Wood weight?

[92hatchattack]

Wood weight?

Hey guys, quick question. I know this may not make a huge deal of difference since my car is hardly going to be setup anywhere near the way you guys set your cars up, but if you had a choice in block weight (for BSA race using official block) would you want a heavier block or lighter block?

I have two different stock blocks to use. One weighs in at 3.9 ounces, and the other at 4.5 ounces. Which one would be better to use and why? Or does it simply not matter?

Thanks guys!

 

[GravityX]

Either block would work for me because by the time I get done with the body on my cars, they weigh under 15 grams (~ 1/2 oz.) Most of the weight in the cars you'll see here have the weight concentrated at the rear of the car.

But being that you said you would not be building a car setup like the ones you see here lighter may have a slight advantage. You are going to shape the car right? So that will remove some weight too.

 

[Guest]

Either block would work for me because by the time I get done with the body on my cars, they weigh under 15 grams (~ 1/2 oz.) Most of the weight in the cars you'll see here have the weight concentrated at the rear of the car.

But being that you said you would not be building a car setup like the ones you see here lighter may have a slight advantage. You are going to shape the car right? So that will remove some weight too.

+1 You want it like Gx said 15 grams or less and then dump in the weight where it needs to be.

 

[txchemist]

One poor Cub showed up with a block that weighed 5.2 oz. It was cut from the center of the tree and the grain was so bad, you could not drill it very well. I got him a new block- Take a look at the best block of all, Johns sugar pine- very light and straight grained.

 

[92hatchattack]

Ok, so it sounds like lighter is better because it allows for more weight control.

 

[IAE Racing]

As you figured, lighter is generaly better, also look at the grain if you're drilling. if you're using slots, grain will matter much less, al long as the slots are square, use the lighter block!

 

[Chief]

I made the mistake once of making the car super light that the body had too much flex or twist in it...the car was a Dud!!! Looked cool but what a Dud!

 

[92hatchattack]

My son just chose to cut his body super thin... IM going to post a pictures.. I'm wondering if its too this to use. I dont want to to like snap in half when it hits the finish line.

 

[92hatchattack]

So is this thing going to snap in half? Grrr Im starting this project so much earlier next year. Now that I have started to learn some of the things needed to make a fast car not being able to do it this year kills me. Oh well. Will this be ok? I'm hoping I wont have to tell me kid he needs to cut another car. Haha

 

[Kinser Racing]

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[GravityX]

I typically run 1/4" thick plank style bodies without any issues. I agree with Kinser, either nose up the front of the car slightly or simply round the nose out some so you don't have a square edge to catch anything in the stop section. A nice forward front flip in the stop section is not a good thing, even though you may have just won that round of racing.

 

[92hatchattack]

Using 1/4" Tungen cubes. Thinking of going with 1.7 OZ(10 cubes) behind the axle and the rest in front of the axle. I guess I'll shoot for a COM around 7/8" in front of the rear axle. Sound about right? What does thinner in the rear do? Is air resistance really a concern?

Our stop section is god awful in my opinion. It's the kind where the track where the wheels touch drops off and the car slows from friction of the bottom of the car touching the center of the track. But my pack thought it would be a good idea to have the center be sandpaper like material. I can only imagine how much dirt and sanded off debris it causes to enter the wheel bores. It sucks... And even with all that the car hits the bumper pretty hard. Surely hard enough to bounch back. The bumper is crap too. it Gives about as much cusion as hitting a plywood board. It sucks, but thats all weve got... The rest of the track though is nice aluminum.

 

[92hatchattack]

If anyone has a picture of their rolled up front I'd like to see it to get a better idea of how extreme of a curve you guys have going on there.

 

[Kinser Racing]

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[92hatchattack]

Thanks! I tend to secure my weights in with jb weld. Dont know if thats good or bad.

Can I just ask though, why is thinner better? May sound like a dumb question to you, but I am a moron so ya know.... LOL

 

[Kinser Racing]

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[92hatchattack]

^^^ Gotcha. Will do!