pitsco RAY CATCHER SPRINT DELUXE User manual

Ray Catcher Sprint Deluxe User Guide 58963 V0513 1
Cautionary and Warning Statements
• Thiskitisdesignedandintendedforeducationalpurposesonly.
• Useonlyunderthedirectsupervisionofanadultwhohasreadandunderstoodtheinstructionsprovidedin
thisuserguide.
• Readwarningsonpackagingandinmanualcarefully.
• Alwaysexercisecautionwhenusingsharptools.
• Safetyglassesrequiredwhensoldering.
Soldering Iron Safety Tips
•Alwaysgetpermissionfromanadultbeforeusingasolderingiron.
•Besuretoreadandfollowallofthemanufacturersinstructionsprovidedwithyoursolderingiron.
•Nevertouchtheelementortipofthesolderingiron.
•Alwaysreturnthesolderingirontoitsstandwhennotinuse.
•Turnunitofforunplugitwhennotinuse.
IfyouarecompetingintheJuniorSolarSprintcompetition,weencourageyoutocreateyourowndesign.Refer
totheofficialJuniorSolarSprintruleswhendesigningyourvehicletomeetthosespecifications.Thisuserguideis
intendedforthosenot participatingintheJSScompetitionandrepresentsoneofmanywaystobuildthevehicle.

Materials Included
ThesolarpanelandmotorareofficialpartsrequiredbytheJuniorSolarSprintcompetition.
•Solarpanelblank(10-1/2"x5"plastic-coatedpaper) •4nylonspacers
•2balsawoodsheets(10-1/2"x4"x3/16") •2steelaxles  
•2alligatorclips •Plasticgearfont
•2rear(wide)wheels •2No.14rubberbands
•2front(narrow)wheels •Two-cellAAbatteryholder
•2widerubberbands •Motor280
•2screweyes •RayCatcherSolarPanel(shareditem)

Items Required (not included)
•Solderingironandsolder •Needle-nosepliers
•Hobbyknifeorcopingsaw •2C-clamps
•Cool-meltgluegunandglueslugs •Ruler
•Sandpaper

Making the Chassis
1. UsingaNo.2pencil,drawLineAdownthecenterofabalsasheet
(Figure1).
2. Turn over the balsa sheet.DrawLineB3/4"fromoneendofthe
sheet(Figure2onthenextpage).
Line A
5-1/4"
5-1/4"
Figure1
User Guide
58963 V0513
Ray Catcher
Sprint Deluxe

2 Ray Catcher Sprint Deluxe User Guide 58963 V0513
3. Atthesameend,
drawa5/8"x1-1/2"
notch1"fromthe
topofthesheet
(Figure2).
4. DrawLineC2-1/2"
fromtheotherend
ofthesamesheetof
balsawood(Figure
2).
5. Usingahobbyknife
oracopingsaw,cut
outthenotchdrawn
inStep3.
6. Locatetheothersheet
ofbalsawood.Draw
alineparalleltoand
1-1/8"fromoneofthe
narrowends.Cutalong
thelinetoproduce
a1-1/8"x4"panel
supportmember.
7. Usingacool-meltgluegun,runasmallbeadofgluealongoneofthe4"edgesofthepanelsupportmember
andattachitfirmlyatLineA(Figure3).Afteritisinplace,runanadditionalbeadofglueoneachside
ofthejointbetweenthechassisandthesupportmember.
Wheels, Gears, and Axles
Installingwheelsandgearsonaxlescanbedifficult.Thegearsandwheelsshouldfitsnuglytotheaxleandprovide
powertothewheels.Yourteacherhastroubleshootingtipsonwhattodoifthegearsandwheelsarenotsnug.
Rear Axle Assembly
1. Deburrtheaxlesbybrushingtheendsagainstsandpaper.Thismakesiteasiertopushtheaxlesintothewheels.
2. DetachGearIfromthegearfont.Usingasharpknife,carefullyremoveanyplasticflashingbetweenthegearteeth.
3. Placethegearonatable.Insertoneofthesteelaxlesintothegear.
Slidethegear1-7/8"fromoneendofthe
axle.Itshouldbe3-3/8"fromtheotherendoftheaxle(Figure4).
4. Slidetwonylonspacersontotheaxle,oneoneachsideofthegear(Figure4).
5. Placeoneoftherearwheelsflatonatable.Keepingthespacersinplace,insertoneendoftheaxleintothewheel.
Slidetheaxleintothewheeluntilitisflushwiththeoppositesideofthewheel.
6. Laytheotherrearwheelflatonthetable.Withspacersstillinplace,slidethefreeendoftheaxleintothewheel
untilitisflushwiththeoppositesideofthewheel.
7. Stretchawiderubberbandaroundeachofthewidewheels.Theseactastiresandprovidetractionforyour
vehicle.
Figure3
Figure4
Figure2

