For Students Engineering Design in Oregon Science Classrooms Page 1 of 5

How to Build Your Coaster Car

PRELIMINARY PREP 1. Collect materials: wheels, axles, bearings, chassis, fastener2. Collect tools: scissors, ruler, marker

MEASUREMENT / PREPARATION 1. Measure the length of your axles from taper to taper2. Measure the bearing and mark two lengths which are 2cm

shorter than the axles (6cm axle calls for 4cm bearing). Cut them to size with scissors. You will insert the axles into these bearings.

3. Measure 2cm in to either end of your chassis. Mark horizontally across the chassis. This is where you will attach your axle/bearing setup.

4. Approximate the center of the wheels, and mark this spot with a dot. This is where you will puncture the wheels and insert the axle.

CONSTRUCTION 1. Go to the puncturing station and puncture holes in your wheels where they are marked.

a. Pinching between thumb and forefinger, hold a nail over the mark on your wheel—do this on a hard surface like a desk, not carpet!

For Students Engineering Design in Oregon Science Classrooms Page 2 of 5

b. Using your free hand, lightly strike the nail until it has broken completely through –do not strike the hammer very hard as you could injure yourself or damage the surface beneath the wheel!

c. You may find the need to work the nail in a circle, to widen the hole.d. Repeat these steps for all wheels.

2. Create an axle/bearing/wheel setup.a. Slide an axle into a bearing until it is even on both sides, to create an axle/bearing.b. Snugly but incompletely insert the tips of your axle/bearing into two wheels.c. Slowly and firmly slide them further until they are close to but not touching the bearing. Make sure they

are even. Be careful not to break the bearing!d. Repeat these steps for both axles.

3. Fasten the axle/bearing/wheels to the chassis.a. With a partner, have one pair of hands hold the axle/bearing/wheel in place—over one of the horizontal

lines on your chassis—and have the other pair of hands secure the axle/bearing/wheel using fastener.b. It is possible to do this step alone if you fasten the tape to the bearing first and carefully attach to the

chassis.c. Before smoothing the tape, straighten the bearing as necessary.d. Repeat for the other axle.

4. Add flames. Do not skip this necessary step. (Flames can be replaced with racing stripes, rainbows, glitter, etc. with no loss of quality.)

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MEASURING PHOTOS

1.

2.

3.

a.

b.

4.

5.

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CONSTRUCTION PHOTOS

1.

a.

2.

a.

b.

c.

3.

a.

b.

c.

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4.