3DPrinting

I get what you're expressing. I'm not going to try and force him to enjoy it if he hates it.

However, he's about to be as old as I was when I got my first job. Some personal discipline is necessary. The family business is going to be machining and at minimum, he will push buttons and load parts at some point.

He spends several hours a day playing Storm works and has been teaching himself the Lua scripting that is in it. He has expressed interest in civil engineering, architect, and all sorts of mechanical things. He's nuts about cars, tractors, trucks.

We're kind of reaching the point where the rubber meets the road. I have provided Arduinos, discrete component kits, knives for whittling, his own rolling tool chest, pirate server, rpi, FFA involvement, python, and so on. There has been some engagement, but, not the deep engagement he shows with gamified machines.

I need him spending less time gaming, even if it is an engineering based game, and more time building some practical skills. He's at the age to begin transitioning to an adult. He'll be driving soon. It is time to be a little firmer about learning real world mechanical skills. It's my duty.

He's been very excited about the printers at school and the seat of Fusion. I'm hoping this will spark the fire.

Given his interests, it's critical he actually learn how to model instead of playing with the limited implementation in something like stormworks. (He frequently shows me machinery he's built in game and we discuss them.)

He did built a kit picnic table this year, where he had to chop saw the 2x4s and screw it together. I've about got RTFM hammered into him.

I'm also pushing him to research his interests instead of just watching YouTube videos. He doesn't have to be a machinist or even mechanical, even though his interests are there. However, he must begin learning how to work and teach himself.