OT Making a model ship with a 5 year old
Ignoramus8098
my dad when I was about same age, from plywood, and he wants to have
his own. I do not want to get into "show quality" esoteric stuff. I
want to have a project where he can participate meaningfully. Any
suggestions as to the choice of materials etc.
Ideally, I am hoping to be able to find some sort of "dense cardboard"
type material that is easy to work with, etc. In the end I would epoxy
it.
any suggestions.
thanks
RicodJour
How about a stitch-and-glue boat? It could be model sized or you
could make it big enough that it could actually be used.
R
Joe Gorman
http://personal.eunet.fi/pp/gsahv/oss/oss.htm
Joe
Ignoramus8098
I can ask a clarification question: where can I find heavy
paper/cardboard (not corrugated) that is, say, 1 mm thick.
I think that I would be able to go a long way with that, esp. if I
apply epoxy after the model is done.
i
Patriarch
dnT25qYOhMlHYn...@giganews.com:
Craft supplier, or first rate art supply store, or a stationer. Lots of
options available. Architects and designers model with such stuff pretty
regularly. Avoid foamcore.
Patriarch
K. A. Cannon
<CN2dna2JgNu_P1HY...@giganews.com> in
rec.crafts.metalworking on Fri, 09 Feb 2007 10:32:34 -0600:
Foam core board.
Get it at Micheals or any "crafty" shop or online.
Easy to work with. You can seal with expoxy it if you actually want to
make your model float.
--
K. A. Cannon
kcannon at insurgent dot org
(change the orgy to org to reply)
Obstinate people can be divded into the opinionated, the ignorant,
and the boorish.
-Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics, Bk. VII
Nick Mueller
> My 5.5 year old son wants to make a model ship. I made something with
> my dad when I was about same age, from plywood, and he wants to have
> his own.
I suggest you weld it! Even better, your son welds it. Then you can claim
how much better your welds got.
When you are finished -don't forget to start at least 5 new new threads
titled "finished"- and it sinks, you can tell that you wanted to build an
U-boat from beginning on.
This way, you can have an on-topic post. Ain't that great? And I'll have
even more to laugh.
Nick
--
***********************************
*** Available now in NZ and AUS ***
***********************************
<http://www.yadro.de>
DB Rea
You might try some "mat board" from an art supply store or a picture
framing shop. It's a little thicker than 1 mm, maybe 2 mm or so. Pretty
hard to cut it cleanly with scissors; best to use an x-acto knife or
utility knife or a razor blade.
Dan in Wyoming
spaco
shop and look around for kits or materials?
Pete Stanaitis
-----------------------------------
B A R R Y
How about sheet styrene? It's nice stuff for modelling, available in
many thicknesses, strips, shapes, tube, you name it... It's easily
joined with liquid plastic cement, cut and shaped with XActo blades and
files, waterproof, and takes paint well.
Evergreen is a name sold by hobby and model shops.
Too_Many_Tools
Many fathers would ignore this request.
Others would not recognize that having a project where your son can
meaningfully participate is the point of the exercise.
In addition to the model building, I would suggest viewing with your
son television shows and movies suitable for his age that feature
"ship themes"...that will further encourage his interest in the
subject and provide material for his playing with the model(s) you
both build.
Bear in mind that a 5 year old has yet to develop the motor skills nor
experience to handle finely detailed work. Also sharp tools, knives
and hazardous chemicals will quickly get you in trouble. And expect a
shorter attention span from a younger child. This is a multi session
project...and many of us adults need to shift our expectations...the
point is quality time with the child...not the completion of the
project under budget and on time.
My suggestion would be to do several models ...small to large...for
different uses.
I would do a smaller model that one can buy that snaps together..NO
GLUE. I would review and purchase those models (there are many "Snap-
Tite" models), allow your son to down select to one of them and return
the rest.. If you shop with your son, he may want to select a model
that is out of his skill range at the moment. This is the one he will
want to use in the bathtub, take to bed to sleep with and generally
beat to death....so buy a second one in anticipation of its
destruction.
I would then do a smaller table top sized ship out of common
materials...popsicle sticks, construction paper, foam board (this is
the "dense cardboard" stuff you are asking about), string, water color
paints...mostly stuff around the house.....using white glue as the
adhesive. Think of the construction materials that are commonly used
in a daycare or preschool setting. The focus here is to allow him to
contribute to the construction at his level of skill...and it may take
a bit of imagination to see "the ship" in the final product...but that
is secondary to the real goal of his participation.
Next I would go collect some boxes, tubes, rope, etc. and build with
your son a child size ship that he can sit in and play "pirate" in.
Find a corner in his room where it can be erected so it can be played
in for a length of time. The interest for you will be the challenge of
building "working features" into this cardboard mock up. Things that
come to mind are "a working anchor", "walk the plank", " mast where
the pirate flag can be raised", a eyeglass for searching the horizon,
a cannon that shoots a load of packing peanuts, etc....the goal here
is to build an interactive "playhouse ship" where he and his sibliings/
friends can play.
The reason why I stress the child size ship approach is that it will
encourage creativity for both of you and your son. Consider it a
version of Junkyard Wars where one is challenged to build something
out of a junkyard collection...a challenge that I suspect you will be
very capable of meeting based on your excellent parade of projects
that have been showcased here in the past. I also think that you will
find this effort the most fun because of the challenge of working with
a limited set of supplies. This approach will also allow your son to
participate the most....anything he wishes to add to the ship is
"okay". Cost wise this effort is cheap since you can use surplus
cardboard boxes, tubes, packing material,etc....and easily modified
when changes come.
I have been a willing partner in the past of building out of "junk"
mockups of space ships, pirate ships, tanks, submarines, airplanes,
semi trucks, airplanes, PT boats, castles, dungeons, teepees, old
western forts, etc....and both I and the neighborhood kids have
benefitted from the experience.
When the dust settles, be sure to take pictures of the completed
ship(s) with your son in the picture. I can assure you that years from
now he will remember this example of quality time with his Dad.
Like I said Ig, your son has a good Dad.
TMT
On Feb 9, 10:32 am, Ignoramus8098 <ignoramus8...@NOSPAM.8098.invalid>
wrote:
James Waldby
> I can ask a clarification question: where can I find heavy
> paper/cardboard (not corrugated) that is, say, 1 mm thick.
>
> I think that I would be able to go a long way with that, esp. if I
> apply epoxy after the model is done.
