
The nice thing about using a 2x4 is that it's 1/2 inch taller than the standard derby car block. That made it easier to bandsaw the shape and make the cab more proportional to the body.
The weight will go in the back of the car between the spoiler and cab.
For the axles I chucked them in the drill press and first smoothed them out with a triangular mill file, then went from 220-> 2500 grit sandpaper. I found this stuff that is supposed to be slicker than greased lightning that I am going to try - http://www.sentrysolutions.com/. My son helped with the axle polishing and is working with his Mom on painting it. She wanted to be involved too and likes to paint. He's going to put a #37 on it.
This was our third car as I built 2 prototypes to test drilling and cutting. That was a good thing too since they will keep him from playing with the race trim machine.
I'll post some pics after the car is completed. I'm also working on a bookcase right now too, but we've got to get the car done!
Thanks for looking!
That is some pretty serious design work there, if you ask me!
I can see that car doing well in whatever competition.
Looks like a very pleased customer/design partner in that second photo as well!
Thanks for sharing all of the design/build detail with us.:icon_thum:icon_thum
Wayne
- Status
