Write something
Pinned
Dec '25 •
👋 Welcome to The Bonding Blueprint on Skool!
Hey everyone, I’m Ryan, and this is my son Evan! We’re the father and son behind The Bonding Blueprint. On YouTube, we’ve been sharing what we’re working on as a family, and we’ll continue to do that. Things like LEGO builds, STEM kits, DIY projects, 3D printing, gaming, and learning new skills side by side. If you haven't seen our channel, you can find that here: www.youtube.com/@thebondingblueprint This Skool exists for a different reason. We wanted a place where families could slow down a bit, talk to each other, share what they’re building, and learn from one another. Not just watch a video and move on, but actually be part of a community. This Skool is for: - Parents who want to spend more hands-on time with their kids - Kids who enjoy building, creating, and figuring things out - Families who already love this stuff and want to go deeper - Families who don’t know how to do any of this yet, but think it looks interesting or want to try You do not need any prior experience to be here. You don’t need to be an expert. We definitely aren’t. A big part of what we try to show, both on YouTube and here in Skool, is that a lot of these topics can look complicated or intimidating at first glance. LEGO mega builds, STEM kits, 3D printing, home improvement tools, DIY projects, even gaming setups can feel like something only experts do. In reality, once you break things down into smaller steps, watch someone else work through it, or tackle it together as a family or a community, those same projects become very approachable. That has been the whole point of our content from the beginning. Showing families that you do not need prior knowledge to start, you just need curiosity, patience, and a willingness to learn together. We make mistakes. We backtrack. We figure things out as we go. And we talk honestly about what worked and what didn’t. The most important part of this Skool is participation. Posts, comments, questions, and sharing your own projects are what will make this place valuable.
3h •
Wire stripping for the Iron Man build, this tool speeds things up
We're deep in the wiring phase of the Iron Man suit and needed to prep a bunch of wires for the servos and electronics. Before we got going, I wanted to show Evan and all of you how this tool works. The red stop controls strip depth for consistency, and the dual-arm mechanism grabs the insulation on one side and cuts-and-pulls with the other in a single motion. Once Evan learned this, he went to town and had the wires prepped faster than I could solder them. Having the right tools for a job makes a huge difference. I have a traditional wire stripper and I'll probably never take it out of my bag ever again. If you do electronics work with your kids, what's a tool or technique that help to make the process better? https://www.youtube.com/shorts/E6izSs9U5xo
1
0
4d •
Why we picked this board for the Iron Man Helmet
We're working through the electronics for the Iron Man helmet and chest piece, and the Arduino Nano is the brain for most of it. The CrashWorks board pre-wires every pin on the Nano out to a labeled jack along the edge of the board. Instead of soldering a wire to each pin, we plug a connector into the jack we want, and that pin is live. Each jack has its own dedicated purpose, which makes troubleshooting later way easier too. That single design choice took the wiring step from "dad solders for an hour" to "Evan and I plug things in together," which is the whole point of doing this build the way we do. The big takeaway for us is that a little bit of research and the right hardware choice is what lets my son actually do the build with me instead of watching, and that's worth more than saving the few bucks on a bare Nano. Have you done any wiring like this on a project? How did it go? https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4KFU9g3maKo
6d •
Stopped the Iron Man build to get the soldering technique right
We're wiring up electronics for the Iron Man suit and before we got too deep into it, we made sure the actual soldering technique was solid. The thing that gets most beginners is that the solder doesn't go on the iron. You heat the wire or surface first, then touch the solder to the other side of the wire, and it melts toward the heat. Pull the solder away first, then the iron right after. Do it the other way and the solder sticks to the tip and you've got a mess to deal with. This is one of those things that sounds obvious once someone explains it, but the instinct is completely backwards when you're first learning. Getting the principle right is the difference between a clean joint and a cold one that'll cause problems later. Was there a specific moment when soldering started clicking for you, or for your kid if you've taught them?
1
0
12d •
Teaching wire splicing mid-build and why it actually matters
We're deep into the electronics phase of the Iron Man suit build, and wiring is where things start getting real fast. We stopped mid-session to walk through proper twist-splice technique together. The method is: hold both wires, overlap one over the other from both sides simultaneously, like you're linking your fingers. It keeps the connection tight and prevents separation. The bigger lesson was the warning: if your ground wire ever crosses the power wire, you can short circuit the board. It's not the most exciting moment on camera, but honestly it might be one of the most important. This is the kind of foundation that determines whether a build works or goes up in smoke. It's important to teach our kids these skills and teaching it on camera means Evan has the reference forever. Have any of you traced a short circuit mid-build before? How long did it take to figure out it was a wiring issue and not something else?
1
0
1-27 of 27
powered by
skool.com/the-bonding-blueprint-7437
A family-focused community where parents and kids build, game, and learn together through shared experiences, DIY projects, and STEM activities.
Suggested communities
Powered by