Styrene or ABS plastic sheet would be a better material for model boat
building - see http://www.plastruct.com/pages/RetailDisplays.html about
halfway down, and try to find a hobby shop or sign shop that carries some
materials like those. Sign shops will also carry LDPE sheet. Also see
http://www.sherwoodmodels.co.uk/main/plasticcss.html advice (which
unfortunately says, "recommended for the use of adult scale modellers only")
Styrene sheet for models is perhaps half-mm thick, and can be cut
with scissors, razor knife, or nibbler. If you get to a hobby shop, also
look for a "razor saw", a small thin backsaw that would be safe for a kid
to use, as would be a little Dremel-like tool too. For thin cardboard or
thick paper, look for a local paper goods store.
http://www.georgehart.com/virtual-polyhedra/paper-models.html has some
paper model construction ideas and links to design software. It might be
reasonable to start with a kit or two, like at http://www.fiddlersgreen.net/
or http://www.sirus.com/users/sulstad/paper_models.html or download pdfs
from http://www.yamaha-motor.co.jp/global/entertainment/papercraft/
-jiw
Ignoramus8098
Dan, that's interesting. Is is easy to glue?
i
Ignoramus8098
> Is there any particular reason that you don't want to go to a big hobby
> shop and look around for kits or materials?
I am fully open to that. My son is sick right now, but hopefully
we can do it on the weekend.
i
Too_Many_Tools
> I suggest you weld it! Even better, your son welds it.
>
LOL...Nick in "his own way" has offered a good idea.
After teaching the suitable safety issues, if your son has suitable
motor skills (children develop hand eye skills at different rates so
at 5 years old some can and some can't) allowing him to use a hot glue
gun to "weld" the model ship "just like Daddy does" is an attractive
idea for those of us who like tools.
Thanks for the help Nick.
TMT
Ignoramus8098
>>
>> I suggest you weld it! Even better, your son welds it.
>>
>
> LOL...Nick in "his own way" has offered a good idea.
>
> After teaching the suitable safety issues, if your son has suitable
> motor skills (children develop hand eye skills at different rates so
> at 5 years old some can and some can't) allowing him to use a hot glue
> gun to "weld" the model ship "just like Daddy does" is an attractive
> idea for those of us who like tools.
>
> Thanks for the help Nick.
Thanks for this post and your longer post with your thoughts re: age
appropriate aspects of model ship building.
My ideas are crystallizing around the following.
1. Make a wooden member that would be placed in the middle of the ship,
whose purpose is mainly to provide rigidity to the ship as it is being
built. It would be placed lengthwise.
2. Make plywood bulkheads with holes that match the wooden member, soi
that they would slide along the member, spaced about equally and
provide ribbing for the hull. My son can participate in this, by using
my scroll saw under my supervision.
3. Glue bulkheads in position.
4. Use whatever material is available from hobby store to make the
hull. Make a heavy keel so that the ship can possibly float.
5. Let him paint the hull.
6. Provide some top side details, but not too many. I think that I
would prefer a sailing ship model since masts, etc are easy
conceptually to make.
The above plan in scalable to pretty much any model size.
i
Lew Hodgett
> My 5.5 year old son wants to make a model ship.
In my youth, I built model boats, trains and airplanes.
Started when I was about 7-8.
By the time I was 16-17, had built some rather complex stuff.
My advise: KISS
The attention span of a 5.5 year old is limited at best when it comes
to building things.
Find a decent hobby shop, buy a SIMPLE model ship kit, and assemble it.
Even though it will probably assemble quickly, don't rush it.
Patience is a tough lesson to learn. Might as well start early.
Have fun.
Lew
Ignoramus8098
I do, actually, want this to be a little more DIY and a little more
multisession.
I bought plastic models. They are very much NOT what I am looking
for. Way too detailed and impossible for little fingers to
assemble. What ends up happening is that I waste hours truing to glue
pieces of plastic together, and my son can do nothing. I was livid by
the time I finished a Titanic model (though I did not show it).
I want the opposite of that: to build something that resembles a ship,
with maximum of hands on effort on his part and some real world
engineering.
I kind of agree with TMT in that it should be kept in a spirit of
junkyard wars. Build something nice (meaning that something that
performs a useful function) from scrap.
He recently made a "rocket" from a Pringles can and paper. We launch
it with my compressor. He is very happy about it. He even painted it
gold.
i
B A R R Y
>
> I bought plastic models. They are very much NOT what I am looking
> for. Way too detailed and impossible for little fingers to
> assemble. What ends up happening is that I waste hours truing to glue
> pieces of plastic together, and my son can do nothing. I was livid by
> the time I finished a Titanic model (though I did not show it).
Check out "Snap Tite" kits.
Swingman
"Lew Hodgett" wrote in message
> Find a decent hobby shop, buy a SIMPLE model ship kit, and assemble it.
Best advice yet. "Kits" is what I did with both my daughters. We did a
dinosaur and a dragonfly and they hung in their rooms for years.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 2/07/07
Nick Mueller
> allowing him to use a hot glue
> gun to "weld" the model ship "just like Daddy does" is an attractive
> idea for those of us who like tools.
LOL! That's a better idea! He can even use the welding-helmet. :-))
OTOH, afterwards he thinks that he can weld. Guess the same happend to Iggy.
Nick Mueller
> I was livid by the time I finished a Titanic model (though I did not
> show it).
Iggy, that wasn't the Titanic! But it sunk.
Ignoramus8098
I checked a few, looks better than the stuff I bought before.
i
Jerry
news:gbydnWsPWe8TTFHY...@giganews.com:
> I do, actually, want this to be a little more DIY and a little more
> multisession.
>
> I bought plastic models. They are very much NOT what I am looking
> for. Way too detailed and impossible for little fingers to
> assemble. What ends up happening is that I waste hours truing to glue
> pieces of plastic together, and my son can do nothing. I was livid by
> the time I finished a Titanic model (though I did not show it).
>
> I want the opposite of that: to build something that resembles a ship,
> with maximum of hands on effort on his part and some real world
> engineering.
>
> I kind of agree with TMT in that it should be kept in a spirit of
> junkyard wars. Build something nice (meaning that something that
> performs a useful function) from scrap.
>
> He recently made a "rocket" from a Pringles can and paper. We launch
> it with my compressor. He is very happy about it. He even painted it
> gold.
>
> i
Does he expect the play with the model on the local lake, river,
waterbut? be a shame making a kit that didn't float. you might be better
off with a some blocks of wood and a few simple hand tools for the first
one....
Ignoramus8098
> Does he expect the play with the model on the local lake, river,
> waterbut? be a shame making a kit that didn't float. you might be better
> off with a some blocks of wood and a few simple hand tools for the first
> one....
I think that my plan with plywood bulkheads is a sensible one. It will
float with enough epoxying and a sensible sized keel. If the deck is
removable, which seems to make sense, it can be later enhanced with
LEDs etc. I will try to make it big enough so that it can be messed
with later (1.5 ft or so).
i
Lew Hodgett
>
> I bought plastic models. They are very much NOT what I am looking
> for. Way too detailed and impossible for little fingers to
> assemble. What ends up happening is that I waste hours truing to glue
> pieces of plastic together, and my son can do nothing.
<snip>
OK, this one is courtesy of my dad.
Take a piece of 1x6, about 10"-15" long.
Take a couple of angle cuts on one end to form the bow AKA: "Pointy Part".
Add a rudder skeg using some 1/4" ply.
Form a mast using a piece of 3/8" dowel rod.
