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A Home Lab/Shop For Kids?

Posted by kdawson on from the treasures-from-edmund dept.

sharp-bang writes "When I was growing up, my Dad let my brother and I have the run of his wood shop, and kept up a steady stream of Lego kits, Estes model rockets, chemistry sets, Heathkit projects, and other fun science stuff from the Edmund Scientific catalog, and the rest was history. I'd like to give my kids that kind of experience. If your kids were interested in science, computers, robots, and building stuff, how would you build and outfit a lab/shop for them (and you) to play in?"

2 of 291 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Most importantly by maxume · · Score: 0, Troll

    I honestly thought you were joking...not because I think it is bad to share your passions with your children, but because you were so earnest and one dimensional about the way you said it.

    --
    Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
  2. Re:Most importantly by flyingsquid · · Score: 1, Troll
    I highly recommend Makita's 7.2 volt lithium cordless impact driver (http://www.amazon.com/Makita-TD020DSEW-7-2-Volt-Lithium-Ion-Cordless/dp/B000MPP558/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1212378432&sr=8-1 At the risk of sounding like a shill for Makita, this thing is freakin' awesome. I was told to buy one by the guys at the local hardware store; they said they had one at the store and used it constantly. Given how tiny it is, I was kinda skeptical, but in a hurry to get something, so I went ahead and got it, and I'm really happy I did. Although it's small and billed as a cordless screwdriver, it makes a great little cordless drill as well. Although it only takes quick-change hex bits, you can get a set of those at Home Depot, and quick-change bits make it really easy to switch bits without constantly fiddling with the chuck. So far I've used it for building various equipment and making repairs around the house. Obviously its small size means it isn't going to be as powerful as a full-size cordless drill, but I've yet to find a situation where it didn't perform, and I find its small size to be a real advantage over a heavier, more cumbersome full-size drill.

    It also does a neat job of solving the problem of what to get one's mechanically inclined male relatives for Christmas, birthdays, Father's day, etc.