NSI Smithsonian Giant Volcano Kit Rating :
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful.
This kit is a bust.
By PatrickHenryPDX
The product description says: "Build and erupt a 'volcano' with our new dual mold system. Make the most realistic volcano ever. Eruption tablets create accurate volcanic simulations. A world of adventure and science is great. Detailed instructions are included."
The "dual mold" includes top and bottom shells that form a mold for the volcano - you "build" it by combining the supplied cement-like sand material with water in a mixing bowl that you provide. You then stir it to remove lumps for "1 to 2 minutes," i.e., stir fast! Then you pour the water/sand mix into the space between the top and bottom shells and wait for 15-18 minutes (you do this with the mold upside down). Then, carefully invert the mold and remove the top shell. Then you wait for 24 hours for the volcano to set up. The building process makes a fair mess, so be prepared for some clean up of the sand mix from your mixing bowl, etc.
The above is the building part. The resulting volcano seems to be fairly strong and can be reused, at least for a while.
The eruption part of this kit was an utter failure. The kit says to pour club soda into the volcano and then add the "eruption tablets." This is presumably an acid-base reaction to generate carbon dioxide bubbles. The tablets have a red dye in them. My experience was that there was utterly NO bubbles or eruption. There are about 30 tablets included (maybe less), and you're supposed to use 5 for each eruption. I started with 5 and nothing happened. Added 5 more and still no eruption.
At that point I changed plans and went with the tried-and-true method: add baking soda, liquid dishwashing soap, and McCormick Spice's red food coloring to the inside of the volcano, and then add white vinegar. Of course, that worked like a charm.
Overall, I think this would be a lousy gift because it does not live up to expectations, or indeed work at all! The only thing that kept me from giving this one star is that the volcano can be used for the tried-and-true baking soda and vinegar method. However, for the cost, it's not really worth it just for the volcano. I would buy a couple of blocks of modeling clay instead.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
Very Disappointing
By Shopper
The picture on the box is incredibly misleading bordering on false advertisement. The plaster in the box is a white sand-based mixture with no dye or paint to give any darker contrast (not even close the dark color shown on the box). The volcano made with the mixture seems durable enough but takes longer to cure than is stated in the directions.
The system for making the volcanic eruption is a combination of baking soda tablets and club soda -- there is a very slight amount of dye in the tablets. The "lava" is weakly colored and barely noticable; it is absorbed quickly into the plaster mold with virtually no trace of where it had been. Very little of the "lava" made it to the base of the volcano. The foaming lava does not last for very long; the foam quickly dissipates while the liquid vanishes into the plaster.
The tablets only last for perhaps 15-20 seconds with just a dribble of the faintly colored lava flowing out the top of the top of the volcano.
With the Smithsonian name on the package we were expecting more. It is unfortunate they would endorse such a poor product.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
They Have Changed The Kit! So much better now.
By L. Wright
When my 4th child, my 6 yr old daughter, decided she wanted to do a volcano for her science fair project, I inwardly groaned. Having gone the modeling clay and salt dough methods in the past with my older children, I really wasn't up for doing this project again. So, I decided to make life easier and buy a kit from the local craft store. I brought it home, THEN decided to read the reviews on it before we started, as there are often good hints in them. Unfortunately I found this volcano had horrible reviews. No one seemed to have any success with them. I almost took it back, but decided to take a peak at the contents. They were completely different from what had been described by previous viewers, so we took a chance at it. It seems that Smithsonian has paid attention to the reviews and the new contents avoid all the previous problems. Instead of a poorly fitting plastic mold that you have to quickly pour uncooperative gray cement into, there are now 2 large cardboard circles that you use embroidery floss to weave a lava tube to. Sounds complicated, I know, but with an extra hand (I actually used my chin) to hold the lava tube in place during the first half, it really isn't difficult. (Use a knife to ensure the slits in the cardboard are all open before you start. Some of the pegs will have more than one string looped over them- just keep the strings all going vertical.) I then taped the structure down onto a larger piece of foamboard. (Not included.) Then, 2 rolls of plaster impregnated mesh tape are cut into 6 inch strips. You then dip the strips into warm water and drape and smooth them around the structure, overlapping them slightly until the entire volcano is covered. My 6 yr old was able to do this part completely without assistance. The plaster was completely dry by the following day. The result was nice and lightweight. The string structure resulted in vertical groove lines that we liked, because they gave the feel of lava flow lines. In fact, I kinda wish we had intentionally made the grooves a little more prominent. The old kit had no paint and was gray. The new contents include brown and green paints with a little sponge to apply them with. My 6 yr old used a paintbrush instead, and needed additional paint because she also painted the foam board base. The kit also includes a small vial of lava "glow" paint that we have yet to add. There are no longer non-working eruption tablets, either. Instead, you are expected to provide your own coloring, vinegar and baking powder (creates a longer eruption than baking soda, according to the directions). But, we have those on hand and specific amounts and instructions are given, so we expect success when we try it tonight. I don't usually write reviews, but felt I had to so people would know that this kit is no longer such a bust. It's been the easy experience I had hoped for! It's too bad Smithsonian doesn't get a fresh review slate to go with the new and improved contents. (Note: I don't know if the old kits are still out on the market. The box our kit came in looked exactly like the one above, except with a sticker touting the glow paint that it came with.)
Edited to add: We added the glow paint. It isn't much, but is pretty impressive looking when the lights are turned off. The recommended amounts of baking powder and vinegar aren't really enough. It's more of a bubbling effect. The baking powder makes bubbles for a longer period of time, but baking soda has a quicker, more dramatic reaction. The best volcano effect is with a reaction called "elephant toothpaste" using yeast. A google search should get you the amounts needed. Anyways, the kit was great. She had the most beautiful volcano at the science fair. : )
Product Description
52042 Features: -Study the differences between six types of volcanoes.-Ages 8 and up. Includes: -Includes two volcano bases, one eruption tube, four double stick tapes, five color paints, one color glow paint, two rolls plaster strips, one foam tape, one string, one sponge and 23" x 17" color poster with instructions. Color/Finish: -Light and lava glows in full color in the dark.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #22023 in Toys & Games
- Brand: Smithsonian
- Model: 52042
- Released on: 2009-06-01
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 11.75" h x3.50" w x10.50" l,
Features
- Make the most realistic volcano ever
- Eruption tablets create accurate volcanic simulations
- A world of adventure
- Science is great
- Detailed instructions