Form a cross arm using a piece of 3/8" dowel rod.
Sew up a down wind sail from an old bed sheet.
Use some mason's twine to lash the cross arm to the mast as well as
for sail rigging.
Use some screw eyes to locate the rigging.
Paint it black.
Get out your wood burning kit and engrave the name "Falcon" on the
sides, then fill letters with silver paint.
You have just duplicated my cub scout project when I was about 8 years
old.
BTW, typical square rigger. Goes like hell down wind, but doesn't
point worth a damn.
Have fun.
Lew
Larry and a Cat named Dub
(Pine) Let your sons mind do the work . It don't have to be fancy their
imagination will take care of that. I have made several thing with grandkids
and they can be just as happy with a piece of wood if they build it an color
it with magic marker. We built cars with a block of wood with cut disc for
wheels Pontoon just a block of wood with a point and they still play with
them..
We spent several hours building a race car very detailed
with a :-) Rocket engine for propulsion and a model airplane engine (I had
as a kid myself) They still play with the blocks of wood . Just a old
Grandpas thoughts
"Ignoramus8098" <ignora...@NOSPAM.8098.invalid> wrote in message
news:CN2dna2JgNu_P1HY...@giganews.com...
> My 5.5 year old son wants to make a model ship. I made something with
> my dad when I was about same age, from plywood, and he wants to have
Lobby Dosser
> My 5.5 year old son wants to make a model ship. I made something with
> my dad when I was about same age, from plywood, and he wants to have
> his own. I do not want to get into "show quality" esoteric stuff. I
> want to have a project where he can participate meaningfully. Any
> suggestions as to the choice of materials etc.
>
> Ideally, I am hoping to be able to find some sort of "dense cardboard"
> type material that is easy to work with, etc. In the end I would epoxy
> it.
>
> any suggestions.
>
> thanks
How about Wood? You mention cardboard, but I think I'd let a 5 year old
use a saw on wood before letting him use a craft knife on cardboard. Take
a 1x4 board and a 1/4" dowel. Cut a pointy end on the board. Shorten
board to taste. Drill a hole in the middle. Insert dowel in hole. Hoist a
paper sail and go boating!
Kits have been mentioned. Here is a quality outfit:
<http://www.seaworthysmallships.com/>
Be sure to look at the 'Pine Wood Sailers' and the 'Model Boat Plans'.
The 'Pine Wood Sailers' are very simple and the one plan they have is
fairly complex, but uses no glue and can be scaled. Everything they do
Floats.
Keep it Simple and Fun and make sure it is really a Joint Effort!
Too_Many_Tools
> 1. Make a wooden member that would be placed in the middle of the ship,
> whose purpose is mainly to provide rigidity to the ship as it is being
> built. It would be placed lengthwise.
>
> 2. Make plywood bulkheads with holes that match the wooden member, soi
> that they would slide along the member, spaced about equally and
> provide ribbing for the hull. My son can participate in this, by using
> my scroll saw under my supervision.
>
Hmmm...do I see a scroll saw in your future?
Hey...that would be another tool, wouldn't it? I, Too_Many_Tools
approve. ;<)
A scroll saw would also be a suitable tool for a 5 year old to use.
TMT
On Feb 9, 1:22 pm, Ignoramus8098 <ignoramus8...@NOSPAM.8098.invalid>
wrote:
JR North
hull planking, etc. Invaluable in teaching your son about the form,
construction and logical sequence of assembly. Much better than just an
external appearance. He needs to know WHY a boat looks like it does, and
how they are made. Next project: A boat style you both agree on, made
with any of the other posters suggestions for materials. This can be
more for the imagined boat he wants. But,If he is anything like me when
I was 5, he will want a bigger, better produced kit to assemble next.
JR
Dweller in the cellar
Ignoramus8098 wrote:
> My 5.5 year old son wants to make a model ship. I made something with
> my dad when I was about same age, from plywood, and he wants to have
> his own. I do not want to get into "show quality" esoteric stuff. I
> want to have a project where he can participate meaningfully. Any
> suggestions as to the choice of materials etc.
>
> Ideally, I am hoping to be able to find some sort of "dense cardboard"
> type material that is easy to work with, etc. In the end I would epoxy
> it.
>
> any suggestions.
>
> thanks
--
--------------------------------------------------------------
Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth
If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes
Doubt yourself, and the real world will eat you alive
The world doesn't revolve around you, it revolves around me
No skeletons in the closet; just decomposing corpses
--------------------------------------------------------------
Dependence is Vulnerability:
--------------------------------------------------------------
"Open the Pod Bay Doors please, Hal"
"I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.."
Ignoramus8098
>>
>> 1. Make a wooden member that would be placed in the middle of the ship,
>> whose purpose is mainly to provide rigidity to the ship as it is being
>> built. It would be placed lengthwise.
>>
>> 2. Make plywood bulkheads with holes that match the wooden member, soi
>> that they would slide along the member, spaced about equally and
>> provide ribbing for the hull. My son can participate in this, by using
>> my scroll saw under my supervision.
>>
>
> Hmmm...do I see a scroll saw in your future?
>
> Hey...that would be another tool, wouldn't it? I, Too_Many_Tools
> approve. ;<)
>
> A scroll saw would also be a suitable tool for a 5 year old to use.
I already have one, and will use it. It becomes a perfectly doable
project that will yield a rigid hull.
i
Ken Davey
id=9184296B-D4ED-49A2-A173-AEB0DD18A6CE
"Nick Mueller" <muell...@gmx.de> wrote in message
news:35517862....@yadro.de...
> Too_Many_Tools wrote:
>
>> allowing him to use a hot glue
>> gun to "weld" the model ship "just like Daddy does" is an attractive
>> idea for those of us who like tools.
>
> LOL! That's a better idea! He can even use the welding-helmet. :-))
>
> OTOH, afterwards he thinks that he can weld. Guess the same happend to
> Iggy.
>
>
> Nick
Nick, have you been de-clawed?
Ken.
Keith nuttle
> My 5.5 year old son wants to make a model ship. I made something with
> my dad when I was about same age, from plywood, and he wants to have
> his own. I do not want to get into "show quality" esoteric stuff. I
> want to have a project where he can participate meaningfully. Any
> suggestions as to the choice of materials etc.
>
> Ideally, I am hoping to be able to find some sort of "dense cardboard"
> type material that is easy to work with, etc. In the end I would epoxy
> it.
>
> any suggestions.
>
> thanks
airplanes by the following weekend, and wanted to building them in
different shapes and wing styles out of balsa wood, we found a compromise.
she fashioned different types of cones and we filled them with Great
Stuff, the foam in a can. Where necessary she left excess and then
shaped the foam into the body she wanted.
You may try something similar for the boat. The foam is easy to work
with no major sharp tools and you can make into about any shape you
want. When finished you could paint it and it could be played with in
or out of the water.
