Pinewood Update from Cubmaster Al

Granville Super Pack 3

Don't wait until the last minute to make those cars!

Granville Lumber is a great resource for getting your initial rough cut down. They enjoy offering this free service to our Cubs and to the Girl Scouts. It really helps to have some good clean and precise initial cuts.

(of course plastic wood works great for nicks and boo boos).

Remember that although parents can help, it is better to let the scout do most of the work. The boys take great pride in this. If there are frustrated parents that are mechanical engineers (at heart), then make your own car and race in the Open Class rather than racing against the kids.

Making a car side by side with your son can be a fun and rewarding learning experience. Each year, by actually doing it, the boys become more comfortable with each piece of the car and with the assembly.

Have fun. Please keep it fair and honest.

No Liquid lubricants - they are against the rules and they give a car a dramatic unfair advantage. Only the dry graphite or moly powdered lubes please.

The Friday open track and open scales are an important part of the car setup - try to make that if at all possible.

And we welcome any adults who wish to help set up the track and the event - GIS Friday at 4pm

Have a great week and we will see you on race day!

Al

January Pack Meeting - Cancelled!

Our standard procedure is that no school means no pack meeting (among other things, the building is likely to be locked and cold). Granville schools are closed for Thursday, Jan. 15, so the monthly third Thursday pack meeting is cancelled. Friday isn't looking too good, either . . .

For Pinewood Derby info leading to weight testing Friday, Jan. 23 and racing on Saturday, Jan. 24, scroll on down for the flyer text, copied at earlier posts. We will continue to post hints and tips here over the next week and a half for Pinewood car crafting -- with sandpaper and model paints, it's never too late!

(Also, info on the Feb. 8 hockey game in Columbus for OSU can be found by scrolling down into the December pack meeting post.)

Meanwhile, here's some quick tips courtesy of Buckskin Council, Charleston WV:

Pinewood Derby Tips and Hints

FRICTION: One of the best ways to eliminate friction is graphite. A good dosage may not do wonders for the paint job, but it will for your axles (hopefully you didn't glue the axles too far in or that will impair the wheel). Most axles in the kits have burrs on them around the head. De-burr the axles with a small file.

WEIGHT: It boils down to this, the closer you get to 5 ounces without going over, the better off you will be. The placement of the weight on the car (front or back) is an item which has been argued for years. Weight toward the rear seems to work best, along as the front wheels track straight. Just remember – gravity is the only power these cars use.

AERODYNAMICS: There are just about as many arguments on this topic as there are Pinewood Derby racers. It has been tried, several times, to race a car, as is, straight out of the box with no cutting, shaping or painting of the wood. These cars seem to perform, on average, just as well as the low, sleek, aerodynamic models. The bottom line is: Let the boy design the car, and help him achieve his design! If the adult wants to tinker with the car, tinker with the wheels and axles. The car design has almost no bearing on the outcome of the race.

ALIGNMENT: Make sure that the car's wheels are placed as straight as possible. Place the car on the floor and roll it about 8 to 10 feet. The car should go in a straight line. Adjust with the axle placement to make double sure the car will roll straight.

WHEELS and AXLES: Make sure that the axles are glued securely to the wood. Also ensure that the wheel is not glued to the axle. The wheels are single most important part. Make sure the wheels are on straight and turn freely.

DESIGN / SHAPE: The finish line uses electronic infrared sensors to detect the car moving across the finish line. These sensors are directly centered in each lane of the track. The starting gate of the track uses a bolt in the center of the track. This is to ensure that the length of roll each car will have to the finish line sensors will be the same for each car no matter what the shape of each car is. Keep a high track clearance so that nothing has a chance to rub on the underside of the car. Remember that the cars straddle a wood lath as they roll down the track.

PAINT: Let your imagination run wild!! Whether you use 50 coats of hand rubbed lacquer, olive drab or no paint at all, all it will do is affect the looks of your car. It will not run any faster or slower whether it's red, blue, green, yellow, flames, no-flames, or pink polka-dots!! Let the boy paint the car. Drips of spray paint don't slow the car down.

ACCESSORIES: Glue those Lego and Pokemon characters in! Anything that falls off in the race stays off. This can lighten you car enough to slow it down.

