Adult Erector Set

[Aldon 4,826]

I think I know why I am drawn to these tractors so much.

 

It was an epiphany moment as I was out last night with my wife.

 

It came up as I was explaining why I enjoyed working on them so much.

 

I used to have one of these Motorized erector sets. I would spend hours with it daily when I was 3-5 years old.

 

In essence, I find these wheel horses very similar. Your only limits are what you can imagine and afford:)

 

[SALTYWRIGHT 859]

I ALSO HAD ONE THAT I PLAYED WITH EVERY DAY.(A LONG TIME AGO.)

[doc724 924]

Me as well-probably why I became a mechanical engineer as an adult.  They do have new ones out-bought some for the grandkids as an alternate to Lego's.  Parts are not a robust and the screws and nuts are really small. One positive change is that the screw heads are allen type.  Those slotted head screws from the 50's were dangerous.  One slip of the el cheapo screwdriver and you got gouged but good!

[Wishin4a416 2,190]

I had one as well. Enjoyed it very much.. Oh so long ago!

[rmaynard 15,265]

28 minutes ago, doc724 said:

Those slotted head screws from the 50's were dangerous.  One slip of the el cheapo screwdriver and you got gouged but good!

And that's why all the "real" boys of our generation had scars all over their hands. 

[KC9KAS 4,741]

Just don't get many scars from video games. 

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,225]

Always wanted one but never in the Christmas budget. Fixed the parents when I started working started dragging cars, lawn mowers and go carts home. Wish I had saved some of that money now. 

 

[oliver2-44 9,352]

Being the 4 child I had bits or Erector set, early Legos, Tinker Toys, and Lincoln Logs. My dad drilled holes in some Lincoln Logs so I could attach the Erector set metal pieces to them and I was in "tall cotton". Great memories

[rmaynard 15,265]

32 minutes ago, KC9KAS said:

Just don't get many scars from video games. 

Just the ones in their brains. 

[DougC 2,641]

I found out last October that the adult version of an erector set is a new Original Cab snow cab. That is how the guy from New Haven Power Equipment  described them on the phone.......... And he was right.......

[ztnoo 2,298]

Yeah, I had one too.....also Lincoln Logs.

Like they have been saying for a very long time......"the only difference between men and boy is the price of their toys."

[Digger 66 3,478]

Same here , these are a very "external" machine much like a hit-&-miss or a steam locomotive .

Steam locomotives & hit-n-misses both interest me but I'd have nowhere to park the locomotive & would probably be hauled off to the slammer if I plopped a hit-n-miss in my yard .

 

 

[squonk 40,659]

I had American Plastic Bricks. I had about 3 sets of them and could build giant buildings with them.

 

        

 

 

[Marv 894]

My cousin had one. When I saw it I thought it was the greatest thing. I wanted one but we could not afford one. It had an electric motor in it. We did not have electricity so I couldn't have used that part . Never did get one. 

Marvin

[wallfish 16,721]

Had one too and spent many many hours playing with it.

We also had the incredibly safe wood burner kits too. (basically a soldering iron) Those also left quite a few scars. Ah, the good old days!

[857 horse 2,581]

We used to camp out......in the back yard........

 

today its neglect or abuse........i dont know which..

[AMC RULES 37,070]

Talk about leaving some scars Ralphy.  

The ol' Red Rider had nothing on this.  

[Phil854 130]

9 minutes ago, AMC RULES said:

Talk about leaving some scars Ralphy.  

The ol' Red Rider had nothing on this.  

Yea but there is no compass in the stock so you would get lost in the woods

I had a Crossman too

[AMC RULES 37,070]

No need for one either...    

just follow the carcass trail back out. 

                             

[Phil854 130]

I had 2 sets  of Erector sets  Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys  great times as a kid  Still have Erector sets in attic

[953 nut 54,136]

1 hour ago, squonk said:

had American Plastic Bricks

My cousins and I had a few sets of bricks and rely built some skyscrapers, guess that is why I went into construction rather than being a mechanical engineer.

 

5 hours ago, doc724 said:

probably why I became a mechanical engineer

 

[JERSEYHAWG / Glenn 4,497]

Boy or boy, memory lane with the erector set. Many many fun times with it. A long long long time ago. Sigh,,,,,,

 

Glenn

[elcamino/wheelhorse 9,225]

It is funny to think the "Toys" we got as kids are now too dangerous. Anyone have a bike helmet , got my first pocket knife when I was 5 or 6 . My father thought I was old enough. B B guns were for war games , shot each other with the guns loaded. Had the wood burning set and scars to prove it. 

[roadapples 6,983]

Had the wood burning set also, and still have my erector set.. nearly 60 years old..

[daveoman1966 3,726]

I built a 3 ft high rolling 'robot' with my 110v motorized Erector set, and it had a little light on top.....Scared the beejesus outta Mom at 3am by power rolling it into their bedroom.  Got gentle whooppin from Dad.  I bought hundreds of nuts, bolts, V pulleys, girders, etc from Gilbert via mail order catalog.  This was in the early 60s and I left it to my neighbor kids after high school.  Untold days on end playing with this set building any number of things...including a mini log splitter. It was from this set that I learned how to use a flat screwdriver...probably on the 2nd or 3rd stab wound. 

Lincoln logs, tinker toys, Plastic bricks took up my childhood.