Need Help with project ideas

[RedRabbit]

Hi, i'm 15 years old and my grandpa has started to become a little depressed. I wanted to cheer him up by doing a project with him. We always used to build stuff when we were both younger and i have a lot of great memories from that. He used to be a mechanic and still has a Matco box with all his tools and i wanted to do a project that's pretty cheap around under $150 dollars or so but still fun and would take around 10 to 20 hours total to complete. I have no idea of what to do, i considered restoring a small candy vending machine but realized parts aren't easy to find, i thought about buying a cheap toolbox and fixing it but i believe it will be too short. Sorry for the long question but can you please suggest a project, it will really mean a lot.
Thank you

 

[southalabama]

Find and restore a vintage bicycle?

Good luck with whatever you chose.

 

[NoGarageAtHome]

Guess ill make this my first post too..

The toolbox idea is good. You can find a nice quality box and restore it with bodywork and paint even take the slides off and clean them up real good.then you would have your own toolbox that has some sentimental value.

Maybe an old bicycle or something. If you dont spend alot of time with him now just hanging out with him would be a good start. If you like to tinker around then maybe clean and organize his garage/shop i know that would cheer me up.Whats he into? Any unfinished projects laying around? Does he have things that can be restored?

Lots of cool ideas on here, shouldnt take long to find a small project to tackle..anyways good luck.

 

[RedRabbit]

Well thanks for the replies, the bike sounds pretty cool and will definitely look into it, and thanks for re-assuring me on the toolbox concept.
Thank you

 

[marty s]

I don't think what the project is will matter one darn bit. As the Grandfather to a 3 yr old, I can only hope as years go by MY grandkids want to spend time with me.
I think your Gramps would be perfectly happy polishing a turd with you as long as you were doing it together!
Kudos to you!! Many Grandparents need more like you!

 

[RedRabbit]

Thanks Marty for the compliment. And don't worry i'm sure your grand kids would love to spend time with you as they grow older especially when they realize your sense of humor.

 

[Hpozzuoli]

Find an old lawn tractor someone wants to get rid of. Fix it up and drive it around. You might find one for free or very cheap on Craigslist.

 

[Larry_AZ]

Search CL either in the free section, or set a maximum price and see what shows up....I just saw a vintage outboat motor for $75 here in Phoenix, that would be a good project.

 

[Krash Kadillak]

Great initiative and idea, Raffi!

As an idea, start with whatever type of things your grandpa worked on - whether it was metal/machine; or wood; or whatever. Try to pick something that you can learn from his experience, not just something to keep him busy.

A good source might be Craig's List. Maybe in one of their sub--sections you can find a fixer-upper something-or-other.

And be sure to keep us informed on how it's going.
And we want to see pics when it's all done - of the project, and you and grandpa.


Marshall

 

[Chukster]

Just a vote from someone who sometimes has trouble getting out of his own way... NoGarage has a good idea - finish some of the unfinished that he might have around. For me personally, sometimes the sheer volume of unfinished projects is overwhelming. If you can go thru them together it might be what he needs to help pull him out of his depression.

Just a thought.

 

[RedRabbit]

thanks for all the ideas, unfortunately he doesn't have any unfinished projects that i know of at least. I will continue searching but as of know i'm considering a tool box and airbrushing some custom designs on it. Whatever I do though i'll be sure to post here.
Thank you

 

[rick carpenter]

A bike could be fun, but the reason I would recommend against it is that your Grandpa probably wouldn't ride it. I'd say find something to fix up that he might have used "back in the day" and/or would use today. A couple of other great ideas here too, a tool chest or riding mower resto would be good. There are a few threads on GJ about fixing up old metal-case power tools. That might be something your Grandpa would enjoy. What about an old cabinet radio? The kind with tubes. I think you can find ones that wouldn't take too long to work on for not too much money. Build something for your parents, something that would need his expertise. Rewire and sell old floor lamps for your and his ice cream money. Or it could be as simple as finding several old framing squares, rehabbing them, and learning how to use all their functions. Old-timers can tell you how to re-square them if they're out of whack. I won't tell you how so that if you pick this, your Grandpa probably will know how to do it and teach you. Good luck!

 

[Cougar67]

What's your location? Maybe someone here has something he can sell you cheaply or might find something on CL for you. I like the lawnmower and vintage shop tool ideas.

 

[IOWNJUNK]

At 15 I can't believe you aren't pushing to fix up a car with him, of course $150 is a small budget for a car. A beater Honda civic is cheap and parts are plentiful though.

A riding mower can be had for almost nothing and fixed up to either be sold or used to make enough $$$ for the next project.

 

[volleyball]

I second find out what Gramps was into, he will know a lot more about the subject and while you may be doing most of the hands on, he will enjoy passing on his hard earned knowledge. I doubt he was an airbrush artist, and people didn't restore tool boxes back then, they are modern projects.

 

[bczygan]

Clean up and fix up and refinish a bench vise or a bench grinder.

What area are you in?

What kinds of things has he enjoyed fixing up in the past?

 

[creativecars]

I agree with many of these great ideas and post. I to am a grandpa, became one at 37. Different story. But what I like to do is share with the kids and grand kids.
I don't need a bike to ride for myself, but I would enjoy fixing one up for a grand child, that they will use, not a keep the old man busy project. He will see right through that, and I would be annoyed to spend my time, energy and money on something that no one wants. I agree with finding something that he has some expertise as he will then have the opportunity to help make his family stronger. Good luck, keep us informed, get some pics and put them on here. He would probably get a kick out of you showing him the Garage Journal.

 

[RedRabbit]

to IOWNJUNK i did push a car trust me , but with his bad back it wasn't very viable though i do change his brake pads and spark plugs and stuff like that on his car with him all the time.

to most people on the thread, I looked into riding lawnmowers but couldn't find any because i live in LA and the only ones i saw for sale were in good condition, and my dad vetoes it for practical reasons.

to Volleyball, yes he wasn't an airbrush artist but i am and i did a project about six months ago and after i finished i saw he wanted to help but i didn't realize while i was painting.

to bczygan, my gramps already has a bench grinder and vise in nice condition and he doesn't use a grinder at all.

to Creativecars, he used to ride bikes competitively but cant ride one now so i put that a little further down on the list.

And my thought was to get a cheap craftsman toolbox i found on CL and do the bodywork and refinish it and clean it up nice, and at the end take it home and airbrush something like "to the best grampa from me" and maybe help him fill it up with some of his tools.