When he was a First Grader his Momma took him.

He was without Car and his Momma received a Kit, and the Kit was Good.

He raced a Block with Wheels - and the Block Sucked.

He did not Win, Place, nor Show.

And this Sucked.

When he was a Second Grader his Daddy took him.

His Daddy did not understand Pinewood but he was a Cabinetmaker and he
helped the boy make a straight and true car from the Kit. It did not
suck and the boy placed Third in his Pack.

The boy was happy and this did not suck.

His Daddy did not understand Pinewood.

This sucked.

This year the boy is a Bear Cub Third Grader.

His Daddy has studied Pinewood.

This year will not suck.


For Christmas this year the boy will receive devices that will true
wheels and polish axles and show him the true path of Pinewood.

This year will not suck.


This year his Daddy will allow him to make whatever freakish design
comes into his little mind and it will not suck - because it will not
matter.


It is all about gravity and friction and his Daddy now understands.

This year will not suck.


This year the boy will have tungsten weights applied to the centerline
so that the COG is one and one quarter inch forward of the rear
wheels.

Of course, this means that the precut slots will have to be ignored so
that the rear wheels can sit closer to the rear of the car.
This means that the block o' pine will be drilled for the axles and
will not depend on the default placement of those shabby crooked
slots.


This year the stock axles will be denibbed and polished with the
jeweler's rouge that is normally reserved for Daddy's best chisels.
The underside of the nail heads will be coned and polished.

This year the wheels will be trued on the lathe and the hub coned to
relieve the friction between hub and body. This year the internal
part of the hub will be polished to an ungodly sheen.

This year will not suck.

This year the wheels will be packed with the appropriate lubricant,
rather than a spit of WD-40.

This will stop some of the sucking.

This year the finish of the body will be lacquer and not paint, so
that it can be polished to a degree where friction is only a
possibility - but not an issue.


This year the boy will be taught why we sit the mass so far to the
rear and why we worry so about friction.

I don't know how much of this he will get.

He may be informed but not yet educated.

But it will not suck.

This year the boy will learn to run the drill press.

This year the boy will learn to rough out on a well protected
bandsaw.

This year the boy will learn how to polish objects on the lathe and
drill press.

This year the boy will continue his education about the use of rasps
and sandpaper.

This year the boy will get to run the HVLP in the spray booth.

This year the boy will be eight - but by the end of the year he will
be nine.

None of this sucks.

This year his Daddy will face up to the runout issues of the drill
press and lathe.

This might suck - a lot.


But, Daddy is a WoodDorker and not a freakin' machinist - so we can
only take this thing so far.

But - you know what?

It will not suck.

It will be fun.

For both of us.


Yeehaa.



Tom Watson - WoodDorker
tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (email)
http://home.comcast.net/~tjwatson1/ (website)
Tom Watson - WoodDorker
tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (email)
http://home.comcast.net/~tjwatson1/ (website)

Isn't this the same story posted at 6:19 p.m.? Is it really in need of
re-posting? I'm not trying to be a grump, but uh...

I remember my pinewood derby days ( in the late 50's) a lot less technical,
but I built the damned thing and I lived with the results...and after
reading this.....I'm frankly glad my Dad didn't get involved.
Merry Christmas to all the overachievers!
"Xylem" wrote in message
...
When he was a First Grader his Momma took him.

He was without Car and his Momma received a Kit, and the Kit was Good.

He raced a Block with Wheels - and the Block Sucked.

He did not Win, Place, nor Show.

And this Sucked.

When he was a Second Grader his Daddy took him.

His Daddy did not understand Pinewood but he was a Cabinetmaker and he
helped the boy make a straight and true car from the Kit. It did not
suck and the boy placed Third in his Pack.

The boy was happy and this did not suck.

His Daddy did not understand Pinewood.

This sucked.

This year the boy is a Bear Cub Third Grader.

His Daddy has studied Pinewood.

This year will not suck.


