Science & Discovery

Excavators are big machines that are used to dig holes and move earth, and this model uses the same principles as those used in real situations, except you use water instead of hydraulic fluid.

There are many types of excavators and this kit uses a first and third class lever to make the arm and shovel move. 

We think it provides and excellent example of how we use technology to dig things up. 

Great for kids to learn about hydraulics, levers and simple machines, and to finish small excavating projects. Simple to build in less than an hour, you need only a pair of scissors to make this fun and functional model. Best of all: no batteries required! GREAT FOR STEM PROGRAMS!

·  Easy instructions, suitable for beginner model makers.

Platform lifters are cool simple machines that are used to lift platforms horizontally.

This model uses the same principles as those in real situations, except you use water instead of hydraulic fluid much cleaner!

This kit is similar to the Cherry Picker except the platform swings freely.

Fully extended it stands over 22 cm high. This makes for some interesting fun as you can balance an object as you  raise up the platform.

Easy to assemble in less than an hour, this kit uses one hydraulic piston attached to the main arm. Great for teachers and kids to get going on the study of levers and simple machines, and a great beginning to make their own machines!

Best of all: no batteries required!

$17 one set/$120 for 10 sets

Widely used by power and telephone companies (and anyone who wants to get a cat out of a tree) this is an excellent model showing levers and hydraulics.

Using a parallel linkage, the platform stays level all the way up and down. And it swivels side to side! Great fun for moving Lego people around, (sorry, not included).

The nice thing about the parallel linkage is that as the platform moves up and down, the people don't fall off (we think that is a nice touch!)

Easy to assemble in less than an hour, this kit uses one hydraulic piston attached to the main arm.

Best of all: no batteries required!

$17 one set /$120 for 10 sets

Great for STEM programs!

Hydraulic  Mini Scissor Lifts are cool machines that are used on building sites to lift a platform horizontally. They are commonly used to reach high places like ceilings with a steady place to work from.

This model uses the same principles as those in real situations, except you use water instead of hydraulic fluid - nice!

Once made the Scissor Lift provides an excellent example of how we use technology to reach the top Great for kids to learn about hydraulics, levers and simple machines. Simple to build in less than an hour, you need only a pair of scissors to make this fun and functional model.

Best of all: no batteries required!

Great for STEM programs and perfect for home learning too!

This kit contains 4 hydraulics kits in one mini-Mega box of fun.

These kits provide hours of interesting building and thoughtful use – building blocks, moving Lego people around the house, and for those who want to give their mouse the ride of his life!

Kits included are: Mini Scissor Lift, Hydraulic Robotic Arm, Mini Cherry Picker, and Mini Excavator.

Most models stand between 18 and 24 cm high when fully extended and can hold things like a glass of milk, toys, false teeth and other fun items!

Great for STEM programs and perfect for home learning too!

Hydraulic Gearbots are not all that common, but the fun thing about this one is that it is relatively easy to make, will amaze your friends, and you can toss popcorn around when your parents are not home (if you are a parent don’t read that last sentence).

There is information about the different gears at the end, and if you read it our researchers said you could be 42% smarter!

It was awarded “2016 Toy of the Year“- for building kits by Creative Child Magazine!

Great for STEM programs and perfect for home learning too!

One of the most common types of bridges for freight trains, our Truss Design Lift Bridge is a working replica of the many lift bridges that have been made over the last 100 years.

Lift bridges became the workhorses of the freight railroads for many years as rail lines expanded over the rivers and ports of the world. The design was particularly useful in areas where there was no room for a bridge to swing, such as a busy industrial port. This bridge uses a small handle and crankshaft to lift the centre span to the top of the truss structure, allowing trolls and other vehicles to safely pass between the two ends.

The kit can be mostly made without glue and taken apart for storage. Snug slot construction and accurate cutting makes this possible!

The bridge was designed by Leonardo Da Vinci between 1485 and 1490, to be built rapidly with local trees, that could be easily slid into place, lashed together, and then crossed quickly, making troop movement over rivers speedy, creating a surprise factor that was critical to success in battles.

Leonardo applied the laws of statics, which he had developed during his architectural research. In his journals he wrote laws about friction, one of which stated that if the load on an object is doubled, its friction also doubles.

Interestingly, when weight is applied down, it gets tighter and stronger, yet when lifted it falls.

One of Leonardo’s most iconic images, the Aerial Screw (also known as the Helicopter) illustrates the ingenuity of Da Vinci, and indicates (along with many other drawings!) his obsession with flying.

While this 15th Century (!) idea may never have got off the ground, for some basic technical reasons, it gave us an insight into the different ways in which Leonardo considered the challenge of human powered flying, and defines him as an inventor well ahead of his time.

While it is often referred to as a helicopter, the premise of the lift to make it rise is more like Archimedes’ screw than the rotors of a helicopter.

Flying has always been a dream of humans, and Leonardo’s fascination with birds and flight was evident in his studies of birds and different human powered flying machines.

His ornithopter design has captured the imagination of people for generations, and we have combined his cool flying machine with one of his bevel gear designs to make a neat working model with flapping wings and a pilot with moving arms and legs.

While it remains a mystery if his ornithopter design was ever fully made or tested at the time, there are many ideas (hanging in museums around the world!) of what it might have looked like, and we have added our ideas as well.

Dimensions: 17 x 23 x 12 in

Great for STEM programs and perfect for home learning too!