Fixes for Common Workshop Snags

The surface is usually too cold, dusty or glossy. Scuff glossy card or plastic lightly with fine sandpaper, wipe it, and warm it for a few seconds with a hairdryer. Apply smaller beads and press the parts together within five seconds.

The weight is off-centre or the bristles are uneven. Move the motor toward the middle and trim the bristles to the same length. Bristles that lean slightly backward make it travel forward more reliably.

Old baking soda, diluted vinegar or no dish soap are the usual culprits. Test a pinch of soda in vinegar first; if it barely bubbles, replace it. A drop of soap traps the gas and makes the foam climb.

Fill syringes and tubing underwater so no air sneaks in, push tubing at least 1 cm onto each nozzle and secure with a small cable tie. Bubbles make joints spongy; leaks make them drift.

Most suit ages 8 and up with an adult nearby. Projects with hot glue, blades, soldering or coin batteries need direct, hands-on supervision, and coin cells must be kept away from young children.

Flip it round first: the longer leg goes to positive. Then test the battery with a multimeter, and check that bare wire, not insulation, is touching each contact.

The score lines are uneven. Re-measure at the top and bottom of each line and always score against a metal ruler. Slightly heavier card also helps it stand straight.

Our times include drying but not setup. Add about 15 minutes for laying out materials and tidying up, and a little extra the first time you try a new technique.

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