For much, much more, see http://derbytalk.com

Cub Scouting in 2009

(If you're a current Pack 3 parent looking for info on the Jan. 3 ice skating or upcoming OSU hockey game, scroll past the Pinewood Derby info to the "December Pack Meeting" post -- pax, jbg)

For parents considering Cub Scouting in 2009 (you can join at any point in the year, not just in the fall), most packs are like us -- a shirt is ideal but not necessary, and is $30 with patches, the book for the grade level is $6, and national registration is $10 to which we add $30 in our pack for $40 which covers the whole year. Add in $12 if you want "Boy's Life" magazine, 12 issues, and it's $52. So less than a hundred bucks for 12 months of healthy, fun, educational activity in 9 or 10 pack meetings (once a month) and another 20 or so den meetings (twice a month with your smaller age/grade level group).

Cub Day Camp is about $50 for four days of great outdoor adventure and learning in June. Overall, this is as cost-effective a youth activity as you're going to find; most packs sell popcorn in the fall to cover the awards and activities of the pack, and in the spring there's an offer for you to give to Scouting which is voluntary.

Here's what was in the Dec. 26 Newark Advocate -- http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20081226/UPDATES01/81226008

If you're considering Scouting for your child, read on down or through the archives on the right sidebar, and click Troop 65 over there to learn about what's on offer for 11 to 18 year old young men grades 5 through 12. Scouting provides a strong foundation for building adult choices that lasts throughout your life . . . it sure has for me.

It's All About the Graphite!

Text of the official Pack 3 Pinewood Derby flyer --

Granville Cub Scouts Pack 3
2009 Pinewood Derby
Official Schedule of Events
Granville Intermediate School
Multi-Purpose Room


Time Trials/Check your Axles and Weights Day
Friday Evening January 23, 2008

Volunteers needed to help set up 3-5 PM, Open Scales and Track 5:30 – 8PM

Weblos I & II and Girl Scouts 5:30 – 7:00
Tigers, Wolves & Bears 7:00 – 8:30



Main Event
Saturday January 24, 2008

8:30 – 9:30 Registration Girl Scouts
9:30 – 10:30 Racing Girl Scouts
10:00 – 11:00 Registration Web. II
11:00 – 12:00 Racing Web. II
11:00 – 12:00 Registration Web. I & Bears
12:00 – 1:00 Racing Web. I & Bears
12:00 – 1:00 Registration Wolves & Tigers
1:00 – 2:00 Racing Wolves & Tigers
1:30 – 2:00 Registration Open Class & BSA Troop 65
2:00 – 2:30 Racing Pack Championship & Troop 65
2:30 – 3:00 Racing Open Class




Trophies to be Awarded!

Each age group: 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th, Best of Show, Most Original Design and Turtle Award (slowest car to cross the finish line).
Overall Pack Champion, Pack Runner-up & Pack Second Runner-up.
Open Class Champion, Runner-up and Second Runner-up.

After 11am, food, snacks and drinks will be available for sale by Boy Scout Troop 65.


* * *

Granville Cub Scouts Pack 3
2009 Pinewood Derby
Official Rules

All cars must pass inspection to qualify for the race.
Late registrations will not be accepted.

· Cars must be made during the current year with new kits.
· The width of the car shall not exceed 2-¾ inches (including wheels and axles).
· The length of the car shall not exceed 7 inches.
· The weight of the car shall not exceed 5 ounces.
· Wheel spacing between the front and rear axle shall be between 3-½ and 4-½ inches
· Derby cars must maintain a 1-¾ inch width where the axles are located and must clear the track guide strips.
· Wheels and Axles: Use only Pinewood Derby wheels and axles that come with your kit. You can polish the axles. You may lightly sand the wheels to remove the molding seam on the tread. No other wheel changes are allowed. You may not use bearings, washers, bushings or hubcaps.
· The use of liquid lubricants and oils are strictly prohibited.
· Only dry graphite or the white dry lubricants are permitted.
· The car shall not ride on any kind or type of springs.
· The car must be freewheeling, no starting devices (or high powered explosive devices, rocket motors or jet engines)

Inspection: Each car must pass inspection by the Official Inspection Committee before it may compete. The Inspectors will disqualify any car not meeting these rules. Any adult or scout may appeal the findings of the Inspectors to the Race Committee Chairperson, whose decision is final.

