Aldon 4,826 #1 Posted April 16, 2016 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:) 13 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SALTYWRIGHT 859 #2 Posted April 16, 2016 I ALSO HAD ONE THAT I PLAYED WITH EVERY DAY.(A LONG TIME AGO.) 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
doc724 924 #3 Posted April 16, 2016 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! 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wishin4a416 2,190 #4 Posted April 16, 2016 I had one as well. Enjoyed it very much.. Oh so long ago! 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rmaynard 15,265 #5 Posted April 16, 2016 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. 10 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KC9KAS 4,741 #6 Posted April 16, 2016 Just don't get many scars from video games. 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elcamino/wheelhorse 9,225 #7 Posted April 16, 2016 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. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oliver2-44 9,352 #8 Posted April 16, 2016 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 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rmaynard 15,265 #9 Posted April 16, 2016 32 minutes ago, KC9KAS said: Just don't get many scars from video games. Just the ones in their brains. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougC 2,641 #10 Posted April 16, 2016 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....... 11 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ztnoo 2,298 #11 Posted April 16, 2016 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." 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Digger 66 3,478 #12 Posted April 16, 2016 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 . 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squonk 40,659 #13 Posted April 16, 2016 I had American Plastic Bricks. I had about 3 sets of them and could build giant buildings with them. 8 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marv 894 #14 Posted April 16, 2016 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 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wallfish 16,721 #15 Posted April 17, 2016 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! 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
857 horse 2,581 #16 Posted April 17, 2016 We used to camp out......in the back yard........ today its neglect or abuse........i dont know which.. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 37,070 #17 Posted April 17, 2016 Talk about leaving some scars Ralphy. The ol' Red Rider had nothing on this. 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil854 130 #18 Posted April 17, 2016 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 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AMC RULES 37,070 #19 Posted April 17, 2016 No need for one either... just follow the carcass trail back out. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Phil854 130 #20 Posted April 17, 2016 I had 2 sets of Erector sets Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys great times as a kid Still have Erector sets in attic 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 54,136 #21 Posted April 17, 2016 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 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JERSEYHAWG / Glenn 4,497 #22 Posted April 17, 2016 Boy or boy, memory lane with the erector set. Many many fun times with it. A long long long time ago. Sigh,,,,,, Glenn 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elcamino/wheelhorse 9,225 #23 Posted April 17, 2016 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. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roadapples 6,983 #24 Posted April 17, 2016 Had the wood burning set also, and still have my erector set.. nearly 60 years old.. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
daveoman1966 3,726 #25 Posted April 17, 2016 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. 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites