List your top 3 tools/products

Something else no one has mentioned but is a life saver I use constantly is tuning pliers!

Even if you use tuning slots, they are a must for inserting axles. If you are building scout cars and tuning grooves aren’t allowed, they are a must and make life so much easier.

I have a set, but I don't like the way they mar the nail head that then cuts into the wheel. I put painter tape on the tips and that has helped.
 
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I know what it is and does, more curious about how it is used for Pinewood Derby.

My bad ;)! I'll let someone with more experience chime in on used for PWD cars though I imagine getting precise lines/cuts on the bodies would be a big one. When I first saw the tool I thought of the many times I could have used one of these in non PWD related projects.
 
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My bad ;)! I'll let someone with more experience chime in on used for PWD cars though I imagine getting precise lines/cuts on the bodies would be a big one. When I first saw the tool I thought of the many times I could have used one of these in non PWD related projects.
I did the same thing, thought of how many times I could have used this! I can't get a precise measured line to save my life! It's always a little off. This would be awesome. I can definitely see it as being useful for making a scout car where the design is more important, getting it exactly symmetrical.
 
I use them for laying out my cars. The 90 degree for axle positions, the square for all my positions across the body, the flat rule for all the straight lines connecting the dots. These are the only rules I use for car body layout.

With a 0.5mm pencil, put the lead into the holes and slide it along for straight lines
 
I use them for laying out my cars. The 90 degree for axle positions, the square for all my positions across the body, the flat rule for all the straight lines connecting the dots. These are the only rules I use for car body layout.

With a 0.5mm pencil, put the lead into the holes and slide it along for straight lines
Now I NEED one. Think if I have it shipped, my wife will buy that it’s an early Christmas present I’m putting up?
 
I have a set, but I don't like the way they mar the nail head that then cuts into the wheel. I put painter tape on the tips and that has helped.

The axle pliers that are mentioned are actual pliers that have been machined with grooves to grip the head. There are no "teeth" in these pliers to mar the heads of the axles.

I didn't see any on DD4H's site, and it looks like Max-V is sold out of them, but here are some at Derby Evolution.

https://www.derbyevolution.com/Axle-Extraction-Pliers-MVEP.htm
 
The axle pliers that are mentioned are actual pliers that have been machined with grooves to grip the head. There are no "teeth" in these pliers to mar the heads of the axles.

I didn't see any on DD4H's site, and it looks like Max-V is sold out of them, but here are some at Derby Evolution.

https://www.derbyevolution.com/Axle-Extraction-Pliers-MVEP.htm

That's the one I have. After our pack race I was examining the wheel bores under a loop and noticed that the hubs looked really rough, much different than they were before I put them on. Looking underneath the nail heads they were pretty bad as well. I had taken the axles all the way to 5000 grit paper followed by a polishing compound (making sure to get the bottom of the head). They were quite smooth when I installed them. The DFW axle was the worse, I'm guessing because I used the pliers to tune the steer, (didn't want to slot the head as I was afraid of running afoul of the "original shape of axles must be maintained" rule).

I rebuffed the axle heads, put painter tape over the tips of the pliers and that seemed to solve it. Of course I fully admit it could have been my two hands full of left thumbs that was the real culprit! I might buff the tips of the pliers a bit as they do seem a bit rough themselves.
 
So if you want to go faster, you need to be more precise. In order to be more precise, you need more precise tools. And then you decide that you want to go faster. In order to go faster you need to be extremely precise ……………………..……. and so it goes. Tools, and folks with the talent to make them be effective.

Rock on.

I may not be able to keep up with all I am learning here, but I am willing to bet that the cars I crew chief for will be faster next year than they were this year
 
That's the one I have. After our pack race I was examining the wheel bores under a loop and noticed that the hubs looked really rough, much different than they were before I put them on. Looking underneath the nail heads they were pretty bad as well. I had taken the axles all the way to 5000 grit paper followed by a polishing compound (making sure to get the bottom of the head). They were quite smooth when I installed them. The DFW axle was the worse, I'm guessing because I used the pliers to tune the steer, (didn't want to slot the head as I was afraid of running afoul of the "original shape of axles must be maintained" rule).

I rebuffed the axle heads, put painter tape over the tips of the pliers and that seemed to solve it. Of course I fully admit it could have been my two hands full of left thumbs that was the real culprit! I might buff the tips of the pliers a bit as they do seem a bit rough themselves.

I wonder....

If you were take the pliers and dip the very tips of them in rubber coating for tools, if that would work. Might make them unusable. Would have to be an ultra thin coat.
 
If you use those pliers for anything other than installing or removing the axles, I would say that those pliers will leave you with too much wheel gap... that’s been my experience anyway
 
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If you use those pliers for anything other than installing or removing the axles, I would say that those pliers will leave you with too much wheel gap... that’s been my experience anyway
Agreed, gap is way too big with them. I use them to insert the axles as far as they will go, then further push them in to get a better gap.