How to Make a Rubber Band Powered Car

Building a car powered by a rubber band is a great way to keep the kids entertained on a rainy day while giving them a simple lesson in physics.

Supplies

Corrugated cardboard

Ruler

Scissors

2- 12-inch 1/8-inch thick wooden dowel

Duct tape

4- 1/4-inch rubber washers

4 CDs

Poster putty
Rubber band

Step 1

Measure and cut a piece of corrugated cardboard that is 5 inches wide and 12 inches long. Cut the cardboard so you can see the waves sandwiched in the middle of the cardboard along the 12-inch edges.

Step 2

Cut a 2-inch wide and 1 1/2-inch deep notch out of the middle of one of the 5-inch edges.

Step 3

Slide your two dowels through the middle wavy layer of the corrugated cardboard 1/2 an inch in from the short edge at both ends of the long edges to give your card axles. Make sure 3 inches of each dowel sticks out on each long edge of the cardboard

Step 4

Twist the dowels a few times to open up the cardboard and give them enough room to rotate.

Step 5

Take a 3-inch length of duct tape and cut it in thirds lengthwise. Stack the thirds of duct tape, all sticky side down, to create one thicker piece of tape.

Step 6

Place the stacked pieces of duct tape under the rear axle, in the middle of the space created by the notch cut from the cardboard, and wrap the piece around the axle, bringing the ends up and sticking them together to create a little tab on the axle.

Step 7

Place a 1/4-inch rubber washer in the center hole of each CD. Hold the washers there while you slide each CD/washer combination onto the wooden dowel until they are 1 1/2-inches from the cardboard.

Step 8

Wrap a piece of poster putty around the wooden dowel on either side of each wheel to hold the wheels in place on the axles. Now, the axles should rotate with the wheels as the poster putty holds everything tightly in place.

Step 9

Tape one end of your rubber band to the middle of the front end of the car, opposite the notch. Make sure the duct tape holds it securely.

Step 10

Pull the other end of the rubber band back to the tab you created on the rear axle. Pull the end of the rubber band over the duct tape tab, so it catches on the tab, and wind the axle to the rubber band wraps around it. Release the rubber band wound axle to make the car go.