Project Ideas? - Suggestions Please

[Crazy Dazz]

I'm looking for something to “do” with my 13yr old son, something in the way of a project. Something we can “build” for want of a better idea.
This is not just about spending time (we do that) but trying to get him interested in something besides video games. He is an exceptionally smart kid, tested off the scales in math and reading. Does ok at school but is easily bored and has the attention span of a goldfish. He shows some interest in “how things work” but not to the extent of being particularly interested in cars.

I’d like it to be something that will progress over time, and also something practical. It’s got to be something that stimulates his mind and piques his interest. Simply helping me assemble something of my choosing is pointless.

As you can tell, I have no idea, which is why I am asking.

[Kevxr8Leexr6]

bit old school but turning the humble old lawnmower into a gocart has merit. boasts a mechanical and structure build.

[Lotte]

There's some pretty cool ideas on Brown dog gadgets (I think that's the website), lots of different electronic type projects.

[distortion]

build a night vision scope (if you're into gadgets!)

http://www.shooting.com.au/forum/ind...hread-join-in/

[2011G6E]

Lego Technic...an advanced set of that, one of the big kits. That'll keep him occupied for a while and get the ole' grey matter working! Lego also has prizes for people who come up with new designs for Technic stuff as well.

Something bigger? A go-kart...not a highly strung racing one, but one of those kits you buy, a "normal" four wheel powered kart that can be driven anywhere off road or in a paddock.

Various websites have good electronics projects and kits as well.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Perhaps build a recumbant bike?

* Research the history of it - Literacy skills.
* Sketch sone rough concept sketches - Spatial awareness and creative expression
* Draw a diagram using many of the free sketching programs - Maths, scale, geometry
* Buy materials you need, or better still see what you can use by getting a few broken bike frames - Creative thinking, problem solving, working with efficiency with minimal waste.
* If the frame is steel introduce welding if you think he is up to it, or make the frame out of ply - If he asks how, tell him to look up cars made from non standard materials like the PRB Clubmans made from Honeycomb Composites or the 69 Marcos GT - a wooden framed sports car - Will introduce him to un-orthodox building practices and materials and further problem solving. Think of the mechanics and geometry involved in making the frame from wood. Research of different adhesives, fasteners etc.
* Look into the gearing system of bikes - using maths to calculate gearing and measurement skills to calculate lengths of pedal arms / leverage and 'simple machines' with a basic introduction into ergonomics and the relationship between machine and user.
* Create a cutting list and work together at the start. Introduce correct tool use and safety practices. Look into what happens when 'things go wrong' due to lack of or non existant industrial work place safety practices
* Keep a diary / folio of your work, either on paper or on computer. Take puctures along the way and create an interactive presentation / slide show of the work. Integrate still pictures, video clips, music clips and voice into it. This could be basic or VERY detailed and interactive with links to the net, youtube clips etc. This will introduce computer / media skills and management of electronic property - once done, upload to Youtube.
* Apply a finish or branding to the final product. Look into the base chemicals / solvents used in common liquid finishes - introduction into chemistry or create a logo / brand on a computer program.
* Test out the finished product - think about what could have been better / improved and what worked well - basic understanding of the design process and how a product evolves and improves over several generations - compare to the life of a car like the Falcon??

That will keep him 'off the streets' for a whole lot of week ends!

Not into bikes?? Heaps of other small scale projects to choose from!

And above all, have fun

[cs123]

If he is into video games chances are that he may be interested in some electronic/robot projects. Have a look at the Jaycar site.

Here is a simple one.
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView...UBCATID=963#11

[Lotte]

Since he's into video games, maybe you could try finding some old consoles or something similar,.that don't work, and get them working again?

[BPXR6T]

My father gave me a car to play with when i was 14 to keep me out of trouble. Although by that stage I was already going to computer swap meets with mates and building computers from junk, the die was cast. I also mucked around with a lot of dick smith and jaycar projects. Another little project that gave me a lot of satisfaction was building my own telescope. I was/am such a geek.

[NickyN]

A co-worker's son built his own computer with his dad. I don't know much about that project but both son and father are proud of their project! All I know is it took a lot of work and time.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Haaa I still have those Dick Smith books running around.. What were they called?? "Funway into Electronics" or something?? Orange book was project 1-10 and then you needed to buy a different book for 11-20...

I can still see his face on the cover saying how you could build a beer powered radio!... Mmmm Beer...

[Ibanezteve]

If he is a reasonably smart kid, astronomy might be a good idea. Or if you have some cash to throw around, you could try building up a portfolio in the stock market with him.

[tregs]

How about ask your son what he would like to do ?

[creative]

Nitro rc cars.

He builds it and you both go the a local rc track and race it. Great fun all around, meet new people whilst learning about nitro cars

[AJ09]

My 11 year old and I have been building this Go Kart - Just for fun. It's nearly finished...

I also have a 14 year old, and to be honest I don't think he's interested at all really. The OP could have been describing my Son as he sounds exactly the same.

One thing he does have a passion for is designing and artwork (eg- marketing material etc) and he is also excellent at freehand drawing. We only found out when my Wife found his sketch book.

I put him to the test recently, I needed a flyer designed to promote some clearance stock ( I run a wholesale company ) and the designer I use was away. I gave my Son a rough idea of what I needed and left him alone at the computer. The end result looked like a flyer we had done professionally. He even admitted to enjoying it!!

Plenty of good suggestions from other replies on here too, hopefully this helps.

Cheers.

[Blue Oval Mopar Man]

Maybe turn a Ferrari into a Hyundai Excel . they do that kinda thing in Indonesia all the time !

[pottery beige]

Throw his X box in bin and make him mow old people's lawns and tidy up yards for $5 a pop...

you supply the $5...

[The Yeti]

My 12 Sons the same, my 10yo daughter will happly, sink her self in to all manner of projects and see them through, be it painting, cooking, building things in the shed with me. but my son computer games and TV, when we first moved to land he was great but now, he has his vegge garden with his pop and his chooks but give him the option and hes back on his i somthing or gameing.

Last weekend it was wet and I have been wanting to do somthing for a while to have the amp and speakers fit better on the Chev truck.

I said over cornflakes I want to tidy the amp and speakers on the truck up so it doesnt look so just thrown in on the floor.

He came up with the idea of an old fruit box and to cover the speakers so they look old.

this is what we came up with


that IMHO will look right at home on the trucknrolla



Its made out of some light weight pallets we get in at work and some old ply we had in the shed he worked side by side with me pulling the pallets apart and building the "fruit crate" and top he glued and screwed the ply to the Council clean up speakers and put the fronts on them (they looked very 2000 build cheap markets quality so we made them look oldskool) and I taught him to wire and solder it all up, to the point where he was doing most of it.

yea its simple yea it looks rough as guts, but it suits the truck and besides I though the challange out to find me a more period correct ipod dock

that was only a 1 day wonder, but my point is it doesnt need to be expencive or long term (infact I think its best to start short with kids with sort term attention spans) he had a ball and is telling any one who will listen (and some that wont) that he built a ipod dock for the truck so it worked well for us

its really a simple thing a $15 ebay amp a battery off the scrap pile at work a charger I found under my father in laws house and a few plugs conectors and cables from Jay car, grand total out lay under $30

[ebv8]

a custom push bike? something he can show off to his mates?
how about an older 80cc dirt bike?
at 13 i had a boat and i helped my dad build up an old outboard for it (i painted it)
i had my own boat since i was 12 and got my first speeding fine at 12 years old
or you could buy something from the year he was born and do it up so he can keep it and hand down to his kids
i'm 33y/o now and last year my dad gave me a bike that was named after the guy i was named after, needs restoration but its something i will never sell.
i suppose it has to be something cool or he might lose interest

[Franco Cozzo]

+1 for the Jaycar mention, they sell these little kits you put together, solder stuff etc.

It would be worth a shot.

[malazn mafia]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

Haaa I still have those Dick Smith books running around.. What were they called?? "Funway into Electronics" or something?? Orange book was project 1-10 and then you needed to buy a different book for 11-20...

I can still see his face on the cover saying how you could build a beer powered radio!... Mmmm Beer...

Glad I'm not the only fan of Funway into Electronics. Bought both volumes and built and rebuilt them so many times that eventually the transistors ended up with two legs and capacitors with one.

