3D printed Pinewood Derby cars?

[EmberMike]

What I think I'm going to start trying to stress more is age-appropriate, progressively hands-off car building & instruction. I don't expect a Tiger to build a car completely on his own. But by Bear I think it's reasonable to expect that. Webelos at the latest. But incrementally, dad should be progressively more hands off. If done right, those early years of helping and teaching (something often lacking in the process, doing vs. instructing and demonstrating with purpose) should give way to the knowledge, ability, and skills to 100% build a car on their own by their 3rd or 4th car. 

I also include speed improvements as part of that learning. It seems like the emphasis is placed on "this should be a fun activity" and removal of the competitive aspect of it. But it's still a competition. If we want to say it's just all for fun, we should stop handing out medals and trophies. So learning things like weight, aerodynamics, friction, etc., I think has a place in the boys learning how to build a car. Focusing on the fun doesn't mean we have to take the science out of it. Especially if we're supposed to be this STEM-friendly organization.

In an ideal situation, a boy learns how to build a car with help from dad over the years, and gets to a point where he can build a car on his own, be proud of what he built, and also show up on race day with a competitive car, too.