Who's working on projects with their kids?

[LoneGunman]

Just curious to see what some of you guys are working on with your kids. I'm helping my 15 year old rebuild a semi auto 45 Thompson look alike. It's been beat to hell so we have to fabricate some parts. We'll be converting it to blank firing only so he can use it in his Boy Scout Venture Group which does WW2 reenactments. The pic below is him doing some milling on a military looking from sight we are fabricating. The "mill" is actually a Linley jig borer that I use for light milling until I can find a real mill. They grow up WAY too fast, seems like yesterday he was in diapers.

 

[Bolster]

Are you talking a Thompson SMG?

 

[jeepnut24]

Mine isn't really old enough yet, but she helped put here big wheel together and some furniture. She LOVES the jeep though.

 

[LoneGunman]

Are you talking a Thompson SMG?

Yup, but it's a Volunteer Arms Commando, it looks SOMEWHAT like a Thompson, by the time we get done it will look just about identical. The link below shows one, not ours, ours is in a lot worse shape.

http://images.google.com/imgres?img...g.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=s&tbs=isch:1

 

[forceyoda]

I just put a lego set together with my five year old if that counts. Couldn't find a way to incorporate power tools into it.

 

[66HertzClone]

My son is 5 1/2, so the projects are not too complex at this point. We are going to take a stab at model rocketry soon, Thursday I am to pick him up after school and we are heading out looking for starter kits. He does seem to enjoy working with tools, he understands the right tighty, lefty loosey rule already, so we are on the right track. It is a lot of fun to see the expressions on his face when he understands something new.

 

[nolatoolguy]

I got no kids younger sisters yes kids no

well at least not yet

lmao

 

[Moose-LandTran]

Looking to get a project to rebuild with my dad. It'll most likely be me rebuilding and my dad watching and helping out. Looking to make a business from buying cars that need work that people can't afford and repair and sell.

 

[fordbroncodave]

i'm still a kid, but my dad is helping with MY project

engine was stuck when i got it, tore the head out bumped the cylinders and its free now. assemble it back together and trying to get it started now. its done, just something is still not quite right.
1951 model A john deere row crop

 

[Coach James]

My four year old son "helped" me replace the front brakes on my G. Caravan Sunday. He used a four way to spin the lug nuts off after I loosened them, handed me tools as I asked for them, hit the old roters with a rubber mallet a few times to "fix" them, then spun the lug nuts back on after I started them. I also let him pull on the torque wrench with me when I was torquing them.

After I lowered the jack, he took hold of the handle and dragged it ~40 feet across that little blue gravel into the garage. That things weighs 80 pounds, more than twice his weight but he did it. Afterward, he went in the house and proudly told my wife that "Me and daddy fixed the van".

Coach

 

[BB26]

Nice story, Coach. It's good to start them young.

My twelve year old step son and I are starting work on a go-kart for him. I purchased an engine last month and we will be fabricating an aluminum frame in next few weeks. He has not shown much interest in mechanical things yet, so I am hoping that will change with this project.

 

[highland512]

My dad and I have been working on stuff all the time. With 3 semi trucks it's all we do on Saturday's is work on trucks. On week night and sundays we work on an restore old tractors.
Are current project is replacing a transmission

Our next project

At a show last summer

 

[Dodgepu360]

I cant wait for my son to be old enought to "help" he is only 8 months old

a few weeks ago I was working on my old Dodge W-150 replacing an axle seal when I was taking the wheels off with the impact he was inside with mom, she said he would look all arond every time he heard the impact. She brought him outside and when I did the other side he would get a big grin on his face evry time I used the impact

yesterday I had my tape measure cliped to my pants and he sitting in my lap, he leanded over and stared at it for a few minutes then started pulling the end out and letting go

 

[Major Ramifications]

I can't seem to get my kids interested in anything mechanical at all. They like new stuff, and don't appreciate fixing anything. I have a Go-Kart project that is progressing slowly. They are not interested. I bought them a new mini bike, they are not really interested. I don't know why.

 

[LoneGunman]

I can't seem to get my kids interested in anything mechanical at all. They like new stuff, and don't appreciate fixing anything. I have a Go-Kart project that is progressing slowly. They are not interested. I bought them a new mini bike, they are not really interested. I don't know why.

They just might not be into the mechanical things you have worked on so far. My oldest son is not exactly a shop rat UNTIL he got into the WW2 reenacting. I told him there is no way I can afford to buy everything he needs new. Now I can't keep him out of the shop. He wanted a WW2 medic helmet, real ones are EXPENSIVE. Vietnam era helmets look close, so I picked up a beat up one that was rusty. He's taking the dents out and sanding it, when he's done we'll paint it, of course he has to decide which style of the red cross and white background he wants. I'm happy to see him into something so much, especially because it has something to do with history.

Him and his group have been in the newspaper and on the news a few times, they really put a lot into it. The kids in his group are the most well mannered kids in that age group I have met.

 

[zmotorsports]

I am very blessed because about everything I work on in the shop my son wants to help. I love the quality time I get to spend with him. I need to learn a little more patience and not be so hard on him though. It scares me that one of these days in the very near future he won't have any time for me. Right now he is 18 years old and we have a good relationship but before long the friends and girls are going to cut into my time with him. Mike.

 

[Major Ramifications]

Man, every year my son enters the Pinewood Derby with his Cub Scout pack, and it wasn't until the car was almost done before he finally was interested in doing anything to it. We build a model rocket for the Cub Scout "Rocket Day" every year, and he doesn't even want to come to the hobby shop to choose the rocket kit or the paint or anything.
I will keep trying. Maybe one day he or my daughter will NEED to work on something and then they might find working with their hands to be enjoyable. I hope so.