Recent content by Wolfram Racing

For dry lube only races, stick to graphite. Jupiter...larger axles help to keep the wheels spinning smoothly. A smooth spin is crucial. Wobble kills speed.

RACE oil is faster...the stuff you get from DD4H or Derbyevolution or PinewoodDerbyProducts. Stick to the Pinewood Derby specific oils and you have a much better chance of getting it right. Don't use a lot. One reason I hear race coordinators say they scrap oil is because of the "A little is...

LightninBoy droppin' DeMorgan's law!

I would read that as staying the correct diameter is the real requirement...but best to contact your race coordinator and ask. I feel pretty confident that I could spot a sanded wheel...I've HAD to several times when I've mixed them up while prepping.;)

I use three of these...

Do you have to use the stock axles? DD4H 93tX axles have a step edge built in them that makes removing the double step less important...or you can shave down the axle head diameter to fit inside the second step. Gotta love rules that are self contradictory. I'll bet what they meant to say was...

Too aggressive on the COG? Sounds to me that you are on the border between stable and unstable...a rough track isn't going to help that situation at all.

I think you would need a wind tunnel, smoke wand and a low range force gauge (and CFD Simulation code)...these types of comparisons are more difficult than they first appear.

Love the graphs TX...question, what was the assumed wheelbase for this graph?

Made the finals last year with a set of GEE fenders....

Agree with TRE....you want low weight, but also some rigidity. Too thin/light and the body will flex. I don't have a measure that works, I do it by hand and feel. Lateral flex, vertical flex and torsion flex.

THEORETICALLY...yes. Practically no. At the nanoscale, you can get a degree of polish that allows the surface atoms to align as if they were a single solid piece...and that's what they can become! It takes extreme measures and ridiculously clean surfaces... you'll never get there with sand...

There's another category...the rule isn't clear enough to distinguish what you are trying to do. Then it's up to you to risk a dq. I've read rules that are almost absolutely contradictory. Like "No sanding, lathing or lightening of wheels is permitted. You may lighten, sand or CNC wheels to...

To me, PWD is like baking a cake. You can follow the recipe and get pretty close, but a real baker knows what to look for to get the cake just right. How does someone go from following a recipe to becoming a baker? Experience and learning from other bakers. Go live race at leagues...seriously...

What's wrong with CAD and 3D printing? They're just the modern day jigsaw or belt sander. Hell, I'd love to run a workshop for kids where they use CAD to create a car....that actually sounds like a good idea. Hmmmmm....planning for next year!