--
Keith Nuttle
3110 Marquette Court
Indianapolis, IN 46268
317-802-0699
Dave Jackson
rockets. I had several models of aircraft carriers, destroyers, etc. And I
also had a bunch of those Estes rocket engines that were launched by battery
to what seemed like thousands of feet in the air. Now, if you and your boy
make a couple disposable boats and strap one of those rocket engines on
it........Anyway, let him push the launch button....TONS of fun...Just make
sure there is no one else in the line of fire! --dave
"Ignoramus8098" <ignora...@NOSPAM.8098.invalid> wrote in message
news:CN2dna2JgNu_P1HY...@giganews.com...
Steve R.
involved. In my experience, it helps if he/she has small jobs to do while
you tackle the more complicated stuff. Back in the 70s, a young lad asked if
I could fix a Stuart 10H that he had. It seems his father built it, and died
soon afterwards. His mother gave permission for him to be present when the
work was done. Just about everything on the engine was misaligned. The young
lad soon started to get bored. In response, I started setting up cuts on the
lathe, then had him turn the hand wheels. He soon had the knack of it, and
his interest returned. In two hours, and forty five minutes a very pleased
boy was watching the engine running on air! He walked out the shop cradling
it in his hands, pleased as punch. It was the only thing he had from his
father, as his mother disposed of everything.
Steve R.
Harold and Susan Vordos
"Too_Many_Tools" <too_man...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1171046804.9...@h3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
snip----
>
> Like I said Ig, your son has a good Dad.
>
> TMT
>
I wonder if Nick gets it?
Personally, I enjoy hearing Ig's experiences with his son. I was never
rewarded with a son.
Harold
Harold and Susan Vordos
"Ignoramus8098" <ignora...@NOSPAM.8098.invalid> wrote in message
snip-----
>
> I kind of agree with TMT in that it should be kept in a spirit of
> junkyard wars. Build something nice (meaning that something that
> performs a useful function) from scrap.
>
> He recently made a "rocket" from a Pringles can and paper. We launch
> it with my compressor. He is very happy about it. He even painted it
> gold.
>
> i
Exactly. A child of that age has no concept of proper construction------a
cardboard rocket is probably every bit as desirable to him as a fine car
would be to an adult. Way to go, Ig.
Harold
Ignoramus8098
Yes. You got it. This is not an exercise in building beautiful
models. This is an exercise for the kid to learn the pleasures of
making stuff (as well as the value of patience and planning). I am
fully aware that the result will be far from beautiful.
If I wanted to own a beautiful model ship, I would buy something mass
produced in Chinese sweatshops using CNC, for $30 or so.
Functionality wise, what I want from this model is 1) to look like a
ship 2) be able to float in water 3) be able to survive exposure to
"life" for decades, in case if he wants to keep it as a childhood
memory.
i
cs_po...@hotmail.com
wrote:
> My 5.5 year old son wants to make a model ship. I made something with
> my dad when I was about same age, from plywood, and he wants to have
> his own. I do not want to get into "show quality" esoteric stuff. I
> want to have a project where he can participate meaningfully. Any
> suggestions as to the choice of materials etc.
My suggestion would actually be to use "1 inch" white pine. Build up
a stack of cross-sections glued together, and then shape on a belt
sander. Part of the reason for this is that the result is durable -
it can take years of sailing the living room floor, enduring
bombardment with 3/8" ball bearings from older brother's pen-spring-
loaded shore battery, etc.
It is true there's more use of power tools involved than ideal, but
you can have your son heavily involved in the design and "supervision"
of the work, which goes pretty quickly. It's also a great way to
introduce the idea of filling a need by desining the solution and then
building it. You can either do full-scale design drawings, or simply
draw directly on the wood - place the crew and cargo on the board and
draw the hull around them. Place the cannon and draw its ports, etc.
Then while you are cutting out each additional layer, he can either
watch you, or play with stack of those cut so far. Glue-up is just
before bed time - the next day he has the unsmoothed hull, that
evening you sand it with a combination of power and hand tools.
You can also make it a two part project - either do a prototype as a
suprise gift to introduce the idea, and then a nicer one as a joint
project with his design input. Or do one together, and then an even
bigger/better taking those ideas further. After all, with no upkeep
costs, what owner wouldn't want two boats?
I think my brother and I did a lot more with the never-really finished
ship of this sort than we ever did when he finally received the
commercial "pirate ship" it was intended as a substitute for. Sure,
all that rigging and detail looked cool on the packaging, but the
decks were just too crowded for much activity.
Too_Many_Tools
> Nick, have you been de-clawed?
>
> Ken.
I suspect neutered. ;<)
TMT
On Feb 9, 6:46 pm, "Ken Davey" <QYNLZMTZB...@spammotel.com> wrote:
> id=9184296B-D4ED-49A2-A173-AEB0DD18A6CE"Nick Mueller" <muellern...@gmx.de> wrote in message
Too_Many_Tools
> Functionality wise, what I want from this model is 1) to look like a
> ship 2) be able to float in water 3) be able to survive exposure to
> "life" for decades, in case if he wants to keep it as a childhood
> memory.
>
4) The memories you and your son will have .... priceless.
TMT
On Feb 9, 11:42 pm, Ignoramus8098 <ignoramus8...@NOSPAM.8098.invalid>
wrote:
> On Sat, 10 Feb 2007 05:24:48 GMT, Harold and Susan Vordos <vor...@tds.net> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > "Ignoramus8098" <ignoramus8...@NOSPAM.8098.invalid> wrote in message
> i- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Too_Many_Tools
> > Like I said Ig, your son has a good Dad.
>
> > TMT
>
> I wonder if Nick gets it?
> Personally, I enjoy hearing Ig's experiences with his son. I was never
> rewarded with a son.
>
> Harold
So do I.
Few people lie on their death bed thinking "I wish I had posted on
topic in rec.crafts.metalworking.".
The value of this discussion group is in the diversity and
creativeness of the people who are willing to share their lifes and
thoughts with us.
I owe much to those who have contributed here over the years.
Thanks guys.
TMT
On Feb 9, 11:21 pm, "Harold and Susan Vordos" <vor...@tds.net> wrote:
> "Too_Many_Tools" <too_many_to...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
jta...@nospam.hfx.andara.com
<ignora...@NOSPAM.8098.invalid> wrote:
>My 5.5 year old son wants to make a model ship. I made something with
>my dad when I was about same age, from plywood, and he wants to have
>his own. I do not want to get into "show quality" esoteric stuff. I
>want to have a project where he can participate meaningfully. Any
>suggestions as to the choice of materials etc.
>
>Ideally, I am hoping to be able to find some sort of "dense cardboard"
>type material that is easy to work with, etc. In the end I would epoxy
>it.
>
>any suggestions.
>
>thanks
Foam insulation - the rigid kind.
