Easy Jinx Wood Car

The following Instructable will get you moving! Using basic materials (see the list), and basic hand tools designed for school use, get your students building/creating!

The best part about this Instructable is what you do with the product after completion. You can use the cars to have races, show them off in an Auto Show (this is what my students did), or even test them for strength.

NOTE: This design was based off just "showing" the cars, thus, the frame or overall design might be designed differently if building for speed or strength challenges.

The learning outcomes/objectives for this particular Design Challenge were fairly simple:

1) The students demonstrating their safety and proficiency in using the hand tools being used in this build (mainly the miter shears and heavy duty glue guns)

2) interacting with the material Jinx Wood as it will be a material used often in the course being taught.

3) getting the students to tap into their creative side in "decorating" their cars

4) the language component of being able to read and follow step by step instructions accurately. (I have them show me their frames once built and document their construction with a picture....I can then evaluate their hand tool skills and instruction following via examining the picture).

If you are teaching Math...this is a great way to evaluate the skill of measuring (cm/mm) with a ruler. It is an engaging way to have them use a ruler accurately and effectively.

10mm x 10mm Jinx Wood (Balsa Wood) https://kidder.ca/basswood-strips-1cm-x-1cm-x-40cm...

Front Plastic Wheels https://kidder.ca/bulk-kidder-front-wheels.html

1/8" Dowel https://kidder.ca/design-build/wood/dowels-2-61-cm...

Heavy Duty Glue Gun https://kidder.ca/heavy-duty-glue-gun.html

Glue Sticks https://kidder.ca/glue-sticks-for-heavy-duty-glue-...

Miter Shears https://kidder.ca/design-build/wood/kidder-mitre-c...

Placemat/Cutting Board https://www.ikea.com/ca/en/p/finfoerdela-flexible-...

Straws (standard red and white ones work perfectly)

Ruler (cm/mm) and Pencil for measuring and marking.

Safety Glasses

Small flat head screwdriver

1. Set the fence on the Miter Shears to 90 degrees and set the set screw with your flat head screwdriver.

2. Cut the Base, Small Supports, and Big Support to the measurements indicated in the pictures.

3. Set the fence on the Miter Shears to 45 degrees and set the screw again so the fence doesn't move.

4. Cut the Roof and Windshields to the measurements indicated in the pictures

5. Cut the Hood and the Trunk last as you may have to move the fence from 90 to 45 and back again.

Once you have all your cuts, organize them by type on your cutting board and bring them to your glue station.

NOTE: your cut list needs to be doubled as you are making two sides of the car at once!

With your glue gun plugged in and hot it is time to start assembling the frame of your car!

NOTE: when gluing with the heavy duty gun, it gets extremely hot so make sure your fingers do not touch the glue or the tip of the gun. Also, you need to hold the piece being glued in place for 5-10 seconds for it to set.

1. with your pencil and ruler, mark the base indicating where the small supports need to be placed (see picture)

2. Get 2 Small Supports and glue them together side by side. Do this twice.

3. Glue the Small Supports to the base as shown in the picture.

4. Glue the Big Support to the base in the middle

5. Next grab your Windshields and glue them to the double Small Supports. NOTE: make sure the Windshields meet the Double Small Supports in the correct location as indicated by the finger in the picture.

6. Grab the Trunk and Hood pieces and glue them to the Windshields and Small Supports.

7. Lastly, glue the Roof to the Big Support and both Windshields.

You should now have 1 complete frame (side) of your car. Repeat these steps to build the mirror frame (other side of the car)

Upon completion, you should have 2 mirror sides (see picture)

1. Begin by cutting 2 pieces of Jinx Wood to 10cm long.

2. Next, cut your straw in half making sure that it is no longer than 10cm

3. Glue the straw to the wood to create an Axle!

4. Repeat this to make 2 Axles.

With your 2 Axles built, it is time to attach them to the two frames/sides of your car.

1. First, turn your car sides upside down and hold them together.

2. Mark the bottom side of the Base at the centre of the two double Small Supports. This is where your Axle will be glued. Your marks will be a guide so that your Axel is perpendicular (90 degree angle) to the Base.

3. Glue your Axles to the bottom of the Base of each side.

NOTE: the outside of the Axle should be flush with the outside of your Frame.

IMPORTANT: Your Axle needs to be perpendicular to each Frame so take your time and follow your marks.

1. Grab your 1/8" Dowel and cut two pieces to 12cm each.

2. Slide the Dowel into 1 of your plastic wheels.

3. Slide the Dowel into your straw.

4. Attach the other plastic wheel.

This is where the possibilities are endless!

I prefer to take cardboard (because it is a readily available resource) and cut it out to match the frame.

In the pictures above, you will see frames built with the same Jinx Wood and then covered with cardboard and other materials (e.g., popsicle sticks).

This step is also very "open" because it is meant for the designer to be creative. Cars are built with basic frames that are structurally sound, then they get "decorated" with panels. The cardboard acts as the panels. The panels can then be cut to make windows or sunroofs OR things can be added to the panels to make more decorative shapes. For example, take a toilet paper roll and glue it to a panel to make it "rounded" instead of flat. Point being, the possibilities are endless!

In order to create the panels, certain tools need to be used. Therefore, how you make the panels depends on the tools available. Make-Do Safety Saws are great starters, but Exacto Knives with Cutting Mats are what I use with my students when they demonstrate the proficiency and safety of using Exacto Knives.