I need cool, simple metal working projects for high school students

[mwalach]

As the title says, I need some simple, cool projects to excite high school kids and get them interested in working with their hands. I have a very limited shop. No tools other than hand tools. I am trying to buy a small lathe, but not sure if it will get passed my small budget.

A co-worker of mine suggested buying a hand pop-rivet tool and making stuff out of sheet metal. We have a sheet metal supplier need by and I may be able to get somke freebies or scrap. Any ideas on simple projects we can do with limited tools? I can buy some small hand tools such as a pop rivit tool or something else. If I get the lathe (small grizzly bench-top) I am thinking of small turning projects such as chess pieces.

I also have a mold to make fishing lures from lead. I have a hot pot that I could use to melt lead or puter. We also have a CNC machine that we built that can cut wood and plastic (maybe soft metal, haven't tried). I just want to start building a strong hands on Tech program at the school I teach at. Right now we have a weak "hands-on" tech program.

Any suggestions are welcome, even if the are "outside the box"


Thanks,

Mike

[mwalach]

is metal work not fun?

[Mcgyver]

Mike, I don't think its lack of interest that's held back responses, its' just not being inundated with ideas given the limited resources you've got,at least thats my excuse. there's stuff you can do with hand tools, and benchwork is an important part of it, but most of this work would be the antithesis of fun; at least for a 15 year old. a program teaching scraping or filing hexagonal holes probably isn't going to cut it

fishing lures is a good one, isn't there some metal to use other than lead though? toxicity of fumes etc, I'd check that out before using it. sounds like the CNC has potential, even if its engraving their names in plastic or aluminum key chains.

aren't there companies targeting schools around robotic stuff? maybe not kits, but close to, sort of heavy duty mechano. thought i saw that at a school. anyway, something like that that involves a bit of electronics and not much machining might work and robotics is popular.

[Geof]

It will depend a bit on your budget but if you can get a conduit bender, otherwise known as a Hickey I think, for 3/4" thin wall electrical conduit you can use the conduit to build the frame for a "soapbox derby racer".

It is possible to build almost the whole thing and if you do it completely with Ackerman steering (Google that) you can also use it to illustrate some principles of geometry. Getting ambitious you could probably fabricate suspensions systems as well and if you can get old bike parts you could probably make pedal powered racers.

[boguski.1]

I missed metal shop at my high school by one year. They used to cast, turn, weld, and mill, but discontinued the program and turned the room into a tech room.

I took a class my freshman year called "Industrial Technology" and it was in the wood shop. We did some light woodworking, sheetmetal work, and small engines. We made a toolbox, which required a brake, shear, drill press, and a spot welder. Not sure how much these cost exactly but maybe harbor freight might have some deals on all in ones? We also made a funnel and used a roller to insert wire into the rim. Lawnmower engines were fun, and readily available the day before trash day during the summer. Have them in groups and take them apart.

Some of these suggestions require more tooling than you may have, but nothing super expensive like a lathe or a mill. Hope it gives you some more ideas anyways!

[yoopertool]

I was trying to think of what I liked to do when I was 15 and one thing that you may be able to do with your limited resources is messing around with bicycles. I used to cut up old bikes and make lowriders or frankenstien looking things. If you go to a local junkyard you can pick up old bikes for a couple of dollars and round tubing for a small price as well. all you really need is a saw, files, and a brazing torch or welder. Another thing that I made at that age were body lift kits for trucks. all they are are round or rectagular disks or tubes with a hole in them and maybe a way to align them. Im not sure if these are good ideas for you or not, but it interested me at that age. good luck!

[low_48]

I would suggest the idea of making model siege engines as used during the times of castles and knights. Simple bent sheet metal and wood. This would let the kids "throw" something with the machine. Another cool thing idea might be marble runs. Use two parallel metal rods to let the marbles run around track. That really uses the imagination, kind of a "Rube Goldberg" thing. Here's a link for the marble idea; http://www.eddiesmind.com/ Another way to get them involved is to make money. Maybe start a small production line making bird feeders, or something for them to sell and put the money into a Friday afternoon party, or put the money back into the shop.

[mwalach]

great ideas! Please keep them coming!

[boguski.1]

I almost forgot one of my favorites, Mousetrap Cars!!! Should be able to do most of the work with utility knives, hot glue, and erector set parts. You could even use your CNC to cut out custom wheels and frame components. Students could do these individually or in teams, or maybe use a rat trap as a class project. There are tons of websites out there. Our project had to carry a pop can and use one mousetrap. I think it went almost 30m down the hall...

CO2 cars are also a possibility. Search for the "F1 Competition."

www.f1inschools.us/item.asp?itmID=4

The cars are cut out on CNC machines and raced on a track. I think it's bigger in Europe, but I know for a fact schools in OH have participated. Part of the project is a presentation including a display board.

[Laff Riot]

I get requests from kids of all ages for personalized signs. This might be a longish project but it would not require any new tools. You can get local shops to help out and in return they get to prospect for future employees.

Contact a couple of mid-sized signshops in your area that do electric letters. Ask them to bring along some examples of can letters, LED & neon, and maybe a small cabinet. Look for one that has a portable Tig that will come to your school and show the kids how the process is done - maybe allow them to try a couple welds.

Ask all of the shops you contact for any scrap opaque white acrylic, aluminum, and jewel-lite trim. Youll get some ugly colors but the kids can repaint them to whatever they want.

Using pop rivets, double sided tape, scrap vinyl or even screws the kids can make simple shape cans. If you have a metal bender thats great - if not you can bend the .032 aluminum on the edge of a table with a hammer.

Cut the Acrylic with coping saws to simple shapes that the kids design themselves. Get the sign guy to show you minimum radiuses for the trim cap.

The kids can use colored transparencies, paint directly on the acrylic or put photos on the acrylic for the designs. If you keep the cans to less than 11" x 11" so that you can light them with a lightbulb (another lesson plan there with donations from your local home depot) I will throw in transluscent digital prints. Provided we are not talking about 1000 kids here

You might be able to get one of your local shops with a printer to do this as well. Remeber to start with the design first - then make the can - then cut the acrylic.

Edit - i forgot you mentioned you have a CNC - use that to cut the acrylic faces - BONUS!

That should give you a couple classes for the demo, metal work, acrylic cutting, decoration, and electric wiring.

[mwalach]

I love the sign idea! My kids can do designs of signs, then use the cnc to cut/engrave into the acrylic. I like the idea of making metal cans to hold electrical and light the sign. I can do basic electricity, metal work, bending,rivitings, painting etc.

[tullsa]

a little more complex project ,theres plans on the web (ebay) for building an aluminum canoe ,all panels are riveted