Erector sets...
 

My youngest, Isaiah, turns 10 on the 10th! (golden birthday:party:) And I am getting him this erector set: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...#ht_3677wt_908

I had a huge crane erector set as a kid and absolutely loved it! Did anybody else grow up with these fabulous toys?

I thought this was going somewhere else with a title like that. I know that stuff as Meccano

Happy 10th to the little fella!!

I also had Meccano, not sure if it is the same company marketed under different name but it look the same. I had a whole lot of it up until I was about 15. Wish I had kept it all for my kids now. Much better than Lego in my opinion too. I did a quick calculation a little while ago and came up with my old stuff to buy today would be well into the 1000's of dollars.

Happy Birthday to your son too

Thanks guys:yes: Yes, meccano and erector are basically the same.

I imagine everyone will assume the worst when they see the thread title. Just what do you guys think of me?:lol:

Wait till Linc see's the thread!!!

Yep I had Erector sets and Lego Technic. I was more a fan of the Legos as they didn't rust. :lol:

Technic lego ftw- some of the kits you get these days are just nuts, especially the diggers & cranes etc, pretty awesome stuff.

He got a technic lego lamborghini for christmas. I like the set I linked to because it is building a remote controlled car!:yes:

I always wanted a good erector set growing up....we could only afford used bent and missing parts sets from garage sales....could never build what was on the box (if they didn't just come in a plastic bag) but I always had fun with them.

I was a big lego fan when I was young. Had a large round tablecloth with all of the pieces in there. I even built a complete town with a custom painted board with a railroad around it. Great fun. I also had technic lego and mecanno when I was a bit older. I really think toys like that help hand-eye coordination and also stimulate a young childs immagination.

And Harold has always wanted a huge erector... That is why him and bondo (not the skinniest guy) hang out so much...

Don't forget engineering. It was one the biggest influences for me to understand a lot of engineering. My brother and I built countless things from imagination. As a rule of thumb, I built stuff that looked good and bro (being a bit older) built stuff that was strong.

I had a huge erector set when I was a kid,along with about half a ton of legos and knex kits,at one Point I built a walking robot with a Gatling gun,rocket launchers,working hands,etc for a school project. That stuff really makes you think and IMHO is a great teaching tool. Honestly if I see a kid that excels with erectors and stuff then they are probably pretty smart and can comprehend some pretty advanced stuff. Nothing like working with your hands at a young age to stimulate a young mind.

When I was a kid, my mom bought me math workbooks to "play" with.. :oops: :neutral:

I had an erector set but was never lucky enough to have a motorized set. Of course I had legos, who hasn't! K'nex sets where fun too. But how about Lincoln Logs and even better yet, pipeworks! Pipeworks was a set that let you build things that you could actually use like monkeybars, wheelbarrows, tables, chairs, or whatever you could imagine

You poor kid. I suppose you could come up with the maths behind the constructions the rest of us built.
In the real world, it is the maths that is done first and if it passes the theory ok then the building begins. When I built bridges or cranes, I didn't hurt anyone when it all fell down(happened frequently too). If that happens to the Sydney Harbour Bridge or the Golden Gate - well different story and you can't just hold it with your hand while the cars drive over.

Did you cut the books up to make stuff with?