Zen of Drilling

With an easy touch and a keen ear, Sam turns out to be a master at the drill-press, managing to get both his axle plates drilled without stalling the drill even once.

Go Drill Go

Keep the pressure nice and even and you are rewarded.

John Henry's Screwdriver

Brendan is delighted that he's managed to wedge a screw so hard that Robyn is forced to resort to manual tools to get it loose. Tywen wiggles his loose tooth.

Team Driver

Connor prepares to attach the cart to Piper's stomach (or so it seems).

Safety First, Second, and Third

A goggled gang of safety conscious Tinkerers prepare to use the chop-saw (Gever will be operating the machinery).

Can't Bear to Watch

A moment seen from two perspectives: Tywen sees doom ahead, Brendan looks forward to it.

A Brand New Car!

Fiona is justly proud of her solidly built, top-of-the-line cart.

Driving Miss Piper

Piper thinks it needs a steering wheel, some softer upholstery, and a little more leg room.

Mysterious Visitor

Tyler's bike racing schedule conflicts with Tinkering School this year, but doesn't keep him from riding down (from Marin) for a visit. It does not take long for the Tinkerers to adjust to the big guy in strange clothing.

Two Happy Sams

Samantha and Yosemite Sam share an enthusiasm for power tools.

Eye of the Storm

While he waits for his turn at the drill-press, Nikhil catches up on some reading.

Kicking the Tires

With the carts up on the driveway, the Tinkerers ready the carts for hook-up.

Checking Under the Hood

Getting the linchpins in place requires a bit of manual dexterity and the cooperation of your neighbors.

Steady Hand

Piper stabilizes her cart so Nemo can the linchpin secured.

Taking Shape

The Caterpillar Cart takes shape amid plenty of "Oh, I get it now..." remarks.

Art it Up

Fiona puts the finishing touches on her cart decorations.

What is Going On Here?

No, seriously. What is Going On Here?

Ready, Steady...

The moment of truth. The moment when everyone steps into their carts at exactly the same instant.

Success!

Fully loaded, the Tinkerers each balance on their center axles and the Caterpillar Cart is ready to roll.

Adding the Test Engine

Though the Caterpillar Cart is designed for a sloped parking lot, Gever agrees to provide the power for some test runs in the driveway.

Skeptics

It turns out to be a little tricky to keep the carts balanced and steer at the same time - Connor and Nemo are not convinced.

Traffic is Backed up on the 101

After a long day of construction, the Tinkerers have little patience for delays.

An Emotional Spectrum

From sheer terror to boredom to canine distraction, emotions run the full gamut.

Mush You Husky

Gever is thinking about introducing the Tinkerers to an old lawnmower engine he has in the shed, or at least making a real harness.

Lean and Pull

Their efforts begin to pay off as the Tinkerers really put their all into the pulling, leaning, and grimacing.

A Caterpillaring We Go

With the power added by the synchronized turns from the Tinkerers, the Caterpillar Cart gets easier to pull and begins to pick up speed.

A Turn in the Yoke

Since Gever has retired from cart-pulling, Connor and Tywen take a turn in the harness.

Table for Fifteen

Robyn and Sam cook a fabulous, fresh, delicious dinner for the Tinkerers, a pair of visiting parents, and an uncle.

Tinkering After Hours

Fiona is a fiend for taking things apart. Tonight a wind up alarm clock and an old walkman fall to her nimble fingers and tools. She extracts the worlds tiniest spring and some nearly invisible screws.

Moment of Zen

we did it, hi mom - hi dad, now full steam ahead - not easy is it