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
----------------

On Nov 30, 8:54*pm, "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
----------------

Cool!

I grew up on New Haven, CT and lived a few blocks from this museum:

http://www.eliwhitney.org/new/

As I'm sure you already know, Erector Square was/is located in New
Haven, CT. They made American Flyer trains there as well.

I went to school with A.C. Gilbert's grandson, Neil who became a
patent attorney. Very nice person.

On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 22:54:06 -0600, "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.

My parents got separated for the 1959 year when I was 6-7 and my new
"uncle" Ken (Dad's boss, no less) bought me off g with a shiny new
top-of-the-line Erector Set with electric motor. I had an absolute
BLAST with that thing. It far outlasted uncle Ken.

Mom showed all her friends the moving robot nightstand I built.

Very fond memories. Thanks for sharing, Pete.

--
Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.
-- Franklin D. Roosevelt

On Nov 30, 8:54*pm, "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
----------------

Oh, and of course I had an Erector set growing up. I preferred Lionel
trains to American Flyer though. At one point I have a huge collection
of Lionel trains and while under legal working age I worked for Harry
Gordon who made reproduction Lionel and American Flyer train parts. I
also helped to run Harry Gordon's huge train setup during the
holidays. It needed 4 people to run it, it was so big. Brings back
memories of **** I haven't thought of in years. Thanks!

"jon_banquer" wrote in message
...
On Nov 30, 8:54 pm, "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
----------------

Oh, and of course I had an Erector set growing up. I preferred Lionel
trains to American Flyer though. At one point I have a huge collection
of Lionel trains and while under legal working age I worked for Harry
Gordon who made reproduction Lionel and American Flyer train parts. I
also helped to run Harry Gordon's huge train setup during the
holidays. It needed 4 people to run it, it was so big. Brings back
memories of **** I haven't thought of in years. Thanks!

====

http://www.scltc.org/pages/galleries/images.asp?GalleryID={ED545E0B-011B-4D1A-A4BD-F98C9E925514}

"jon_banquer" wrote in message
...
On Nov 30, 8:54 pm, "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
----------------

Oh, and of course I had an Erector set growing up. I preferred Lionel
trains to American Flyer though. At one point I have a huge collection
of Lionel trains and while under legal working age I worked for Harry
Gordon who made reproduction Lionel and American Flyer train parts. I
also helped to run Harry Gordon's huge train setup during the
holidays. It needed 4 people to run it, it was so big. Brings back
memories of **** I haven't thought of in years. Thanks!


==

This is Z scale..

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...39567384_n.jpg

I have one that is about 1/2 finished

"Pete S" wrote in message
.. .
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
----------------

I still have my rocket launcher set. Another favorite toy was the Kenner
bridge and turnpike set

On 11/30/2012 11:07 PM, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 22:54:06 -0600, "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.

My parents got separated for the 1959 year when I was 6-7 and my new
"uncle" Ken (Dad's boss, no less) bought me offg with a shiny new
top-of-the-line Erector Set with electric motor. I had an absolute
BLAST with that thing. It far outlasted uncle Ken.

Mom showed all her friends the moving robot nightstand I built.

Very fond memories. Thanks for sharing, Pete.

--
Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.
-- Franklin D. Roosevelt


you too, Larry.

On 12/1/2012 12:51 AM, Rick wrote:

"Pete S" wrote in message
.. .
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
----------------

I still have my rocket launcher set. Another favorite toy was the Kenner
bridge and turnpike set


Or like the rocket launcher in October Sky?

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
----------------

I had a few sets. The big set in the wooden case with the reversing AC
motor was neat.
They were "cleaned out" while I was away from home for a while.

Also had a real SkilCraft chemistry set. Had something like 50 chemicals
in plastic bottles, scales, test tubes, alcohol burner
and lots more.

--
Steve W.

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!)

Erik

"Pete S" wrote in message
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.... Pete Stanaitis

Ooooh, can't allow small parts that they might eat!
http://childsafetycentral.com/toy-choking-hazards.html

On 12/1/2012 12:07 AM, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 22:54:06 -0600, "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.

