We need to be efficient

How to have useful construction workshops.
Speedster
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Location: Toledo, Ohio

Re: We need to be efficient

Post by Speedster »

Hi there, Workshop Lovers.
I wanted to share with you what is happening with our annual workshop. Jason, our new Pack Leader and Pinewood Derby lover, has gotten involved with the GIRL Scouts and we are going to have an additional 30 scouts at our workshop. I hope you're laughing because I am. That is going to give us 60 cub scouts, 30 Girl Scouts and at least 10 Donor cars. It has been suggested we advertise our workshop as a "Car Cutting Clinic" where we will cut the car, drill 3 holes, sell them a lead rod and say Goodbye. That doesn't appeal to me. We will be having a meeting soon and we'll all find out how many volunteers we get and what equipment they have. We have the option of sending everyone to "The Anderson Stores". The Andersons have a car cutting clinic every year and cut out about 600 cars. Their clinic is the same day as our workshop. I don't like that idea either.
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Vitamin K
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Re: We need to be efficient

Post by Vitamin K »

We've got a similar amount of boys who will likely need workshop assistance this December. So far, my strategy is thus: Set up the bandsaw for doing profile cuts, the scroll saw for doing top cuts and the drill press for drilling weight bores. We're going to run a sign-up Genius with time slots, so we can hopefully stagger the arrival of the boys throughout the time allotted for the workshop.

Another thing I'm going to try to do is get the parents to work with their kids to do as much pre-prep as possible: That means picking their design and having the boys draw/trace them onto the block. Also making their choices for weighting ahead of time, and bringing their weight to the workshop.

Of course, no matter what I do I'm going to have some mom show up with two boys and two unopened kits and say, "Here you go."

What can you do, right? :)
Speedster
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Posts: 1972
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:48 pm
Location: Toledo, Ohio

Re: We need to be efficient

Post by Speedster »

I like your idea of the Sign-up Genius. I'm going to present that at our meeting and somehow make it work. I know I've got to be careful this is not going to negatively effect the scout. I'll let you know how it works out. Thanks for the suggestion.
Best
Speedster
Speedster
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Posts: 1972
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 1:48 pm
Location: Toledo, Ohio

Re: We need to be efficient

Post by Speedster »

Our workshop yesterday was a wonderful success. We had a Super Wonderful, Hard working crew that stayed the full time. We had 3 band saws, 2 Jig saws, 2 belt sanders, multiple powered hand sanders, 3 drill presses and a concentricity gauge. We sold lead rod for $2.00 and many folks gave us more than $2.00. I did a presentation from 9AM to 9:30AM on the Physics of the Pinewood Derby and had 7 sample cars for the scouts to choose from if they so desired. Our advertised time was 9AM to 3PM and we finished with the last scout at 3PM. We cut a few cars for people in a hurry without drilling holes or selling lead rod. We did not have the number expected, selling only 50 lead rods. It was a fun filled day for us all.

We are hoping to have another workshop concentrating on wheel and axle prep only. I look forward to that.
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Speedster
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Vitamin K
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Location: Spotsylvania, VA

Re: We need to be efficient

Post by Vitamin K »

Speedster wrote:Our workshop yesterday was a wonderful success. We had a Super Wonderful, Hard working crew that stayed the full time. We had 3 band saws, 2 Jig saws, 2 belt sanders, multiple powered hand sanders, 3 drill presses and a concentricity gauge. We sold lead rod for $2.00 and many folks gave us more than $2.00. I did a presentation from 9AM to 9:30AM on the Physics of the Pinewood Derby and had 7 sample cars for the scouts to choose from if they so desired. Our advertised time was 9AM to 3PM and we finished with the last scout at 3PM. We cut a few cars for people in a hurry without drilling holes or selling lead rod. We did not have the number expected, selling only 50 lead rods. It was a fun filled day for us all.

We are hoping to have another workshop concentrating on wheel and axle prep only. I look forward to that.
Best
Speedster
Very cool, Bill! Sounds like an excellent effort all around!
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