I was 8 or 9 when my brother and I got our Meccano set. It wasn't a new one. It was one sent from England to Canada by one of my mother's aunts. The set belonged to our cousin (her son). It was a set with blue and gold parts ..... probably from the 1930s when he too was a young boy. My father built a wooden box with compartments that fit the size of each part with a lid that latched down. We eventually got a Meccano wind-up motor and a set of gears. We had lots of fun with that set. I still have it downstairs in the basement. One of these days, I'll give it to my grandsons when they get old enough. I credit that Meccano set for my mechanical ability today. All throughout my youth I was able to take things apart and put them back together. Today, I play with bigger "Meccano toys" - steel and aluminium, metal casting, woodworking ...... and I credit a lot of my ability to that Meccano set.
Nice to see someone taking that much care on something that is thrown away nowadays so easily. We could have told that Meccano means something to you just by watching. ;) Thank you for sharing that glimpse into your past and how easy it can be to repair something that has meaning.
The wooden frame system to paint the parts is pretty clever. I usually hang the parts from the ceiling but there's always that side that's hard to reach. Thank you ;)
pretty sure its the mechano electric set i got as a kid that made me want learn about electricity and electronics later, those things are always a great gift!
We love that we've inspired people to make careers in STEM! We're working on expressing more stories of adults that were inspired as a child by Meccano to look into fields that allow them to continue to express creativity and problem solving
Just found this after buying a Meccano set ( well i never bought it my wife did ) yes i know i'm 65 yrs old now but as soon as i opened it the memories came back...The one memory i will always remember is "LEGO" as it forced its way in ..not in my house it didnt, lego!! i mean what could you build let me see oh yes a square house a square car a square gun and it always fell to bits really easy...no boys played "MECCANO" the king of construction kits...
Brilliant. I had a No. 4, plus the black clockwork motor, plus the gears set. Clearly, only the red and green sets were proper engineering kits, the later blue and yellow ones were just toys :) I did wish they had taken more care deburring the screws, very frustrating for an 8 year old. I distinctly remember the provided green string, to be used for cranes etc. I probably spent as much time lusting after a No 10 set as making models - but my dad was a working design engineer and was never going to be able to afford that.
I had a number 4 set and some Christmases I got the "A" set which converted it to the the next set up. Ended up with a number 7 set with B gear set and a "magic" clockwork motor. I also had a red plastic electric motor in later years.
That came out great!!! We called that an erector set when I was a kid, and I really enjoyed playing with my set as a kid. The other toy I loved was a giant crane. played with these toys for hours. They still make the giant crane bit the jaws are no longer remotely operated. Chris
I just remembered seeing a program here in Australia, it may have been an episode of Burke's Backyard, where they showed an old guy in NSW who was making large models with classic Meccano and to increase his total parts on his limited budget, was making his own parts in his shed at home. His models and his dedication to making his own parts was quite impressive.
I have made some of the brass couples and grub screws to add to my collection. All the original engineering drawings all available here meccanoindex.co.uk/Drawings/Index.php
Nice to see old things saved and fixed instead of tossed away in the rubbish. No primer for the paint because of the "rough" finish from blasting? Thanks for sharing.
I had Meccano as kid, zinc colour with square nuts that were very sharp, and I even had the black clockwork motor [reversible], but it didnt last very long. I have bought my son some modern Meccano, made in France and with a lot of plastic bits and pieces.I must dig it out for him, but he is not really a handy tech like me, more cyber. I must also admit with some shame as to having thrown out a small amount of the old red and green Meccano, that was found during the clean out of the old science building at work, a relic from the '50's and falling apart, however I just dont have time or space at work to rescue such things.
The worst thing about this stuff, Meccano or erector sets here in the states... As a kid, I remember stepping in some project I built on the floor of my bedroom in the middle of the night in bare feet. Lots of nasty sharp parts and pieces. Kids today would be better off playing with these toys instead of lazy parents handing them a video game. ahh the good 'ol days.
I totally agree, and IMHO pushing together bits of plastic doesn't teach young budding engineers eye and hand coordination in the same way as assembling those metal parts did, using screwdrivers, spanners and tiny nuts and bolts.
