Tungsten is the Best Weight for Pinewood Derby Cars

Tungsten weights are dense and small giving you maximum car design flexibility while providing precise center of gravity (COG) weight placement to maximize potential energy.

Why is Tungsten the best pinewood derby weight?

Tungsten is the best pinewood derby weight because it is about 1.8 times denser than lead (a heavy metal) and 3 times denser than zinc.
To demonstrate, below is a picture of a .5 oz tungsten cylinder (top) and a three-segment zinc cylinder that is  .7oz.
tungsten and lead size comparison picture
The single tungsten cylinder on top weighs .5 oz and is 7/16" long.
The bottom zinc cylinders weigh .7 oz and are 1 5/8" long.


Tungsten is the best weight for derby cars because it has many advantages:
  • You can pack more weight in a smaller area giving you more flexibility in your car design.
  • You can place weight exactly where you need to the optimize center of gravity for maximum speed.(See weight placement in Winning Pinewood Derby Secrets)
  • Tungsten can be purchased in various forms; small BB spheres, 3/8" cylinders, 1/4" cubes, or tungsten putty which is malleable so weight can easily be  added or removed at check in
  • Tungsten has the added advantage of being safe to handle because it is non-toxic, making it kid friendly.


  • Added advantages:
  • Tungsten cylinder diameter is 3/8", so you can use a standard 3/8" drill bit to drill a hole anywhere in your car, slide them into the hole and hide them inside the car. Use wood putty or glue to seal the hole.
  • If you need to pack weights even tighter, use our Tungsten cube weights

  • To determine the amount of weight you need, weigh your wheels, axles and car body AFTER it is cut and shaped. Then subtract that weight from 4.8oz. This is the rough amount of weight you need. This leaves .2oz for additional weight from paint or stickers. Once the car is completed, you can add small amounts of weight with tungsten putty or BB's to bring the car up to the maximum 5.0oz

    Tungsten 2oz weights

    tungsten 2oz derby weights picture
    2 oz Tungsten weights
    weights

    Tungsten 3oz weights

    tungsten 3oz pinewood weights
    3 oz Tungsten weights

    Tungsten Spheres

    Tungsten Spheres
    Tungsten Spheres weights

    - Precise weight placement
    - Maximum car design flexibility
    1 oz bag of spheres (also known as BBs)
    allows you to add small amounts of weight
    to bring your car to precisely the 5oz limit
    by adding just the right amount of weight
    in very small increments.

    1 oz total weight

    Tungsten Putty

    Tungsten Putty
    Tungsten Putty weight

    - Precise weight placement
    - Maximum car design flexibility 1 oz blob of putty

    Allows you to add small amounts of weight anywhere on your car. Just break off the putty and stick it on! Our putty comes in a resealable plastic case.


    1 oz total weight

    only $8.95

    What is Tungsten Putty Why Use it

    Pinewood derby tungsten putty is a moldable material made from tungsten powder and a polymer binder. Tungsten putty will not harden under normal conditions, and has a density of 10 g/cm3.


    Tungsten Putty is an easy way to fine tune the weight of your pinewood derby car. Made to be malleable, you can quickly and easily place the last bit of weight to any derby car. Pinewood derby tungsten putty can be used at home when building your car or brought to the track to help bring your car up to weight on race day.


    Simply add the tungsten putty to any small crevice or hole. Our tungsten putty is very sticky and doesn't need glue or anything added to help keep the putty in position. It can be pulled, pinched, cut and formed into whatever shape you need.


    How to Use Tungsten Putty And Advantages of Using

    Pinewood derby tungsten putty can easily be used for final adjustments to the weight of pinewood derby cars. Simply pinch off a small piece of the tungsten putty, knead it until it's pliable, and press pinewood derby tungsten putty into any cavity or hole in the car.


    Pinewood derby tungsten putty has many advantages:

    • Pinewood derby tungsten putty saves you time because you can easily add just the right amount without breaking off weights or having to worry about finging the right size weight you may need.
    • Pinewood derby tungsten putty can be easily molded to any shape, so you can use it anywhere on your car, regardless of your design.
    • Pinewood derby tungsten putty is nearly 2 times denser than lead, so it adds lots of weight in a very small area.
    • Pinewood derby tungsten putty is very sticky, allowing it to stay on your car fairly well.
    • Pinewood derby tungsten putty is child-safe, there are no toxic materials in it.

    Add weight anywhere on your car!

    Pinewood derby tungsten putty is soft and malleable so it can be changed into virtually any shape, and it can be broken into separate pieces.


    Tungsten is child-safe. There are no toxic materials in it. Packaged in 1 oz pieces.


    Main advantages and disadvantages of each metal:


    Caution while using Tungsten Putty and Tungsten Spheres

    Although pinewood derby tungsten putty is made from non-toxic ingredients, it is not a toy for children to play with. Always wash your hands after use, and keep it away from food and your mouth.

    Keep all weights away from children under 6.


    PINEWOOD PRO

    Winning Tips and Hints

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    Tips & Hints

    Looking for more cool car design ideas? Our free Pinewood Derby Car Design Guide has over 100 cool pinewood derby car design ideas.

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    Spin each wheel on a polished axle with graphite and count the number of revolutions. If a wheel wobbles, try spinning it again. If it still wobbles, get another wheel that does not wobble.

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    Winning Hint

    Winning Pinewood Derby Secrets contains all the tips you need to win your race. Updated annually with the latest tips and speed products, our book has proven results with 1000's of winners... but don't take our word for it! Read over 90 Customer Reviews and check out our Winners Gallery!