Meccano - 100th anniversary block setting crane
Discussion
I’ve looked back through quite a few pages in this section but cannot find anything related to Meccano. I’m not letting this put me off though, I hope this is in the right place and generates some interest.
Since my father in law passed away last year, we’ve gradually been sorting through and getting rid of his various hobby pieces. Last week I was asked if I could help to get the Meccano set out of the attic such that it could be taken to a local auction house. I’ve heard the family talk about this set for many years but had always assumed it was going to be something fairly standard in the usual beaten up cardboard box. It was therefore a bit of a surprise to be told to look for the wooden chest with the 3 drawers. When I located said item I discovered it to be a 100th anniversary set which was limited to 300 units. Now I’m a bit of a sucker for a nice wooden box or chest but, after admiring it for a few minutes, I did as requested and put it in the boot of the SIL’s car and went on my way.
As the next 24 hours clicked by I could not help thinking more and more about this Meccano set and decided it could not end up with some random collector. I called the MIL and when she told me it had yet to be taken away I responded with “I’d really like to have it, I’ll give you whatever the auction house think it is worth”. To cut a long story short, I get on rather well with my MIL and I think she was delighted that I asked to have it … so she gave it to me as a gift. The Meccano 100th anniversary block setting crane kit, no 237 of 300 …
It was purchased new in 1998 for £670 (a lot of money at the time) and was obviously bought as a collectors piece as the FIL had not removed the shrink wrapping from the drawers. Now either when delivered or moved to the attic it looks like the box has had a good shake as a vast majority of the pieces were no longer in their cut outs.
No way to fix this without removing the shrink wrap but then there’s also no way to build it without removing the shrink wrap and I have every intention of building it and hence we begin.
Several hours later I think I’ve got it packed as it left the factory (or as close as possible). Everything appears to be present and, other than some light tarnishing of some of the non painted piece, it’s in as new condition. I’m not going to attempt to polish out the tarnishing and will instead accept that it brings a unique patina.
I shall start construction when I have time and I suspect it will be a very slow process but, if there is interest, I will update here occasionally.
Since my father in law passed away last year, we’ve gradually been sorting through and getting rid of his various hobby pieces. Last week I was asked if I could help to get the Meccano set out of the attic such that it could be taken to a local auction house. I’ve heard the family talk about this set for many years but had always assumed it was going to be something fairly standard in the usual beaten up cardboard box. It was therefore a bit of a surprise to be told to look for the wooden chest with the 3 drawers. When I located said item I discovered it to be a 100th anniversary set which was limited to 300 units. Now I’m a bit of a sucker for a nice wooden box or chest but, after admiring it for a few minutes, I did as requested and put it in the boot of the SIL’s car and went on my way.
As the next 24 hours clicked by I could not help thinking more and more about this Meccano set and decided it could not end up with some random collector. I called the MIL and when she told me it had yet to be taken away I responded with “I’d really like to have it, I’ll give you whatever the auction house think it is worth”. To cut a long story short, I get on rather well with my MIL and I think she was delighted that I asked to have it … so she gave it to me as a gift. The Meccano 100th anniversary block setting crane kit, no 237 of 300 …
It was purchased new in 1998 for £670 (a lot of money at the time) and was obviously bought as a collectors piece as the FIL had not removed the shrink wrapping from the drawers. Now either when delivered or moved to the attic it looks like the box has had a good shake as a vast majority of the pieces were no longer in their cut outs.
No way to fix this without removing the shrink wrap but then there’s also no way to build it without removing the shrink wrap and I have every intention of building it and hence we begin.
Several hours later I think I’ve got it packed as it left the factory (or as close as possible). Everything appears to be present and, other than some light tarnishing of some of the non painted piece, it’s in as new condition. I’m not going to attempt to polish out the tarnishing and will instead accept that it brings a unique patina.
I shall start construction when I have time and I suspect it will be a very slow process but, if there is interest, I will update here occasionally.
Oof that's fantastic! When I was very young my Dad's Dad had some of the green/red Meccano which he would let me play with, under close supervision. I later inherited it but it's long gone, lost to the mists of time.
At risk of opening myself to the inevitable ridicule - granddad used to get fairly frustrated with my 6-year-old lack of engineering and mechanical skill, he would refer to me as "slack nut"
At risk of opening myself to the inevitable ridicule - granddad used to get fairly frustrated with my 6-year-old lack of engineering and mechanical skill, he would refer to me as "slack nut"
Thanks to everyone for the kind comments so far. It’s probably more than 40 years since I last messed around with a Meccano kit and my rose tinted recollections are of lots of easy instructions, part lists, exploded diagrams and that type of thing. Therefore, I’m finding the instructions for this one a little daunting.
I’d feel a little more confident if the guide was in colour and the measurements metric rather than imperial but it is what it is. I shall start with what I’ve got before looking to Google and YouTube for help. Next post may be some time
I’d feel a little more confident if the guide was in colour and the measurements metric rather than imperial but it is what it is. I shall start with what I’ve got before looking to Google and YouTube for help. Next post may be some time
don't forget that the lad of 50 years ago will have already been playing with meccano / working in imperial at school / growing up in a climate of far more make do and mend, and knowing how things work - so this would be a gradual progression not an abrupt dive into the mechanical engineering world!
beautiful set, so glad it has stayed in the family
beautiful set, so glad it has stayed in the family
The moment I saw 'block setting crane' an image came to mind. I'd seen it before... look: https://www.dalefield.com/mwes/blocksetter/blockse...