Ray Catcher Sprint Deluxe User Guide 58963 V0513 3
Front Axle Assembly
1. Placeoneofthefrontwheelsflatonthetable.Insertoneendoftheremainingsteelaxleintothewheeluntil
theendoftheaxleisflushwiththeoppositesideofthewheel.
2. Slidetwonylonspacersontothefreeendoftheaxle.
3. Whilekeepingthespacersontheaxleshaft,slidethefreeendoftheaxleintotheotherfrontwheeluntilthe
endoftheaxleisflushwiththeoppositesideofthewheel.
Attaching Axle Assemblies to Chassis
1. Positionthenotchedchassisonthetablesothenotchedendofthebalsawoodsheetishangingoverthe
tableedgeandLinesBandCarefacingup.
2. Carefullypositiontherearaxleassemblyso:
 •GearIiscenteredinthenotchedareaofthechassis.
 •TheaxleispositionedalongLineB.
 •Thenylonspacersarepositionedwithin1/16"ofeachwheel.
3. WhentherearaxleispositionedasdescribedinStep2,usesmallC-clampsoraskafriendtoholdtherear
axleassemblyinthecorrectposition.Nowgentlyapplyabeadofcool-meltgluealongthesidesofthenylon
spacerswheretheytouchthechassis.Holdtherearaxleassemblyinplaceuntilthegluecools.
4. PlacethefrontaxleassemblyalongLineC. Positiontheaxlesothewheelsareequidistantfromthechassis.
5. Slidethespacerstowithin1/16"ofeachwheel.Holdthisassemblyinplaceandgentlyapplyabeadofcool-
meltgluealongthesidesofthenylonspacerswheretheycontactthechassis.
6. Holdthefrontaxleassemblyuntilthegluedries.
Attaching Motor Assembly to Chassis
1. RemoveGearFfromthegearfontandcutoffanyexcessplasticbetweentheteethofthegear.
2. InserttheshaftofthemotorintoGearFtowithin1/8"ofthebodyofthemotor.
3. Setthechassisonthetablewiththeaxleassembliesfacingdown.
4. Usingacool-meltgluegun,createa1/2"x1"rectangleofglueabout1/8"deep(Figure5).
5. Whiletheglueisstillliquid,place
themotoronitsside(withvent
holesup)onthegluesoGearFsits
directlyontopofandengagesGear
I(Figure5).Besurenottoblock
theventholeswithglue.Holdthe
motorinplacewhilethegluecools.
6. Applyanotherbeadofcool-melt
gluebehindandinfrontofthe
motor(Figure5).Thiswillkeepthe
motorinplaceifthevehiclecomes
toasuddenstoporcrashes.
7. Ifthemotordislodges,usethetip
oftheglueguntosoftentheglue
onthechassiswherethemotor
was.Addasmallamountofglue
andreattachthemotorasyoudid
before.
GearF
GearI
Figure 5 – In this illustration, Gear F engages Gear I.

4 Ray Catcher Sprint Deluxe User Guide 58963 V0513
Battery Holder Assembly
1. Connectthealligatorclipstothebatteryholder
assemblybyinsertingoneofthetwoleads
throughthesmallholeinanalligatorclip.
2. Usingapairofpliers,bendthetabsonthe
alligatorclipoverthelead.
3. Soldertheleadtothealligatorclip.Besureto
heatthemetalaroundtheleadthoroughlyso
solderflowsfreelyandattachestotheclip.
4. RepeatSteps1through3forthesecondleadof
thebatteryholder.
5. Positionthebatteryholderbehindthepanel
supportmember(Figure6).Makesuretheleads
areonthesamesideofthechassisasthemotor
terminals.
Motor Connections
1. Solderthetwowireleadsonthesolarpaneltothetwoalligatorclips.Tip: Toprotecttheconnection,placea
daboflow-tempglueonthesolderjoint.
2. Connectthealligatorclipstothetwomotortabs.
3. Takethesolarvehicleoutsideandexposeittosunlight.Ifthewheelsdonotspinforward,switchthe
alligatorclipsonthemotor.
Final Assembly
1. Usingacool-meltgluegun,runasmallbeadofglueonthetop,extremefrontofthechassis.Allowtheglue
tocool.Thiswillprovidealedgeonwhichthesolarpanelorsolarpanelblankcanrest.
2. Runanotherbeadofgluealongthefrontedgeofthechassistoprovideabumperforyourvehicle.
3. Positionthesolarpanelblankonthechassissoitrestsatthefrontofthevehicleandonthepanel
supportmember.Theblankisusedtoshowthepositionandeffectofthesolarpanelonthevehicleasyou
testyourvehiclewiththebatterypack.Whenyouarereadytodoasolartestorrace,usethesolarpanelthat
yourteacherprovidesandreplacetheblankwithit.
4. StretchoneoftheNo.14rubberbandsaroundthefrontofthechassisandthesolarpanelblank.Stretchthe
otherNo.14rubberbandaroundthechassisandpanelblankandpositionitataboutthecenterofthepanel
blank.
5. Connectthebatterypack’salligatorclipwiththeredleadtothemotorterminalthathasarounddot.Then
connectthealligatorclipwiththeblackleadtotheothermotorterminal.
Optional
Ifyouarerunningyourcaronaguidedwireorfishingline,usethescreweyestokeepyourcarinline.Insert
thescreweyesintothebottomofthechassis,onetowardthefrontofthevehicleandanothertowardtherear,
centeredbetweenthesidesandin-linewiththedirectionoftravel.
Figure 6
P.O. Box 1708 • Pittsburg, KS 66762
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