In article ,
says...

In article ,
"Pete S" wrote:

Seems that fewer and fewer kids are learning about building things with toys
that use real nuts and bolts these days. I think that's too bad.
I just gathered up my own small collection of Gilbert Erector set stuff and
put up a webpage about it.

It's at:

http://www.spaco.org/MachineShop/Ere...ErectorSet.htm

The period I'm interested in is the 1940's and 1950's. Shortly after that
era they started taking all the fun out of it with plastic parts and low
power battery motors.

Pete Stanaitis
----------------

An erector set was a big part of my 'formative' years as well. I messed
with mime almost exclusively for years on end... with that era
overlapping the later model airplane phase by a good bit.

Never had one of the bigger sets, but acquired many smaller sets as
presents/gifts, and traded/bartered numerous components with neighbor
kids through the years.

Also check this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erector_Set

I remember all our carpets being contaminated with little machine
screws/nuts; walking barefoot was never comfortable!

There were some other minor players through that period as well... like
Lincoln Logs, and the Mattel 'Vac-U-Form'... and occasionally components
of, or formed by all three intermixed. But the Erector set was the
undisputed 'standard'.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Logs

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vac-u-form

http://www.gaugepods.com/vacuform/parts.htm

Thanks for the memories Pete! Just decided I'm going start searching
eBay tomorrow, and treat myself to a set! (Bet they're pricy by now!)

If you want to have some (somewhat pricey) fun get yourself a VEX
Robotics starter kit. The metal parts are interchangeable with Meccano
(not quite the same ae Erector but close) and it adds the big thing that
was always missing from Erector/Meccano--decent motors. Also servos,
radio control, and programmability.

Rat shack carried it for a while--apparently it didn't sell well enough
for them to keep it.