Training kids to build

[Mike Johnson]

MineCraft.

My son is 9 and I had to deal with this also. I taught my son to weld at age 7 and since I own a plumbing company he's been around all things mechanical since he was born. But once MineCraft hit the scene he became really absorbed in to it. He kinda forgot everything else and I wasn't real happy with it.

But then I realized his buddies in school are all in to this so if I can't beat em, join em. I've never liked video games but I decided to take part in my Son's passion by asking him questions and being part of an active conversation at least. What happened was that he joined me in the garage again and we work on airplane stuff and talk about MineCraft also. Of course, I'd rather stay focused on airplanes :lol: but for a kid his buddies are also important and at the moment EVERYBODY seems to be doing MineCraft.

Funny thing, I don't know much about video games but the graphics on MineCraft look like something out of the 1980's :lol:

[Bryan Cotton]

I don't even know what minecraft is! Lucky I guess. That is cool you taught your kid to weld at age 7. I always ask my kids if they have been taught welding in school, kiddingly. This is the year though, I think. Gas first.

[Mike Johnson]

Bryan, I taught Henry gas first using a Meco Midget but started him with 1/8" thick mild steel......then worked toward thinner material like .035" gradually. By the time he was 8 he welded a bin rack in my plumbing truck.

Then I taught him TIG. Well, let's just say its a work in progress. Lol. He's slowly getting it.

Anyhow, that MECO is really nice for a kid with small hands.

Mike

[Bryan Cotton]

Loft bed #2 in progress. This is a simpler design. Anything to get tools in their hands.

[Bryan Cotton]

After a layoff I got Matthew back in the hangar. I introduced him to Mr. Bandsaw and Mr. Belt Sander. Maybe I can get him to build a Pietenpol someday. Or restore a staggerwing, it is not like I am picky.

[Frankart]

You guys give me hope. I have a 15 year old Sonex project and a 17 month old son. Hopefully he will be going to the garage with me someday.

[Bryan Cotton]

Thread resurrection. First, the loft bed is done and it came out good. We have an underneath shelf and desk to finish yet but he lost interest for now.

Matthew still is not interested in the Waiex but he likes working in the hangar. He calls this his "triangle project." Here he is double nutting the propeller shaft to set the float. He had to make phenolic bearing blocks, run the drill press, screws, and wrenches:


I had him do a lot of his own setup. Loosen and tighten the drill press table for adjustments, set the parts in the drill press vise for alignment, and the importance of tightness. We ruined one phenolic block because it wasn't tight enough, he pushed the block out of alignment with the drill press. Was a good lesson in clearing chips, and appropriate feeds for the drill press.


The orange things are scrap sheetmetal. Had him cut them out with shears. His hands were just strong enough. We clamped all 4 brackets to a piece of wood, ran #30 pilots through all 4 parts at once, and clecoed them to the wood as we went. I had him drill pilot holes in the triangle project with a hand drill prior to running the screws. Here, of his own accord, he wanted to calculate the gear ratio of his pulley speed increaser. So he marked one pulley and turned the other 360 degrees.


So, I am unsure if he will ever want to build an airplane. But if he does, he will be ready!

[Bryan Cotton]

And a video. Side note: unbidden, he did say the Waiex is pretty cool.
http://youtu.be/-eSvrpCw1f0

[Bryan Cotton]

To continue Scott and Pickleman's discussion - Matthew has his next project:
http://m.instructables.com/id/Hamster-W ... ding-Desk/
He wants to use it to power an aircraft. I never gave him my analysis there. We will build it, drive a generator with it, measure power output and factor in efficiency, and I will let him draw his own conclusions.

Someday I will buy that kid an aircraft design book - any recommendations?

[x3 skier]

The best book I have found on the topic is by Dan Raymer. It covers conceptual design of aircraft and is an excellent book to realy unsterstand how aircraft are sized and designed at the start.

It's an advanced book intended for aero engineering but it is an excellent intro to preliminary design.

Cheers