No More Erector Sets Or Lincoln Logs?

[viking]

I didn't have them when I was a kid but some of my friends did and I attribute some of my mechanical/wood skills to playing with them. It seems Erector Sets and Lincoln Logs have been replaced by cell phones and computer screens and it doesn't seem to me that those things would inspire an ability to make things with just a few pieces of metal or scraps of wood. Even books seem to be a lost art, I still have the books I bought when I started building our home, they've been extremely useful. The thing that triggered my desire to write about this is when a dear friend mentioned that her son in law knew how to weld but didn't know anything about working with wood, hard set to even fix an entrance door for his mom. I happen to believe that one can do almost anything, I didn't build things because I was smart, I got things done because I studied about how to do it, but I do think that Erector Sets and Lincoln Logs helped to figure how to put things together and so they were an important part of my life. It does make me wonder if they would help the young people of this age. Oh, and by the way, do any schools have woodshop or metal shop anymore? Or are they just "too dangerous"?

 

[backlash]

I know our local High School has an auto shop class. If you buy the oil and filter they will change your oil free. The shop teacher keeps an eye on them to make sure they don't destroy your car. He did however tell me to remove anything worth stealing because it would be stolen. Only took my truck there once because you had to leave it all day.
The number of people that have no mechanical aptitude is amazing. Even the name of common tools baffles them. Number 2 phillips verses a number 1, no idea. What I want when I ask for a pair of dikes, no idea. Some of the computer experts are worthless when it comes to working on computers.
When my kids were growing up I made sure they knew at least the basics of car repair. I made my daughter replace the wheel bearings on her car. She even packed them with grease. She can change a tire if need be. My son turned into a pretty good shade tree mechanic.
Full disclosure, I cannot weld. Never learned and only tried it once. If I was younger I would learn but it's probably not something I would ever get good at or need to do.
I have a neighbor that has been a welder his whole life and he takes care of the little things I need welded.

 

[Bacpacker]

I had both growing up, tinker toys as well. Spent many hours building all kinds of stuff with them. Don't know what ever went with them. I do think they contributed to being able to use my hands for useful purposes as I got older. Growing up farming helped that as well, by my teen years I worked on most anything we needed to do. Took auto mechanics in HS my Sophmore and Junior years. Rebuilt my dads old 64 Chevy pu 250 6 banger and transmissionat the house. Took the head in to shop and did a valve job on it. Brake job on my moms 71 chevelle, including packing the bearings and turning the drums. Our class wasn't the greatest, but the teacher was sharp and would show you the right way to do things if you brought in something to work on.
One grandpa was a welder by trade and was very good at it. But that is one skill I never bothered learning. I've kicked myself many times for not picking that up.

 

[Amish Heart]

They are "too dangerous". We have Lincoln logs at our preschool. Most kids aren't interested in them though. The snap circuit kits are fun for age 6-9. And then there's the electrical board kits for older. Our grandson has a few.
Dodge ball is too dangerous, too.

 

[Bacpacker]

Loved dodge ball to. Red Rover, all the fun stuff. LOL

 

[Weedygarden]

Loved dodge ball to. Red Rover, all the fun stuff. LOL

Hated it! Especially hated dodge ball. I really saw no physical educational value in it. Of course, unless getting hit by the ball is physical education? I also saw people getting their arms broken playing Red Rover.

The other consistent thing we did in p.e. was calisthenics. We would have been better off doing pilates, jazzercise, or something like that. Of course now days, yoga is a big thing for p.e.

 

[Cnsper]

 

[Bacpacker]

View attachment 11274

I remember one guy that thought he was the stud of the 5th grade, jock and all that crap. Me and one of my buddies dared him over. We caught him mid chest and flipped him plumb off his feet. Landed flat on his back. The entire class gave us a round of applause.
But I always let the pretty girls thru!

 

[The Lazy L]

...The number of people that have no mechanical aptitude is amazing. Even the name of common tools baffles them. ...

I have too much fun asking the young clerks for left handed screw drivers. The look on their face as they process my request is priceless. Then again as I sight down different screw drivers until I announce, "Found one!"

