Building a Pinewood Derby car is a cherished tradition for many Cub Scouts, and for my son Stephen, it has become a yearly highlight. At nine years old, and already a veteran of several car builds, Stephen is more comfortable around woodworking tools than many kids his age. This year marks his fourth car, and his experience extends beyond just racing – he’s built bird feeders, birdhouses, and tackled home projects, giving him a solid foundation in woodworking. While power tools certainly have their place in our workshop, especially for efficiency and certain cuts, we’ve found that hand tools for pinewood derby car construction are indispensable for control, safety, and fostering a hands-on learning experience.
One of the first tools Stephen became proficient with is the hobby-sized scroll saw. While I oversee any operation with the radial arm saw (and strictly advise against its use for inexperienced Cub Scouts due to safety concerns), the scroll saw is where Stephen really shines. He handles the major cuts with confidence, sometimes even surpassing my own skills. The precision of the scroll saw allows for intricate designs that would be challenging with larger power tools, and it’s a fantastic tool for involving kids directly in shaping their car’s body. It’s always a point of pride for Stephen to explain to other dads how he crafted the display stand for our previous projects using this saw!
After the initial cuts, shaping the car body begins, and this is where hand tools truly excel. Stephen uses a rasp to refine the rough cuts, always with the workpiece securely clamped or in a vise. Safety is paramount, so even though his rasps have plastic handles, gloves are a must. It’s important to choose rasps with handles for younger users to enhance safety and control. His toolbox also includes a selection of files, which we use for finer shaping and smoothing as needed. These hand tools provide a tactile connection to the wood, allowing Stephen to feel the material being removed and develop a keen sense of shape and form.
While we do have a Dremel tool, we often find ourselves reaching for simpler hand tools instead, particularly for the initial shaping stages. Stephen has sometimes struggled with the Dremel’s control, and frankly, for the designs we’ve worked on, the finesse of a Dremel hasn’t been essential. The slower, more deliberate action of hand tools like rasps and files can be surprisingly efficient and offers a greater sense of control, especially when working with softer pinewood.
For tasks like creating the weight pocket, we utilize a router bit in the drill press. However, even here, hand tools play a role. I set a depth limit on the drill press for safety, and Stephen uses a black Sharpie fine-point marker to clearly outline the area to be removed on the underside of the car. The car is securely clamped upside down on plywood to allow for controlled movements under the drill press. This combination of power tool for material removal and hand tools for marking and setup ensures precision and safety.
Before tackling any step on the actual pinewood derby car, we always practice extensively on scrap lumber. This practice is crucial for Stephen to understand how each tool works, develop his technique, and achieve the desired result. By the time we complete a pinewood derby car, we often have several practice pieces in various stages, showcasing the learning process.
Ultimately, building a pinewood derby car is more than just a race; it’s a fantastic opportunity for learning, bonding, and hands-on creativity. While power tools can speed up certain processes, hand tools are the heart of our pinewood derby car building. They offer a safer, more controlled, and deeply engaging experience for kids like Stephen, allowing them to truly shape their creations from start to finish.
