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Men’s Shed volunteers with the first Warkworth Tinker Cart. From left, Paul Maguiness, Dave Johnson, Ron Copeland, Les Taylor and Mike Izzard.
Volunteers at Warkworth Men’s Shed have neared completion of their first Tinker Cart and simultaneously come a step closer to transforming the teaching of science, technology and engineering in New Zealand schools.
Warkworth inventor and educator Mike Izzard hit on the Tinker Cart idea while teaching children in Japan.
Carts vary but are essentially a mobile, powered work station, typically including a 3D printer, 3D scanner, laptop, Wifi connection, computer-controlled cutting tool, solar panel and digital projector.
In addition, the carts store a variety of materials (such as wood, metal and paper), electrical devices (such as motors, switches and lightbulbs) and tools (such as soldering irons and glue guns). The carts can be wheeled into classrooms and used by students to assemble a vast range of projects to meet curriculum goals.
Since returning to New Zealand last September, Mike has joined forces with the Men’s Shed to further develop the Tinker Cart.
The latest model features a deep, hinged door, which opens to allow access to the tools and supplies.
Mike says trays holding components in the cart will have a sensor identifying when a component is running low and automatically reorder it.
Once the prototype is complete, plans for it will be circulated throughout New Zealand to other Men’s Shed groups so that they can build their own carts to support local schools.
Mike says initially the Warkworth Men’s Shed will construct two carts – one for Mahurangi College and another to be lent out to other schools, so they can appreciate how a Tinker Cart can aid student learning.
Mike says the carts are relatively straightforward to make. A handful of volunteers constructed the first one in Warkworth in about three weeks.