My parents got separated for the 1959 year when I was 6-7 and my new
"uncle" Ken (Dad's boss, no less) bought me off g with a shiny new
top-of-the-line Erector Set with electric motor. I had an absolute
BLAST with that thing. It far outlasted uncle Ken.

Mom showed all her friends the moving robot nightstand I built.

Very fond memories. Thanks for sharing, Pete.

--
Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.
-- Franklin D. Roosevelt


For many, many years I got a big box of wooden blocks. They were so
smooth, polished and hard and So many shapes. I would build all sorts
of buildings, forts, bridges and such. And my collection grew every
year! When I was 16 and started to work for my dad in the summer I
found out that all my beautiful blocks were ****IN" BRUSH BLOCKS MADE BY
THE THOUSANDS! Dad...what a cheap basterd!

On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 22:54:06 -0600, "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
----------------

Very nice Pete!


The methodology of the left has always been:

1. Lie
2. Repeat the lie as many times as possible
3. Have as many people repeat the lie as often as possible
4. Eventually, the uninformed believe the lie
5. The lie will then be made into some form oflaw
6. Then everyone must conform to the lie

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.

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
----------------
What was the earlier Erector like in terms of quality? I had Mecanno
from the UK as a child, I'm British, and remember the Erector from the
1970s as being a poor copy with very thin plates with slightly folded
edges for extra strength which were buggered if they got bent.

How comprehensive was the Erector? A mate that is very knowledgeable
about Mecanno has mentioned that there is a lot of subtle design and
choice of gear teeth numbers as would suit horological applications.
Maybe Hornby or one of the designers liked clocks.

On Sat, 01 Dec 2012 02:36:18 -0800, Erik wrote:

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!)

Erik

I had a number of Erector sets and of course the Lincoln logs and Vac
kits.

I guess that makes me normal. Least with the folks here.

and Lionel trains. (no slot cars though..never did care for them)

And bows and guns and knives Oh My!!

VBG

Gunner

The methodology of the left has always been:

1. Lie
2. Repeat the lie as many times as possible
3. Have as many people repeat the lie as often as possible
4. Eventually, the uninformed believe the lie
5. The lie will then be made into some form oflaw
6. Then everyone must conform to the lie

On Sat, 01 Dec 2012 13:45:32 -0800, Gunner
wrote:

On Sat, 01 Dec 2012 02:36:18 -0800, Erik wrote:

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!)

Erik

I had a number of Erector sets and of course the Lincoln logs and Vac
kits.

I wore out a Vac-u-form quickly and lost interest after restocking the
first time(cha CHING!), and Lincoln logs were passe in no time. But
the Erector set kept my interest for years. I think I donated it to a
younger down-the-street neighbor kid who showed interest in it after I
had outgrown it. GOOD STUFF gets passed on, not trashed.


I guess that makes me normal. Least with the folks here.

and Lionel trains. (no slot cars though..never did care for them)

I adored slot cars. Much faster than those slow, lumbering old train
things.


And bows and guns and knives Oh My!!

But of course!


VBG

I think you're grinning for the items which interested you but you're
NOT saying here, huh? wink

--
Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.
-- Franklin D. Roosevelt

On 12/1/2012 12:11 AM, jon_banquer wrote:
On Nov 30, 8:54 pm, "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
----------------

Oh, and of course I had an Erector set growing up. I preferred Lionel
trains to American Flyer though. At one point I have a huge collection
of Lionel trains and while under legal working age I worked for Harry
Gordon who made reproduction Lionel and American Flyer train parts. I
also helped to run Harry Gordon's huge train setup during the
holidays. It needed 4 people to run it, it was so big. Brings back
memories of **** I haven't thought of in years. Thanks!


Do you know anybody still interested in Lionel train sets? I have
1958-ish set I'd like to sell. It seems I don't set it up very often
anymore.

