- PATHFINDERS STEM Leonardo da Vinci Catapult Kit

I bought this for my finace's son and I to put together (he is 13). It took us about an hour total, and here is how we did it: First, we laid everything out according to the chart. This was to help keep his interest in the product, as he gets distracted very easily. The pieces are all made of wood, and well-cut. No splinters, no broken pieces or anything. Then, we assembled the catapult according to the instructions BEFORE we glued anything together. This is the smart thing to do, as some of the pieces do not fit perfectly together (the kit comes with a small bit of sandpaper to file down the pieces so they fit snugly). At this point I did NOT tie the strings in place yet. Next, I disassembled the catapult and he watched me glue it together (I used this as a teaching tool for him). There isnt enough glue for the entire model, in my opinion. So, next model I will make a trip to the hobby store and purchase a bit more, just to insure the model is tight all around. Just my preference. Thirdly, after gluing all the pieces in the appropriate place, i tied the strings in place after carefully ensuring the correct way was obvious. Fourthly, We used Pill Pockets (dog medicine treats) as ammunition after our little Tiki tried to eat one of the clay projectiles we made. Little rat. So, we figured we would make treats the dogs would chase and make it fun for them as well. As you can see in this video, it works wonderfully! Very stable, easy to operate. We probably fired stuff of it for about an hour, and it is still in excellent shape. This was a great Saturday afternoon project for he and I, and I am looking forward to purchasing more of Leonardo's stuff for future projects. Hey- at least he got off the Minecraft.

This kit is great for older kids who enjoy building things but still like the fun of a toy. After it is assembled, you have a great toy to play with ! It is great value for a purchase that is appreciated by older kids who need something different . My grandson loved it - I was running out of ideas and this was perfect!

This is a decent mechanical model. Even though it comes in a small flat package, it turns into a decent size model after assembly. Almost all parts are wooden. The finish on the wood pieces is not very smooth, you may want to sand down the surfaces with some fine grit sandpaper or a sanding block before you start the assembly. The glue that comes with the kit is not the best and there is very little of it, so you may want to use your own wood glue if you have some. The precision of the wooden pieces is ok, though some of the small dowels used for assembly had inconsistent diameter that required either sanding them down or hammering them through. The biggest issue was the diagonal support beams that go the sides of the vertical support beams in the center. The ends of the ones I received were not cut to exactly 45 degrees, so I had to use some epoxy as a filler on the bottom to fit them snug. Also, the center hole in the two long horizontal beams were not exactly in the same location, which caused the axis of the spindle to be slightly off, but the model still functions ok. You definitely have to sand the top of the wood piece that stops the gear from turning, otherwise, it is difficult to pull it off with the attached string. Overall, a good wooden mechanical model with reasonable functionality with a few modifications during assembly.

Makes a great model. Clear easy to understand instructions, assembles easily, minimal sanding needed if any. And functions very well. *** INCLUDED PICTURES are of MY completed kit *** Built straight from the box,the competed model will look the same as photo on box.

My son helped my 11 year old grandson assemble this, and both of them are enjoying the catapult.

Fun and educational for my grandson.

I purchased this to make with my grandchild. He loved it and it was a great task to do together. It was great to use for taking them through each step. I do recommend going through before hand though and labeling each piece. The parts do not come marked for each step. This would be a good item to add to the production

Ordered this kit for my son. Came in, well packaged. The instructions are decent, but not a beginner kit instructions. The pieces are made well enough, but not a perfect fit as I have seen in other kits by different manufacturers. Everything fit well enough, but a more skilled hand would be required for a well functioning DaVinci catapult. I like the overall size of the final product. It is far larger than depicted. This kit needs some experienced assistance for the person who is assembling the kit. The instructions are not as clear as they could be. There are a few fitting points that require a more experienced hand. Otherwise this is a really good kit for a parent and child to assemble.

L'ho acquistata per mio figlio di sei anni, dopo che l'abbiamo vista in un negozio presso il castello di Amboise in Francia, a più del doppio del prezzo. Solo dopo che l'ha montata ho letto che l'età è dai 12 anni ed ho anche capito il perché. Non tanto per la difficoltà di montaggio, quanto per il fatto che quando è azionato, il braccio dà un bel colpo, che ho preso (due volte) sulla mano. Mio figlio però è stato più avveduto di me e non si è ancora fatto male. Il montaggio è abbastanza facile, mio figlio ha fatto quasi tutto da solo. L'importante è, secondo me, attendere un giorno che la colla si asciughi prima di usarla, altrimenti qualche pezzo potrebbe staccarsi all'atto del lancio e fare danni. Bello, lo ricomprerei.

A 6 year old will probably need some help from an adult. Concept really appeals to kids. High quality parts

Für meinen sechsjährigen Sohn ein toller Bausatz. Sehr gute Abwechslung zu Lego.

La compré para un proyecto y es genial. Funciona, lanza la pelota más fuerte de lo que me imaginaba y fue entretenido montarla. Las instrucciones están en alemán pero se pueden seguir perfectamente siguiendo los dibujos.

This was a fun build. It works great as well