1 00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:04,320 Speaker 1: Welcome to you Stuff you Should Know from House Stuff 2 00:00:04,360 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: Works dot com. Hey, and welcome to the podcast. I'm 3 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:16,200 Speaker 1: Josh Clark. There's Charles w Chuck Bryant. Jerry's over there 4 00:00:16,200 --> 00:00:20,119 Speaker 1: with her timer wagging her finger, which means it's time 5 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:22,919 Speaker 1: to start. Stuff you should know. The podcast just got 6 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 1: out of ruler. She ready to wrap us on the knuckles. Yeah, 7 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: you can get out of line. It's like a nun 8 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,480 Speaker 1: it's right and Chuck. Before we get started, I want 9 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:33,600 Speaker 1: to tell everybody they can follow us on Twitter at 10 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: s Y S Kid Podcast. Oh yeah, they can join 11 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: us on Facebook dot com slash Stuff you should know. 12 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,559 Speaker 1: Why are we going backwards? Huh? Okay, if you want 13 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 1: to send us an email, you can send it to 14 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: Stuff Podcast at how Stuff Works dot com. Yeah, we 15 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 1: have a beautiful old website called Stuff you should Know 16 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:50,159 Speaker 1: dot com where all sorts of other neat stuff happens too. 17 00:00:50,520 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 1: All right, so this listener mail I'm just gonna call. 18 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: Uh oh wait, sorry, you gotta save it and saving 19 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: it Chuck. Yes, were you in boy Scouts or cub Scouts? Nope? 20 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:06,399 Speaker 1: I went to one cub Scout meeting and uh I 21 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 1: didn't go back because The very first meeting I was 22 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: at was there beginning of their candy sale, the ritual 23 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: sacrifice now at the beginning of their candy sale, and 24 00:01:15,760 --> 00:01:18,200 Speaker 1: I just didn't As a little kid for some reason, 25 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 1: I didn't like my first meeting them saying, here's a 26 00:01:20,760 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 1: bunch of candy, go sell it. Yeah, but you know 27 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: they front you're a bunch of candy. They let you 28 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:28,039 Speaker 1: walk away with a box of can It turned me off. 29 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:30,280 Speaker 1: And I'm not knocking it. It's a great organization, but 30 00:01:30,360 --> 00:01:32,600 Speaker 1: I just never went back. I can't imagine. It's not 31 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:35,039 Speaker 1: the best one to start out on. Plus I was 32 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:38,479 Speaker 1: I was a Cub. I did cub scouty things just 33 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:41,040 Speaker 1: in life because you know, it was a big into 34 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: camping and stuff. And I was taught wilderness survival at 35 00:01:43,840 --> 00:01:46,440 Speaker 1: a young age, so I was like, I was my own, 36 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: had my own scouting troop. Your parents just dropped you 37 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:52,480 Speaker 1: off in the woods. Once back, Yeah, it all worked out. 38 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 1: Made my way back about a year later. Yeah, there 39 00:01:55,080 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: was none, no worse for the wear. So you never 40 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: made a pine with Derby car hunt, No, Well, I've 41 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: never made a pine with Derby car. But in Industrial 42 00:02:03,320 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: arts class I made the the CEO two racing cars, 43 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: remember those, yeah, which sort of it's sort of like 44 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:14,120 Speaker 1: the Pine with Derby, but it's powered by noxious gasses? 45 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:20,239 Speaker 1: Is it not just gas? Now it's actually CEO two. Yeah, 46 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 1: I think it might be noxious though it's not obnoxious, 47 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 1: but it's noxious and then it will kill you. Well, 48 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:29,239 Speaker 1: it's a kind of a funny story actually, I and 49 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:34,520 Speaker 1: my brother one of course, because he's my brother cheering 50 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 1: him on. Now. He won, uh, the school, and then 51 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,000 Speaker 1: he won county, and then he went to state for 52 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:42,959 Speaker 1: the and I don't think he won state, No, but 53 00:02:43,080 --> 00:02:46,160 Speaker 1: he did place most handsome. He did most Handsome Racer. 54 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:48,839 Speaker 1: And then I, of course, like everything else, I tried 55 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:53,799 Speaker 1: to copy my brother. I'm still doing today, and um 56 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:56,200 Speaker 1: sure I am and he um and I tried to 57 00:02:56,240 --> 00:02:59,400 Speaker 1: copy his design and mine just turned out a little 58 00:02:59,400 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 1: crooked and not quite a straight and um, I didn't 59 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,640 Speaker 1: even win in my class, not alone the school man. 60 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 1: So that just goes to show you my brother is 61 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 1: better at everything than me. That's a great story. His 62 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: was awesome, man, that that thing flew, and mine was 63 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: like knocking against the track and was missing a tooth. Yeah, 64 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 1: it was a pale impression. Pale impersonation. But that is 65 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:26,079 Speaker 1: a great lesson. You gotta forge your own way. That's right, 66 00:03:26,400 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 1: you know, my ugly little car. That's that's the lesson 67 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:33,600 Speaker 1: of this Pinewood Derby episode. You have to create your 68 00:03:33,639 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 1: own Pinewood Derby car, and not just figuratively but metaphorically 69 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:41,680 Speaker 1: as well. Well, what's the Pine with Derby? I think 70 00:03:41,720 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 1: some people there's a lot of people that are like, 71 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 1: oh my god, this is the best, and then the 72 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,440 Speaker 1: other of your like, what so the Pine with Derby 73 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 1: is the nation's premier gravity racing event. Yeah. It takes 74 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 1: place around the country around this time, I think, right, 75 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: does it beat street luge? Uh? It's a great point. 76 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 1: I said, this is the second best. Okay, miniature gravity racing. 77 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 1: What about many street luge man? Um? And yeah, I 78 00:04:12,760 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 1: think around It takes place around this time of year. 79 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:18,520 Speaker 1: Oh is it? Yeah? Cub scouts and boy scouts around 80 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:22,040 Speaker 1: the country, around the world. Are they into it now? 81 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: To make little wooden cars um and race them? And 82 00:04:29,040 --> 00:04:32,119 Speaker 1: it uses nothing but gravity, the force of gravity, little 83 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 1: angular momentum, reduction of friction, that kind of thing to 84 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 1: see whose car is fastest? Yeah. So um, we'll get 85 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 1: in to the details in the history, but it's basically, 86 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 1: you know, like you said, a track that starts on 87 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:47,479 Speaker 1: a hill and it has a little, um call it 88 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:50,160 Speaker 1: a pin, but it's like a little stick basically holds 89 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:52,320 Speaker 1: the car in place right at the at the front, 90 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 1: and then they pull a lever and those sticks drop 91 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:58,320 Speaker 1: and then um, it's like the starting gate and then 92 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:03,840 Speaker 1: it rolls. Because anyone who listened to our slinky episode. 