Cuts with a sharp knife (good lessons there for the kid) or a hot
wire. You can get nichrome from a hobby shop and make a simple wooden
U-shaped frame with a hook and spring to tension the wire. It's _fun_
to carve with this setup, and foam is cheap, & will float.
kfvo...@gmail.com
toy one when I was little. It was a small one. I don't think I've ever
owned a toy hammer. When I was three one of my toys was a lawnmower
engine my father losened all the bolts on and then gave it to me. I
used to take it apart and put it back together. I've been carrying a
pocketknife since I was eight. Eskimos start using sharp knives around
five. The are ages when things can be learned but they're much usualy
earlier than modern Americans belive. It does require activly
participating parents though. I don't think that's a problem in this
case. Personaly I'd help him build a relativly simple ship model, then
a stich and glue or plywood screwed together boat in his size. You of
course can never have too many cardboard boxes, ect. I'd add masking
tape and little Christmas tree light strings. Mostly colored. You need
them for your control panel of your space ships.
Karl
On Feb 9, 8:46 am, "Too_Many_Tools" <too_many_to...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Ig, your son has a good Dad.
>
> Many fathers would ignore this request.
>
> Others would not recognize that having a project where your son can
> meaningfully participate is the point of the exercise.
>
> In addition to the model building, I would suggest viewing with your
> son television shows and movies suitable for his age that feature
> "ship themes"...that will further encourage his interest in the
> subject and provide material for his playing with the model(s) you
> both build.
>
> Bear in mind that a 5 year old has yet to develop the motor skills nor
> experience to handle finely detailed work. Also sharp tools, knives
> and hazardous chemicals will quickly get you in trouble. And expect a
> shorter attention span from a younger child. This is a multi session
> project...and many of us adults need to shift our expectations...the
> point is quality time with the child...not the completion of the
> project under budget and on time.
>
> My suggestion would be to do several models ...small to large...for
> different uses.
>
> I would do a smaller model that one can buy that snaps together..NO
> GLUE. I would review and purchase those models (there are many "Snap-
> Tite" models), allow your son to down select to one of them and return
> the rest.. If you shop with your son, he may want to select a model
> that is out of his skill range at the moment. This is the one he will
> want to use in the bathtub, take to bed to sleep with and generally
> beat to death....so buy a second one in anticipation of its
> destruction.
>
> I would then do a smaller table top sized ship out of common
> materials...popsicle sticks, construction paper, foam board (this is
> the "dense cardboard" stuff you are asking about), string, water color
> paints...mostly stuff around the house.....using white glue as the
> adhesive. Think of the construction materials that are commonly used
> in a daycare or preschool setting. The focus here is to allow him to
> contribute to the construction at his level of skill...and it may take
> a bit of imagination to see "the ship" in the final product...but that
> is secondary to the real goal of his participation.
>
> Next I would go collect some boxes, tubes, rope, etc. and build with
> your son a child size ship that he can sit in and play "pirate" in.
> Find a corner in his room where it can be erected so it can be played
> in for a length of time. The interest for you will be the challenge of
> building "working features" into this cardboard mock up. Things that
> come to mind are "a working anchor", "walk the plank", " mast where
> the pirate flag can be raised", a eyeglass for searching the horizon,
> a cannon that shoots a load of packing peanuts, etc....the goal here
> is to build an interactive "playhouse ship" where he and his sibliings/
> friends can play.
>
> The reason why I stress the child size ship approach is that it will
> encourage creativity for both of you and your son. Consider it a
> version of Junkyard Wars where one is challenged to build something
> out of a junkyard collection...a challenge that I suspect you will be
> very capable of meeting based on your excellent parade of projects
> that have been showcased here in the past. I also think that you will
> find this effort the most fun because of the challenge of working with
> a limited set of supplies. This approach will also allow your son to
> participate the most....anything he wishes to add to the ship is
> "okay". Cost wise this effort is cheap since you can use surplus
> cardboard boxes, tubes, packing material,etc....and easily modified
> when changes come.
>
> I have been a willing partner in the past of building out of "junk"
> mockups of space ships, pirate ships, tanks, submarines, airplanes,
> semi trucks, airplanes, PT boats, castles, dungeons, teepees, old
> western forts, etc....and both I and the neighborhood kids have
> benefitted from the experience.
>
> When the dust settles, be sure to take pictures of the completed
> ship(s) with your son in the picture. I can assure you that years from
> now he will remember this example of quality time with his Dad.
>
> Like I said Ig, your son has a good Dad.
>
> TMT
>
> On Feb 9, 10:32 am, Ignoramus8098 <ignoramus8...@NOSPAM.8098.invalid>
> wrote:
>
>
>
> > My 5.5 year old son wants to make a model ship. I made something with
> > my dad when I was about same age, from plywood, and he wants to have
> > his own. I do not want to get into "show quality" esoteric stuff. I
> > want to have a project where he can participate meaningfully. Any
> > suggestions as to the choice of materials etc.
>
> > Ideally, I am hoping to be able to find some sort of "dense cardboard"
> > type material that is easy to work with, etc. In the end I would epoxy
> > it.
>
> > any suggestions.
>
> > thanks- Hide quoted text -
Ian Malcolm
Start with a selection of pictures of ships printed out and up on the
wall. If he has a favorite book with a ship in it, skip this and just
blow up the picture in the book. Thats for inspiration.
Next you want a large block of balsa wood. I see its possible to get
2"x4" a foot long for about $6 or so. You *really* *really* want balsa
wood because its so soft its easy to work with hand tools which means
far far more of it will be his project rather than Daddy's project. A
selection of smaller pieces as well for the superstructure and some pine
dowels for masts etc. should also be got.
It would be a good idea to get a small saw and hammer, You may need to
take a few inches off the handle for the hammer so it balances in a
kid's hand. These will be *his* tools and you ask before YOU borrow
them. (with what you have around the place, teaching respect for other
peoples tools ASAP would be smart)
You will also want some stiff paper or thin card for templates. Trace
round the block onto the paper to help him with the maximum size then
get your child to draw what shape he thinks the deck should be if he was
on a bridge looking streight down at the ship, fold it down the centre
line for symmetry,.cut out, and stickytape it to the block of balsa for
your kid to colour round with a marker top and bottom.
Then its HIS job to remove the wood he just coloured. Teach him to cut
a little outside the line then take the rest off with a rasp. Then have
him decide how much more he wants the bottom smaller than the deck, make
another template (flip the old one over?) and repeat the cut
out/mark/cut away process but this time at an angle rather than
streight. Then its onto sanding it smooth.
Details on deck will be made from smaller blocks pinned and glued into
place (you want a supply of long brass panel pins here, steel *will*
rust. Any 'oops' get fixed by you with scrap balsa, balsa sawdust and
exterior wood glue. As long as you avoid chisels, planes, knives etc.
there is very little risk of injury.
A few days later after its been pushed around the house for a while, its
time to discuss painting it. Basically, you want to get him to help
apply a coat of low toxicity primer (balsa is far too porous and will be
really difficult for him to paint otherwise) and you can improve the
surface with a little filler and get a second coat of primer on after
bedtime.
