No tape rule

[oxford]

The local art center pinewood derby races here in northern California has a "No Tape" rule for adding weights. I told him about using the chrome tape like the pros do since I do not want to glue in the cubes since I may reuse them.

He said folks were taping quarters to the cars with scotch tape and it would fall off and hit other cars and they would crash out. Often in a flaming ball of fire and take out the first row of spectators.

i added that last part because i am bored and my mind works that way at times.

 

[Crash Enburn]

So what was his response? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[bracketracer]

If you use a small dot of CA glue to affix your cubes to the body and to each other they can be removed by pressing between each cube with a razor. They just pop apart. I would still add the foil tape but you can tell the officials that the shiny tape is "a design element, essential to your car's identity" and not a method for retaining your weights because they are glued in.

 

[tmeyer]

Put a thin piece of tranparent plastic, like you can find from the packaging of a pack of batteries or a wind shield wiper blade, on the bottom of the car over the weights. Stick it on with an industrial grade (3M) double sided tape around the outside edges. The judges can then see the weights and you will still be able to get in there to make adjustments.

It AMAZES ME JUST HOW CLUELESS SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN SCOUTS THAT MAKE THE RULES REALLY ARE!

 

[oxford]

So what was his response? Inquiring minds want to know.

he said the no tape rules still stands /images/boards/smilies/rolleyes.gif

 

[HurriCrane Racing]

In that case, I would use monokote for the bottom of the car and wrap it up the sides.

 

[ngyoung]

I wrap my cubes in the metal tape then glue it in so I can cut open the tape and pull out the cubes. You could do the same then use a shipping label, monokote sticky back trim sheets, or sticky back vinyl to cover the bottom. You could use a different substrate, glue your weights together in the configuration you want in the weight pocket and then glue paper or something else that will tear away when you pry them back out.

Using CA glue though the cubes will pop out without destroying the car. Glued on weights pop off all the time too though in PWD races so the spirit of that rule doesn't really eliminate the issue. That is why many double up with the tape as well.

 

[GravityX]

...just tell them it's a "strip of space-age binding material". /images/boards/smilies/wink.gif

 

[Crash Enburn]

Well, that is one really nice thing about lead. I shed no tears sealing the lead into the body of my cars. /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif

 

[Vitamin K]

This is why I use lead, too. I can't afford to buy tungsten for multiple cars, and I don't want to 'rob' materials from existing cars.

Well, that is one really nice thing about lead. I shed no tears sealing the lead into the body of my cars. /images/boards/smilies/smile.gif