93 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:06,640 Speaker 1: When the cars are up there pressed against the starting pin, 94 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:11,159 Speaker 1: they've got tons of potential energy. Then right when that 95 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 1: that starting pin has removed, that potential energy turns to 96 00:05:15,240 --> 00:05:18,839 Speaker 1: kinetic energy and gravity pulls them downward to the tune 97 00:05:18,880 --> 00:05:21,480 Speaker 1: of like twenty miles or so. But the cool thing 98 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:25,279 Speaker 1: about Pinewood Derby Racing is that all of the UM 99 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,279 Speaker 1: cars start out the exact same They're blocks of wood 100 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 1: with the same wheels, the same axles, And it's up 101 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:36,440 Speaker 1: to the cub scouts in their moms to uh craft 102 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:39,520 Speaker 1: this thing, to to make it slightly different enough that 103 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 1: it wins the race. It beats these other cars that 104 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:45,919 Speaker 1: were also the same kinds of blocks of wood before. Yes, 105 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 1: or uh, you're not so concerned with winning and you 106 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:51,640 Speaker 1: just want a cool looking car and you want to 107 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:54,200 Speaker 1: have a good experience with your parents. That was me 108 00:05:54,279 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: with my car, the Pinewood Derby car I made with 109 00:05:56,360 --> 00:06:00,400 Speaker 1: my Did you do it? Really? One most creative? There's 110 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:04,479 Speaker 1: a coke bottle, No way, and I like you a 111 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 1: real coke bottle. You got the piece of wood and 112 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 1: carved into a coke bottle. Yeah, the would, okay because 113 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:11,800 Speaker 1: other people, you know, they can there's all sorts of 114 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 1: things you can do now, Yeah, but you couldn't use 115 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 1: a coke bottle and do it. You'd be disqualified on 116 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:18,280 Speaker 1: the spot and maybe laughed out of the place. No, 117 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 1: there's like there's different versions now like there there can 118 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 1: be like the regular hardcore race and then the one 119 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: that's a little more fun where you can use different Uh. Oh, 120 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 1: I got you, Yeah, I got you. But I mean 121 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:31,839 Speaker 1: that's not the origin. The origin was, like you said, 122 00:06:31,880 --> 00:06:35,600 Speaker 1: just straight up woodblocks. So and let's talk about the 123 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:37,120 Speaker 1: origin of this year. Well did you win that? I 124 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: want to hear about your one most creative at all? 125 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:42,680 Speaker 1: So you were into just the cool looking thing. Yeah, 126 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: as a cub scout, a boy scout cub scouts, did 127 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:50,880 Speaker 1: you boy scout? You've had enough I did. Actually, um, 128 00:06:50,920 --> 00:06:53,919 Speaker 1: my dad was the dead parent. That's nice, but I 129 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: quit mid season and he continued on as the dead Parents. Really, 130 00:06:57,360 --> 00:06:59,600 Speaker 1: there's more than one awkward boy Scout meeting at my 131 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 1: house where like I just went hung out, you like, 132 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:05,840 Speaker 1: wander through eating a twinky. Yeah. My dad was like, 133 00:07:05,960 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: I can't believe this interesting, so he stuck it out. 134 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: Yeah that's kind of admirable. I guess I had a 135 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: thing where I, um, they the Cub Scouts teach and 136 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 1: Boy Scouts teach that you just respect your elders as 137 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:23,640 Speaker 1: a rule of thumb. Well, I've met too many elderly 138 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 1: people who I didn't feel deserved respect across the board, 139 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 1: and that I disputed this idea enough that I left. Wow, yeah, 140 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 1: that's pretty awesome. That was why I left because I 141 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 1: had to sell candy. You left because there were a 142 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 1: bunch of jerky old people in your community. I just 143 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:43,480 Speaker 1: didn't think that everyone deserves blank respect. I think you 144 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:46,880 Speaker 1: earn respect absolutely. You know, Hey, that's a pretty forward 145 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:49,040 Speaker 1: thinking thing for a little young Josh. You just didn't 146 00:07:49,080 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 1: want to go. No, it really was that you're like 147 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:53,040 Speaker 1: the meetings with the same night at the eight team. 148 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:56,760 Speaker 1: So yeah, there was one meeting where I just sat 149 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 1: there and watched the eight team really loud. Well, my 150 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:01,880 Speaker 1: dad and the rest of the Scouts are trying to meet. 151 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: That's pretty good stuff. So yes, my dad and I won. 152 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: I think it's most creative category for the coke bottle 153 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 1: at Southwick Mall and Toledo, Ohio, that's where they had 154 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 1: the racist It's pretty funny. And you still drink like 155 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 1: a gazillion Cokes a day, not cokes well, Cooke zero 156 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 1: or whatever. Yeah, I've tried to limit it. I don't 157 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 1: drink a gazillion. I would say I drink a lot 158 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 1: of water and coffee too. You just you're you get 159 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:29,559 Speaker 1: beveraged up like no one I've ever seen. Now. It's weird, 160 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 1: you know. It's like I constantly have to be drinking something. Yeah, 161 00:08:32,520 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 1: I don't get it. Hey, that's your thing. Huh, it's 162 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 1: no big deal. It's not like you're like downing bottles 163 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:43,840 Speaker 1: of vodka all day long. Just red bull um. All right, 164 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:45,440 Speaker 1: So you want to talk about the history of this thing, 165 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 1: let's don Murphy. May nine is when the first Pinewood 166 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 1: Derby was held in southern California, Manhattan Beach, California, which 167 00:08:56,559 --> 00:09:00,360 Speaker 1: is where you means, and my friend Molly is from. 168 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: You can be from worst places in the world. You 169 00:09:02,600 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 1: know who else pretty sweet either is from or lives 170 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,120 Speaker 1: in Manhattan Beach. I looked this up who Kevin Nealon, 171 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:14,680 Speaker 1: Don Dokin uh and then some other people too. I 172 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:17,120 Speaker 1: think our buddies, uh Luke and Catherine Ryan live in 173 00:09:17,160 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 1: Manhattan Beach. Oh do they? That is a nice town. 174 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:25,839 Speaker 1: It's like a small town feel on the California's coast, 175 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 1: like on the boardwalk that connects like all the other towns. 176 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 1: Pretty nice. That's where the Lost Boys live? Was it? No? 177 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:36,079 Speaker 1: I think they were like Santa Cruz or something like. Yeah. 178 00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:38,120 Speaker 1: I think they were a little more north all right, 179 00:09:38,200 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 1: so very nice history of Manhattan Beach residents. Don Murphy 180 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 1: was a cub Scout leader for Pack to eighty and 181 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 1: um he had he had some kids that wanted to 182 00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: because there's this other race called the soapbox derby. This 183 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:56,280 Speaker 1: is when you actually put your child in this thing 184 00:09:56,320 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 1: to be injured and put and push him down a hill. 185 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:01,599 Speaker 1: But he had some kids. You have to be a 186 00:10:01,679 --> 00:10:05,120 Speaker 1: certain age to do that, and um, his boys were like, Dad, 187 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:07,200 Speaker 1: I want to be in the soapbox Derby, and he said, 188 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:09,440 Speaker 1: well son, you're too young. So he tried to think 189 00:10:09,440 --> 00:10:11,600 Speaker 1: of something that you could do together with his boys 190 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:14,439 Speaker 1: and came up with the Pinewood Derby, which is a 191 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:17,440 Speaker 1: pretty cool idea. Yeah you know. Yeah, it's basically making 192 00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 1: a soapbox derby racer too small for human to fit 193 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:24,280 Speaker 1: and be injured in. It's correct. Yeah, much safer, I 194 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:28,079 Speaker 1: would imagine. So. Um. Apparently, like at this first one, 195 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 1: they pulled out all the stops immediately. Um, they came 196 00:10:32,160 --> 