Next day, its time to see if it floats near enough level, correcting any
tilt by adding lead free solder (plumbing solder) let in to holes
drilled for it then plugged with filler. Assist him in marking the
waterline then get the boat dried off to paint. (an excuse to have to go
out for a few hours is good here). He gets to paint it (ask the
woodworkers for advice here) then a few days later when its properly
dry, you spray it with clearcoat.
I've read most of the other suggestions and thought back to my first
boat model which was on display till I was grown up and my Grandmother
died then heaven knows what happened to it. You need to keep it simple,
(remove anything that isnt boat shaped) and safe, which means no edged
or power tools yet. One *can * cut onself with a small hand saw, but he
isn't going to do himself serious damage yet. Dont forget a dust mask
each when sanding, good habits start young.
Further projects could include a boat towed from the bank on a bridle
like a kite, rubber band powered boats (you *will* need some sort of
gearbox to match the rubber band untwisting to a model boat propeller)
then an electric boat using parts guttted from a cheap RC toy.
--
Ian Malcolm. London, ENGLAND. (NEWSGROUP REPLY PREFERRED)
ianm[at]the[dash]malcolms[dot]freeserve[dot]co[dot]uk
[at]=@, [dash]=- & [dot]=. *Warning* HTML & >32K emails --> NUL:
'Stingo' Albacore #1554 - 15' Early 60's, Uffa Fox designed,
All varnished hot moulded wooden racing dinghy.
Andy Dingley
> Suggest you start with a produced model, which has frames, stingers,
> hull planking, etc. Invaluable in teaching your son about the form,
> construction and logical sequence of assembly.
He's only 5 ! He doesn't need to learn anything about boats just
yet, he only needs to emerge with something and to feel, "I made
that".
5 year olds also have minimal motor skills and no ability to use
complex tools. IMHE just about all they can do is hammering, gluing,
sanding and painting. Knives are out for safety, saws don't work well
unless you have good control over their movement and most planes don't
work well enough to keep their attention.
5 year olds also have minimal conscious control of their attention.
They're OK while they're actively interested and things are working
out, but if something doesn't work for them first time, they'll just
walk away. They might spend ages sanding a boat hull to shape, because
they can work sandpaper glued to a stick, but they'll not plane it if
they haven't learned to control the pressure on a plane, even though
most of us would see this as quicker and easier than sanding.
Andy Dingley
> Foam insulation - the rigid kind.
>
> Cuts with a sharp knife (good lessons there for the kid) or a hot
> wire. You can get nichrome from a hobby shop and make a simple wooden
> U-shaped frame with a hook and spring to tension the wire.
Don't carve foam insulation with a hot wire. The old polystyrene
insulation was unpleasant for fumes, the modern isocyanate foams cut
much better (no beads) but the fumes from those are really pretty
toxic. As they don't break down into loose beads anyway, they can
sand to shape very quickly.
A bread knife with a wiggly edge, not fine serrations, is the best
tool for slabbing out blanks.
Bruce Barnett
> The attention span of a 5.5 year old is limited at best when it comes
> to building things.
>
> Find a decent hobby shop, buy a SIMPLE model ship kit, and assemble it.
One option is to "wing it" - make a solid pine hull using a bandsaw or
belt sander. Do this ahead of time, as it's not something you want
him to attempt. You present the kid with the hull, and then ask hom
what should we do next. You can add masts, sails, strong, life
preservers, or whatever you want. Let him paint it and add whatever he
likes on the deck. Maybe add an additional "layer" in the aft (IANAS)
with ladders, the wheel for steering, portholes, lifeboats,
etc. etc. etc. Suggest things to add if he's not sure.
Let the kid decorate it. Buy some miniatures and let him paint them, and glue them on.
And then - try floating the thing in a bathtub. It may not be stable -
never tried. May have to add some weights to the bottom to keep it
bottom heavy.
The point is, once you make the hull - the rest of the design is left up to the kid.
It lets him use his imagination - and he can be as silly as he wants to be, or as serious.
He wants a four-poster bed on top, and a hot tub with a TV. Sure.
It's unstructured, and open-ended. He might be done with it soon, or may keep going.
Let him decide when it's done.
If he had fun, then perhaps take him to a hobby shop and look at the
easy models. See if he wants to do something more "sophisticated."
You will have the memories of the first model, and every model he makes
afterwords can only get better. I bet you will have memories of the "first model"
for a long time - even if it's the only one he makes.
--
Sending unsolicited commercial e-mail to this account incurs a fee of
$500 per message, and acknowledges the legality of this contract.
J. Clarke
I'm not sure he really wants balsa. The stuff is easy to cut but it's
hard to cut _precisely_. It's so soft that unless the knife is
absoluely razor sharp it crushes instead of cutting. Doesn't saw very
well either, tends to clog up the saw teeth with fuzz. It's main
strength is light weight, not workability. Basswood might be a better
bet.
>It would be a good idea to get a small saw and hammer, You may need to
>take a few inches off the handle for the hammer so it balances in a
>kid's hand. These will be *his* tools and you ask before YOU borrow
>them. (with what you have around the place, teaching respect for other
>peoples tools ASAP would be smart)
A caution--there is a tendency to give kids cheap tools. Resist that
temptation. Kids aren't very strong and they aren't necessarily all
that coordinated--you don't want them fighting a tool that doesn't
work very well besides. If you give him a saw make sure it's a saw
that actually _saws_ without much force. A jeweler's saw or fretsaw
might be a good bet--they aren't horribly expensive, they cut just
about anything, downside is that the blades are very fragile--also
it's a very narrow blade so learning to cut straight can be a problem.
In a wide bladed saw bite the bullet and spend the 35 bucks for a 6
inch dozuki. He'll see how a saw is _supposed_ to work.
My parents were weird--they turned me loose with an Ex-acto knife at
an early age but wouldn't spring for the jeweler's saw, so I was
forced try cuts that the knife just plain wasn't enough tool to do and
ended up cutting myself regularly as a result.
With hammers it's harder--he's not strong enough to be accurate with a
hammer that will actually drive a nail of any size. The question is
whether to give him a hammer that he can control but that is going to
take a lot of pounding to drive anything bigger than a brad, or one
that can drive a fair sized nail if he chokes up on it but that is
going to have him missing more than he hits.
Len
"Ignoramus8098" <ignora...@NOSPAM.8098.invalid> wrote in
message news:CN2dna2JgNu_P1HY...@giganews.com...
> My 5.5 year old son wants to make a model ship. I made
something with
> my dad when I was about same age, from plywood, and he wants to
have
> his own. I do not want to get into "show quality" esoteric
stuff. I
> want to have a project where he can participate meaningfully.
Any
> suggestions as to the choice of materials etc.
>
> Ideally, I am hoping to be able to find some sort of "dense
cardboard"
> type material that is easy to work with, etc. In the end I
would epoxy
> it.
>
> any suggestions.
