Group Actions
Engagement
  • Author Author: spannerspencer
  • Date Created: Date Created
  • Views 2381 views
  • Likes 3 likes
  • Comments 21 comments
Related
Recommended

Father's Day Badge-a-Thon: Quality Time King

spannerspencer

Adaptability is the cornerstone of fatherhood. Well, it probably should be. Whether it is or not, I'll leave for mothers and partners to decide upon!image

 

But, in an effort to embrace this notion, today's Father's Day badge has taken a twist. I've adjusted it in accord with some excellent suggestions you guys about creating projects with the kids.

 

"Did anyone else see the title and expect that it'd be "what toys have you made for your boys (or girls)". That's what being a dad's really all about," astutely pointed out, which agreed with.

 

"Perhaps one of the future days will cover Projects on the Dads To Do List," he says. "Cool things like Retro Arcade System, Club house, Doll house and of course expanding the body disposal area for when your girls reach the teen years and you need to get rid of "problems" ;-)"

 

So, other than undetectable methods of dissolving the tormented remains of your daughter's boyfriend in industrial chemicals, tell us about any projects, games, kits or other activities your parents made with you (all those long years ago) that got you into electronics, so we can take some inspiration for enthusing future generations.

 

  • Tell us all about them in the comments below, and maybe include a few photos to really help us set that nostalgic mood!
  • @mention another element14 member in your comment, and nominate them to post their parental project story.

 

And remember you'll need to already have the previous Father's Day badges in order to be crowned a Quality Time King.

Top Comments

Parents

  • Like many others, my interest in electronics didn't come from my parents, it was an uncle who bought me my first electronics kit, something like this - but without a 7 segment LED and IC amp - far too hi-tech for the 70's!!  A family friend moved me onto my first solderless breadboard which I think I still have some 25 years later!

    160-in-1-kit-small.jpg 4267_1.jpg

    Fast forward a few years and my father came through, a local AV hire and repair shop used to provide him with all the TVs, VHS recorders and CD players that they deemed 'beyond economic repair', which as most of you know means either:

     

    1. It's too old to bother with as a new item costs less and works better

     

    or

     

    2. The fault is that much of a pig that we've had enough of trying to fix it!

     

    Up I grew, so did my collection of junk, I bought a house = more space to store that junk = more junk please

     

    The local reference library was a veritable mine of useful information when it came to circuit diagrams for TV chassis et al, and photocopying the pages at 5p / sheet wasn't too bad either.

     

    Even if it couldn't be fixed, these items contained a plethora of useful components that the careful application of a soldering iron and a solder 'pullit' would have removed and stored in no time, alas I gave that activity no time either . . .

     

    I've had to stop now, had to clear out the bulk of the junk that lain unfixed for years . . .

     

    I should have had a sign over my garage, a sort of reworking of the John Lewis mantra

     

    "Never knowingly unsoldered"!

     

    John Wiltrout shared a similar story about his father feeding his interest in electronics in his blog Analyzing and Hacking a Power Supply Board

     

    Even if your father doesn't share your interest (or thinks Ohm is the sound you make during meditation) then they can have a profound effect on shaping you.

     

    Come one John, time to chip in!

Comment

  • Like many others, my interest in electronics didn't come from my parents, it was an uncle who bought me my first electronics kit, something like this - but without a 7 segment LED and IC amp - far too hi-tech for the 70's!!  A family friend moved me onto my first solderless breadboard which I think I still have some 25 years later!

    160-in-1-kit-small.jpg 4267_1.jpg

    Fast forward a few years and my father came through, a local AV hire and repair shop used to provide him with all the TVs, VHS recorders and CD players that they deemed 'beyond economic repair', which as most of you know means either:

     

    1. It's too old to bother with as a new item costs less and works better

     

    or

     

    2. The fault is that much of a pig that we've had enough of trying to fix it!

     

    Up I grew, so did my collection of junk, I bought a house = more space to store that junk = more junk please

     

    The local reference library was a veritable mine of useful information when it came to circuit diagrams for TV chassis et al, and photocopying the pages at 5p / sheet wasn't too bad either.

     

    Even if it couldn't be fixed, these items contained a plethora of useful components that the careful application of a soldering iron and a solder 'pullit' would have removed and stored in no time, alas I gave that activity no time either . . .

     

    I've had to stop now, had to clear out the bulk of the junk that lain unfixed for years . . .

     

    I should have had a sign over my garage, a sort of reworking of the John Lewis mantra

     

    "Never knowingly unsoldered"!

     

    John Wiltrout shared a similar story about his father feeding his interest in electronics in his blog Analyzing and Hacking a Power Supply Board

     

    Even if your father doesn't share your interest (or thinks Ohm is the sound you make during meditation) then they can have a profound effect on shaping you.

     

    Come one John, time to chip in!

Children
No Data