00:10:37,120 Speaker 1: up with a regulation wood blocks, wheels, and axles that 197 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:39,960 Speaker 1: everybody had to use the same things. Right. The axles 198 00:10:39,960 --> 00:10:43,960 Speaker 1: are just nails, yeah, but they had wooden struts that 199 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 1: the nails went into too. Um, And the they came 200 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 1: up with a pretty cool track, like a thirty two 201 00:10:50,960 --> 00:10:53,760 Speaker 1: or forty something foot track. The first one was thirty 202 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:56,800 Speaker 1: one okay. And then but they also used like old 203 00:10:56,960 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 1: doorbells to create like, um timekeeper, so whichever car passed 204 00:11:04,760 --> 00:11:07,320 Speaker 1: the thing first would set off a light in that 205 00:11:07,400 --> 00:11:10,160 Speaker 1: lane above that lane. He's got a little more advanced 206 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:15,120 Speaker 1: since then, Yes, I mean that's that's that's pretty advanced 207 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:17,280 Speaker 1: for the first one. Yeah, not bad for the early 208 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:20,000 Speaker 1: nineteen fifties. No, and so the first this first one, 209 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:25,679 Speaker 1: I'm at three in Manhattan Beach. Um. Apparently it was 210 00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:28,000 Speaker 1: just such a total hit that the guy who invented 211 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 1: at Don Murphy was like, this is some this is 212 00:11:30,320 --> 00:11:32,400 Speaker 1: a thing. Yeah, how can I make money on it? 213 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,560 Speaker 1: Apparently he didn't. Now he didn't, but Boil. A lot 214 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 1: of people have since then, which we'll get to as well. 215 00:11:38,960 --> 00:11:44,400 Speaker 1: A lot of um entrepreneurial fathers were like, hey, I 216 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:47,960 Speaker 1: can make some dough on this by designing these things. Yeah, 217 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:53,840 Speaker 1: good for them, all right, you know so um Don 218 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 1: Murphy with the other route and so I don't want 219 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:59,520 Speaker 1: to share this with the world. This is my creation. Um, 220 00:11:59,559 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 1: and I'm going to get in touch with the Boy 221 00:12:01,480 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 1: Scouts of America and say, hey, guys, I've got this thing. 222 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:07,959 Speaker 1: And the Boy Scouts said, that's great. We're sending out 223 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 1: Boys Life Magazine to cover this. It's gonna be hot 224 00:12:12,120 --> 00:12:16,000 Speaker 1: off the presses. Remember that um an airplane where the 225 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:20,080 Speaker 1: little uh the kids reading Now the nun is reading 226 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:23,400 Speaker 1: Boys Life Magazine and the little boys reading Nuns Life 227 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:27,040 Speaker 1: Magazine next to that's pretty funny. So Boys Life Magazine 228 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:30,439 Speaker 1: is like the official magazine of boy Scouts, right, and 229 00:12:30,480 --> 00:12:32,840 Speaker 1: they came out and covered it, and I think nineteen 230 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 1: fifty four the next year, but it was just kind 231 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:38,160 Speaker 1: of like a little blurb a little right up one 232 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,320 Speaker 1: page or it didn't really get the extent of this across. Yeah, 233 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:44,840 Speaker 1: and um by ve they had over three hundred people 234 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: racing for the championships in l A's Griffith Park. And 235 00:12:49,240 --> 00:12:53,679 Speaker 1: um now, I think since its inception, over fifty million 236 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:57,800 Speaker 1: kids have done this and a ninety million including parents, 237 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:00,240 Speaker 1: which is a little lazy to me. They are just 238 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:04,120 Speaker 1: like they're just had two parents per kids. Object a few, 239 00:13:04,679 --> 00:13:07,679 Speaker 1: let's make it ninety million. But yeah, it's become a 240 00:13:07,760 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 1: huge hit and a tradition that lives on today. Um 241 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 1: and kind of the same way. I mean, they've gotten 242 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:18,960 Speaker 1: way more um involved in making these things as fast 243 00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:21,760 Speaker 1: as possible, but the general gist of it and the 244 00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:24,960 Speaker 1: rules are about the same. Yeah, and let's talk about 245 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:43,679 Speaker 1: the rules right after this break, So chuck to make 246 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:46,720 Speaker 1: these things fair. All pinewood derby cars start off the 247 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:52,640 Speaker 1: exact scence, little woodblock, some regulation wheels and axles, right, 248 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:56,200 Speaker 1: and then it's up to you, the scout, to make 249 00:13:56,240 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 1: it your own and um, this article funny enough says 250 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 1: that aerodynamics don't really play a role. That is not 251 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 1: the case at all. No, they play um uh if 252 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:12,600 Speaker 1: you want to speak scientifically, and eleven percent um reduction 253 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:16,640 Speaker 1: and speed just using the wood block. Yeah, if you 254 00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:21,400 Speaker 1: if you make it more aerodynamic, So it's um, it matters, 255 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:23,560 Speaker 1: but it doesn't matter quite as much as you think 256 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 1: it might, right, but it does have some effect. Absolutely 257 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 1: eleven and so um, there are some some guidelines to 258 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 1: making a soapbox derby racer Pinewood man, it's gonna get 259 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 1: me all episode. That's okay, Just remember soapbox equals death 260 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:45,400 Speaker 1: of child, pinewood equals fun for child. Great, Okay, Okay, 261 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:47,920 Speaker 1: I think I got it now. That's right. Um, no 262 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:51,600 Speaker 1: car can weigh more than five ounces and um we'll 263 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:53,440 Speaker 1: get to the tricks of the trade later. But you 264 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:55,760 Speaker 1: want your car to weigh that five ounces? Yes, you 265 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 1: don't want it to weigh four because faster cars or 266 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 1: heavier cars canna be fast. That's right, because of gravity 267 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 1: and mass, well sort of, I mean that technically a 268 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:09,760 Speaker 1: heavier car it's it's all about weight distribution, it is. 269 00:15:09,880 --> 00:15:12,800 Speaker 1: But a heavier car is going to be subject to 270 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 1: the force of gravity more than a lighter car because 271 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:18,840 Speaker 1: it has more more mass for gravity to exert an 272 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 1: effect on cars. Cannot be longer than seven inches. I 273 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:24,560 Speaker 1: think initially they were a little bit longer than that, 274 00:15:24,760 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 1: but they settled on seven which is good. Uh. They 275 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:30,520 Speaker 1: cannot be more than two and three quarters of an 276 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 1: inch wide, and the clearance of the car on the 277 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 1: track must be no more than three eighths of an inch. 278 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:39,840 Speaker 1: And the clearance is very important because Pinewood Derby cars 279 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:43,280 Speaker 1: are called rail cars. They ride along a central rail 280 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 1: where the car and the wheels straddle a rail that 281 00:15:46,640 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 1: goes underneath it. Right, it's not just in a lane 282 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 1: to bump back and forth. Yes, very good point. Uh. 283 00:15:54,280 --> 00:15:56,520 Speaker 1: And the last rule, of course, um we mentioned it's 284 00:15:56,520 --> 00:15:58,800 Speaker 1: all gravity fed. You can't have any starting device or 285 00:15:58,840 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 1: any uh CEO two cartridge or motor or anything. It's 286 00:16:02,120 --> 00:16:05,360 Speaker 1: it's just wheels guiding it down the track. If the 287 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:07,840 Speaker 1: jet flames shoot out of the back of your Pinewood 288 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 1: Derby car, it's kind of get disqualified. You'll get some 289 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:14,240 Speaker 1: wows of the crowd for sure. Well you'll also get 290 00:16:14,280 --> 00:16:17,240 Speaker 1: some wows if you carve a cool coke bottle or 291 00:16:17,280 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 1: make a NASCAR or general leaves a big one. Oh, 292 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 1: I'm sure. But what I basically found in researching this 293 00:16:24,600 --> 00:16:28,000 Speaker 1: is you can't have both. Um, you can either have 294 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,360 Speaker 1: a really cool looking car or a really fast car, 295 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 1: because the faster ones are not very like great looking. No, 296 00:16:34,680 --> 00:16:37,040 Speaker 1: and a lot of people just go with a wedge 297 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 1: because the wedge is aerodynamic. It's a lot more aerodynamic 298 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:43,560 Speaker 1: than there's the block. It's easy to make, and apparently 299 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,600 Speaker 1: they're very fast. Usually that's right there. I saw one. 300 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:49,960 Speaker 1: If you type in cool Pinewood Derby cars on a 301 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:53,480 Speaker 1: Google image search, comes up with some cool Pinewood Derby cars. 302 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:55,840 Speaker 1: But one of them is this kid holding his car. 303 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 1: It's like this weird reddish brown and has Spider's paint 304 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:04,120 Speaker 1: it on it. He named it Derby. Death's my favorite 305 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:09,919 Speaker 1: pine with Derby car. That's your favorite kid? Yeah? Um mine, 306 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 1: it would have just been me holding up my sort 307 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:14,080 Speaker 1: of oddly shaped thing that says not as good as 308 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:18,479 Speaker 1: your brother's. Um. You start off with um, either like 309 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 1: a balsa wood or um. What's the other kind of would? 310 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: They suggested? Pine pine? This is a little softer, easier 311 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:28,480 Speaker 1: to carve that's the pine with Derby car. Oh well yeah, 312 00:17:28,480 --> 00:17:30,959 Speaker 1: that's true. But bosses I think lighter, So it is, 313 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:35,080 Speaker 1: but again you don't necessarily want lighter. Well that's a 314 00:17:35,119 --> 00:17:37,200 Speaker 1: good point, thank you. But again you want the weight 315 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:41,359 Speaker 1: distribution correct, so you may want the body lighter so 316 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 1: you can control that weight more. Yes, it's just a 317 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:46,640 Speaker 1: little tip. No, that is a good point right there. 318 00:17:46,720 --> 00:17:49,440 Speaker 1: You want to control where the weight goes. That's right. 319 00:17:49,760 --> 00:17:52,280 Speaker 1: So yeah, maybe boss is the way to go. Well, 320 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:53,920 Speaker 1: they do have the kits you can buy that are 321 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:58,199 Speaker 1: fully uh stocked with everything you need. Or you can 322 00:17:58,200 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 1: go ala carte because there are a lot of companies 323 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:05,639 Speaker 1: out there now that make um all manner of add 324 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:09,119 Speaker 1: ons and special wheels and axles and all kinds of 325 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:11,199 Speaker 1: things to make your car faster. Yeah, and you you 326 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 1: if you are building a Pinewood Derby racer right now, 327 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 1: and you're like, yeah, that sounds pretty great. I got 328 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:20,440 Speaker 1: some money to spend on this thing. Um, you will 329 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:24,560 Speaker 1: want to check your local council's rules because some of 330 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:27,359 Speaker 1: them are like, nope, you can use nothing but what 331 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:33,200 Speaker 1: comes in the official Pinewood Derby kit Um and other 332 00:18:33,240 --> 00:18:38,080 Speaker 1: places are right exactly, and now go sell some candy 333 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:41,760 Speaker 1: after the Pinewood Derby is over. Um, then other places 334 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:44,600 Speaker 1: are like, yeah, go nuts. Most places agreed, like you 335 00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:49,240 Speaker 1: can't send the kid off to a third party and 336 00:18:49,320 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 1: have a third party make your Pinewood Derby racer for 337 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,720 Speaker 1: you and send it back. Oh yeah, no way. Other 338 00:18:54,760 --> 00:18:57,640 Speaker 1: places say that can't. Well no, that's the whole point. 339 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:02,560 Speaker 1: It's just supposed to be like a parent kid activity 340 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:10,760 Speaker 1: of learning about physics, engineering, building, working. Yeah, probably losing sportsmanship, yes, 341 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:14,400 Speaker 1: not throwing a punch when you lose stuff like that. 342 00:19:14,560 --> 00:19:17,880 Speaker 1: And if you just basically buy a racer, I mean, 343 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:20,239 Speaker 1: what kind of like villainous rich kid are you if 344 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 1: that's what you're you're doing at the Pineood Derby? You know, yeah, 345 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:26,920 Speaker 1: you're what's his face from Pewee's Big Adventure? Oh man, 346 00:19:27,760 --> 00:19:32,560 Speaker 1: what is his name? Do you know it? I'm completely blanking. 347 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 1: I can picture him chewing that black gum. Yes, I 348 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:38,840 Speaker 1: can picture him in that big bathtub swimming pool in 349 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:41,040 Speaker 1: his home. Well, we'll figure it out. It will come 350 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:43,560 Speaker 1: to one of us. I don't feel the need to 351 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 1: email because this will be weeks later. We got it, 352 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:48,920 Speaker 1: We got to cover it. Um or you could be 353 00:19:48,960 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 1: the antagonist in the movie down in Derby Man. Yeah, 354 00:19:54,440 --> 00:19:57,600 Speaker 1: did you go to IMDb on that one? Very briefly? 355 00:19:57,640 --> 00:20:00,720 Speaker 1: Did you see the movie poster? That is everything you 356 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:04,040 Speaker 1: need to know about that movie is captured in the poster. Yeah, 357 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:07,760 Speaker 1: there's a film about a Pinewood derby two parents who 358 00:20:07,840 --> 00:20:11,400 Speaker 1: of course two fathers who were lifelong rivals. Yeah, that's 359 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:14,719 Speaker 1: all you need to say. Well, was starting uh the 360 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:18,040 Speaker 1: Boss from Ally McBeal. Yeah, Greg German. Yeah, I'm a 361 00:20:18,040 --> 00:20:21,240 Speaker 1: big German fan. But are you I think it's good? 362 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:23,840 Speaker 1: He was great in that show. I never saw that show. 363 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:25,640 Speaker 1: That was a good show. Wasn't he on the West 364 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:29,480 Speaker 1: Wing to Uh? No, you're thinking of Bradley? Um, oh, 365 00:20:29,520 --> 00:20:33,399 Speaker 1: I like that guy. Yeah, great incentive a woman Bradley Cooper. 366 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:39,880 Speaker 1: No not I you mean Whitford. Yes? His his His 367 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:43,920 Speaker 1: best role though, seriously, was in Billy Madison. I never 368 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:48,360 Speaker 1: saw that either. What right? Yeah, you gotta see that one. 369 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:52,240 Speaker 1: Happen to Gilmore are classic films. I've seen some of 370 00:20:52,240 --> 00:20:54,440 Speaker 1: Happy Gilmour For some reason, those Adam Sandler and the 371 00:20:54,520 --> 00:20:57,880 Speaker 1: Chris Farley movies. I never really saw what I didn't 372 00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:02,480 Speaker 1: see Black Sheep, Well black it's fine, but you never 373 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:06,840 Speaker 1: saw Tommy Boy parts of it. I know, I don't 374 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:08,439 Speaker 1: know what was going on. One are those like when 375 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:12,080 Speaker 1: I was in college or just right after? But yeah maybe, yeah, 376 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:14,800 Speaker 1: that was like a dark being a little too sophisticated 377 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:17,040 Speaker 1: for those you know, No, not at all. They really 378 00:21:17,080 --> 00:21:20,480 Speaker 1: are great movies. Like if if you don't like them, 379 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:23,600 Speaker 1: you're just being a snob. Like they're just funny movies 380 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 1: that anybody can enjoy on just the basic level. I 381 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:29,879 Speaker 1: can assure you I didn't avoid them out of snobbery. 