>
A chunk of 2 x 6 he can use a small back saw to cut a bow on. Add
a couple of staggered decks using 1 x 4, 1 x 3, and 1 x 2. A
couple of 3" lengths of 1/2" dowel for smoke stacks, and your son
has the start of a fleet that floats. Let him bang in nails to
fasten things together (predrilling starter holes will make it
easier for him to keep them straight), and use the exterior
colors of his choice to paint it up.
I remember building one of these with my Dad when I was about
that age, and being so proud when it was done I could bust. I was
also the envy of the neighbor kids, because I had a "Navy" to
carry my toy soldiers around.
If you want to keep it simpler, use a quart or half gallon waxed
milk or juice container. Lay it on it's side so the spout is up.
Starting just below the spout, mark a line all the way around the
carton. Use a sharp knife, or heavy shears, to cut the spout side
of the carton away. Assist your son in using a small saw to cut a
piece of 1/2" - 3/4" thick balsa wood to fit inside the carton
hull. This is to poke dowels into for making masts that can be
glued in place and smaller dowel "yard arms" fastened to with
twine and glue.
With a 5 year old, keep it simple and have fun.
Len
J. Clarke
<spamhater123+...@grymoire.com> wrote:
>Lew Hodgett <lewho...@earthlink.net> writes:
>
>> The attention span of a 5.5 year old is limited at best when it comes
>> to building things.
>>
>> Find a decent hobby shop, buy a SIMPLE model ship kit, and assemble it.
>
>One option is to "wing it" - make a solid pine hull using a bandsaw or
>belt sander. Do this ahead of time, as it's not something you want
>him to attempt.
No reason he can't saw it out with a jeweler's saw.
Ian Malcolm
well thought out perspective.
J. Clarke wrote:
> On Sat, 10 Feb 2007 11:19:56 +0000, Ian Malcolm
> <ab...@freeserveNOSPAM.net.invalid> wrote:
<snip>
>>
>>Next you want a large block of balsa wood. I see its possible to get
>>2"x4" a foot long for about $6 or so. You *really* *really* want balsa
>>wood because its so soft its easy to work with hand tools which means
>>far far more of it will be his project rather than Daddy's project. A
>>selection of smaller pieces as well for the superstructure and some pine
>>dowels for masts etc. should also be got.
>
>
> I'm not sure he really wants balsa. The stuff is easy to cut but it's
> hard to cut _precisely_. It's so soft that unless the knife is
> absoluely razor sharp it crushes instead of cutting. Doesn't saw very
> well either, tends to clog up the saw teeth with fuzz. It's main
> strength is light weight, not workability. Basswood might be a better
> bet.
OTOH a decent *sharp* saw will cut it well enough. We arent trying for
accuracy here, all the fine shaping will be done with 40 grit sandpaper
glued to a stick. If he wants to get it flatter than he can cut it, Iggy
should tape a sheet of 40 grit down on a board with plenty of double
sided tape and show him how to lap the work against a flat surface. We
are'nt trying for fine woodworking here and Iggy is going to be
'improving' it a little in the evenings anyway. My childhood experience
with large balsa blocks was they were quite a bit harder than the thin
sections. I guess they select the lightest wood for the model airplane
stuff and the rest is cut for modelmaking. IMHO he should work his way
up onto tougher woods as his desire for strength and accuracy inmroves.
>
>
>>It would be a good idea to get a small saw and hammer, You may need to
>>take a few inches off the handle for the hammer so it balances in a
>>kid's hand. These will be *his* tools and you ask before YOU borrow
>>them. (with what you have around the place, teaching respect for other
>>peoples tools ASAP would be smart)
>
>
> A caution--there is a tendency to give kids cheap tools. Resist that
> temptation. Kids aren't very strong and they aren't necessarily all
> that coordinated--you don't want them fighting a tool that doesn't
> work very well besides.
AMEN. *GOOD* tools, preferably good enough so you *will* be asking him
if you can borrow them sometimes.
> If you give him a saw make sure it's a saw
> that actually _saws_ without much force. A jeweler's saw or fretsaw
> might be a good bet--they aren't horribly expensive, they cut just
> about anything, downside is that the blades are very fragile--also
> it's a very narrow blade so learning to cut straight can be a problem.
Decent fretsaw and a *good* supply of a selection of blades.
> In a wide bladed saw bite the bullet and spend the 35 bucks for a 6
> inch dozuki. He'll see how a saw is _supposed_ to work.
One of my favorite small saws is a 6" power saw blade mounted to a small
pear-shaped boxwood handle I had lying around. I am not saying its
anywhere near equal to the japanese saws but it cuts better and is
handier than anything else I've seen at the budget to middling end of
the market, I doubt I've got more than £5 and an hours work invested in
it but I'd be seriously upset if it went walkabout. It would be perfect
for cutting balsa. I tend to use it for anything from rigid foam, via
soft and hardwoods to tufnol laminate.
>
> My parents were weird--they turned me loose with an Ex-acto knife at
> an early age but wouldn't spring for the jeweler's saw, so I was
> forced try cuts that the knife just plain wasn't enough tool to do and
> ended up cutting myself regularly as a result.
7 is about the right age to introduce a bright kid to sharp knives,
chisels etc and also a decent hand drill. Power tools even closely
supervised should wait till they've got a good safety record with sharp
edged tools.
> With hammers it's harder--he's not strong enough to be accurate with a
> hammer that will actually drive a nail of any size. The question is
> whether to give him a hammer that he can control but that is going to
> take a lot of pounding to drive anything bigger than a brad, or one
> that can drive a fair sized nail if he chokes up on it but that is
> going to have him missing more than he hits.
Control first. Bending nails and beating the wood to death is
*frustrating*. I was hammering whatever nails I could scrounge off my
dad into offcuts from an early age. Same nails would get extracted, I'd
hammer them streight again and knock them into another offcut. If Iggy
sticks to balsawood etc. this year, the kid wont need to drive big nails
till he's accurate with a light hammer.
--
Ian Malcolm. London, ENGLAND. (NEWSGROUP REPLY PREFERRED)
ianm[at]the[dash]malcolms[dot]freeserve[dot]co[dot]uk [at]=@, [dash]=- &
[dot]=.
*Warning* SPAM TRAP set in header, Use email address in sig. if you must.
pa...@pnjresources.com
> On Fri, 09 Feb 2007 10:32:34 -0600, Ignoramus8098
>
> >My 5.5 year old son wants to make a model ship. I made something with
> >my dad when I was about same age, from plywood, and he wants to have
> >his own. I do not want to get into "show quality" esoteric stuff. I
> >want to have a project where he can participate meaningfully. Any
> >suggestions as to the choice of materials etc.
>
> >Ideally, I am hoping to be able to find some sort of "dense cardboard"
> >type material that is easy to work with, etc. In the end I would epoxy
> >it.
>
> >any suggestions.
>
> >thanks
>
> Foam insulation - the rigid kind.