On 2012-12-01, David Billington wrote:
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
----------------
What was the earlier Erector like in terms of quality? I had Mecanno
from the UK as a child, I'm British, and remember the Erector from the
1970s as being a poor copy with very thin plates with slightly folded
edges for extra strength which were buggered if they got bent.

Well ... I had a kit as a kid, and built a lot of things using
it.

The parts were pretty good in general (view in memory), though
the girders had to be build up of four pieces which looked like this
(end on).
__
/ \ -- screw head
^-------^
||
| || |
||
v-------v
+----+
+----+ -- nut


With screws going though the top and bottom pieces to close them down on
the edges of the left and right pieces. Once assembled, that was pretty
strong. (The two side pieces are just like the top and bottom pieces,
but ASCII graphics limit my ability to show this.

The flat surfaces between the 'V' groove edges were punched full
of triangular holes to look like I-beams stitched together with riveted
angle bars -- somewhat like some construction I saw last time through
New York City.

How comprehensive was the Erector? A mate that is very knowledgeable
about Mecanno has mentioned that there is a lot of subtle design and
choice of gear teeth numbers as would suit horological applications.
Maybe Hornby or one of the designers liked clocks.

Most of the gears were stamped flat metal -- not good for long
term wear. Some of the smaller ones were brass pinions and bevel gears.
I don't remember intersting ratios -- but I did not know enough at that
age to recognize them. And they were lost a *long* time ago. My kit
was probably around 1946 or so. I kept making big things to take to
kindergarten, and the screws would vibrate loose in transit. (The tools
were rather minimal, too. A stamped open-end wrench and a screwdriver
made of round stock bent into a loop as a handle -- soft enough to the
blade would not keep a sharp shape if seriously used. :-)

I also got plastic model planes, but no glue to assemble them.

Enjoy,
DoN.

--
Remove oil spill source from e-mail
Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564
(too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html
--- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---

On Fri, 30 Nov 2012 22:54:06 -0600, "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
----------------
I still have the remains of a set from the forties in a box made by my
grandfather, also one of the red motors meant to run from a 6V.
battery. Haven't had the box open in over 20 years.
When I was ten or twelve years old, I made my own protective cup from
bits and pieces bolted together to wear while playing hockey.
Eventually the coach hinted to my Dad that I should have the real
equipment so my invention was parted out and returned to the box.
---

Gerry :-)}
London,Canada

On Dec 1, 4:05*pm, Tom Gardner Mars@Tacks wrote:
On 12/1/2012 12:11 AM, jon_banquer wrote:









On Nov 30, 8:54 pm, "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
----------------

Oh, and of course I had an Erector set growing up. I preferred Lionel
trains to American Flyer though. At one point I have a huge collection
of Lionel trains and while under legal working age I worked for Harry
Gordon who made reproduction Lionel and American Flyer train parts. I
also helped to run Harry Gordon's huge train setup during the
holidays. It needed 4 people to run it, it was so big. Brings back
memories of **** I haven't thought of in years. Thanks!

Do you know anybody still interested in Lionel train sets? *I have
1958-ish set I'd like to sell. *It seems I don't set it up very often
anymore.

I haven't been involved with collecting or buying and selling Lionel
trains since my teens. Everyone that I knew back then is out of
business or dead.

Yep - grew up on them then went into my dads real shop with more
capability.

I liked the metal 120 volt metal gear box unit - high speed take off in
the rear, and several slower ones in the front. Flip lever to change
speeds and such.

Mine was all metal - brass nuts, steel screws, pressed metal. Plastic
was exotic stuff - and Al was so special and expensive. Naturally this
was in 51 and 52 when I used them most. Passed them down to my two
younger brothers - 4 and 12 years younger.

Martin

On 11/30/2012 10:54 PM, 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
----------------

On Sat, 01 Dec 2012 19:05:01 -0500, Tom Gardner Mars@Tacks wrote:

On 12/1/2012 12:11 AM, jon_banquer wrote:
On Nov 30, 8:54 pm, "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
----------------

Oh, and of course I had an Erector set growing up. I preferred Lionel
trains to American Flyer though. At one point I have a huge collection
of Lionel trains and while under legal working age I worked for Harry
Gordon who made reproduction Lionel and American Flyer train parts. I
also helped to run Harry Gordon's huge train setup during the
holidays. It needed 4 people to run it, it was so big. Brings back
memories of **** I haven't thought of in years. Thanks!


