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  #1  
Old 01-30-2019, 05:29 AM
Roy25101 Roy25101 is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Jekyll Island, GA
Posts: 56
Default Kiddos in the shop...

We have recently started homeschooling our 8 and 9 year old children. They have both showed great interest in both building and flying so I thought it would be a great idea to start an RV-12 with them. I ordered the empennage and am now in the process of setting up the shop.

I am looking for any ideas folks may have about creating an environment where kids could be more effective in this process. I just ordered a speed control for the bench grinder to slow down the scotchbrite wheel and built a bench more suited to their size. Thanks in advance for any advice......
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  #2  
Old 01-30-2019, 06:38 AM
esco esco is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: SoCal
Posts: 391
Default Safety rules

Roy:

Good on you!

You know your kiddos, and homeschooling, much better than I do; my suggestions are based on shop time with grandkids at the same age:

Rule 1: no shop visits without parents.
This starts good habits, and reduces unsafe practices ("what would happen if I did this...?")
Harder, not impossible to enforce with adults.

Rule 2: no shop time without eye and ear protection.
See above.

Rule 3: plan your build, and build your plan.
-gives you a lesson plan to start from, keeps them focused, has lots of built-in references.
-gives you a building plan, schedule keeps you focused, and an opportunit to build teachable moments ("now we measure the inside diameter...")

Tips:
safety locks for power tools.
My bandsaw and sander came with removable safety keys, which are a "controlled item" in my shop.
This reinforces rule 1.

quit when student or teacher is visibly tired.
My drilled-out rivet count shows I'm still working on this...
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VAF dues paid though exempt
RV-9A sold (I miss that bird!)
RV10 sold (miss that one too!)
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  #3  
Old 01-30-2019, 07:09 AM
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Zuldarin Zuldarin is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Snoqualmie, wa
Posts: 393
Default

I would suggest that in addition to the good advice above you have them wear gloves. The aluminum edges are sharp when they come from the factory.
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Snoqualmie WA
RV-9A Sold
RV-10 Building - FWF
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  #4  
Old 01-30-2019, 08:02 AM
rvator9a rvator9a is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Cape Elizabeth ME
Posts: 139
Default

I had all 3 of my kids help with the building of my 9. It required supervision but the pictures that I have of the kids when they were little holding bucking bars or clecos are some of our favorite pictures. I did have one incident when my son mixed all of my an3 rivets together! It took hours to sort them all out.
The kids also loved to tell friends and schoolmates that they were building a plane with their dad.
Now that the plane is flying they also have a real interest in flying and being involved with the plane.
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  #5  
Old 01-30-2019, 01:22 PM
krwalsh krwalsh is offline
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 351
Default Red Tools & Yellow Tools

My wife teaches in an innovation lab for middle school kids. They have tools that have handles painted red, yellow, or no paint.

Red: This tool can only be used when supervised by an adult. Think #11 X-acto knives, Dremel tools, etc.

Yellow: You need to be checked out in proper use of that tool, and then can use it without additional supervision. Cordless drills, etc.

Also proper eye and ear protection is a good habit to be in for the rest of your life.
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Cozy Mk-IV
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  #6  
Old 01-30-2019, 04:10 PM
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RV7A Flyer RV7A Flyer is offline
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: US
Posts: 2,251
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by krwalsh View Post
Red: This tool can only be used when supervised by an adult. Think #11 X-acto knives, Dremel tools, etc.

Yellow: You need to be checked out in proper use of that tool, and then can use it without additional supervision. Cordless drills, etc.
I'd just make it easy and paint them ALL red
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  #7  
Old 01-30-2019, 05:16 PM
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guidoism guidoism is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 45
Default You are awesome!

I don't really have anything to add except that this is really cool. We are also homeschooling our boys, though they are a little younger and haven't had much experience in the shop. When we started the homeschooling journey what you are doing is exactly what I had had in mind. Keep it up!
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RV-8 (N883G): Empennage Finished, Working on Wings
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  #8  
Old 01-31-2019, 05:34 AM
fixnflyguy fixnflyguy is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Winston-Salem, N.C.
Posts: 1,213
Default I did it..

25 years ago when my son Dillon was born and my -4 was just a dream, all the nay-sayers told me "well I guess you will have to wait til he is 18 to get started"..so,by the time he was 18 mos old, I had him by my side when I worked on the plane in the evenings.By the time he was 3, he could effectively move clecos around for me. I gave him trays full of miscellaneous hardware and he would sort them for hours into cups of same type. It gave me moments of joy I will cherish forever. On his 3rd birthday, he got the RV-4 pedal plane of his own. By age 6 he was bucking rivets on the wing skins. My plane took me 16 years to build, but those teaching, learning father-son days were the best. My build log photo album is somewhat of a Wheres Waldo book with his photo bombs. Most importantly, he was by my side on the first flight day 10 years ago.He was taught early the shop rules..No horseplay,No yelling, No running, and after his first cut from running into the stabilizer, I made him write the rules in sharpie on the benchtop..they are still there. By the way, he is now an aircraft mechanic with 5 years of experience and working at the same MRO I do...I guess the lessons stuck.
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  #9  
Old 01-31-2019, 09:22 AM
Girraf Girraf is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Southern Maryland
Posts: 134
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by fixnflyguy View Post
25 years ago when my son Dillon was born and my -4 was just a dream, all the nay-sayers told me "well I guess you will have to wait til he is 18 to get started"..so,by the time he was 18 mos old, I had him by my side when I worked on the plane in the evenings.By the time he was 3, he could effectively move clecos around for me. I gave him trays full of miscellaneous hardware and he would sort them for hours into cups of same type. It gave me moments of joy I will cherish forever. On his 3rd birthday, he got the RV-4 pedal plane of his own. By age 6 he was bucking rivets on the wing skins. My plane took me 16 years to build, but those teaching, learning father-son days were the best. My build log photo album is somewhat of a Wheres Waldo book with his photo bombs. Most importantly, he was by my side on the first flight day 10 years ago.He was taught early the shop rules..No horseplay,No yelling, No running, and after his first cut from running into the stabilizer, I made him write the rules in sharpie on the benchtop..they are still there. By the way, he is now an aircraft mechanic with 5 years of experience and working at the same MRO I do...I guess the lessons stuck.
Thats an awesome story!
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  #10  
Old 01-31-2019, 03:15 PM
Roy25101 Roy25101 is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Jekyll Island, GA
Posts: 56
Default Thanks y?all.

Those are some fantastic ideas and I can?t help but get montivated by the enthusiasm. Thanks to all for taking the time to write. I hope there will be more to come.
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