@Courty will be running a hands-on learn to solder workshop during Open Evening Wednesday 10th Feb.
This is suitable for ‘all ages’ but would like guidance from @unknowndomain on a lower age limit that worked at Makerfaire.
We’ll need a risk assessment. Some usable safety glasses, FFP3 face masks? Awareness of treatment for minor burns? (20 litres or water per minute, at 20°C, for 20 minutes was an interesting way of remembering it).
@marketing this is a great ‘dip your toe in the water’ activity. What can we do to get a wider audience?
“Come along and make a blinky robot badge.”?
@Courty can you confirm if they’re blinky? And anything else you need?
They appear to be blinky but I’ve not built one up as yet.(says blinky on the packet)
The space has a couple of good irons, I’ll bring a couple which should cover it.
Anyone else who can wield an iron or a kettle will be welcome just in case we have an influx…!
I can confirm the badges are indeed blinky! The led cycles through rainbow colours and is nice and bright. @unknowndomain, out of interest, do you have the parts list or diagram for the smt part of the circuit ?
Age shouldn’t be an issue, just have to change the approach if they are too young or look like they may not be confident with a soldering iron.
If they are obviously too small or nervous, let them add the components and the helper can do the soldering. Another approach is the parent to help…
At the Brighton maker fair there were some quite small kids with the badges so it would be a shame to exclude them for our event.
The problem is attention span when teaching children, they often don’t realise they are holding something that burns, and actually burn the teacher, not themselves when they get distracted and push the iron into you not realising their surroundings.
