Groundskeepers prepare the deck carpets for the big event.

In the intervening year between sessions, the carpets collect pine needles, dog hair, and pollen - and these dedicated professionals vacuum and Bissel the bejesus out of it to get it back into spec for ensuing spectacle.

Meet and Greet

Eleni arrives with the family in tow. We end up chatting about coaching little-league softball and the best way to teach welding to parents.

The Deathly Hallows

Five out of six tinkerers brought copies of the latest Harry Potter tome. Eleni set the speed record, getting through hers in a single sitting and clocking in just over six hours TRT (total read time).

The Best Kind of Science

Any experiment that has you ducking down behind a wall is going to be memorable - regardless of the results.

The Afternoon Project

Sunday afternoon is technically the start of Tinkering School, but since there is no fixed start time, we don't do anything too complicated so that kids can join in any time. Today we are exploring the motive possibilities of the Oral-B electric toothbrush ($6 at stores everywhere).

Another Generation of Propeller Design

Tywen carves up the bottom of a soda can, in much the way Michaelangelo carved his statues.

Simple Pleasures of Boating

Eleni and Theo discover that just letting their boats bang into each other is as fun as navigating the test track.

Outside the Box

Paradigm shifts always require someone bold enough to abandon the traditional forms and explore the boundaries of common sense. Tywen shows us what it means to truly re-invent nautical thinking.

From Toothbrush to Fan

Ian and Gever demonstrate the remarkable comfort afforded by a personal fan. "It's climate control for one," said Ian.

We Are in Awe

Theo's boat is a marvel of minimal engineering. The key elements of his breakthrough design are the use of the motor itself as a keel, and a high-RPM, low-torque propeller that doesn't try to pull the stern to the side as it rotates.

The Album Cover

Later this year when our first album is released, this will be the cover shot.

Rule #2

As laid down by the first generation of Tinkerers and passed down from generation to generation, "If you see a piece of fruit, and you want it, you must take it."

Evening Strategy Meeting

Tomorrow's project - a sail-powered cart for downwind, wet and dry sand racing - is the topic of a wide-ranging discussion that includes sailing and vehicle design elements. After almost an hour of sketching and crude model-making, we have come up with two compelling design alternatives - which we will build tomorrow!

Final Design Tweaks

We've established some requirements (brakes, de-powering the sail, steering) and have a good grasp of the key elements of the two designs - seems like a good time to call it a night.