Pinewood Derby Green Alligator Car

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I’ve been meaning to post this for months! Computer Boy’s first Pinewood Derby! I think I was more excited than he was. Of course it’s the ONLY scouting event I’ve been at all excited for! I know for most families it’s a father son project. But here in our house it’s a Mom and Son project! My husband hates small detailed work. Where I LOVE working with my hands, tools and small detailed work. So I got to do it with him.

We started by having his draw his design out. Now I know that the way to win is with a sleek thin design, but I really wanted it to be ALL him, do design and create every aspect of his car. So I told him to draw ANYTHING he wanted and I’d cut it out.

I didn’t think it would be quite so detailed or so difficult to cut out! Check out the spikes, and the swirls, and eyes. My first thought was “okay, how am I going to pull this one off?”

Now I have a lot of tools, but not EVERY tool. So for this I used my new Jig Saw. I know there are other tools better suited for this, but I don’t have those. I don’t have a garage so if I can get away with a smaller hand held version I will. (remember this is back in May, I was only 17 weeks along at this point)

Overall I think the basic shape worked out pretty close to what he had wanted!  I even got the spikes.  Next I took my hand held rotary tool (A Dremel or a Black and Decker work great.).  I finally got to use my Dremel flex shaft (that I got for Christmas) for this project.  AMAZING, it was so much easier to work with the smaller grip.  I used the rotary tool to cut into the wood to create the swirls, and to go through the “window eyes” to create a hole all the way through.

He loved it!  He was SO happy I was able to create a “window” for him too (since I initially told him I didn’t think I could.).  Then we had Computer boy sand it down and paint his first layer, the next day his second coat and ten the eyes.

You can see that difference between the pre-bought shapes, the ones a dad did most the work on and the older boys cars.  But I’m very proud of Computer boy doing so much himself!  He’s more like his dad and doesn’t necessarily LIKE working with his hands on small stuff, but he did a great job.

He was pretty upset when he didn’t win for best looking car, but in the end I think he had a great night!  Afterwards he sold his car (for some tokens) to The Destroying Angel, and she’s loved it and played with it ever since!

Feel free to share my projects!