Help with last minute workshop.

How to have useful construction workshops.
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JohnB-71
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Help with last minute workshop.

Post by JohnB-71 »

My church finally deceided to have a workshop. The problem is that it is this weekend. One week before the race. I have been trying to get more people interested in the race, but they only do one race a year.

What should I have prepared? This is my first.

I bought a "Best Track" one lane test track so the family could have races. They all enjoy it. 5 year old, 9 year old, and I will not, due to better judgement, give mom's age.

I am going to post in the track section on how to weigh down the track. The slightest bump causes a lot of problems. I would like to set it up for the kid's at the workshop.

Any help would be great. :?:
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FatSebastian
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Re: Help with last minute workshop.

Post by FatSebastian »

JohnB-71 wrote:What should I have prepared? This is my first.
Does this topic help? Or this one? What would you like to see accomplished through your workshop?
JohnB-71
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Re: Help with last minute workshop.

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FatSebastian:

What I want to do is help the kids with mom's only, the family's who are short on cash, and maybe get enough interest we could have races with other churches.

My wife and I purchased extra cars for the leaders to give out to people who may not be able to buy one.

I have been making thin lead weight to hand out to parents only. Like the 1/4 oz stick on weights.

I guess I just want everyone to have fun and not show up think they have no chance. I just want to try. My family loves it so much.
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FatSebastian
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Re: Help with last minute workshop.

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JohnB-71 wrote:What I want to do is help the kids with mom's only,
Then you'll likely want to provide woodworking tools and the expertise to use them?
JohnB-71 wrote:the family's who are short on cash
Then you'll likely want to provide kits and ballast / weight, and perhaps even painting supplies? Sounds like your prepared as far as kits and ballast go.
JohnB-71 wrote:I guess I just want everyone to have fun and not show up think they have no chance.
Then you'll likely want to provide ideas and education on how to build fast cars?

Did the above linked topics help? I would encourage you to look through the topics in the Construction Workshops forum for ideas and hints on how others execute workshops, picking and choosing ideas that are compatible with your goals and the woodworking tools and other resources you might have available.

FWIW, I have assisted with basic workshops where the kids draw their car design on a cardstock template, cut out the side and top/bottom profiles from the cardstock, and then trace those profiles onto their block. The block is taken over to an adult manning a cutting station where the basic shape is cut out of the block using a bandsaw or scroll saw. The kids sand the rest of the body to their liking, then put on the wheels, paint, etc. Use of a cutting station knocks out about 85% of the labor required to turn a piece of wood into something car-like for those who don't have woodworking tools / skills, plus it goes a lot faster and is relatively safe for the kids.
JohnB-71
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Re: Help with last minute workshop.

Post by JohnB-71 »

Thanks for the help. I have been getting things together and I think it will be great for the kids.
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FatSebastian
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Re: Help with last minute workshop.

Post by FatSebastian »

JohnB-71 wrote:... I think it will be great for the kids.
Please let us know how your workshop went, especially now that your team did so well!
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