projects for kids

[mick70Participant @mick70]

[mick70Participant @mick70]

My youngest two kids keep asking to make things we have done loads of wood bits.

And my boy who is 7 as made a hammer on lathe.

My 6 yr old girl wants to make spanner.

Need ideas for other projects please.

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

Good too see your kids are keen on making things !

I think you need projects that are fairly quick to make and not too complex so i would start with a simple wobbler engine and you could make it from wood or metal.

If you make such an engine you could then make a very rudimentary traction engine from wood then mount the engine on that and use an airline from a compressor to run the engine ( no boiler ) the drive system is just a rubber band as a drive belt to drive one wheel.

Ian

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Are they into Meccano yet? If you get them some they can make spanners and screwdrivers (for old style bolts), plates in plastic and alloy, then move on to pulley wheels.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Things that move are always popular.

What about roman-style catapults? Use multiple twisted rubber bands to suspend the arm.

A simple yacht is good project as well, loads of simple designs about and as long as the keel is heavy enough they cannot fail!

In the old days cranes were popular.

[john carruthersParticipant @johncarruthers46255]

Gyroscope? Clickspring has a couple of videos here…
**LINK**

[Engine BuilderParticipant @enginebuilder]

Simple Stirling engine?

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

The plans for that clickspring gyro are on this page

[Gas_mantle.Participant @gas_mantle]

Posted by john carruthers on 13/09/2015 11:31:58:

Gyroscope? Clickspring has a couple of videos here…
**LINK**

That gyroscope video was well worth watching, as a beginner I struggle a bit cutting recesses in flywheels, the guy in the video made a tool that seemed to solve all the problems I have when doing it.

I've just bought a grinder so it looks like I'll be having a go making a flywheel tool shortly.

Peter.

[GrottoParticipant @grotto]

My 10 year old daughter made a pen.

Nothing flash, just a piece of rod bored to take a Bic refil, knurled, and threaded at each end, with brass end caps.

She's pretty pleased with it.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I'v got a book that you may be able to get ,or something similar, it's called "Metalwork design" by T. Petit, craft education. T. petit was head of the dept of craft and design Aireville Secondary School, Skipton, Yorkshire. I got it about twenty years ago in a second hand book shop in Christchurch NZ. It has a number of types of things to make, from tools, kitchen ware. It generally leaves the construction methods to the children to work out. For example, how many designs can be thought up for a candle stick/holder.

Ian S C

[David Reeves 1Participant @davidreeves1]

My father introduced me to simple steam turbine using a Tate & Lyle Golden Syrup tin. The turbine was a circle of tinplate about 1.1/2" diameter with about 8 radial cuts which were twisted at the ends to make the blades. A brass wire shaft was soldered through the centre and it was mounted on the lid with a couple of L shaped brackets soldered to the outside of the lid. A small hole was drilled in the lid and a small piece of brass tube soldered in it to make the nozzle to direct the steam onto the blades. Put some water inside, fit the lid/turbine and heat on the gas ring. No need for safety valve as the lid will pop off in the unlikely event that too much steam is produced. Probably doesn't meet the current H&S culture however.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I like the Stirling Engine in the video link, might have a go myself.

Ian S C

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