>
> Cuts with a sharp knife (good lessons there for the kid) or a hot
> U-shaped frame with a hook and spring to tension the wire. It's _fun_
> to carve with this setup, and foam is cheap, & will float.
see http://www.pnjresources.com/Nichrome_page.htm for nichrome wire.
DB Rea
>> You might try some "mat board" from an art supply store or a picture
>> framing shop. It's a little thicker than 1 mm, maybe 2 mm or so. Pretty
>> hard to cut it cleanly with scissors; best to use an x-acto knife or
>> utility knife or a razor blade.
>>
>> Dan in Wyoming
>
> Dan, that's interesting. Is is easy to glue?
>
> i
Yes. Mat board is basically very thick paper. Can be glued with plain old
white "Elmer's" glue, or superglue (maybe not the best choice for a
5-yr-old!), or epoxy, or rubber cement, or almost any glue you can think of
using. I could foresee you doing the cutting and your small assistant
doing the glue work.
RicodJour mentioned stitch-and-glue, and mat board would lend itself to
that. If you were to drill the holes with a very small drill bit, then
maybe your boy could stitch it together with one of those round-pointed
yarn needles.
Hmmmm.... my 5-yr-old niece is coming to visit one of these months.
Thanks for giving me some ideas- as grandma and grandpa have a pond behind
their house, maybe we will build a little boat when Katie is here.
Dan
Tom S
"Ignoramus8098" <ignora...@NOSPAM.8098.invalid> wrote in message
news:CN2dna2JgNu_P1HY...@giganews.com...
> my dad when I was about same age, from plywood, and he wants to have
> his own. I do not want to get into "show quality" esoteric stuff. I
> want to have a project where he can participate meaningfully. Any
> suggestions as to the choice of materials etc.
>
> Ideally, I am hoping to be able to find some sort of "dense cardboard"
> type material that is easy to work with, etc. In the end I would epoxy
> it.
>
> any suggestions.
>
> thanks
I would suggest a kit like this
it makes a nice display, or if you leave the stands off, would probably
float pretty well.
jta...@nospam.hfx.andara.com
wrote:
>On 10 Feb, 11:14, jtay...@NOSPAM.hfx.andara.com wrote:
>
>> Foam insulation - the rigid kind.
>>
>> Cuts with a sharp knife (good lessons there for the kid) or a hot
>> wire. You can get nichrome from a hobby shop and make a simple wooden
>> U-shaped frame with a hook and spring to tension the wire.
>
>Don't carve foam insulation with a hot wire. The old polystyrene
>insulation was unpleasant for fumes, the modern isocyanate foams cut
>much better (no beads) but the fumes from those are really pretty
>toxic. As they don't break down into loose beads anyway, they can
>sand to shape very quickly.
Hm, didn't know that.
I've been using the blue foam that comes in 2x8 sheets - will have to
check if it is isocyanate. It cuts really nice with the wire (I built
a regulated V and A power supply to get the wire just right) so if it
is maybe I'll cut outside with me upwind...
Lobby Dosser
Gunner
<ignora...@NOSPAM.8098.invalid> wrote:
>On Fri, 09 Feb 2007 20:44:43 GMT, Jerry <je...@b.com> wrote:
>> Does he expect the play with the model on the local lake, river,
>> waterbut? be a shame making a kit that didn't float. you might be better
>> off with a some blocks of wood and a few simple hand tools for the first
>> one....
>
>I think that my plan with plywood bulkheads is a sensible one. It will
>float with enough epoxying and a sensible sized keel. If the deck is
>removable, which seems to make sense, it can be later enhanced with
>LEDs etc. I will try to make it big enough so that it can be messed
>with later (1.5 ft or so).
>
>i
If you are going to that size..how about making a RC controlled sail or
power boat?
They are more than simple enough, you can put a receiver and a couple
servos on a chunk of 2x4 and get it to manuever around a pool or pond.
Rather cheap if you look for an older rc setup. Ive spent as much as $25
on a transmitter, receiver and 1-2 servos <G>
Gunner
Political Correctness
A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical liberal minority and
rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media,
which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible
to pick up a turd by the clean end.
Gunner
wrote:
>On 10 Feb, 11:14, jtay...@NOSPAM.hfx.andara.com wrote:
Cheap electric carving knife from the Goodwill/thrift stores work very
well
graham
> My 5.5 year old son wants to make a model ship. I made something with
> my dad when I was about same age, from plywood, and he wants to have
> his own. I do not want to get into "show quality" esoteric stuff. I
> want to have a project where he can participate meaningfully. Any
> suggestions as to the choice of materials etc.
>
> Ideally, I am hoping to be able to find some sort of "dense cardboard"
> type material that is easy to work with, etc. In the end I would epoxy
> it.
>
> any suggestions.
>
> thanks
I vaguely recall an interview with a chap who ran a cabinet-making shop
(might have been viscount Lindley) and talking about some formative
memories. He described building a submarine with his dad (ok, not
exactly a ship) - it sounded simple but stimulating - cut out basic
shape from a lump of wood, some kind of open hook on the bottom with an
iron ring - it'd "dive" to the bottom, the ring would land on the bottom
& fall off and the sub would rise again. Lots of scope for keeping it
very simple or getting fancy, & sounds like fun. Though I suppose you
could only use it in one of those special boat ponds you see around from
time to time, where it's not going to get tangled up in weed or a
shopping trolley.
g.
Arcady
ones). Put them flat building the shape as by long flat bricks. White glue will do very
well. Lay out the skull profiles and may be build some simple staple. Some supervision
will help to maintain the shape (white glue easy to fix for quite a time). As the last
touch for ready scull some sandpaper or even sand belt will do.
Arcady
Martin H. Eastburn
I bet his supplier would love to peak his delivery for the month!
Perhaps a medical supply in town ? Or large pharmacy that deals with
everything...
Martin
Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Life; NRA LOH & Endowment Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot"s Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/
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B A R R Y
> Talk to the family doctor. He buys bags of them to mash down on tongues!
>
Ask the Dr. to save the used items.
Ewwwwwwwwww! <G>
Martin H. Eastburn
Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Life; NRA LOH & Endowment Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot"s Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/
----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==----
Leon Fisk
>My 5.5 year old son wants to make a model ship. I made something with
>my dad when I was about same age, from plywood, and he wants to have
>his own. I do not want to get into "show quality" esoteric stuff. I
>want to have a project where he can participate meaningfully. Any
>suggestions as to the choice of materials etc.
>
>Ideally, I am hoping to be able to find some sort of "dense cardboard"
>type material that is easy to work with, etc. In the end I would epoxy
>it.
Hi Iggy,
I happened across this:
Building a Child's Backhoe
http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/backhoe/backhoe.html
I would have REALLY liked one of those when I was young. It
would have went quite nicely with my little Road-grader,
Dump truck... My Dad did make me a similar toy. It was a
little Drag-line crane out of wood that used strings and you
sat on it in the same way. I had a lot of fun playing with
that too.
Just a thought in case you run out of projects to build :)
--
Leon Fisk
Grand Rapids MI/Zone 5b
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