Hamster Maze - Day 3 - Week 6 - SF Summer Day Camp
It's hamster time!!
At least it is was here today at our San Francisco day camp! We had lots of fun busily tinkering and building our epic mazes and obstacle courses.
We have a new hamster friend who just joined the team! We are not yet decided on what their name is yet... we'll keep you posted.
The huge rope climbing wall was ready to be raised. Hopefully the hamsters will be ready – this is looking like it will be a super challenging maze / obstacle course!
The rock hand holds for the climbing wall were carefully placed and bolted on to a piece of plywood.
What will these climbing walls be attached to you might be wondering? Another group completed an impressive 7 foot tall tower, utilizing many triangle supports to make sure it was super strong. It will securely anchor both climbing walls and serve as an excellent hamster lookout post.
Our collaborators always test the structural integrity of pieces that will be holding weight. Two thumbs up - the platform was really sturdy!
I think our tinkerers are beginning to exhibit hamster like behaviors...mischievous hoarding of wood sticks...talking in squeaks and chirps...curious...
The large hamster cart received some much needed safety upgrades. Walls and bumpers!
Meanwhile, the track team worked super hard to build a launch platform and ramp.
This team demonstrated some impressive collaboration, all deciding together how to share drilling, screwing, and holding duties. There's so much we can accomplish when we work together!
One cart and track was definitely not enough. Our hamsters enjoy riding in style, so this team prototyped and built another really cool train system.
Yet another hardworking group of tinkerers made huge progress on their hamster wheel.
Cutting the axle with a hacksaw.
They learned how to use the drill press to cut out holes in the cross supports that will hold the axle.
One of the obstacle cube teams made tons of progress sheathing the sides with thin plywood.
The bandsaw was another tool they learned how to use. It's great for cutting plywood. Similar to the chop saw, it also has a "blood bubble" that we keep all our fingers and out hands out of.
Jack tested out his stilts too and they worked like a charm! Super stable and easy to control.
We have an incredibly enthusiastic and hard working group this week. The obstacles are taking shape, the projects are growing exponentially, and the hamsters hopefully are busy prepping, because they are going to get a workout navigating this maze!
Check back soon to follow this crews progress and to see more photos from the week, please do visit our Flickr page!