382 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:32,399 Speaker 1: But um, I think that was just like a weird 383 00:21:33,600 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 1: period where I didn't see many movies. You were just 384 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:39,360 Speaker 1: watching nothing but Fellini, No, I don't know. I don't 385 00:21:39,359 --> 00:21:42,440 Speaker 1: know what were you doing instead? I got just watching TV. 386 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:45,159 Speaker 1: I gotta find out what year they came out. I 387 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:50,320 Speaker 1: would say probably between four and nineties seven. Yeah that 388 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:54,879 Speaker 1: was college. And UM, I don't know. Okay, we'll just 389 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:59,160 Speaker 1: leave it. I just didn't see him all right. Where 390 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:04,720 Speaker 1: are we we are at? The Oh, I've got one. Um, 391 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:09,600 Speaker 1: if you do, um, if your counsel does allow outside helper, 392 00:22:09,880 --> 00:22:13,760 Speaker 1: you'll if you can buy other parts, because a lot 393 00:22:13,760 --> 00:22:15,840 Speaker 1: of times it's like, no, you have to use these 394 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 1: but some of these companies have figured out ways around it. 395 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:23,200 Speaker 1: Like your Pinewood Derby car is going to be inspected conceivably, 396 00:22:23,480 --> 00:22:25,600 Speaker 1: especially if it's really fast and it's a winning car, 397 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:27,560 Speaker 1: They're gonna really look at it to make sure you're 398 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: not cheating. One of the ways that you can make 399 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:35,399 Speaker 1: your car faster is with wheels. Lighter wheels, so less 400 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:39,280 Speaker 1: mass equals less friction, I believe, and um, so they 401 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:42,160 Speaker 1: spin faster and it moves faster, right call onion skin 402 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:46,600 Speaker 1: wheels right now, Like you usually can't use those, but 403 00:22:46,960 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 1: some of these companies offer ones that outwardly look the 404 00:22:50,880 --> 00:22:53,119 Speaker 1: exact same. It has all the markings and everything, but 405 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:56,160 Speaker 1: they've removed a lot of the mass. So they bought 406 00:22:56,280 --> 00:23:01,680 Speaker 1: like official boy Scout Pinewood Derby wheels and have altered 407 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 1: them so and then sell them for like thirty five 408 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:08,719 Speaker 1: bucks for a set thirty five bucks to cheat at 409 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:13,119 Speaker 1: Pinewo Derby. Basically, yeah, yeah, it's so disheartening. It is 410 00:23:13,119 --> 00:23:16,119 Speaker 1: a little disheartening also because even if it is legal 411 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:20,240 Speaker 1: or allowed, it's like, um, I guaranteed all the kid's 412 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:22,600 Speaker 1: parents are gonna be willing to spend thirty five bucks 413 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:26,000 Speaker 1: on like aftermarket wheels that have had some of the 414 00:23:26,080 --> 00:23:29,159 Speaker 1: mass removed to make the cargo faster. Yeah, or the 415 00:23:29,240 --> 00:23:31,480 Speaker 1: kid who can't afford that kind of stuff. Anyway, it's 416 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:33,240 Speaker 1: not on a level playing field, you know. That's what 417 00:23:33,280 --> 00:23:35,840 Speaker 1: I mean. That just thinks. Yeah, well, I mean beyond 418 00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:38,679 Speaker 1: the parents saying they shouldn't pay for that, Like you 419 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:42,840 Speaker 1: know what I mean, let's talk about the track. The 420 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:46,919 Speaker 1: starting gate is generally about four ft high because and 421 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:49,040 Speaker 1: I thought this is adorable, because that's about it. That's 422 00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:51,200 Speaker 1: a good height for a little cup scout, like it 423 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:52,800 Speaker 1: made sense. So they didn't want to make it so 424 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:56,160 Speaker 1: high that you know, they couldn't do it. Although um, 425 00:23:56,280 --> 00:24:00,200 Speaker 1: usually the kid is not actually placing the car. It's 426 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 1: UM an official that's doing that. Yeah, the contains are 427 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:07,119 Speaker 1: usually too sticky. Yeah, I got like lollipopcum all over 428 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:09,680 Speaker 1: the um. And that's another reason why you should mark 429 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:12,000 Speaker 1: UM the front car, the front of your car, in 430 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:14,560 Speaker 1: the back of your car, because if you don't do 431 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:16,760 Speaker 1: like the best job at the aerodynamics, you might not 432 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 1: be able to tell the difference between the front and 433 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:20,639 Speaker 1: the back and it might not be you placing it. 434 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:22,440 Speaker 1: So just put a little like F and a b 435 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:24,760 Speaker 1: on the underside to make sure they know what they're doing. 436 00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:30,159 Speaker 1: It'll either be you placing the car, the official placing 437 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:33,320 Speaker 1: the car, or the Grand Marshal of the race, Greg 438 00:24:33,359 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 1: German placing the car as part of his duties. So 439 00:24:37,920 --> 00:24:41,160 Speaker 1: it's four ft high, about thirty two to forty five 440 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:44,400 Speaker 1: ft long UM. The number of lanes are from two 441 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:48,159 Speaker 1: to six, although they talk about the semi legendary twelve 442 00:24:48,280 --> 00:24:53,560 Speaker 1: lane model, which was probably pretty boss. Sure, I say, like, 443 00:24:54,000 --> 00:24:55,879 Speaker 1: speed this thing up, get as many lanes going as 444 00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:57,560 Speaker 1: you can. I know that. You know, you could like 445 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:00,680 Speaker 1: have ten thousand scouts racing with the twelve laner in 446 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:03,640 Speaker 1: an hour. You know, Chuck, this track thing is kind 447 00:25:03,680 --> 00:25:06,800 Speaker 1: of like, say you have a twelve lane track. Depending 448 00:25:06,800 --> 00:25:08,760 Speaker 1: on the type of race you run, it could actually 449 00:25:08,840 --> 00:25:11,480 Speaker 1: make the whole thing go a lot longer because a 450 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:14,119 Speaker 1: lot of people say these tracks, some of them are great, 451 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:17,399 Speaker 1: Like there are there's companies that do make tracks, like 452 00:25:17,480 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 1: one's called micro Wizard. I think, and this get this 453 00:25:20,359 --> 00:25:23,119 Speaker 1: guy came up with this company to build like really 454 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:28,080 Speaker 1: awesome aluminum tracks with UM timers that can UM that 455 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:31,040 Speaker 1: that are sensitive to I think to ten thousands of 456 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:35,200 Speaker 1: a second UM and so this guy is making these 457 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,359 Speaker 1: really great tracks, but not all tracks are created like that. 458 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:41,080 Speaker 1: That whole set ups like two grand. So if you 459 00:25:41,119 --> 00:25:43,680 Speaker 1: have maybe an older wooden track or something like that, 460 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:47,920 Speaker 1: some critics of those kind of tracks say, well, then 461 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,639 Speaker 1: everybody needs to run a race and each one of 462 00:25:50,640 --> 00:25:54,159 Speaker 1: those slots, and then you take the combined times to 463 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:56,760 Speaker 1: come up with an average, because some slots are going 464 00:25:56,800 --> 00:26:00,639 Speaker 1: to be better than others. So if you had like 465 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:04,480 Speaker 1: a twelve a twelve lane track, oh yeah, you would 466 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:06,399 Speaker 1: have a very long day ahead of you. So that 467 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:08,600 Speaker 1: would not speed things up. It would do the opposite 468 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:10,840 Speaker 1: of speeding things up, all right, So I'd smash ten 469 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:16,680 Speaker 1: of those lanes and at least stump atom. Like you said, 470 00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:19,359 Speaker 1: most of the really nice tracks are aluminum now, although 471 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:21,920 Speaker 1: they can still be wood. Uh. Sometimes the wood is 472 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:24,639 Speaker 1: surfaced and like Mason eyed or something like really slick 473 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 1: um surface to make it as fast as possible, because 474 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:31,360 Speaker 1: that's what it's all about. So we're gonna get down 475 00:26:31,480 --> 00:26:36,040 Speaker 1: to business what everyone's been waiting for, and tell you guys, 476 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:40,160 Speaker 1: how to make your regulation Pinewood Derby car as fast 477 00:26:40,200 --> 00:26:59,800 Speaker 1: as possible. Right after this, So Chuck, we happened to 478 00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:02,840 Speaker 1: go onto Boys Life Magazine today a couple of times 479 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:08,240 Speaker 1: and every day, alright is our homepage. Uh, and we 480 00:27:08,400 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 1: looked at ways to make your Pinewood Derby car faster. 