Excellent job, sir. I also have a very large set, trouble is, you always want more parts ! BTW, I think people should start to differentiate between the original Meccano and the modernized version (which, I am, frankly not very keen about). Maybe we can call it Meccano Classic or Meccano Legacy ? All the best !
I have a few bags of these i keep in oil to prevent the rust from getting any further than surface. Consider me motivated in moving my ass and fixing them up. :)
I loved my meccano set when I was a kid, like you it was probably where my interest in engineering started. I was just wondering, is there a recognised paint code or equivalent colour for the green and red paints? Mart.
What type of paint did you use? and did you thin it down for the Badger? I am looking at getting a Badger set for Christmas. Thanks for the video, I always watch them!
You have to thin paint for spraying. What I do is keep adding a little thinners until the paint will spray. If you want to cover large areas i would go for a single action airbrush. Mine came with a medium spray tip but I bought a large one as well and i only use this one now. The paint used for the meccano was Rustolium all surface paint. I normally use precision Paints synthetic enamel and quick drying thinners for my models.
Nice, Any way to tell the age of meccano? I for some pretty old stuff, not rusty at all, all original meccano wheels, the ones with rubber intact, obviously very very perished
You know what, I think my meccano is 1901 - 1925, because I have them exact nuts and bolts also loads of them gears and twist gears all of them gears in top picture in fact. Also them little L brackets with a fitting on it, seen slightly within the little pot. My other pieces I believe are 1945-1957 and 1958-1963 and 1970-1977, I got quite a few pieces from each year. I can send you some pictures if your interested
interesting video and tutorial. however, I tried to read what is "shot blasting" and it seems (??) that it is a rather complex (and expensive) technique,. not something you do it once (probably cheaper to buy mint meccano parts?) . a bit disappointed, but if I am wrong please corrcct me (and add some useful documentation)
Shot blasting. You need something like this and a big compressor. Gives a slight texture as a key for paint. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SGS-Shot-Sand-Blasting-Polishing-Cabinet/183458597691?hash=item2ab6fc0b3b:g:0sYAAOSw9PNgPjcO
It was one like this www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GARAGE-WORKSHOP-PORTABLE-BEAD-GRIT-SAND-SILICA-SHOT-BLASTING-POLISHING-CABINET-/290980826188?epid=0&hash=item43bfcf0c4c:g:fR0AAOSw3gJZGvLb They are advertised at different prices on Ebay.
Ola amigo sou brasileiro,espero que entenda meu idioma,aprendi muito com seus videos,você poderia me ensinar derreter cavaco de torno de aluminio,coloquei no cadinho virou escoria,obrigado.
Vou traduzir seu comentário para que ele possa responder. Translating the comment above: Hello friend, I am brazilian, I hope you understand my language, I have learned a lot with your videos, could you teach me how to melt aluminum lathe chip? When I putted it in the melting pot it turned in dross. Thank you.
I would not bother with the lathe chips. There is so much surface area to metal that it will just produce lots of dross. If you really want to try it should be compressed into blocks but there will still be lots of dross. Best to find some aluminium car wheels to melt.
I was 8 or 9 when my brother and I got our Meccano set. It wasn't a new one. It was one sent from England to Canada by one of my mother's aunts. The set belonged to our cousin (her son). It was a set with blue and gold parts ..... probably from the 1930s when he too was a young boy.
My father built a wooden box with compartments that fit the size of each part with a lid that latched down. We eventually got a Meccano wind-up motor and a set of gears. We had lots of fun with that set. I still have it downstairs in the basement. One of these days, I'll give it to my grandsons when they get old enough.
I credit that Meccano set for my mechanical ability today. All throughout my youth I was able to take things apart and put them back together. Today, I play with bigger "Meccano toys" - steel and aluminium, metal casting, woodworking ...... and I credit a lot of my ability to that Meccano set.
Nice to see someone taking that much care on something that is thrown away nowadays so easily. We could have told that Meccano means something to you just by watching. ;)
Thank you for sharing that glimpse into your past and how easy it can be to repair something that has meaning.
The wooden frame system to paint the parts is pretty clever. I usually hang the parts from the ceiling but there's always that side that's hard to reach.