For Christmas this year the boy will receive devices that will true
wheels and polish axles and show him the true path of Pinewood.

This year will not suck.


This year his Daddy will allow him to make whatever freakish design
comes into his little mind and it will not suck - because it will not
matter.


It is all about gravity and friction and his Daddy now understands.

This year will not suck.


This year the boy will have tungsten weights applied to the centerline
so that the COG is one and one quarter inch forward of the rear
wheels.

Of course, this means that the precut slots will have to be ignored so
that the rear wheels can sit closer to the rear of the car.
This means that the block o' pine will be drilled for the axles and
will not depend on the default placement of those shabby crooked
slots.


This year the stock axles will be denibbed and polished with the
jeweler's rouge that is normally reserved for Daddy's best chisels.
The underside of the nail heads will be coned and polished.

This year the wheels will be trued on the lathe and the hub coned to
relieve the friction between hub and body. This year the internal
part of the hub will be polished to an ungodly sheen.

This year will not suck.

This year the wheels will be packed with the appropriate lubricant,
rather than a spit of WD-40.

This will stop some of the sucking.

This year the finish of the body will be lacquer and not paint, so
that it can be polished to a degree where friction is only a
possibility - but not an issue.


This year the boy will be taught why we sit the mass so far to the
rear and why we worry so about friction.

I don't know how much of this he will get.

He may be informed but not yet educated.

But it will not suck.

This year the boy will learn to run the drill press.

This year the boy will learn to rough out on a well protected
bandsaw.

This year the boy will learn how to polish objects on the lathe and
drill press.

This year the boy will continue his education about the use of rasps
and sandpaper.

This year the boy will get to run the HVLP in the spray booth.

This year the boy will be eight - but by the end of the year he will
be nine.

None of this sucks.

This year his Daddy will face up to the runout issues of the drill
press and lathe.

This might suck - a lot.


But, Daddy is a WoodDorker and not a freakin' machinist - so we can
only take this thing so far.

But - you know what?

It will not suck.

It will be fun.

For both of us.


Yeehaa.



Tom Watson - WoodDorker
tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (email)
http://home.comcast.net/~tjwatson1/ (website)
Tom Watson - WoodDorker
tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (email)
http://home.comcast.net/~tjwatson1/ (website)

One small addition....My Dad did get involved....he told me I did a good job
when I showed him the finished product. Priceless.
"Thomas" scythicon311@yahoo(dot)com wrote in message
...
Isn't this the same story posted at 6:19 p.m.? Is it really in need of
re-posting? I'm not trying to be a grump, but uh...

I remember my pinewood derby days ( in the late 50's) a lot less
technical, but I built the damned thing and I lived with the results...and
after reading this.....I'm frankly glad my Dad didn't get involved.
Merry Christmas to all the overachievers!
"Xylem" wrote in message
...
When he was a First Grader his Momma took him.

He was without Car and his Momma received a Kit, and the Kit was Good.

He raced a Block with Wheels - and the Block Sucked.

He did not Win, Place, nor Show.

And this Sucked.

When he was a Second Grader his Daddy took him.

His Daddy did not understand Pinewood but he was a Cabinetmaker and he
helped the boy make a straight and true car from the Kit. It did not
suck and the boy placed Third in his Pack.

The boy was happy and this did not suck.

His Daddy did not understand Pinewood.

This sucked.

This year the boy is a Bear Cub Third Grader.

His Daddy has studied Pinewood.

This year will not suck.


For Christmas this year the boy will receive devices that will true
wheels and polish axles and show him the true path of Pinewood.

This year will not suck.


This year his Daddy will allow him to make whatever freakish design
comes into his little mind and it will not suck - because it will not
matter.


It is all about gravity and friction and his Daddy now understands.

This year will not suck.


This year the boy will have tungsten weights applied to the centerline
so that the COG is one and one quarter inch forward of the rear
wheels.

Of course, this means that the precut slots will have to be ignored so
that the rear wheels can sit closer to the rear of the car.
This means that the block o' pine will be drilled for the axles and
will not depend on the default placement of those shabby crooked
slots.