481 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:15,360 Speaker 1: One of the articles you found was from Mars Curiosity 482 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:20,360 Speaker 1: rover engineer who he and his son Um are into scouting, 483 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:23,360 Speaker 1: and they made a Pinewood Derby car and they decided 484 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:25,960 Speaker 1: to apply the scientific method to figuring out ways to 485 00:27:26,000 --> 00:27:29,800 Speaker 1: make it faster. And this dude came up with this, um, 486 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:34,200 Speaker 1: these these pointers. Basically what is his name, His name's 487 00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:38,359 Speaker 1: Mark Rober. He's a Nasha NASA engineer. Yeah, and he 488 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:41,160 Speaker 1: and his son are to be thanked for these pointers. 489 00:27:41,359 --> 00:27:44,280 Speaker 1: All right. Well, speaking of point um, the first thing 490 00:27:44,320 --> 00:27:46,280 Speaker 1: you want to do is avoid a pointed nose on 491 00:27:46,359 --> 00:27:49,959 Speaker 1: your car. Good. You wanted to be flat um across 492 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:54,040 Speaker 1: the front because um, sometimes it will affect how it gets, 493 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:56,680 Speaker 1: how it reads across the finish line, which you don't want. 494 00:27:57,040 --> 00:28:01,040 Speaker 1: I saw a hammerhead shark Pinewood Derby. It was off. Yeah, 495 00:28:01,160 --> 00:28:02,840 Speaker 1: that's a pretty good example of what you want up front, 496 00:28:03,160 --> 00:28:05,919 Speaker 1: that flat nose. Um. And the other thing too, is 497 00:28:06,160 --> 00:28:08,800 Speaker 1: it may affect the way it rest on that pint 498 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:11,040 Speaker 1: at the start of the race. Yeah, because if it's 499 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:13,600 Speaker 1: cocked off to one side or the other, that car 500 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 1: is gonna hit that middle rail and it's gonna be 501 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 1: friction city and you're gonna go home crying in your 502 00:28:19,080 --> 00:28:23,640 Speaker 1: in your pillow. That's right. Um. You want the weight, 503 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:26,880 Speaker 1: like we mentioned at the rear of the car, um 504 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:31,600 Speaker 1: about within an inch of that rear axle, and proper 505 00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 1: weight distribution accounts for about thirty six percent. I thought 506 00:28:35,040 --> 00:28:37,920 Speaker 1: you said, oh no, those aerodynamics. Yeah, I was gonna 507 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:42,280 Speaker 1: totally nail you on that one the way. That's huge. 508 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:45,200 Speaker 1: And Um, what that means is you've got more potential 509 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:48,800 Speaker 1: energy because the center of mass is higher up on 510 00:28:48,840 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 1: the track, right, So so you know, like with our 511 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 1: water slides episode, the higher up you go in the stairs, 512 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:57,720 Speaker 1: the more potential energy you have. So even that extra 513 00:28:57,880 --> 00:29:01,960 Speaker 1: like half an inch of weight distribution towards the back 514 00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:06,480 Speaker 1: higher up, the more acceleration you're going to have on 515 00:29:06,520 --> 00:29:08,960 Speaker 1: your car. Yeah, because if you if you think about 516 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:13,200 Speaker 1: the track like once it flattens out at the bottom. 517 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:15,800 Speaker 1: If the weight is on the frontier car and you've 518 00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:17,680 Speaker 1: got two cars side by side and the weights on 519 00:29:17,680 --> 00:29:21,440 Speaker 1: the front that one's already done, and the one with 520 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:24,040 Speaker 1: the weight at the rear it's still pushing it and 521 00:29:24,080 --> 00:29:25,880 Speaker 1: that extra couple of inches is gonna make a big 522 00:29:25,960 --> 00:29:28,920 Speaker 1: diff good point. And you, um, you might say, well 523 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:31,080 Speaker 1: then I want to put my weight all the way 524 00:29:31,120 --> 00:29:33,400 Speaker 1: on the rear of the car. No, no, no, you 525 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:36,280 Speaker 1: don't want to because that means that, um, the front 526 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:38,920 Speaker 1: might pop a wheelie the whole way down. Again, it'll 527 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:41,760 Speaker 1: look cool, it'll be a crowd pleaser, but you're probably 528 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 1: not gonna win that way. I would totally be a 529 00:29:44,680 --> 00:29:48,360 Speaker 1: crowd pleaser because I know I couldn't win the speed portion, 530 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:50,680 Speaker 1: so I would just make one that like pops wheelies 531 00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:54,880 Speaker 1: and does cool things. Um. Maybe that's why I was 532 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:58,080 Speaker 1: never cup Scott. I was thinking outside the box. You know. 533 00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:02,520 Speaker 1: Um maximum weight, like we said, you want it to 534 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:06,360 Speaker 1: be that five ounce is very big. Oh. They recommend 535 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:10,560 Speaker 1: baking the wood block first. Start to get the all 536 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:14,000 Speaker 1: the XX moisture out of that. Bake it two fifty 537 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:16,959 Speaker 1: for a couple of hours, two hours, and it should 538 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 1: um make your block of wood that much lighter. Because again, 539 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:23,120 Speaker 1: you want weight, you want the full five ounces, but 540 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:27,040 Speaker 1: you want to control. You want to control where you 541 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:30,800 Speaker 1: put that weight, not mother Nature, not God or Earth 542 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:33,640 Speaker 1: or anything like that. You want to control where that 543 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:36,120 Speaker 1: weight goes. Yeah, and um get you know you want 544 00:30:36,160 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 1: your parents help with all this. Don't go throwing wood 545 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:39,440 Speaker 1: in the oven and crank in it up because it 546 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:41,760 Speaker 1: can catch on fire. You don't want that either. Well, 547 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:44,920 Speaker 1: yeah to fifty All right, here's one. Oh man, I 548 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:47,880 Speaker 1: know you're gonna talk about the three wheeler. I don't 549 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:51,600 Speaker 1: know that wasn't it. You need to check again with 550 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:54,400 Speaker 1: your rules. But apparently in some leagues they allow you 551 00:30:55,040 --> 00:30:57,520 Speaker 1: and this is a very common thing now if they 552 00:30:57,560 --> 00:31:00,800 Speaker 1: allow it to have one wheel not on the track 553 00:31:00,840 --> 00:31:03,560 Speaker 1: at all, like the front left of the front right. 554 00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:06,800 Speaker 1: Why would you want to do that? Well because less friction. Um, 555 00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:09,440 Speaker 1: so they say about one sixty of an inch higher, 556 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 1: so it never actually touches the track and that will 557 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:15,200 Speaker 1: give you a nine speed increase. Right, you only have 558 00:31:15,280 --> 00:31:18,840 Speaker 1: three wheels touching the track at once never Yeah, um, 559 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:22,240 Speaker 1: pretty smart, but also probably cheating if they don't allow it. Yeah, 560 00:31:22,240 --> 00:31:24,240 Speaker 1: you want to check your rules again, because I mean 561 00:31:24,240 --> 00:31:26,560 Speaker 1: that would suck to go to the trouble of measuring 562 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:29,840 Speaker 1: that out and um being like I'm gonna win and 563 00:31:29,880 --> 00:31:32,600 Speaker 1: being disqualified because you didn't read the rules, Hope Stash, 564 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:35,280 Speaker 1: what were you excited about me saying? So a little 565 00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:39,240 Speaker 1: more basic than that, but also very thrilling, is these 566 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:42,440 Speaker 1: things ride rails. You don't want your wheels to touch 567 00:31:42,480 --> 00:31:44,480 Speaker 1: the rails. You don't want your car to touch the rails. 568 00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:48,640 Speaker 1: So you want as true and straight in alignment as possible, 569 00:31:48,640 --> 00:31:52,400 Speaker 1: so it goes straight down with as little friction as possible. Right, 570 00:31:53,400 --> 00:31:56,320 Speaker 1: that's the old thinking. Okay, well let me finish my 571 00:31:56,360 --> 00:31:59,959 Speaker 1: old thing. So that means you want the straightest axles possible. 572 00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 1: And this is a really cool way to figure out 573 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:04,880 Speaker 1: if you have straight axles or not. There's gonna be 574 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:08,240 Speaker 1: several axles that come in a package in your kit, 575 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:10,680 Speaker 1: and you want to figure out which ones are the straightest. 