RACE DAY

It's finally here!  RACE DAY !!

Sunday 5th Jan 2014 — 4-6pm

Open to all Maker Schoolers plus family and friends for cheering support.

• Family and friends welcome to cheer on.

• Team colours/strip optional.

• Tweaking and testing time in the Pits will be provided.

• Vehicle size and weight will be checked.

• Prizes will be awarded for arbitrary reasons  ;)

• The Judges' decision is final.

A spirit of competition is encouraged but this is just for fun.

For directions and any questions, please call Marcel

07781 143 641

Chop Chop

We're working on the race car release mechanism — here, specifically, the method of resetting it for the next race.

A mitre-box is a big help for making accurate cuts.

This is what 68mm looks like.

Unfortunately, the rails which the cars straddle, have turned out not to have been cut to the size specified.  As you can see above, "68mm" has been interpreted loosely!  It has meant a stripping of the 3 lengths of track which had already been constructed and a return to the timber yard.  In the process, we've taken the opportunity to upgrade the rails to plywood which I expect to be much more robust than the MDF we started with.

Pinewood Derby Launch Mechanism Preview

Holes

We're working on our launching mechanism.  Here, sanding holes to the right size — animated!

On the Tracks

After the successful completion of our race cars we're now on to building our ramp/track.  The first length is built so the next task is the construction of an automatic car release mechanism — so there's no cheating!! ;)

Stop Motion Animation Course — FREE

Join Marcel in creating plasticine animations at Styx Community Centre.

There are still places left on animation week of the ArtsXplosion project. Would you like to learn how to make animations? The workshops are free!! To book a place or for more information contact Alex at westernyouth@live.com

5-10yrs — 10:30am-12:00pm
11-15yrs — 1:00pm-2:30pm

Science Day: just amazing!

What an incredible day we've had at the Guernsey Museums' Science Day at Castle Cornet. Thank you so much to the staff for making it happen!

Over 100 Stomp Cannons have been made! An amazing feat!

I've met so many wonderful children, Mums, Dads, Grannies and Grandpas — it's been an exhausting but very special experience.

Here's a few pics of the day. I had high hopes of creating a timelapse of the room but there simply wasn't time.

Build a STOMP CANNON!

Maker School will be at Guernsey Museum's SCIENCE DAY at Castle Cornet on Wednesday 27 March.

Please bring along: a toilet-roll tube, a bread bag and a washing-up sponge.

I made this… Stereo Amplifier

Including; soldering the electronics, designing an enclosure on paper, making mockups in cardboard, making CAD drawings, laser cutting the parts at Atec Engineering, assembling, tweaking and finishing.

It has taken much longer than anticipated but we've all learned a lot in the process.  Things like; patience and persistence, and facts like; not everything we make works first time.

I've been exceedingly impressed with the varied designs.  Everyone has incorporated something unique in their enclosure.

We're moving into a new project now; Pinewood Derby Race Cars!  It shouldn't be quite so involved but you never know!  More information to follow.

Ping-Pong Ball Stomp Cannon

…you saw it here first!

Tue 22 Jan

The mantra for preparing wires for soldering… "Strip, Twist and Tin"

Mon 21 Jan

It was only a few years ago when someone told me "Lefty Loosey. Righty Tighty" — why-oh-why did nobody think to tell me that before!?  It's SO simple!  It should be one of the first things we're taught!

Fri 18 Jan

New Year, New Energy

Our Stereo Amplifier project is back on the table after the Christmas hiatus.  It's all finishing up now.  We've got to be careful we don't rush it now though because we don't want to spoil all the good work that has been done so far.