Unimat 6-in-1 Tool: Keeping Kids' Tools Dangerous
The Unimat 6-in-1 tool kit is sort of like an exploded Dremel with the working bits in the middle, capable of being transformed into different tools like a jig-saw and a lathe. It looks like a handy bit of equipment for tinkerers and modelers. (Its original intended market.)
But what struck me most about the Unimat—now out of production, I believe, but still available for sale—was how it was being marketed to children "over six." (Or rather, still is being marketed that way by a North American reseller.) Here's a set of small but real tools with real cutting surfaces being hawked for kids ages eight and up, treating them like the perfectly capable little humans that they are. There's even a lower-powered version called the Playmat for kids six and under. Awesome! I don't want to get curmudgeonly about the genuine versus the simulated experience, especially since I spent a couple hours learning to play drums in Rock Band last night, but kids shouldn't be afraid to make things, nor should we be afraid of letting them use tools with the proper training and supervision.
Thinkgeek used to sell them, but no longer. Someone also wrote up a review of the Unimat back in '01 which should still be mostly useful, should you want to track one down today.
(Thanks, Corey!)
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I guess I'm confused because Thinkgeek's site says they are "in-stock."
Have contacted them and they told you were out of luck?
I had the 1978 reissue of The Power Shop, which was like this but much tamer. Still very fun & educational in the way a barbie electric car can't be, but I felt limited because it only worked with the balsa wood planks that came with it -- I couldn't use thicker material. But, they achieved their goal of safety -- I still have all my fingers!
I used to work in a shop that had one of the "adult" Unimat multi-function lathe-and-everything-else tools (circa 1985). It was fun to try out, but in four years I can only remember once when it was used for any real purpose. The reason -- unless you're building miniatures, it's too small to make anything worth the trouble.
I bought a version if this for wood from Harbor Freight. I wanted to dabble in miniature lathe work. It was, frankly, crap. It was incredibly fiddly to put together, and once configured for specific task, it was a Major Pain to reconfigure for another tool. It was underpowered and wasn't strong or tight enough to do anything like real work.
The Unimat may be better made, but it sure looks the same.
Appears that a 6-1 can be had here http://scientificsonline.com/Product.asp?pn=3053776&sid=google&cm_mmc=google-_-cpc-_-edmu-_-unimat1&bhcd2=1195706089 for $449, gift wrap available.
The Unimat is great - I have one of those at home, and as a kid I really liked working with it. As far as I know, it is still in production:
http://www.unimat.at
I'm with Wolf (#3), the Unimat can really only be used for rather small things....
I always feared the 6-in-1 Unimat was more toy than tool.
If you are serious, you'll want to step-up to the miniature machine tools like those sold by Micro-mark.
Not ready for something that big or expensive? This setup to convert your Dremel into a milling machine looks very well made.
Regards,
Dug North
I also had one of these when I was a kid - the jigsaw and drill worked fine on soft wood, but I couldn't get the lathe to do much, even with the dowel that came in the box. My candlestick making career was therefore very brief.