This year the stock axles will be denibbed and polished with the
jeweler's rouge that is normally reserved for Daddy's best chisels.
The underside of the nail heads will be coned and polished.

This year the wheels will be trued on the lathe and the hub coned to
relieve the friction between hub and body. This year the internal
part of the hub will be polished to an ungodly sheen.

This year will not suck.

This year the wheels will be packed with the appropriate lubricant,
rather than a spit of WD-40.

This will stop some of the sucking.

This year the finish of the body will be lacquer and not paint, so
that it can be polished to a degree where friction is only a
possibility - but not an issue.


This year the boy will be taught why we sit the mass so far to the
rear and why we worry so about friction.

I don't know how much of this he will get.

He may be informed but not yet educated.

But it will not suck.

This year the boy will learn to run the drill press.

This year the boy will learn to rough out on a well protected
bandsaw.

This year the boy will learn how to polish objects on the lathe and
drill press.

This year the boy will continue his education about the use of rasps
and sandpaper.

This year the boy will get to run the HVLP in the spray booth.

This year the boy will be eight - but by the end of the year he will
be nine.

None of this sucks.

This year his Daddy will face up to the runout issues of the drill
press and lathe.

This might suck - a lot.


But, Daddy is a WoodDorker and not a freakin' machinist - so we can
only take this thing so far.

But - you know what?

It will not suck.

It will be fun.

For both of us.


Yeehaa.



Tom Watson - WoodDorker
tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (email)
http://home.comcast.net/~tjwatson1/ (website)
Tom Watson - WoodDorker
tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (email)
http://home.comcast.net/~tjwatson1/ (website)

In article , Thomas
scythicon311@yahoo(dot)com wrote:

Isn't this the same story posted at 6:19 p.m.? Is it really in need of
re-posting? I'm not trying to be a grump, but uh...

Tom's just trying to make sure that everyone who has kill-filed him has
lots of opportunity to expand their filters.

djb

--
The moral difference between a soldier and a civilian is that the soldier
accepts personal responsibility for the safety of the body politic of which he
is a member. The civilian does not. ‹ Robert A. Heinlein

Thomas (dot) wrote:

I remember my pinewood derby days ( in the late 50's) a lot less technical,
but I built the damned thing and I lived with the results...and after
reading this.....I'm frankly glad my Dad didn't get involved.

I had no Pinewood days of my own, so I had to piggyback on my son's. It
was great. He really did most of the work. I just supplied technical
advice and money... lots of the latter and just enough of the former.
Damn, we went through a lot of kits!

Worked our way up from zip to 1st place over the years. Still have the
trophies and the Fastest Damned Car We Ever Built.

It's ugly as Grandpa's toenails, but it runs like a bat outta Hell. :-)

On Mon, 19 Dec 2005 22:57:29 -0600, "Thomas"
scythicon311@yahoo(dot)com wrote:

One small addition....My Dad did get involved....he told me I did a good job
when I showed him the finished product. Priceless.
"Thomas" scythicon311@yahoo(dot)com wrote in message
...
Isn't this the same story posted at 6:19 p.m.? Is it really in need of
re-posting? I'm not trying to be a grump, but uh...

Heck, you've now posted the story twice yourself, so why complain
about the OP?



Ricky

On Mon, 19 Dec 2005 23:10:46 -0600, Dave Balderstone
wrote:

In article , Thomas
scythicon311@yahoo(dot)com wrote:

Isn't this the same story posted at 6:19 p.m.? Is it really in need of
re-posting? I'm not trying to be a grump, but uh...

Tom's just trying to make sure that everyone who has kill-filed him has
lots of opportunity to expand their filters.

djb


Ya know, Balderdash, I'd rather be a person who is killfiled than be
someone who is ignored because he's so ****ing boring.


Tom Watson - WoodDorker
tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (email)
http://home.comcast.net/~tjwatson1/ (website)