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Post by paulshiroma on Jun 8, 2013 20:11:16 GMT -5
My wife, Barbara, calls this forum, "Facebook for Rockhounds". Guess she's right!  With that said ... ... some schools are out, some are still going - my boys have one more week and they're looking forward to Summer break. So are their teachers! To sort of get a head start on Summer, Barbara had found a really cool children's craft activity in one of her magazines. It involved using "slinky tubes" which are basically 18 inch lengths of flexible plastic tubes, used water bottles and some wire screen to make a water maze. After some internet searches to see if any of the local department stores or toy stores had the tubing, she jumped onto HomeDepot.com and found a usable substitute that was tremendously cheaper (plastic wire guide tubing 25 feet for $10). The "slinky tubes" were around $4 each. So, a quick trip to HomeDepot for the tubing and some odds and ends (and Dad bought himself a Father's Day present - a lawn edger) and we were off. Barbara's got a knack for crafts and such and once she got the basics explained, I improvised the construction and the boys were running along with it. Here's the finished product. Ended up with a distinctly "Dr. Seuss" look to it:      The boys spent the entire afternoon outside pouring water through the maze. I know, this isn't rocks or rock hounding, but ... what the hell ... Summer's upon us! Thanks for checking out the thread. Paul |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller 
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jun 8, 2013 20:53:57 GMT -5
That is good experiece.Real world stuff.The keyboard is great,but working w/hands gets it done.
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Post by helens on Jun 8, 2013 21:08:31 GMT -5
Omg, they are getting big! And even cuter!! What a great pix:).
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Post by paulshiroma on Jun 8, 2013 21:55:46 GMT -5
James - definitely. Having good mechanical skills is always a good thing to have. When I was about my boys age, I was always working with my Dad in the garage, building things out of scrap lumber, etc.
Helen - thanks, they're getting tall and eating a lot. Andrew's actually just a shade shorter than Barbara at this point. Nathaniel, although four years Andrew's junior weighs in at about 55lbs to Andrew's 70lbs. Nathaniel's a bit of a tank.
Enjoy every moment. You only get one time around.
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deedolce
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2006
Posts: 1,828
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Post by deedolce on Jun 8, 2013 22:47:43 GMT -5
What a great way to spend a summer day! Hmmm, wonder how you can work in washing your car at the same time??  |
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Post by paulshiroma on Jun 8, 2013 23:07:18 GMT -5
Hey, Dee - yeah, I've got to figure that angle out as well, LOL! One more week for you as well, right?
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deedolce
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since October 2006
Posts: 1,828
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Post by deedolce on Jun 9, 2013 0:04:01 GMT -5
I'm done!!! Since Friday, then I promptly got sick as a dog with a 48 hour stomach thing. And I just got some boulder opal too!! Managed to get some preforms with my workforce, then was flat on the couch the rest of the day, lol. Hopefully will feel well enough to play tomorrow.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jun 9, 2013 7:11:54 GMT -5
Am working on an engineering category for those boys.I diverted 2 creeks on my little farm.One of them a 1/4 mile along a terrace so that it would gravity feed(for 20 years now) 5 acres of earthen ponds,greenhouses and ebb/flow beds.That 15 gallons a minute has supported a lot of plant stock,supporting my family for all those years....The device your kids are working on looks like the initial prototype/flowchart.LOL
A small fountain pump in the 5 gal bucket and some pollution control tubing/fittings from auto store and a dynamic water diversion system will fire their brain cells on all 12 cylinders...
And the dark glasses,then they will be on their way:)
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Post by paulshiroma on Jun 9, 2013 11:04:14 GMT -5
Dee - Congrats on making it through the year! Yeah! Now you can concentrate on the hobby. Sorry to hear about the virus, that's NO fun. I saw your thread on the boulder opal and am looking forward to seeing the cabs.
James - that's a great idea on the fountain pump and fittings. I pump I probably already have from my reef aquarium days and it'll probably handle all four or five of the intake funnels as they're about 500 GPH type pumps. LOVE the idea, buddy!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2013 14:22:24 GMT -5
Do you need to get them more materials so they can add on to the existing one? Imagine the size of that by the end of summer given the materials and enthusiasm. Aquarium pumps sometimes to do not have enough 'head' to move the water high enough into the maze. If that becomes the case, swamp cooler pumpsare cheap and are guaranteed to do the job. Soon, they will design waterfalls and other water features...... Jim will donate plants for the water garden they end up with! |
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Post by paulshiroma on Jun 10, 2013 21:23:19 GMT -5
Where in the world do you find your quotes, Scott? Those are hysterical. Hadn't thought about the swamp cooler pumps ... I may check into that just to satisfy my desire to over-engineer a children's toy! LOL. And, actually, if we go that route, I'll probably have to go buy some pumps anyway. I had forgotten that all my aquarium pumps had been relegated to the front yard water feature when the reef tanks were downed.
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jun 10, 2013 21:38:57 GMT -5
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blackout5783
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2011
Posts: 248
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Post by blackout5783 on Jun 10, 2013 22:15:45 GMT -5
Substitute "fountain pumps" with any number of other things in that sentence and we're suddenly in NSFW territory! |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jun 10, 2013 23:17:41 GMT -5
Ha LOL
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jun 11, 2013 11:17:43 GMT -5
My wife, Barbara, calls this forum, "Facebook for Rockhounds". Guess she's right! With that said ... Ha ha, that is so right! And I told myself I would NEVER do Facebook, because it takes too much time. Not to mention their privacy policy leaves much to be desired. Looks like the boys had a blast - good, clean fun! I leave a lot of my money at Home Depot, too - lol! Jean |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jun 11, 2013 13:09:36 GMT -5
So you do have Depot out there Jean.I wondered if it was possible for Atlanta base company to take shrewd California money.This calls for celebration!Gotta give Gump,Gomer and Goober a call:)Tell em' what we have done
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Post by rockpickerforever on Jun 11, 2013 15:09:50 GMT -5
James, I think they are everywhere! Spending money there is just one of the joys of being a homeowner. I've also got a Lowes close by, have found some things there (most recently some plumbing stuff) that was significantly less expensive then the Depot. They'll soon be taking a larger chunk. Costco gets a lot of it, too. Jean
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Post by paulshiroma on Jun 12, 2013 21:43:06 GMT -5
HomeDepot = Man's Target (per my wife).
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2013 21:58:35 GMT -5
HomeDepot = Man's Target (per my wife). Your bride is very wise. |
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jamesp
Cave Dweller
Member since October 2012
Posts: 36,612
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Post by jamesp on Jun 13, 2013 4:27:14 GMT -5
Trips to Depot have slowed since barns and houses are finished-YEA!
Man's target=too funny
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