[Crazy Dazz]

Thanks, some great ideas here.
I liked “electronics” when I was a little kid, in the days when you could solder a bunch of things on a circuit board and it would do something interesting. Sadly that has long since been surpassed by the chips.
I'm still a bit annoyed at my Dad. He lived an incredible life, and was such a hoarder that he had an incredible array of stuff, but he got rid of all of it before he died. Reason I mention that is that I reckon showing my son that you could build a basic digital computer from old vacuum valves would be a hoot. Dad started out as a radio tech with the RAAF, and used to have crates of old stuff, but sadly it’s all gone.

I'm liking the idea of some kind of off-road go-cart/ buggy. I'm thinking something small enough to fit in the wagon, that he could have design, build, then have some fun with, and yet be reasonably safe.
I wonder how feasible a dc electric buggy would be? How much speed and range could we get from some modern AGM batteries?

[MarkAW]

Buy him a small lathe and a pedestal drill then lock him up in the garage for a year until he builds one of these:

http://www.wimp.com/tiniestengine/

[mik]

Another vote for the go cart idea, doesn't have to be a proper track go cart(they are expensive) , just fun cart that once built you can take him out to a paddock/vacant block somewhere and have a blast, teach him to weld/fabricate, he will have a ball.

[302 XC]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

I'm liking the idea of some kind of off-road go-cart/ buggy. I'm thinking something small enough to fit in the wagon, that he could have design, build, then have some fun with, and yet be reasonably safe.

The problem is unless they have an interest ,its a hard ask to get them involved
Before shelling out any sorta bucks on such an adventure take him, perhaps the family to the local cart track ,get a few laps under his belt , if theres a smiile and he is hooked , look in that direction
If theres just nothing there, anything down that path is a waste
Want something cheap to build,look at a VW beetle turned into a buggy
Buy something cheap running with a sad body,unbolt anything not required,pan, suspension ,running gear stay as one unit, cage up ,coupla weekends work, theres your cheap fun buggy
Wont fit in a wagon,or a box trailer, but probably cost less than a grand , which is a bout what a half decent size quad would cost
Heaps more fun,more stable and learn how to drive at the same time

[cs123]

Originally Posted by Crazy Dazz

Thanks, some great ideas here.
I liked “electronics” when I was a little kid, in the days when you could solder a bunch of things on a circuit board and it would do something interesting. Sadly that has long since been surpassed by the chips.
I'm still a bit annoyed at my Dad. He lived an incredible life, and was such a hoarder that he had an incredible array of stuff, but he got rid of all of it before he died. Reason I mention that is that I reckon showing my son that you could build a basic digital computer from old vacuum valves would be a hoot. Dad started out as a radio tech with the RAAF, and used to have crates of old stuff, but sadly it’s all gone.

Go build a valve amp with your kid then. Everyone loves looking at glowing valves!!!!

[NickyN]

So this project needs to be something that will keep his interest because you said he loses interest quickly. If he isn't interested in cars, he might not be that interested in any kind of gocart/buggy project either.

What's he been interested in, in the past? Maybe he'd rather pick up a sport with you, something like golf or maybe tennis? I'm wondering if he wants a longterm project, you know?

[obsessed]

Your son sound like a lot 13 yr olds how about trying something he'likes then something you both like, my 34yr old never did anything practical as a kid, but now rings me up to tell me about some small mecanical job which as a very successful profesional he could easy afford to pay a garage to do go figger

[Crazy Dazz]

Originally Posted by NickyN

So this project needs to be something that will keep his interest because you said he loses interest quickly. If he isn't interested in cars, he might not be that interested in any kind of gocart/buggy project either.

What's he been interested in, in the past? Maybe he'd rather pick up a sport with you, something like golf or maybe tennis? I'm wondering if he wants a longterm project, you know?

Nah, he’s easily bored with stuff he doesn’t find interesting, but once interested he’s like a dog with a bone. Any project will have to get his interest, that’s a given, I just need ideas to run past him.
A “go-cart” would need to be something he could have fun with in the pines, rather than actual racing. That’s always an option later if that’s the road his interests go.

Sport is also something we’re “pursuing”.

[NickyN]

Has he looked at all of these ideas yet? Did any of these pique his interest?

Maybe there's something he's been thinking of and hasn't told you of it yet?