Scroll Sawing Pine Box Derby Cars

DRugerH · February 3, 2022

Good morning all. My troop had such a great time scrolling out Christmas ornaments that I want to bring the scroll saws back for round 2. I am thinking that I would like to use them for pine box derby cars. Being pine, I'm sure the saws can cut them out, even "the little Wen that could," but was looking for anyone's experiences that may have done this. I assume thicker blades will be the ticket in this case. 6 out of the 7 saws I have use pin blades, and I do have some thicker Delta blades, and I'm sure I can get some thicker pinless blades for the Delta.

But, so I'm not doing a lot of trial and error while the boys are cutting out their cars, I thought I'd check in here. Of course, I'll be making a couple myself so I can better guide the boys, but don't want to kill my saws either as I am hoping the boys will be able to use them for years to come.

Thanks all,
Dan

Edited February 3, 2022 by DRugerH

Bill WIlson · February 3, 2022

I don't have a lot of practical advice to offer on the topic, but as I recall from when my grandson was involved, the blanks for the car body are wider than the height capacity of most scroll saws. I think most scroll saws have a capacity of 2", while the Pinewood Derby blanks are closer to 2.5" wide. I remember that we couldn't stand the block on its side and cut a profile on my scroll saw, as it was too wide. Otherwise, cutting a pinewood derby car would be very similar to compound cutting and should be well within the saw's capabilities. Use a larger blade, preferably a skip tooth configuration.

meflick · February 4, 2022

Fox Chapel Publishing is the publisher of the Scroll Saw and Woodworking magazine. They have had articles in the past that dealt with creating Pinewood Derby cars. One is issue 34, Spring 2009. I’m also pretty sure they have done others.

https://www.foxchapelpublishing.com/scroll-saw-woodworking-crafts-issue-34-spring-2009.html (this is link to buy that issue, next link let’s you see the article)

https://cdn.flipsnack.com/widget/v2/flipsnackwidget.html?hash=fd1katu7q&t=&fullscreen=1

Winter/Spring 2016, issue 62 had an article as well.

They also have several books on the subject as shown here: https://www.foxchapelpublishing.com/woodworking/pinewood-derby.html

Books could provide more info. You could check your local library for copies if you don’t want to purchase perhaps.

You might also check out this link for some more information/articles:https://woodcarvingillustrated.com/blog/tag/pinewood-derby/

just some info, I quickly found when I did a search since I knew the magazine has done some articles. I have no experience doing any of the cars.

Jim McDonald · February 5, 2022

It's been a while since I cut any cars, but I did cut many for a church group with my old single speed Delta with a #7 blade.

They were rough cuts so the kids could still do the final shaping. I just removed the bulk of the material for them.

DRugerH · February 5, 2022

Thanks all. I purchased a couple of the kits, so I'm going to cut some additional car blanks out of some pine and test each of my saws. I do have at least one saw that I am sure will do well with this. I also have a vintage Craftsman that uses a 6" blade that I know for a fact will work. I just need to test the others.

Since the boys will be planning and tracing out their own designs, even if I only have a couple of saws that can handle these cars, I doubt all of the boys will be cutting out their blanks at the same time, so I can just bring the saws that can do it, and have them take turns using them.

Also, at this point, I ended up with more boys joining than I have saws for now, so they will have to take turns regardless.

Thanks for the advice all,
Dan

DRugerH · February 7, 2022

This weekend, I purchased a couple of derby car kits, and made a couple of blanks out of some pine to the exact measurements. The width of the blank is 1 3/4". the 2.5" is overall width, with the wheels on. So, I tried to the shop-made blanks on all of my scroll saws, and they are all cutting them just fine. Some need to be pushed slower than others, but that's fine. Even the "little Wen that could" was able to cut it. Most of the saws, which have a shorter stroke, left a dry slurry in the cut. Sort of like a dry wood filler. It took some doing with a stiff brush to clean it up, but then I have an AMT clone and the Delta which have a longer stroke, and those two cut the wood really clean.

So, I won't have to drag out the heavy vintage Craftsman for it. I did make a couple of sample cars, one with a single cut down the side of the wood and one with a compound cut, just to have two examples. I used the Delta 40-540 on the roadster and the Hawk G2 on the Grand Prix car.

I mentioned it to some of my troop yesterday and they are excited to have the saws back for the month of March, and to the derby.

Dan

Jim McDonald · February 7, 2022

As you are working on these cars, Google an article by old time NPR hosts "Click and Clack" about Pinewood Derby cars.

Most informative on weight placement for max speed.

spirithorse · February 12, 2022

Great job! I really like the sports car you painted blue.
Good luck with the derby cars.

God Bless! Spirithorse

DRugerH · March 17, 2022

Over the past couple of Wednesdays, the boys in my troop were working on their cars. We also invited the girls troop to join us. Even after the safety talk, demonstration and the practice sheets, some of the girls and a couple of the new boys were not comfortable using the saws, but some of the other "seasoned" scroll sawers in my troop stepped up to assist. All of the saws cut the cars out just fine. A few broken blades, but no issues whatsoever with cutting out the cars with skip-tooth blades. The kids can't wait. All in all, I had 21 kids, so 21 cars, and the six saws I have did well. I was proud of those kids taking turns and helping each other out.

I was really busy last night helping the kids with their cars and with the weights, etc., but I managed to snap a few shots.