Revell Pinewood Derby Tuning Set/Speed Kit

Had to put together girls pinewood derby cars last minute, so we didnt really have time to cut and shape and dial in the weight as we wanted too.Instead we went with some fun designs for the kids, but the cars were anything but aerodynamic! I ordered this just to help so they weren't coming in last in every heat, and to our surprise their cars which were pretty competitive!!!They ended up taking 7th and 9th place!I believe the combination of polishing the axles (nails) and adding the graphite powder is the key here. If you do this on a car that has properly balanced weight and aerodynamics, it will absolutely help.Gave it 4 stars only because the packaging could be improved like...1. Zip lock baggies for the various powders to avoid messes and for repeated uses2. Color coding ir at least numbers on the different sand papers would help... It's difficult to tell which is the fine sandpaper after you cut off several thin strips and cycle through a few tires.

It's true that the book didn't come with the kit, and I normally wouldn't give 4 stars for an incomplete product, but there's simply so much info on the Internet, I'm not sure one more source would have told me anything new. What the kit does have is everything you need to maximize wheel performance. The mandrel worked fine. I discovered the stock bit holder on my dremmel wasn't fine enough to grip the axles, so I had to buy a different bit holder (one more expense in the pinewood money pit). With the new bit, sanding and polishing the axles was easy, though we took turns because it took a while to get the inside of the nail head smooth. Graphite was included, but I used a liquid lubricant for less mess. The car weighed exacty 5 oz on race day and won 3 out of 3 races, beating out his fellow first graders. I think this kit played a big role in my son's victory, especially in the last round, where all the competition was properly weighted and it came down to who had the fastest wheels.

THE GOOD: All the equipment that is there is easy to use.THE BAD: The "Official Pinewood Derby raceday log/tips and tricks book" is missing, as other reviewers have noted.WHAT YOU GET:- A mandrel. This is a device that lets you mount a wheel on a drill and spin it to sand out rough edges. It's easy enough to use, as long as you have a drill.- Several grades of sandpaper.- Pumice powder. My kid had a good time mixing it into paste and applying it.- Graphite powder. This is supposed to be a good lubricant.- Four axles (that is, nails). Not sure that these are any better than what is already in the standard pinewood derby kit. We went with what was in the kit to be sure we were within the rules.- Instruction sheet. This is relatively easy to follow.COMMENTS:- A Cub Scout will need a parent's help with a good part of this, since much of the work involves a drill.- My scout had a good time working with me on tuning his car.- Ultimately, it's not clear to me that this makes much difference in the speed of the car.

pretty decent kit. 3 sets of sand paper for polishing the axles, plus the pumice for final touches. use the same sandpaper (lightly) for the wheels. add in the graphite powder, which comes out very quickly and not easily controlled. only objection, directions state to mix the pumice with water and apply the paste as the last step in the polishing procedure. No detail is given as to how much water should be applied. just figure it out yourself (a little goes a long way), it dries while undergoing application from a liquid to paste anyway.

Ordered this after seeing it came with the Mandrel and Graphite Lubrication which alone can run the cost of this kit. It's not a bad deal considering what you get. I was however a bit disapointed that the product details and picture on Amazon showed it came with a "Bonus" Speed Secrets Book, which the delivered product did not contain. If it had, I would have given this 4 stars instead of 3. Just know that when you order this, it will not come with that book.

This is a great purchase! We won first in the Den! The instructions are easy to read, and all of the parts are as described! I recommend this to a first time racer!

Nice basic kit. Worked well.I wasn't looking for my kid to get 1st place. I wanted him to do more of it with his own hands. In lieu of me machining wheels I got this and just provided guidance and minimal help for safety.

So for $7 you get a mandrel and the various sandpapers to smooth your derby wheel, 4 axles with NO BURS, and graphite? Saved a lot of time and money getting our derby car in shape. A must buy for derby season, especially if its your first and don't have a lot of the equipment. This has enough supplies for multiple cars.