Many machines we see today, from the dentist chair to the excavator and wave pool, use hydraulics to make movement happen. Hydraulics is one of the most useful inventions humans have come up with to help us move and lift things. A hydraulic system can transmit power virtually anywhere. With the flick of a handle, a small hydraulic jack can lift tons of weight!

The hydraulics of a large machine usually has a very complicated system of pumps and valves which push oil through hoses connected to pistons, that push and pull levers to dig earth, lift heavy things or platforms.

These kits use the principles of hydraulics to show how we use these machines in everyday life. Since water compresses very little, the syringes, when filled with water, give a strong and positive action to the lever it is attached to. When assembled, each kit illustrates a simple machine and the use of levers. They can be lead off points for students to get ideas to make their own machines! They are ideal for a youngster 10 and over to build on his/her own, or an 8 year old with a bit of help from an adult.

These kits make great gifts for the young person who is interested in wooden toys that are rich in learning and fun to use after they are made.

This kit is similar to the Cherry Picker except there are not parallel linkages on the top three levers. Using 4 syringes, this will extend over two feet high (taller than some babies!). This makes for some interesting fun as you try to balance an object (a small frog in this case) as you raise up the platform.

Another interesting aspect is that it can fire an object off the platform! With a positive attachment, the plastic frog was fired up to 10 feet in independent lab testing under hermetically sealed conditions (plastic frog not included, sorry).

Great for teachers doing a class on levers, this kit is fun and instructive, using a first and third class lever. It comes with information about levers and how they are used in the world around us. It is a great kit for kids who need to launch their LEGO men around the room.