Boys metal project

When I was that age I cut toy helicopter rotor disks out of tin can lids. The launcher was string wound around a modified nail. I had to fly them outside after my parents noticed the circles they carved in the ceiling..

The plastic ones from the store didn't have enough inertia to keep spinning as long as my steel ones, wouldn't glide sideways and bounce off walls, and I could pull the string on mine harder to make them spin faster. Never mind that the first few still had the sharp outer edges left by the can opener. Even at that age I became concerned about a free-flying spinning scalpel ricocheting around the room, and learned how to file them smooth and marginally safer.

How about a set of steel drums or bongo drums. Let them build the musical instruments with your guidence and oversight. Migh spark an intrest in metal working and music.

Best Regards Tom.

Model cannon? I did one with a nephew. Didn't get as far as trunnions and a carriage. He loved it.

Functional would be cool, but an invitation to mischief. I intend to do a functional one for myself some day. Maybe model Napoleon.

Pete Keillor

Custom belt buckle

Dan

I would have disowned the bitch that very second.

If they are creative and like to draw you might set them up making freehand versions of the old summer-camp ashtray project, with aluminum flashing, a hammer and a bag of sand. They could make chest armor for an action figure, for example. jsw

tool boxes?? Something to remind them of GrandDad when he's gone.

Couple of months ago at a Maker Faire, I saw a quicky project to do en masse that was building a metal tray with handle of the sort you find in tool boxes. I think the design was whittled down to just cutting, bending, and pop rivets, but it was a popular activity.

A full sized tool box with lid and tray would be a memorable project with a useful result, even if it gets filled with toys and not tools.

Myself, I made an electric vehicle for my (then) 12-year old daughter. I mashed up a free second-hand four-foot diameter "cupcake" tin with $50 as-is electric scooter (ended up only needing new charger and batteries). The bulk of the project was making a chasis to attach the cupcake tin to the scooter.

Electric or two-stroke engine go karts, and similar wheeled items, are a lot of fun for that age range, and off-the-shelf devices can easily be repurposed into more interesting creations. I've seen leaf blowers made into small hovercraft and cordless electric drills used to power bikes.

What makes a good suggestion will vary a lot with what tools and skills you and they have and what budget you have.

Elijah

------ is a lot more comfortable with electric than gas engines

I made some scupltures from TIG filler rod, bolts and nuts, maybe mini gears if you have them, using tig welding. They sell those to tourists in Mexico and they are surprisingly easy to make and end up very cute looking.

I take it they're living with her? DO IT!

That sounds like the best suggestion so far.

Or see if they are interested in steam punk stuff... Make something brass and leather...

Don't you have any spare freon powered air horns?

I was at harbor Freight, and it was cheaper than that. Sam's club had a decent price on a case of cans, but I doubt it would take more than half a can to make your point. ;-)

The reason I was looking is the A/C on my truck quit and needs recharged. I have everything I need, BUT enough R134 so I was checking the prices. :)

BTW, they used to make 'Rate of Rise' fire alarm that was freon powered. An alarm guy I knew had a bunch of ones he's used for demos, so I removed all the horns, and put one together with a handful of Tee connectors. Someone was tampering with a desk in our office. Imagine their surprise when they opened the drawer, and that contraption went off? They were nearly deaf before the can was empty. ;-)

I wouldn't ask you to. Anyway, the shipping would be a high percentage of what it's worth. With only one vehicle the case from Sam's club would probably be overkill.

He learned a hard lesson that day: "Never screw around with the engineer's toys!" :)

My shopping list is a pair of Grover Organtones, and a nice 1/3 or1/2 HP compressor - the Thomas TA-3101DC or TA-4101DC Something I can use a rattle-gun with, short of putting the full on 13-HP 30-gallon in the bed.

I have to crawl under the truck to see how much receiver I have room for under the bed - I can probably get a 12-gallon under there.

R-134 is cheap enough that you should be able to buy a full bottle. Shop by price - the only difference between the "Automotive" and "Refrigeration" is the fitting on the bottle, and that might trip you up if you didn't expect it.

"Automotive" tanks have the Acme buttress fitting, and "Refrigeration" has the standard 1/4" Flare hose fitting. Adapters in both directions are readily available for cheap.