Kids & Family

Animated knots

Animated knots

Photo from Animated Knots One of the challenges with learning knots is that it’s often difficult to interpret written directions and sometimes it’s tough to follow photos. Animated Knots by Grog has a neat collection of knot-tying animations. There are loads of variations, and the interface allows you to invert, flip, and rotate some of […]

LEGO Mendocino Motor

Here is a variation on the Menocino Motor project. The Mendo Motor is a solar-powered magnetically levitating motor invented by super maker Larry Spring, of Mendocino California. This is a great project to do with high school kids. The Motor incorporates woodworking, electricity, magnestism, troubleshooting, and can also be used as a way of teaching […]

Val ties the canoe

For the past couple of decades, Val has been using this knot to tie down everything from canoes, tarps and other implements of camping and boating. Last summer, I captured it on camera as he showed it to me and Mark. Whenever I see somebody driving down the road holding a mattress on the roof […]