Do you know anybody still interested in Lionel train sets? I have
1958-ish set I'd like to sell. It seems I don't set it up very often
anymore.
My train (Christmas 1949) is a Marx. My older boys (47 & 48) played
with it quite a bit. In fact I just peeled the piece of tape off the
transformer that I put on as a throttle stop after I got tired of the
frequent derailments. The steam engine from a year or two before that
needs a new flywheel, the original die cast one fell apart many years
ago - gotta fix that one of these days, possibly for a great grandson
- I only have grand daughters so far, the oldest 12 and living in the
other London.
---

Gerry :-)}
London,Canada

"DoN. Nichols" wrote in message
...

Well ... I had a kit as a kid, and built a lot of things using
it.

The erector set was fun, but what I really wanted was to be allowed to
use the table saw. It was really difficult to make a planked model
boat hull without a saw to rip the planks. My homemade toys either
flew or floated, for which wood is better than steel. I pestered the
folks until Dad checked me out on the saw and Mom on the sewing
machine, to make sails.

The copper foil to plate the hulls was rejected coax wrapping from the
1955 transatlantic telephone cable, made where Dad worked. For years
bad lots of the insulated center wire, copper wrapping and steel armor
wire could be found all around the NH seacoast area. They assembled
trial sections and measured the electrical impedance, and scrapped
whatever didn't give the correct value. We kids had more of it than we
could ever use.
jsw

On Sat, 01 Dec 2012 10:15:56 -0500, Tom Gardner Mars@Tacks wrote:

For many, many years I got a big box of wooden blocks. They were so
smooth, polished and hard and So many shapes. I would build all sorts
of buildings, forts, bridges and such. And my collection grew every
year! When I was 16 and started to work for my dad in the summer I
found out that all my beautiful blocks were ****IN" BRUSH BLOCKS MADE BY
THE THOUSANDS! Dad...what a cheap basterd!

He kept you well entertained for a whole lotta years by recycling
something he had leftover and/or easily available at the Shop, and you
didn't know any better. Doesn't just make him a cheap *******, it
made him a SMART cheap *******.

And I think he raised another one. Apple + Tree = {You Are Here.}

If you haven't figured it out yet, that's a Good Thing. Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle. You probably got the finished blocks that were culled
from having a knot in them - fine for toys, lousy for brushes.

A fool knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing. Don't
be a fool.

-- Bruce --

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
----------------

LEGOs here, combined with bits scavenged from broken RC cars I got from
Radio Shack for $1.

DoN. Nichols wrote:
On 2012-12-01, David Billington wrote:

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
----------------

What was the earlier Erector like in terms of quality? I had Mecanno
from the UK as a child, I'm British, and remember the Erector from the
1970s as being a poor copy with very thin plates with slightly folded
edges for extra strength which were buggered if they got bent.


Well ... I had a kit as a kid, and built a lot of things using
it.

The parts were pretty good in general (view in memory), though
the girders had to be build up of four pieces which looked like this
(end on).
__
/ \ -- screw head
^-------^
||
| || |
||
v-------v
+----+
+----+ -- nut


With screws going though the top and bottom pieces to close them down on
the edges of the left and right pieces. Once assembled, that was pretty
strong. (The two side pieces are just like the top and bottom pieces,
but ASCII graphics limit my ability to show this.

The flat surfaces between the 'V' groove edges were punched full
of triangular holes to look like I-beams stitched together with riveted
angle bars -- somewhat like some construction I saw last time through
New York City.


How comprehensive was the Erector? A mate that is very knowledgeable
about Mecanno has mentioned that there is a lot of subtle design and
choice of gear teeth numbers as would suit horological applications.
Maybe Hornby or one of the designers liked clocks.


