The Wow We Syringe Excavator kit (SP_08) is a hands-on Technology / PAT hydraulics project — learners build a wooden excavator and move the arm and bucket with syringe pressure, just like a simplified digger.
This guide covers the classroom idea, how to plan the build, and where to buy the kit in South Africa.
What this project teaches
• Hydraulics / fluid pressure in a closed system
• Linkages that turn syringe motion into digging action
• Design–make–evaluate skills for PAT write-ups
• Real-world link: excavators and construction machinery
Real excavators use high-pressure hydraulics. This school kit is a safe classroom model of that idea — not a real digger.
Kit facts (Wow We SP_08)
• Product: Syringe Excavator School Project Kit (SP_08)
• Made in South Africa by Wow We
• Shop: https://www.wowwe.co.za/products/syringe-excavator-school-projects-sp-08
• Related hydraulics kit: Jaws of Life (SP_01)
• Teachers hub: https://www.wowwe.co.za/pages/for-teachers-caps-pat-school-project-kits
Check the live product page for current price, stock, and what’s in the box.
What you may need besides the kit
• Wood glue (and drying time)
• Clean water (or the fluid your instructions specify) for the syringes
• Paper towel for spills
• Optional paint for the finished model
Suggested classroom plan
1. Intro: how diggers move arms with hydraulic cylinders
2. Dry-fit boom, bucket, and base; identify which syringe drives which motion
3. Assemble structure; let glue dry fully
4. Connect tubing; fill carefully with minimal air bubbles
5. Test lift / curl; note binding or leaks
6. PAT write-up: labelled diagram, method, results, improvements
Common mistakes
• Air bubbles in tubing (spongy, weak movement)
• Gluing joints that must still pivot
• Testing before glue is set
• Over-filling syringes and forcing the mechanism
Related Wow We kits
• Jaws of Life hydraulics: https://www.wowwe.co.za/products/jaws-of-life-school-projects
• Jaws guide: https://www.wowwe.co.za/blogs/news/jaws-of-life-school-project-hydraulics-guide
• Hydraulic Jack (SP_19): https://www.wowwe.co.za/products/school-projects-kit-hydraulic-jack
• Electromagnet Crane: https://www.wowwe.co.za/products/electromagnet-crane-school-projects-sp-03a
Buy the kit
https://www.wowwe.co.za/products/syringe-excavator-school-projects-sp-08
School orders: WhatsApp +27 81 544 3750
All school kits: https://www.wowwe.co.za/collections/school-project-kits
FAQ: https://www.wowwe.co.za/pages/wow-we-faq-school-kits-models-shipping
Wow We is a South African maker of laser-cut STEM kits — not affiliated with woww.co.za or WowWee.