Thank you ;)
pretty sure its the mechano electric set i got as a kid that made me want learn about electricity and electronics later, those things are always a great gift!
We love that we've inspired people to make careers in STEM! We're working on expressing more stories of adults that were inspired as a child by Meccano to look into fields that allow them to continue to express creativity and problem solving
Just found this after buying a Meccano set ( well i never bought it my wife did ) yes i know i'm 65 yrs old now but as soon as i opened it the memories came back...The one memory i will always remember is "LEGO" as it forced its way in ..not in my house it didnt, lego!! i mean what could you build let me see oh yes a square house a square car a square gun and it always fell to bits really easy...no boys played "MECCANO" the king of construction kits...
Brilliant. I had a No. 4, plus the black clockwork motor, plus the gears set. Clearly, only the red and green sets were proper engineering kits, the later blue and yellow ones were just toys :) I did wish they had taken more care deburring the screws, very frustrating for an 8 year old. I distinctly remember the provided green string, to be used for cranes etc. I probably spent as much time lusting after a No 10 set as making models - but my dad was a working design engineer and was never going to be able to afford that.
I had a number 4 set and some Christmases I got the "A" set which converted it to the the next set up. Ended up with a number 7 set with B gear set and a "magic" clockwork motor. I also had a red plastic electric motor in later years.
That came out great!!! We called that an erector set when I was a kid, and I really enjoyed playing with my set as a kid. The other toy I loved was a giant crane. played with these toys for hours. They still make the giant crane bit the jaws are no longer remotely operated. Chris
That's fantastic, my favorite toy as a kid was Mecanno. Someone is going to super happy playing with that set.
Really enjoyed your old Meccano parts restoration, my brother and I had a large set of the same colour in the 1960's, wish I still had it now.... :)
I have just bought 15 pounds of very rough-looking Meccano to restore. I hope mine turns out looking as good as this!
There always must be a cup of tea :)
I just remembered seeing a program here in Australia, it may have been an episode of Burke's Backyard, where they showed an old guy in NSW who was making large models with classic Meccano and to increase his total parts on his limited budget, was making his own parts in his shed at home. His models and his dedication to making his own parts was quite impressive.
I have made some of the brass couples and grub screws to add to my collection. All the original engineering drawings all available here meccanoindex.co.uk/Drawings/Index.php
Mark Fryer I too have made some spare brass parts on my mini-lathe.
Nicely done restoration.
I still remember the AC Gilbert Erector Set I had as a kid.
Nice to see old things saved and fixed instead of tossed away in the rubbish.
No primer for the paint because of the "rough" finish from blasting?
Thanks for sharing.
Joseph Magedanz yes the shot blast finish gives a good key for the paint. I never use primer or undercoat on my models.
I had Meccano as kid, zinc colour with square nuts that were very sharp, and I even had the black clockwork motor [reversible], but it didnt last very long. I have bought my son some modern Meccano, made in France and with a lot of plastic bits and pieces.I must dig it out for him, but he is not really a handy tech like me, more cyber. I must also admit with some shame as to having thrown out a small amount of the old red and green Meccano, that was found during the clean out of the old science building at work, a relic from the '50's and falling apart, however I just dont have time or space at work to rescue such things.
people should have to give a reason for a thumbs down, maybe they wouldn't do it just because they can.
DElightful. Just delightful.
I wish i had my old erector set... checked out a new set recently... came with like 4 pieces and they were bendable by hand.
The worst thing about this stuff, Meccano or erector sets here in the states... As a kid, I remember stepping in some project I built on the floor of my bedroom in the middle of the night in bare feet. Lots of nasty sharp parts and pieces. Kids today would be better off playing with these toys instead of lazy parents handing them a video game. ahh the good 'ol days.
I totally agree, and IMHO pushing together bits of plastic doesn't teach young budding engineers eye and hand coordination in the same way as assembling those metal parts did, using screwdrivers, spanners and tiny nuts and bolts.
A worthy project.
