Steve Lodefink's Pinewood Derby Racer

Hot Topics:

By Mark Frauenfelder
Posted 2012/01/03 @ 7:30 pm
Category Fun & Games, Kids & Family, Woodworking

Last month, I posted some photos of Steve Lodefink’s unfinished pinewood racer bodies on Boing Boing. Today, he sent me photos of one of the finished racers. I love the sparkle paint job.

Steve and I have started talking about holding an all ages pinewood derby race at Maker Faire. Why should Cub Scouts (or, more likely, their dads) have all of the fun?

Pinewood Derby 2011

In the Maker Shed

Make Subscription

Getting Started with Raspberry Pi

Make: Getting Started with Soldering Kit

Raspberry Pi Starter Kit - Includes 512MB Raspberry Pi

3 Responses to Steve Lodefink's Pinewood Derby Racer

Matt Richardson on January 3rd, 2012 at 11:49 pm said:

I think a Pinewood Derby at Maker Faire is a wonderful idea. My brothers and I had a lot of fun as kids working on those cars with our father.

Reply ↓
Anonymous on January 4th, 2012 at 5:54 am said:

I would like to see that. This is my last year to do Pinewood derby with my youngest son. We love working on the Make projects together. Other boys in the neighborhood are wanting to do the projects with us so we let them join in from time to time. I see them building more than a project when they work. They are becoming a group of young thinking men with a skill set that will aid them and others in the future. I am proud of them but the best part of all of this is the excitement and laughter they share.

Reply ↓
Anthony Catanese on January 4th, 2012 at 11:02 am said:

I put together an “adult” pinewood derby this past March to raise money for Spina Bifida. The event was hosted at a local bar/lounge during happy hour and the track was placed right on top of the bar to make for easing viewing. There was no rules to the designs except that it could not exceed the length or width of a standard derby kit car and the cars could not be propelled by anything explosive.The cars people came with were great and some weighed a few pounds and one was powered by 12v computer fan. Despite all the designs the winner was a vintage car that a participant designed when he was in scouts in the 70′s. Go figure.

Reply ↓