Things to Build With Tinkertoys

Wind Turbine

• Tinkertoys have long been popular among scientists for being simple to assemble for use as models. The wind turbine is a good example of this and is simply constructed. Take a short Tinkertoy spoke and put it in the center of a hub. Place a small motor on the other side of the hub, pressed in so that its rotation will generate energy. Then attach that to a block of wood, and attach any sort of windmill blades or other fantastical ideas you want to the driveshaft to make it turn.

Walking Robot

• Another scientific experiment that&'s fun to build is the Tinkertoy Walker, a robot that cannot stand but can "walk" down a ramp powered by gravity. Connect three Tinkertoy hubs with crosspieces, and extend the legs down the crosspieces to two hubs on either side. Attach strips of brass to the bottom of the "feet," and then attach a long spoke to the center of the hubs, out a few inches, and attach another weighted hub. The robot will walk down the ramp until it falls over at the bottom!

Christmas Tree

• There&'s nothing like homemade holiday decorations. Take a few Tinkertoy hubs and connect their centers with short pieces to make the "trunk" of a tree. Then attach longer spokes to the side to create the "branches" of the tree, using the longest at the top and the shortest at the bottom. Decorate your tree with tinsel, ornaments and a star, and you&'ve got a great homemade Christmas tree that the kids can be proud of.