How to Build A Car Stand

Pinewood Derby Car Stands

Diagram of a pinewood derby stand #1

Instructions to make derby stand #1

Below are the steps to build the pinewood derby car stand diagramed above....

1. Cut a 1"x3" board down to a 1"x2" and a 1"x1" for the top and post.
2. Shave a saw blade width off of the resulting 1"x2" with a table saw for the top.
3. Cut the 1"x2" into 2" sections.
4. Cut the 1"x1" into 4" sections.
5. Cut the 4" sections into 2 sections using a 45 degree miter.
6. Shave a 45 degree face off of the 1"x3" on the table saw or router for the name plate.
7. Cut the 1"x3" into 3" sections.
8. Drill the Top at a 45 degree angle for a screw into the post.
9. Drill the top and bottom of the post for a screw.
10. Drill the bottom for a screw into the post

Each stand requires 5" of 1x3 so an 8' long 1x3 should make 18 stands. Depending on the type of wood used this can be a very inexpensive stand even if you get brass plates for the base.
Additionally, we make finishing the stand a woodworking project for the scouts. They have to sand the pieces, put the stand together with two screws and varnish it (this usually takes one den meeting and can be counted toward advancement).

Pinewood Derby Car Stand #2 (simpler!)

We also made a simpler stand out of three pieces of wood (pictured below), a 1"x3" for the base, a 2"x4" for the upright and a 1"x2" for the top to hold the car. This stand only required one angle cut in the 2"x4" do the car mounted at an angle.

This only requires four screws, two on the bottom and two on the top.

Pinewood derby stand kit
(only requires four screws!)

Completed pinewood derby car stand