Diversions for those stuck at home

My daughter, her husband, and two children are all off work & school, and cooped up at home
She is home schooling the children, boys aged 5 & 7, but as you can imagine, it's not easy - and as an aside, my sympathies to anyone else in a similar position
They live on the other side of the country so I can't really do much to help; and neither would i wish to travel & visit, with the possibility of picking up infection or taking it to them

So I have sent them two model plane kits
They are Airfix Quick Build Kits, which clip together and don't need any tools, glue or paint. The reviews say they're suitable for ages 4 upwards, with a bit of adult help
I haven't actually seen them, but Airfix say they're compatible with LEGO
She reports that the boys love them, and are really excited that they might get more

Search Google and YouTube for 'Airfix Quick Build Kits'.
I ordered & paid for the kits, but arranged for the supplier to send them directly to my daughter
Most Online/Mail Order suppliers now have provision to purchase items, but have a different delivery address

This is a suggestion for any families in the same sort of position, and who knows, it might lead on to more advanced models as they get older
 
zuludog said:
My daughter, her husband, and two children are all off work & school, and cooped up at home
She is home schooling the children, boys aged 5 & 7, but as you can imagine, it's not easy - and as an aside, my sympathies to anyone else in a similar position
They live on the other side of the country so I can't really do much to help; and neither would i wish to travel & visit, with the possibility of picking up infection or taking it to them

So I have sent them two model plane kits
They are Airfix Quick Build Kits, which clip together and don't need any tools, glue or paint. The reviews say they're suitable for ages 4 upwards, with a bit of adult help
I haven't actually seen them, but Airfix say they're compatible with LEGO
She reports that the boys love them, and are really excited that they might get more

Search Google and YouTube for 'Airfix Quick Build Kits'.
I ordered & paid for the kits, but arranged for the supplier to send them directly to my daughter
Most Online/Mail Order suppliers now have provision to purchase items, but have a different delivery address

This is a suggestion for any families in the same sort of position, and who knows, it might lead on to more advanced models as they get older
Click to expand...

I'll look at that site, I grew up with plastic plane models, relies used to buy me them. I hung from bedroom ceiling. Mr7 here might like one to build.?

Russ
 
I started making plastic kits when I was a boy, and have kept it up ever since. That, and a couple of other hobbies make this lockdown bearable
They were the usual type, which needed tools. glue, and so on, and I didn't start making them till I was about 10 or 11
Besides that, I had Dinky toys

These Quick Build Kits are suitable for younger children as they don't need tools, glue, or paint

My other indoor hobbies are knife making and leatherwork, so although I can keep myself occupied, it's not the same as being allowed to go out when you want, and choosing to do hobbies instead of having to

I had a message from a friend who's hobbies are small scale sculpture & carving, and painting (as in Yer Art, not - the back bedroom, two coats, one afternoon)
She said that she's determined to have something to show for this enforced isolation, otherwise when it's over we'll look back and wish we had the time again
So she's started on a couple of projects that she always meant to do one day; I'm sure we all have them.
 
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How do you go about making knives? :unsure::scratchhead:
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Some people forge or grind their own blades but you have to be keen to do that
I buy in ready made blades then fit my own handles and make my own sheaths

It is a big hobby in Scandinavia, so although there are British suppliers, this Finnish one has probably the best website to show the range of knives available - www.brisa.fi
Besides bushcraft & hunting knife blades there are cook's knives

On the Home Page click on 'Brisa Supplies see all'
on the menu click on 'BRISA knife blades'. ----- this will show you Brisa's own blades

on the menu click on 'knife blades'.----- There are several pages showing the full range of blades from other makers; ----or on the menu you can choose the blades from each maker

You can also Search the website for handle materials in synthetic or wood, various accessories, and so on

Search YouTube for 'making knife handles'; there are loads of videos
Most people use power tools & sanders, but it is quite possible to make knives with hand tools, as I do, it just takes a bit longer, and there are a few videos just with hand tools

My leatherwork developed from knife making. at first I just wanted to make the sheaths, but as i've become more interested i've started making belts and wallets
 
zuludog said:
Some people forge or grind their own blades but you have to be keen to do that
I buy in ready made blades then fit my own handles and make my own sheaths

It is a big hobby in Scandinavia, so although there are British suppliers, this Finnish one has probably the best website to show the range of knives available - www.brisa.fi
Besides bushcraft & hunting knife blades there are cook's knives

On the Home Page click on 'Brisa Supplies see all'
on the menu click on 'BRISA knife blades'. ----- this will show you Brisa's own blades

on the menu click on 'knife blades'.----- There are several pages showing the full range of blades from other makers; ----or on the menu you can choose the blades from each maker

You can also Search the website for handle materials in synthetic or wood, various accessories, and so on

Search YouTube for 'making knife handles'; there are loads of videos
Most people use power tools & sanders, but it is quite possible to make knives with hand tools, as I do, it just takes a bit longer, and there are a few videos just with hand tools

My leatherwork developed from knife making. at first I just wanted to make the sheaths, but as i've become more interested i've started making belts and wallets
Click to expand...

Fascinating! I'd never even considered this as a hobby. So what do you do with the knives you make? Do you sell them. And can we see some photos?
 
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As with any hobby you can do it simply and fairly cheaply, or spend almost as much as you want, and get as involved as you want
And also in common with most hobbies you do it for your own interest and satisfaction; you need to be pretty good to make any kind of money

Who knows how or why you do a particular hobby?
At first I made knives for myself and gave them away to friends, or bartered them - for a camping stove, or to a carpenter friend who gives me his offcuts of suitable wood
It's only recently that I've felt I was good enough to ask for payment, though I have had a couple of requests - commissions I suppose you'd call them

The problem with knives is that they're not the sort of things you can sell on street corners, so my sales have been by word of mouth
I should really try to put the word out more among people who do bushcraft, or go fishing. The problem then is that there are a lot of excellent amateur makers, plus good, reasonably priced factory made knives

I've also made most of my own leatherworking knives, and have sold a couple of those. But again, you need to find the customers
Oh, and I make the sheaths as well

I was fairly capable with 35mm film photography, but somehow I never took to digital
I have a digital camera, but I hardly use it, and I don't know how to post photographs
But that's something I'd like to do; I really must try to catch up
 
G's boss is a single parent with 3 boys trying to work from home and deal with his children. G was taking to him on speaker. Boss said " I told Alexa to home school my kids. Alexa said she did not know Home School."
I did not know whether to laugh or cry. He was serious! He is at his wits end trying to work from home and deal with 3 boys . :hyper:
 
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