 

[backlash]

I have too much fun asking the young clerks for left handed screw drivers. The look on their face as they process my request is priceless. Then again as I sight down different screw drivers until I announce, "Found one!"

I am going to do that the first chance I get.

 

[Cnsper]

Don't forget to pick up a metric crescent wrench. All the cars are metric these days.

 

[backlash]

Don't forget to pick up a metric crescent wrench. All the cars are metric these days.

I actually have a crescent wrench stamped right on the side 300mm.

 

[Bacpacker]

Most all Cresent Wrenches have standard marked on one side, metric on the other now days. I have at least a couple like that.

 

[Spikedriver]

Somebody mentioned not knowing what dikes are - it must be a regional thing. I grew up calling them "sidecutters" but somebody at work asked if I had dikes in my tool bag once. I had absolutely no idea what he meant...

 

[Bacpacker]

I to called them sidecutters. First, actually most everytime I've heard them called dikes have been from electrical workers.

 

[backlash]

I worked in electronics and dikes is all I ever heard them called. Always thought it was short for diagonal cutters.

 

[Bacpacker]

Thats what I found to be the case when i got into electronics as well.

 

[Caribou]

Interchangeable and with no preference.

 

[Meerkat]

I had both growing up, tinker toys as well. Spent many hours building all kinds of stuff with them. Don't know what ever went with them. I do think they contributed to being able to use my hands for useful purposes as I got older. Growing up farming helped that as well, by my teen years I worked on most anything we needed to do. Took auto mechanics in HS my Sophmore and Junior years. Rebuilt my dads old 64 Chevy pu 250 6 banger and transmissionat the house. Took the head in to shop and did a valve job on it. Brake job on my moms 71 chevelle, including packing the bearings and turning the drums. Our class wasn't the greatest, but the teacher was sharp and would show you the right way to do things if you brought in something to work on.
One grandpa was a welder by trade and was very good at it. But that is one skill I never bothered learning. I've kicked myself many times for not picking that up.

BacP it sounds like you an hubby had the same kind of childhood.

 

[Bacpacker]

Had to work hard, but had a good time to. Many, many wonderful memories. Your hubby sounds like a good guy from the way you've described him on posts in the past.

 

[Meerkat]

Had to work hard, but had a good time to. Many, many wonderful memories. Your hubby sounds like a good guy from the way you've described him on posts in the past.

Yes he is and handy too. . When we were kids we always found something to do. We'd run through the woods build tree huts ride donkeys or sneak a ride on neighbors horses bareback which if caught got a switching from mama.

 

[Bacpacker]

I did the same. Built forts, rode my bike, fishin. Always doing something fun when time permitted. Step dad would always take me fishing to the lakes a few times a year, sometimes with his dad to. A couple times a year he'd keep me home from school to go. Teachers never much cared for my excuses then. LOL

 

[Meerkat]

I did the same. Built forts, rode my bike, fishin. Always doing something fun when time permitted. Step dad would always take me fishing to the lakes a few times a year, sometimes with his dad to. A couple times a year he'd keep me home from school to go. Teachers never much cared for my excuses then. LOL

Bless these kids hearts they don't know what they are missing. We were strong,healthy and basically happy. I feel bad for kids today. Did you ever draw water from a bucket well? Learn real fast not to let go of the handle.And don't spill it walking back up the hill with it either.
When power went off lots of drawing water. Mama would unstick points on pump with match book cover while I help flashlight us laying on pump house floor.

 

[Bacpacker]

I didn't draw water very often, one uncle and one aunt was the only ones that didn't have a pump on their wells. No more than I did it, it was something novel for me. I'm sure that would suck having to do it all the time.

 

[Meerkat]

I didn't draw water very often, one uncle and one aunt was the only ones that didn't have a pump on their wells. No more than I did it, it was something novel for me. I'm sure that would suck having to do it all the time.

We had a pump it would just go out in storms or whatever. So we kept the bucket ready. Also had a wringer washer that my cousin broke his arm in when it pulled him up. We were little kids then.