Most of the gears were stamped flat metal -- not good for long
term wear. Some of the smaller ones were brass pinions and bevel gears.
I don't remember intersting ratios -- but I did not know enough at that
age to recognize them. And they were lost a *long* time ago. My kit
was probably around 1946 or so. I kept making big things to take to
kindergarten, and the screws would vibrate loose in transit. (The tools
were rather minimal, too. A stamped open-end wrench and a screwdriver
made of round stock bent into a loop as a handle -- soft enough to the
blade would not keep a sharp shape if seriously used. :-)

I also got plastic model planes, but no glue to assemble them.

Enjoy,
DoN.


I'm not really up on the Mecanno details but a mate is as he has played
with it for years and still does and is involved in the society AFAIK.
He's made things like 6 speed synchro boxes with high low range in
Mecanno, he likes big truck stuff. The horological reference was to some
of the seemingly odd gear teeth choices in Mecanno which apparently
allow quite precise approximation to things like the lunar cycle IIRC.

My grand father worked on something that had to do with cable. Might have
been the trans atlantic phone. He cut off part of a finger, on the table
saw. As a result, my Dad is spooky about table saw. Don't think he's ever
let me use it.

Now days, that copper would be disappeared in seconds, due to brass rats.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message
...

The erector set was fun, but what I really wanted was to be allowed to
use the table saw. It was really difficult to make a planked model
boat hull without a saw to rip the planks. My homemade toys either
flew or floated, for which wood is better than steel. I pestered the
folks until Dad checked me out on the saw and Mom on the sewing
machine, to make sails.

The copper foil to plate the hulls was rejected coax wrapping from the
1955 transatlantic telephone cable, made where Dad worked. For years
bad lots of the insulated center wire, copper wrapping and steel armor
wire could be found all around the NH seacoast area. They assembled
trial sections and measured the electrical impedance, and scrapped
whatever didn't give the correct value. We kids had more of it than we
could ever use.
jsw

I'm with you, that sounds like a wise and frugal
father, who did good.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Bruce L. Bergman (munged human readable)"
wrote in message
...

For many, many years I got a big box of wooden blocks. They were so
smooth, polished and hard and So many shapes. I would build all sorts
of buildings, forts, bridges and such. And my collection grew every
year! When I was 16 and started to work for my dad in the summer I
found out that all my beautiful blocks were ****IN" BRUSH BLOCKS MADE BY
THE THOUSANDS! Dad...what a cheap basterd!

He kept you well entertained for a whole lotta years by recycling
something he had leftover and/or easily available at the Shop, and you
didn't know any better. Doesn't just make him a cheap *******, it
made him a SMART cheap *******.

On 12/2/2012 12:05 AM, Bruce L. Bergman (munged human readable) wrote:
On Sat, 01 Dec 2012 10:15:56 -0500, Tom Gardner Mars@Tacks wrote:

For many, many years I got a big box of wooden blocks. They were so
smooth, polished and hard and So many shapes. I would build all sorts
of buildings, forts, bridges and such. And my collection grew every
year! When I was 16 and started to work for my dad in the summer I
found out that all my beautiful blocks were ****IN" BRUSH BLOCKS MADE BY
THE THOUSANDS! Dad...what a cheap basterd!

He kept you well entertained for a whole lotta years by recycling
something he had leftover and/or easily available at the Shop, and you
didn't know any better. Doesn't just make him a cheap *******, it
made him a SMART cheap *******.

And I think he raised another one. Apple + Tree = {You Are Here.}

If you haven't figured it out yet, that's a Good Thing. Reduce,
Reuse, Recycle. You probably got the finished blocks that were culled
from having a knot in them - fine for toys, lousy for brushes.

A fool knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing. Don't
be a fool.

-- Bruce --


They WERE fun! Hell, they STILL are!

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.


I got a set in '59 or '60 with the heavy AC motor. It disappeared a
few pieces at a time over the next decade. The only thing I had left
was the motor.