# BSA Pinewood Derby: Workworking Advice

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bsa-pinewood-derby-workworking-advice/683073>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [March 7, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bsa-pinewood-derby-workworking-advice/683073 "2014-03-07T01:48:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bsa-pinewood-derby-workworking-advice/683073/1 "2014-03-07T01:48:39Z")

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Any woodworkers out there? I am about to mount the wheels on my son’s pinewood derby car (Dad’s only bit of participation). We missed this year’s neighborhood’s workshop, so I am on my own. Judging by last year’s car, it looks like the nails (axles) are mounted 1/8-in above the bottom edge of the car’s wood body. But…is this too close to the edge? Will I crack the wood? I cannot afford to mess up now!

Also, what drill bit size would you recommend to create a pilot hole to start the nails? An image of these nails can be found in the upper right corner [at this link](https://www.google.com/#q=pinewood+derby+axles).

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**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bsa-pinewood-derby-workworking-advice/683073/2 "2014-03-07T02:26:52Z")

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There might be Youtube videos showing what you need. For example:  
[http://www.youtube.com/results?search\_query=mount+wheels+pinewood+derby+car&search=Search](http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=mount+wheels+pinewood+derby+car&search=Search)

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**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bsa-pinewood-derby-workworking-advice/683073/3 "2014-03-07T13:21:58Z")

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Isn’t there a groove on the official Pinewood Derby kit that you put the nails/axle into? You shouldn’t be actually nailing them in.

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**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bsa-pinewood-derby-workworking-advice/683073/4 "2014-03-07T15:18:32Z")

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Yeah there should be a slot for the nails.

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**Author:** ![Shadowfyre](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfyre/32/9972_2.png) [@Shadowfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shadowfyre)\
**Post date:** [March 7, 2014, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bsa-pinewood-derby-workworking-advice/683073/5 "2014-03-07T21:40:01Z")

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You also have to look at the rules for your pack/troop.

I was able to drill the holes for the nails (don’t remember what size, that was years ago) but they had to be the same distance apart as the slots. That is, I couldn’t put them way out at each corner. But I would drill them at a slight angle upward so when the car sat on the wheels, the wheels moved a bit away from the body to keep them from rubbing and slowing down.

Some rules say you have to use the slots, though.

Sucks to have your son’s car DQ’d due to not reading the rules.