576 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:12,760 Speaker 1: You can't really tell just by looking at it. That's 577 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:15,160 Speaker 1: what you do is you get an electric drill, right, 578 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:18,080 Speaker 1: and you if ideally, you put it in a vice 579 00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:21,040 Speaker 1: gript so it doesn't move at all. And you take 580 00:32:21,080 --> 00:32:23,000 Speaker 1: your axles and you put them in the drill like 581 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:25,800 Speaker 1: a drill bit, and you turn the drill on and 582 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:28,920 Speaker 1: if the axle wobbles, it's not straight. The axles that 583 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:31,160 Speaker 1: wobble the least as they're spinning around the in the 584 00:32:31,280 --> 00:32:33,360 Speaker 1: drill are the straightest ones. And those are the two 585 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:35,320 Speaker 1: that you want to use, or the four that you 586 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:37,760 Speaker 1: want to use. It would be too those are the 587 00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:39,840 Speaker 1: two that you want to use. Yeah, and uh, not 588 00:32:39,920 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 1: only that, but once you find your two, um, you 589 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:44,600 Speaker 1: want to polish them, like, don't just throw it in 590 00:32:44,640 --> 00:32:46,760 Speaker 1: there because it's a little burrs and nicks and things 591 00:32:47,600 --> 00:32:50,560 Speaker 1: that are going to slow your car down. So they say, 592 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:52,480 Speaker 1: again with your parents, either put it in that drill 593 00:32:52,600 --> 00:32:55,160 Speaker 1: or a drill press is even better, and just spin 594 00:32:55,200 --> 00:32:58,600 Speaker 1: the nail and get a sandpaper and saying those things 595 00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:02,000 Speaker 1: down and keep going with that grit until you get 596 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:05,280 Speaker 1: to like two thousand grit. And you polished that axle 597 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:08,840 Speaker 1: to like where it's almost like a mirror. So some 598 00:33:08,920 --> 00:33:12,200 Speaker 1: parents are gonna come home and they're like seven year 599 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:14,320 Speaker 1: old kids going to have a block of wood in 600 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:19,640 Speaker 1: the oven on two fifty with a belt stander, and 601 00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:22,320 Speaker 1: they're gonna say, Johns and Chuck told me to no, no, no, 602 00:33:22,520 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: I always get your parents help with this stuff. Again, 603 00:33:25,480 --> 00:33:28,960 Speaker 1: that's the whole point anyway, activities together. Um so I 604 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:32,000 Speaker 1: mentioned that was the old thinking. This blew my mind 605 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:36,520 Speaker 1: the idea of bent axles and rail riding. So that's 606 00:33:36,520 --> 00:33:40,280 Speaker 1: the latest and greatest with the axles they recommend now, 607 00:33:40,480 --> 00:33:42,520 Speaker 1: and they make these devices, these little jigs that will 608 00:33:42,520 --> 00:33:46,440 Speaker 1: do it for you to bend where the wheel actually 609 00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:54,280 Speaker 1: connects about uh two of a bend, so it actually 610 00:33:54,280 --> 00:33:57,920 Speaker 1: reduces friction and makes alignment easier. This makes sense to me. 611 00:33:58,040 --> 00:34:00,760 Speaker 1: So what you've got then is your front tie front 612 00:34:00,760 --> 00:34:04,920 Speaker 1: tires angled inward and your back tires angled out, and 613 00:34:05,280 --> 00:34:07,440 Speaker 1: that makes what you want, like if you put it 614 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:09,839 Speaker 1: on just a flat surface and rolled it, you want 615 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:11,920 Speaker 1: it over the course of like ten ft to steer 616 00:34:11,960 --> 00:34:15,040 Speaker 1: about an inch to the left or right, because rail 617 00:34:15,120 --> 00:34:18,480 Speaker 1: riding is the new fastest way to raise your car. 618 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:21,960 Speaker 1: So I don't get that well it what they said 619 00:34:22,080 --> 00:34:23,879 Speaker 1: was is this is the video I watched. This how's 620 00:34:23,920 --> 00:34:26,839 Speaker 1: explained to me at least is um once you get 621 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:30,040 Speaker 1: to the bottom and level out. No track is perfect 622 00:34:30,480 --> 00:34:33,319 Speaker 1: and even if you have your car perfectly aligned, it's 623 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:36,759 Speaker 1: gonna start wobbling on the track and slow you down. 624 00:34:37,200 --> 00:34:40,400 Speaker 1: So the idea is if you have that one front 625 00:34:40,400 --> 00:34:43,000 Speaker 1: wheel angled in it the right way and your back 626 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:47,000 Speaker 1: wheels angled the right way, you'll actually touch the rail 627 00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:49,440 Speaker 1: and use the rail as a guide to keep you 628 00:34:49,480 --> 00:34:52,840 Speaker 1: as straight as possible. So the friction that is lost 629 00:34:53,040 --> 00:34:56,279 Speaker 1: is overcome by how straight it is and the lack 630 00:34:56,320 --> 00:34:59,560 Speaker 1: of wobble. And they call it rail riding and that's 631 00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:02,880 Speaker 1: like the newest thing to do, which goes counter to 632 00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:07,000 Speaker 1: anything you would think. And and straight car racing, which 633 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:10,680 Speaker 1: is like to make everything perfectly straight so it doesn't move. Uh, 634 00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:13,480 Speaker 1: sort of blew my mind. Be a little mind blowing, man, 635 00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:17,200 Speaker 1: I'm with you. Um, graphite is something that you want 636 00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:20,560 Speaker 1: to add. It's a dry lubricant and um, that'll add 637 00:35:20,560 --> 00:35:23,759 Speaker 1: about seven percent to your speed. Pretty much everybody allows that. 638 00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:27,160 Speaker 1: The graphite. Yeah, and everything I saw says just to 639 00:35:27,200 --> 00:35:30,360 Speaker 1: get whatever kind of graphite. The the cheap stuff is 640 00:35:30,440 --> 00:35:32,160 Speaker 1: just as good as the Yeah, it's all a big 641 00:35:32,200 --> 00:35:35,280 Speaker 1: marketing scam apparently, because they said how to graphite graphite, 642 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:39,440 Speaker 1: its graphite. So they'll put like, you know, super speed 643 00:35:39,480 --> 00:35:43,000 Speaker 1: graphite and charge you more. It's not like the cheap 644 00:35:43,040 --> 00:35:45,840 Speaker 1: stuff has like glue or seashells mixed in with it, 645 00:35:45,920 --> 00:35:50,399 Speaker 1: you know. So those wheels you talked about, Um, lider 646 00:35:50,440 --> 00:35:54,520 Speaker 1: weight wheels will account for about increase in speed if 647 00:35:54,640 --> 00:35:58,200 Speaker 1: it's allowed in your league. Yep. You want your wheel 648 00:35:58,200 --> 00:36:00,799 Speaker 1: base to be as far part of possible from what 649 00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:04,680 Speaker 1: I understand, Yeah, totally, Like you don't want the wheels 650 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:06,759 Speaker 1: up in the center of the car. That'd be weird 651 00:36:06,800 --> 00:36:09,960 Speaker 1: looking anyway, it would be plus Apparently it also takes 652 00:36:10,040 --> 00:36:12,360 Speaker 1: more energy to steer it off of the rail. But 653 00:36:12,440 --> 00:36:14,920 Speaker 1: I guess that doesn't apply anymore if you're rail racing, 654 00:36:15,239 --> 00:36:20,839 Speaker 1: rail riding, Yeah, rail writing. Uh what else? I got 655 00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:24,040 Speaker 1: nothing else? Man, you got nothing else? I got nothing else. 656 00:36:24,239 --> 00:36:27,239 Speaker 1: I only have one more little thing. Um. And this 657 00:36:27,320 --> 00:36:31,520 Speaker 1: is about the you know what, what obviously is going 658 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:34,640 Speaker 1: to happen in any competition in the United States. Parents 659 00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:37,839 Speaker 1: are gonna get involved and they're gonna become big jerks. Um. 660 00:36:38,160 --> 00:36:40,080 Speaker 1: It was the whole basis for that movie, I think. 661 00:36:40,760 --> 00:36:43,439 Speaker 1: And I went to the boy Scouts site. I guess 662 00:36:43,440 --> 00:36:46,160 Speaker 1: it was a Boy's Life magazine site. And there's a 663 00:36:46,160 --> 00:36:48,680 Speaker 1: big problem now with like who made your pine with 664 00:36:48,800 --> 00:36:51,080 Speaker 1: Derby car? And they said a big red flag is 665 00:36:51,080 --> 00:36:54,319 Speaker 1: when mom or dad comes in holding the car and 666 00:36:54,360 --> 00:36:57,160 Speaker 1: the kid isn't even holding it, and they'll always say 667 00:36:57,200 --> 00:36:59,480 Speaker 1: give it to your kid and we'll deal with him. 668 00:36:59,560 --> 00:37:01,600 Speaker 1: Um or guess you know girl scouts are doing now 669 00:37:01,719 --> 00:37:04,400 Speaker 1: or her and um, let's get to the bottom of 670 00:37:04,440 --> 00:37:06,880 Speaker 1: this and who actually built this thing? And while I 671 00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:09,839 Speaker 1: do point out that they take them into the other 672 00:37:09,920 --> 00:37:13,399 Speaker 1: room and see if they can break them, right, Yeah, 673 00:37:13,400 --> 00:37:15,719 Speaker 1: they have to detail like every single thing they did. 674 00:37:18,960 --> 00:37:20,920 Speaker 1: They to try to get around this because they do 675 00:37:20,960 --> 00:37:22,920 Speaker 1: acknowledge that you know, these are like seven and eight 676 00:37:23,040 --> 00:37:25,520 Speaker 1: year olds and you all that you can't use a 677 00:37:25,520 --> 00:37:27,720 Speaker 1: band saw if you're seven or eight. Oh, I guess 678 00:37:27,719 --> 00:37:31,600 Speaker 1: it's pretty obvious when a parent has had the lead 679 00:37:31,760 --> 00:37:35,680 Speaker 1: on all this. Yeah, rather than taking you know, a 680 00:37:35,719 --> 00:37:38,200 Speaker 1: supporting role. Yeah, I think you're supposed to. So that 681 00:37:38,320 --> 00:37:40,239 Speaker 1: they just had different parents chime in on what they 682 00:37:40,280 --> 00:37:42,320 Speaker 1: do and what they've done and what works in their leagues. 