Construction sets / meccano etc

[StevieB]

Slightly esoteric heading but let me explain!

As a child I had much fun with meccano, both plastic and later metal. I also had a set of wooden blocks and a friend had a type of wooden meccano, not by meccano by the same idea - wooden pieces with big plastic nuts and bolts. I have now been looking for something similar for my son - big pieces for little fingers etc. Making a set of building blocks is easy but can I find anything resembling a construction set? Not a chance. I can find Knex, and plastic meccano in tiny kits at extortionate prices to make a single specified model but no large free form set for imaginative play. The best I can come up with is a big build set from the early learning centre - but these are out of stock :roll:

So my question is - anyone know of anything like this? It doesn't have to be wooden, although if you know someone that supplies large plastic nuts and bolts I guess I could make wooden spars fairly easily. It has to be large pieces for a two and a half year old to use, and if possible expandable so it can be added to as he grows.

Eventually I am sure he will graduate to metal meccano and knex etc, and perhaps he should stick to duplo lego for a while, its just that he loves playing with my screwdriver etc and has his own plastic toolkit - it seems there is a space in the market for something to actually do with it though!

I know a few of the members have children, and several more young grandchildren, so figured it was worth a try in case anyone else had the same problem.

Cheers,

Steve.

 

[SketchUp Guru]

Stevie, you could make the knobs and bolts from a hardwood such as beech or maple. Threading them would be easy enough with this sort of kit.
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx ... at=1,43000

 

[Mcluma]

I think it was called SIO

well at least that is how it was called in the Netherlands

 

[chiba]

Give this a spin:

http://www.constructiontoys.com/

(Proud dad of a one year old future engineer) 8)

 

[dedee]

Steve,
have you had a look at the meccano web site? There are 100 & 150 piece construction sets available.
I bought the 100 piece set in a hypermarket in France at what I thought was a reasonable price but I forget how much.

A guess alocal toy shop should be able to order them as I have never seen them in the larger toy sheds

Andy

 

[cambournepete]

The Brio Builder System looks promising.

I also saw some wooden construction sets a bit like large meccano in the Hatfield Galleria last year, but can't remember the make.

What's the Meccano made of - plastic?

Pete (with nearly 3-year-old boy at home)

 

[StevieB]

Thanks all for the replies Nice idea to cut my own threads but I dont think SWMBO is going to swing for the cost of the kit just to make a few nuts and bolts

Chiba - cracking website, makes me wish I was a child again. think I am going to be enjoying my son growing up! The Brio builder stuff is exactly the sort of stuff I was after, thanks. Although thats a US website several online retailers in the UK are linked from the Brio website.

Andy - I did see those but was slightly cynical as to how many of the 100 pieces were actually nuts and bolts and how many were useable bits rather than fastners. I might try and track one down in the flesh and have a look - there is a big Toys'R'us nearby I could try.

Cheers,

Steve
Reliving his childhood instead of working!

 

[Alf]

Thanks all for the replies Nice idea to cut my own threads but I dont think SWMBO is going to swing for the cost of the kit just to make a few nuts and bolts

No, no, no! That's not the way to think of it at all. Think of all the clamps you could make yourself, saving countless hundreds of pounds. Sheesh, talk about missing the opportunity. :roll: :wink:

Cheers, Alf

 

[Noel]

Steve said: "friend had a type of wooden meccano, not by meccano by the same idea - wooden pieces with big plastic nuts and bolts"

Bilofix? Great stuff. Think the lenghts were made of beech with blue and red plastic nuts and bolts.

Noel

 

[StevieB]

Bilofix - that looks like the stuff. Sadly not made for many years now though.

Steve.

 

[cambournepete]

At last I found the leaflet for the stuff I was going to mention.

This stuff is rather like a giant meccano - and looks good if a bit expensive.

Pete