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Ideas for Adult Pinewood


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After a lackluster turnout the last couple of years to help set up the track and the hall for the Pinewood, I have begun to organize an adult Pinewood to lure people into helping then racing their cars to make sure the trackand timer is operating appropriately (oler wooden track with some quirks).

This is what I came up with for rules: "The rules are simple, it must have begun life as a standard BSA Pinewood Derby kit. From there you are limited by your imagination, no weight or length limits and it has to fit through the timer at the bottom."

Any other suggestions or ideas so I can be the coolest kid on the block with my entry?

This is being organized as a non-uniform event as we will probably have to go to a nearby watering hole afterwards to replace lost fluids and elctrolytes.

 

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Adults with a different set of rules? I can see that carrying-over into other areas :(

 

Been there, seen rocket engines, magnets, springs, and fights before the PWD started.

 

Try an adult or open division with same rules and they race after the scouts, afterall you need them to take down the track too.

 

My $0.02,

 

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Thanks Schiff, but getting them to stick around afterward to take it down is not an issue, it is getting them there the night before to help set up. I am sorry that you had " fights before the PWD started." WOW how unscout-like I am selling this as fellowship and fun with a group that does not take itself serously and cannot anticipate anyone getting upset by a better mousetrap. I know personally I have some ideas but would love to be beat by the guy who rigged a jet pack onto his PWD car. Also the different rules is also why it is being held the night before with no scouts.

If the adult leaders cannot figure out the difference between an event with all adults and one with Scouts presesnt, they may need to reevaluate their position in Scouting.

In other words, I am looking for some fun with fellow scouters and expecting adults to act like adults. Too much to ask? Gee, I hope not for the role models for tomorrow's leaders. ;)

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Had an open class/grudge matches after the actual PWD. Parents/sibs can race their cars. Charged a quarter a race and set a time limit on how much longer they could race. Pretty successful. We also ran a concession stand to raise some much needed pack funds. Hotdog chips and a drink for 2.00.

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That is an interesting problem. We have never had a lack of cooperation or volunteers on the pinewood derby or Blue and Gold. In fact Pinewood evolved into the Dads yearly thing while the Blue and Gold belongs to the moms. Each group or committee starts planning way back in November. Are you asking for volunteers one on one or just asking the group and waiting for a response? We ask dads personally, and honestly I dont think Ive ever had a dad turn us down. Its all about tools and cars, what dad doesn't want to be a part of that?

 

I do like the steak idea, A Lot!

 

As for the open or unlimited class race with anything goes, that is a very popular race with our pack because we get some very imaginative cars. We run that race first followed by the siblings race and then the Cub Scouts last. We set up our track the night before, but I can see using the unlimited race to help tune the track if you are setting up the same night as the race.

 

I really like that steak idea. I see a new pack tradition for the Pine Wood Crew.

 

Barry

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We're holding an 'Outlaw' division for the first time this year to give the dads an outlet for their desire to tinker with the Cubs' cars.

 

"Any other suggestions or ideas so I can be the coolest kid on the block with my entry?"

 

I ordered a lead brick from an online supplier that roughly fits the width and length. It's 1/4 inch too long, but that's okay as an Outlaw. Since it's a bit heavier than normal, I'm concerned about four wheels holding it up when it hits the bottom of the ramp; so I'm putting six sets of wheels (12) on solid axles underneath it. It'll be wrapped in black glossy paint with yellow spokes on all the wheels, named 'MilliSpeed'. Once it builds momentum, I'm sure it'll knock the backstop down. But with all that inertia sitting still at the starting block, it may be a slow starter. We'll see.

 

Did I mention that it weighs five pounds?(This message has been edited by JoeBob)

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This pack had(has) a really old wooden track which was(is) absolutely beautiful in design. But it took great care in setting it up to avoid lane bias. So I was always glad to have ONE other person there to help out and no more. We could focus on getting it right and then proving it with a series of trials.

It's interesting to note that not even one time was there any request by an adult to make or race an 'adult-league' racer. So we didn't. The focus was totally and exclusively on the cubs and the families all had a great time. We did relax things a bit after all the heats were over and let the little brothers and sisters play with the track using spare cars from previous years that were always available. I think it was good to focus exclusively on the children for this.

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Well pchadbo's idea of having it the night before, will not take away the scouts day..

 

So pchadbo if we had been a district/council like Basements, you would now have to charge a "district fee" since you are opening it up to any adult in any unit.. Yeah.. Right..

 

Instead you have our DE emailing around trying to figure out who is putting a Jet Pack on their PWD car..

 

Just take care that these guys don't get so out of control that they possibly damage the track before the scouts get to race.. Some of our Adults are big overgrown kids and may just try things like jet packs..

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I ran an Adult Pinewood Derby this year. We followed the same rules for the cars as the kids. We had prizes for 1st ($30 Auto Zone GC), 2nd ($10 movie theater gc), and 3rd (more a gag gift).

 

We also added a white elephant gift exchange and share some adult beverages as well. We encourage people to bring some small dish to pass.

 

BE PREPARED HAVE FUN

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8 years ago, I introduced the followings in addition to the Cub Class:

- Open Class: Same rules as the Cub, but opened to all members of the family

- Outlaw Class: Opened to anyone with 5 rules (Original BSA kit, gravity powered, 5 oz, no more than 7", and no taller than 5")

- Big Rig Class: For adults, building 18-wheelers from the Beta Craft 18-wheeler kit.

 

They have been a hit since. The Pack is looking to add loop-to-loop to the track.

 

This year, I am adding Pinewood cam to run as pace car to have live feed of each race to the overhead screen as well as recording the race. I also will be introducing the unlimited class... no rules (except no flame, no CO2 cartridge ... yet ... if the CO2 is not strapped down correctly, it will become a projectile). I am running a ducted fan car against all comers.

 

The key is ... Why should the boys have all the fun?

 

So ... to be coolest kid ... do a ducted fan. Granted that it will not be legal, but it will be a blast! The cost of an 9V RC ducted fan is about $14. Google it. Visit Derby Talk to get ideas to be the really cool kid! This year, my Outlaw car is the "Angry Bird" car with the red Angry Bird behind a sling slot aiming at the Green Pig at the other end of the car! I also have "Thor" for my Open Class. As for my Big Rig, it will be Blue Mack in Dinocore(in Car 2) with the trailer having the small Cars characters on it.

 

Bottom line, let your imagination runs free!

 

1Hour(This message has been edited by OneHour)

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