683 00:37:42,400 --> 00:37:46,480 Speaker 1: And um they said a lot of times that they'll, um, 684 00:37:46,520 --> 00:37:49,120 Speaker 1: the kid will design the car and then like mom 685 00:37:49,160 --> 00:37:51,640 Speaker 1: or dad will cut the wood and then the kid 686 00:37:51,680 --> 00:37:55,320 Speaker 1: will like assemble the wheels and stuff like that. Um, 687 00:37:55,360 --> 00:37:56,799 Speaker 1: so you know, the kid plays a part in it, 688 00:37:56,840 --> 00:37:59,520 Speaker 1: but the adult is doing like the dangerous stuff. Um 689 00:37:59,640 --> 00:38:04,200 Speaker 1: some uh, some some places to have dad's divisions, so 690 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:05,800 Speaker 1: like the dad can just build his own car and 691 00:38:05,880 --> 00:38:09,280 Speaker 1: raise another dad. Well, yeah, there's like whole racing leagues 692 00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:12,880 Speaker 1: that are adult leagues technically not Pinewood Derby because Pinewood 693 00:38:12,880 --> 00:38:16,600 Speaker 1: Derby's like boy Scouts only, um or Scouts only. But 694 00:38:16,800 --> 00:38:20,880 Speaker 1: there's like non boy Scout affiliated adult racing leagues of 695 00:38:20,920 --> 00:38:24,200 Speaker 1: this stuff. Yeaht apparently at the Pinewood Derby though, they'll 696 00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:27,839 Speaker 1: also have dad racism just so you know, hey, you're 697 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:30,680 Speaker 1: you haven't matured to the point where you can just 698 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:33,520 Speaker 1: participate as a father, so you can raise your other 699 00:38:33,600 --> 00:38:36,360 Speaker 1: dads if you really need you. That's pretty great. Uh. 700 00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:39,839 Speaker 1: Some people have car building days where they all get 701 00:38:39,840 --> 00:38:41,480 Speaker 1: together as a big group into it, which is kind 702 00:38:41,480 --> 00:38:45,240 Speaker 1: of fun and that ensures that it's more level playing field. 703 00:38:45,840 --> 00:38:48,160 Speaker 1: And then they this one this is my favorite one. 704 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:50,920 Speaker 1: Where is this? I don't think it said where this 705 00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:53,799 Speaker 1: was this one? Boy Scout troop gives out awards and 706 00:38:53,880 --> 00:38:58,960 Speaker 1: categories like you had originality, craftsmanship, finish. I think that's common. 707 00:38:59,120 --> 00:39:01,520 Speaker 1: And then they'll give an award car most likely made 708 00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:03,800 Speaker 1: by a parent, and so it's sort of a shame 709 00:39:03,840 --> 00:39:07,279 Speaker 1: of public shaming. Yeah, humiliation, Yeah, but I think I 710 00:39:07,280 --> 00:39:09,400 Speaker 1: would humiliate the kid too. What they what if they 711 00:39:09,440 --> 00:39:12,440 Speaker 1: gave you, like a patch to you just earned your 712 00:39:12,440 --> 00:39:16,879 Speaker 1: patch in public humiliation? Right, this just got a red 713 00:39:16,920 --> 00:39:20,480 Speaker 1: face Scout on it. Yeah, I don't know. That seems 714 00:39:20,480 --> 00:39:23,880 Speaker 1: like it would totally embarrass the kids. It's like rubbing 715 00:39:23,920 --> 00:39:28,319 Speaker 1: your face and your poop. That's exactly what it's like. 716 00:39:29,640 --> 00:39:31,359 Speaker 1: What else you got? I got nothing else? I got 717 00:39:31,360 --> 00:39:34,239 Speaker 1: one more thing. So apparently, as far as scale goes, 718 00:39:34,280 --> 00:39:36,880 Speaker 1: some of these Pinewood Derby cars get up to twenty 719 00:39:36,880 --> 00:39:39,520 Speaker 1: miles an hour, and if you scaled it up to 720 00:39:39,600 --> 00:39:41,920 Speaker 1: a normal sized car, that would be in the area 721 00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:45,399 Speaker 1: of two hundred miles an hour. Yeah. Wow, I think 722 00:39:45,560 --> 00:39:48,320 Speaker 1: so pretty neat pound for pound, they go pretty quick. 723 00:39:49,080 --> 00:39:51,120 Speaker 1: So I guess if you're interested in the pine with Derby, 724 00:39:51,160 --> 00:39:54,160 Speaker 1: go join the Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts or look 725 00:39:54,239 --> 00:39:56,759 Speaker 1: for a just a recreational league in your town. Right 726 00:39:56,920 --> 00:39:59,239 Speaker 1: kind of made me want to build one. Oh check, 727 00:39:59,280 --> 00:40:03,279 Speaker 1: there's nothing stopping you. Yeah, well, actually me, because after 728 00:40:03,280 --> 00:40:06,360 Speaker 1: about five minutes I was like, yeah, it's fun to 729 00:40:06,360 --> 00:40:08,799 Speaker 1: read about though. Well, if you want to read more 730 00:40:08,880 --> 00:40:11,560 Speaker 1: about Pineo Derby's you can type those words into the 731 00:40:11,680 --> 00:40:14,120 Speaker 1: search bar how stuff works dot Com. You can also 732 00:40:14,200 --> 00:40:16,400 Speaker 1: go onto Stuff you should Know dot com and find 733 00:40:16,440 --> 00:40:19,719 Speaker 1: the podcast page for this episode, and it will bring 734 00:40:19,760 --> 00:40:23,080 Speaker 1: up all sorts of cool links. Uh. And I said, uh, 735 00:40:23,200 --> 00:40:25,080 Speaker 1: search bar in there somewhere, which means it's time for 736 00:40:25,080 --> 00:40:33,839 Speaker 1: a listener mail. I'm gonna call this um alan Alda experience. 737 00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:38,200 Speaker 1: That's the second alan all the appearance in this episode 738 00:40:37,680 --> 00:40:42,359 Speaker 1: that you can't have enough alan Alda references. You know, 739 00:40:42,440 --> 00:40:44,800 Speaker 1: the Onion went on a little tear where like alan 740 00:40:44,840 --> 00:40:46,719 Speaker 1: Alda made an appearance and every single one of their 741 00:40:46,760 --> 00:40:52,000 Speaker 1: slides really Yeah, Dear Charles, Joshua and Jerome, I want 742 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:53,440 Speaker 1: to share a quick story about the time I met 743 00:40:53,440 --> 00:40:56,160 Speaker 1: alan Alda. I had wanted to meet him for most 744 00:40:56,200 --> 00:40:57,800 Speaker 1: of my life. Like Chuck it, it was a goal. 745 00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:01,080 Speaker 1: While other kids were watching Full How, I was watching 746 00:41:01,120 --> 00:41:04,120 Speaker 1: Mash and Dragnet, so that was like me too. I 747 00:41:04,239 --> 00:41:07,120 Speaker 1: never watch Full House, which is coming back, by the way, 748 00:41:07,160 --> 00:41:10,960 Speaker 1: did you hear that? No with the original cast? They're 749 00:41:11,000 --> 00:41:14,520 Speaker 1: remaking it? No? I think Uh, I think it's the 750 00:41:14,520 --> 00:41:18,560 Speaker 1: original cast. Yeah, it's the original cast, but it may 751 00:41:18,560 --> 00:41:20,920 Speaker 1: concentrate on the kids version of their house or something. 752 00:41:21,120 --> 00:41:25,360 Speaker 1: I don't know. Who cares, right, I work as a 753 00:41:25,360 --> 00:41:30,640 Speaker 1: producer for a radio morning show in in Pittsburgh. My 754 00:41:30,719 --> 00:41:33,040 Speaker 1: station sponsor a series of talks in which Mr Alda 755 00:41:33,120 --> 00:41:34,120 Speaker 1: was a part of and I got a chance to 756 00:41:34,120 --> 00:41:37,120 Speaker 1: meet him at a dinner and um, shake his hand 757 00:41:37,120 --> 00:41:39,160 Speaker 1: and hand a copy of the book to him of 758 00:41:39,239 --> 00:41:41,680 Speaker 1: his book to sign. And when I went to do this, 759 00:41:41,840 --> 00:41:44,840 Speaker 1: a quote gentleman end quote who I can best describe 760 00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:47,360 Speaker 1: as a forty five year old child. He looks like 761 00:41:47,400 --> 00:41:49,759 Speaker 1: he comes from old money cut in front of me. 762 00:41:50,160 --> 00:41:52,080 Speaker 1: I know if that guy's pine would Derby car would 763 00:41:52,120 --> 00:41:55,080 Speaker 1: be like he said, he think Dudley Moore and Arthur 764 00:41:55,160 --> 00:41:57,520 Speaker 1: but without the charm. Uh. He looked like he had 765 00:41:57,560 --> 00:42:00,239 Speaker 1: a scotch in his hand. He slurred the question was 766 00:42:00,360 --> 00:42:04,880 Speaker 1: hot lips hula hand? Really hot? God? A bunch of 767 00:42:04,920 --> 00:42:08,200 Speaker 1: this guy and all the handle the situation gracefully because 768 00:42:08,200 --> 00:42:10,920 Speaker 1: he's Alan Alda. And after a few more embarrassing questions, 769 00:42:10,920 --> 00:42:13,600 Speaker 1: a guy left and I got to introduce myself properly, 770 00:42:13,960 --> 00:42:15,399 Speaker 1: and a little bit later I went up to him 771 00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:18,520 Speaker 1: again to get a formal picture and he remembered my name. 772 00:42:18,880 --> 00:42:21,120 Speaker 1: I was so excited I didn't get too um. I 773 00:42:21,120 --> 00:42:23,399 Speaker 1: didn't write to brag or make you jealous, Chuck, but 774 00:42:23,600 --> 00:42:25,000 Speaker 1: I've been trying to find a reason to write you 775 00:42:25,040 --> 00:42:27,960 Speaker 1: guys for six years. The talkie gave was very compelling. 776 00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:30,520 Speaker 1: He talked about living life to the fullest, about his 777 00:42:30,560 --> 00:42:33,319 Speaker 1: near death experience on a mountaintop in Chile and how 778 00:42:33,320 --> 00:42:36,600 Speaker 1: it changed his life. Uh. And then he recommends Alan 779 00:42:36,640 --> 00:42:38,840 Speaker 1: alda memoir which I've also heard as great. So you 780 00:42:38,840 --> 00:42:40,560 Speaker 1: can just look that up. I heard it's really good, 781 00:42:40,560 --> 00:42:42,239 Speaker 1: but they're gonna read it. Yeah, this type of a 782 00:42:42,320 --> 00:42:45,120 Speaker 1: few random words into the search bar and it should 783 00:42:45,120 --> 00:42:48,319 Speaker 1: bring that up. I think Alan all the memoir. Um. 784 00:42:48,360 --> 00:42:50,239 Speaker 1: So that's how I met him. And next on my 785 00:42:50,320 --> 00:42:53,920 Speaker 1: life goal list just to meet Josh and Chuck. So 786 00:42:53,960 --> 00:42:56,760 Speaker 1: that is from Andy Lindberg, who's a radio radio producer 787 00:42:56,920 --> 00:43:02,000 Speaker 1: like Jerry. Yeah, in Pittsburgh, p A. They run into 788 00:43:02,000 --> 00:43:03,919 Speaker 1: each other at the convention every once in a while. 789 00:43:04,880 --> 00:43:06,439 Speaker 1: How do you stay awake when you guys are doing 790 00:43:06,440 --> 00:43:08,520 Speaker 1: their stuff? I don't know. How do you stay awake? Hearty? Hard? 791 00:43:08,600 --> 00:43:13,960 Speaker 1: Are getting anything else? Sick of radio producers making fun 792 00:43:14,000 --> 00:43:18,080 Speaker 1: of us? If you want to get in touch with Chuck, 793 00:43:18,160 --> 00:43:20,359 Speaker 1: me or Jerry or the three of us, or any 794 00:43:20,400 --> 00:43:23,440 Speaker 1: combination thereof, you can tweet to us at s Y 795 00:43:23,560 --> 00:43:26,000 Speaker 1: s K Podcast. You can join us on Facebook dot 796 00:43:26,000 --> 00:43:28,279 Speaker 1: com slash stuff you Should Know. You can send us 797 00:43:28,280 --> 00:43:31,560 Speaker 1: an email to Stuff Podcast at how stuff Works dot com, and, 798 00:43:31,719 --> 00:43:33,520 Speaker 1: as always, join us at our home on the web, 799 00:43:33,840 --> 00:43:41,239 Speaker 1: Stuff you Should Know dot com. For more on this 800 00:43:41,400 --> 00:43:43,879 Speaker 1: and thousands of other topics, is it how stuff works 801 00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:51,600 Speaker 1: dot com