Excellent job, sir. I also have a very large set, trouble is, you always want more parts ! BTW, I think people should start to differentiate between the original Meccano and the modernized version (which, I am, frankly not very keen about). Maybe we can call it Meccano Classic or Meccano Legacy ? All the best !
I have a few bags of these i keep in oil to prevent the rust from getting any further than surface. Consider me motivated in moving my ass and fixing them up. :)
I loved my meccano set when I was a kid, like you it was probably where my interest in engineering started. I was just wondering, is there a recognised paint code or equivalent colour for the green and red paints? Mart.
i have used Rustolium emerald green and it's a good match to the original green.
At a guess I would say the Green is Brunswick Green, popular in the UK and Australia.
nice job.
This is one of my retirement challanges, I can feel it getting closer so its good to see how you do it. Did you bake the paint?
I did not bake the paint. I found the Rustolium green very hard wearing and a good colour match.
looks like a planishing hammer?
We found Meccano a little fiddly, plus Abi is too young to play with it!
What type of paint did you use? and did you thin it down for the Badger? I am looking at getting a Badger set for Christmas. Thanks for the video, I always watch them!
You have to thin paint for spraying. What I do is keep adding a little thinners until the paint will spray.
If you want to cover large areas i would go for a single action airbrush. Mine came with a medium spray tip but I bought a large one as well and i only use this one now. The paint used for the meccano was Rustolium all surface paint. I normally use precision Paints synthetic enamel and quick drying thinners for my models.
Great information, thank you!
Nice, Any way to tell the age of meccano? I for some pretty old stuff, not rusty at all, all original meccano wheels, the ones with rubber intact, obviously very very perished
Have a look at this page for details of age www.nzmeccano.com/Outfits.php
You know what, I think my meccano is 1901 - 1925, because I have them exact nuts and bolts also loads of them gears and twist gears all of them gears in top picture in fact. Also them little L brackets with a fitting on it, seen slightly within the little pot. My other pieces I believe are 1945-1957 and 1958-1963 and 1970-1977, I got quite a few pieces from each year. I can send you some pictures if your interested
interesting video and tutorial. however, I tried to read what is "shot blasting" and it seems (??) that it is a rather complex (and expensive) technique,. not something you do it once (probably cheaper to buy mint meccano parts?) . a bit disappointed, but if I am wrong please corrcct me (and add some useful documentation)
Shot blasting. You need something like this and a big compressor.
Gives a slight texture as a key for paint.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SGS-Shot-Sand-Blasting-Polishing-Cabinet/183458597691?hash=item2ab6fc0b3b:g:0sYAAOSw9PNgPjcO
I think I still have my erector set somewhere in the original yellow plastic box. square nuts and screws.
Excellent! Can you tell me which shotblasting kit you use? I'd like to try that on some parts I will be refurbishing.
It was one like this www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GARAGE-WORKSHOP-PORTABLE-BEAD-GRIT-SAND-SILICA-SHOT-BLASTING-POLISHING-CABINET-/290980826188?epid=0&hash=item43bfcf0c4c:g:fR0AAOSw3gJZGvLb
They are advertised at different prices on Ebay.
Thanks, I'll check it out.
You were a rough kid !🙀
can you please tell me the type of hammer that you were straightening the stuff with ?
It's known as a planishing hammer. Mine came as part of a cheap body repair kit with 2 more hammers and some shaped dollies.
What are those flat pliers called?
They are sheet metal tools. I have had these for about 40 years. They are stamped made in Canada.
Almost expected to see MFB make a machine from meccano to do all this automatically.
Ola amigo sou brasileiro,espero que entenda meu idioma,aprendi muito com seus videos,você poderia me ensinar derreter cavaco de torno de aluminio,coloquei no cadinho virou escoria,obrigado.
Vou traduzir seu comentário para que ele possa responder.
Translating the comment above:
Hello friend, I am brazilian, I hope you understand my language, I have learned a lot with your videos, could you teach me how to melt aluminum lathe chip? When I putted it in the melting pot it turned in dross. Thank you.
I would not bother with the lathe chips. There is so much surface area to metal that it will just produce lots of dross. If you really want to try it should be compressed into blocks but there will still be lots of dross. Best to find some aluminium car wheels to melt.
thank you for your help!