Race Day
Good sportsmanship is expected by all.
The Pinewood Derby is open to all Cub Scouts of Pack 3.
Open Class is open to anyone who registers a car that passes the inspection.

Please talk with your child about winning and losing. It is very hard for some when they don’t win. Cheer for your den and encourage sportsmanship.

Adults set the example.

This is a parent/child project, work together, have fun & good luck!

December Pack Meeting - Thurs., 18 Dec.!

This week, all new Cub Scouts (mostly Tigers, but all who joined new this year) will receive their Bobcat badge! That, and Cub Scout Jeopardy -- gotta be there this week.

Pinewood Derby car kits are handed out at this meeting's end as well (Pinewood Derby is Jan. 23-24 at GIS; popcorn/greens prizes are usually not ready until January 15 at the earliest, stay tuned).

Other elements of the meeting:

Pack 3 Toy Drive
BRING A TOY FOR A CHILD

When: Pack Meeting December 18, 2008

What: A Toy unwrapped for a boy or girl ages 6-12

All Proceeds Go to the Water’s Edge United Methodist Ministry
[thanks to Ed Hock for that flyer that went out through den leaders]

* * *

and Upcoming events* before the next Pack meeting [thanks to the Lukins' and Ken Fisher for the flyers, also sent to den leaders, and major thanks to Kristin Bortle for co-ordinating the hockey event] --

Granville Pack 3
Ice Skating Party

Where: Newark Ice Arena, 936 Sharon Valley Rd.
Date: Saturday, January 3
Time: 5:00 – 6:50pm
Cost: Skate Rental $2.00. Scouts skate rental provided by Pack 3. If you have your own skates, you skate for free!

Granville Pack 3 will have exclusive access to the ice rink during this event.

* * *

CUB SCOUT PACK 3

OSU HOCKEY GAME

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2:00PM

VALUE CITY ARENA

FREE FOR EVERY CUB SCOUT FAMILY MEMBERS $4 EACH

To sign-up, go to:

http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/HTFZFNWYDARQHIHZOEOF/PACK3OSUHOCKEY

QUESTIONS and for TICKET PICK-UP, contact Kristen Bortle (740)344-1634

* * *

*Some folks have asked about the "Yorktown Trip," and the Pack tradition is that we go in even-numbered years -- it's just too big a wrangle to do every year! Check out the blog linked in the sidebar for pictures from the 2008 trip, and start making your plans for President's Day weekend in 2010.

Pool-Pizza Party Sat., Nov. 22, Newark Y

OK -- this is an edited, updated post for the Pool-Pizza Party, which had over 100 Cubs and family members turn out to the Newark Y last Saturday night! Thanks to everyone who helped out.

Remember that den leaders need to have all your popcorn/green money turned in by 7:00 pm on Monday, Dec. 1, and we hope that you have either checks made out to "Granville Pack 3" or take money you get and write one check to "Granville Pack 3" when you turn it in.

Also, everyone *EXCEPT* Tigers need to turn in their $40 or $52 for the new calendar year's registration and dues ($40 for that, another $12 for $52 if you have a "Boy's Life" subscription), which your den leader can bring in on Monday, Dec. 1 as well. Thank you!

And the first big event in the new year is Pinewood Derby, with car kits handed out at the December Pack meeting -- for ideas and inspiration, check out this site: http://www.cbhi.org/content/jj-funtoread-7370260.htm

Scouting History & Heritage

From a friend here in Licking County who was a Boy Scout in the early 1930's, before Camp Falling Rock opened; this is from the southern side of the Licking River east of Newark north of Blue Jay Road where one of the first Scout summer camps was held.



In the front row, in the polka dot neckerchief, is the Licking County Council's first Scout executive, Mike Bauman, front row 2nd from left, and 3rd from left is Bill Reynolds, scoutmaster for Troop 6.

Just a little history for our Webelos preparing to cross over into Boy Scouting this March!

UPDATE: The man who sent me this jpg tells me it is more likely to be 1925 or 1926, just before Camp Falling Rock opened in 1928, with Franklin Lodge built in 1938 on the spot where the original Mess Hall was re-built . . . that having been brought from Blue Jay Camp in pieces, and erected there as the first building at CFR.