That kit looks lovely, just the blow moulded plastic lets the presentation down.
That kit looks lovely, just the blow moulded plastic lets the presentation down.
JerryEXE said:
I’d feel a little more confident if the guide was in colour and the measurements metric rather than imperial but it is what it is. I shall start with what I’ve got before looking to Google and YouTube for help. Next post may be some time
Consider that back in the 1940/1950s, small boys could make that crane. You can learn what an inch is, and divide it into 4, 8, 16 and even 32 parts, and use your brains rather than the internet! Meccano has holes placed at half inch centres, so a five hole strip is 2.5 inches long....
In the mid 1950's my late dad found a model shop somewhere in the Potteries that was closing down and was able to buy as a job lot Meccano set 1 and the add on sets to bring it to a number 8 set. One was handed out each Christmas!
Of course it was really for dad to play with, after I had left home he asked if I would be taking 'the Meccano' and I agreed to let him continue to play with it. Over the following years he continued to add bits and pieces including the gears set and he made a machinist style wooden case to keep it all in.
It's currently sat at the bottom of our meter cupboard, 'er indoors hates it as the nuts and bolts jam 'er vacumn cleaner so it only sees daylight when she goes to see 'er sister!
I really should do something with it, but what is a well used set of bits worth?
In the mid 1950's my late dad found a model shop somewhere in the Potteries that was closing down and was able to buy as a job lot Meccano set 1 and the add on sets to bring it to a number 8 set. One was handed out each Christmas!
Of course it was really for dad to play with, after I had left home he asked if I would be taking 'the Meccano' and I agreed to let him continue to play with it. Over the following years he continued to add bits and pieces including the gears set and he made a machinist style wooden case to keep it all in.
It's currently sat at the bottom of our meter cupboard, 'er indoors hates it as the nuts and bolts jam 'er vacumn cleaner so it only sees daylight when she goes to see 'er sister!
I really should do something with it, but what is a well used set of bits worth?
akirk said:
don't forget that the lad of 50 years ago will have already been playing with meccano / working in imperial at school / growing up in a climate of far more make do and mend, and knowing how things work - so this would be a gradual progression not an abrupt dive into the mechanical engineering world!
Simpo Two said:
Consider that back in the 1940/1950s, small boys could make that crane. You can learn what an inch is, and divide it into 4, 8, 16 and even 32 parts, and use your brains rather than the internet!
So you are all saying I’m less able than a 1950s school boy Adapting to imperial has actually been really easy so that is one less thing to worry about. Learning points so far have been my fingers are probably less nimble than those of a 1950s school boy, having the nuts and bolts at the back of one of the drawers is an inconvenience (easily fixed by rotating the insert 180 degrees), it’s important to ensure the hole spacing is correct and don’t tighten everything up until you are certain that everything that should be attached by a certain bolt actually is. I find I’m loosely fitting nuts and bolts to hold pieces in place to give structural rigidity and then removing and replacing as required to add additional pieces. Everything will get a final tighten towards the end of each stage.
No photos today but the next one should show good progress.
ferret50 said:
Meccano has holes placed at half inch centres, so a five hole strip is 2.5 inches long....
In the mid 1950's my late dad found a model shop somewhere in the Potteries that was closing down and was able to buy as a job lot Meccano set 1 and the add on sets to bring it to a number 8 set. One was handed out each Christmas!
Of course it was really for dad to play with, after I had left home he asked if I would be taking 'the Meccano' and I agreed to let him continue to play with it. Over the following years he continued to add bits and pieces including the gears set and he made a machinist style wooden case to keep it all in.
It's currently sat at the bottom of our meter cupboard, 'er indoors hates it as the nuts and bolts jam 'er vacumn cleaner so it only sees daylight when she goes to see 'er sister!
I really should do something with it, but what is a well used set of bits worth?
Errrr.... what you talking about here ? The meccano or the Mrs ? In the mid 1950's my late dad found a model shop somewhere in the Potteries that was closing down and was able to buy as a job lot Meccano set 1 and the add on sets to bring it to a number 8 set. One was handed out each Christmas!
Of course it was really for dad to play with, after I had left home he asked if I would be taking 'the Meccano' and I agreed to let him continue to play with it. Over the following years he continued to add bits and pieces including the gears set and he made a machinist style wooden case to keep it all in.
It's currently sat at the bottom of our meter cupboard, 'er indoors hates it as the nuts and bolts jam 'er vacumn cleaner so it only sees daylight when she goes to see 'er sister!
I really should do something with it, but what is a well used set of bits worth?
This is a great thread (no pun intended!). I love Lego Technic, but there’s something far more special about old school Meccano. Very jealous of that set, but I’m glad you’ve kept it and have made a start.
Those instructions actually teach you how to interpret things and figure out how things work. One thing I don’t like about Technic is there’s no explanation of what you’re building; you just blindly follow pictures until you end up with something - often not knowing how or why it works.
Here’s my contribution from years ago:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Those instructions actually teach you how to interpret things and figure out how things work. One thing I don’t like about Technic is there’s no explanation of what you’re building; you just blindly follow pictures until you end up with something - often not knowing how or why it works.
Here’s my contribution from years ago:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Edited by dr_gn on Friday 25th October 22:42
dr_gn said:
Very nice cabinet, contents and orrery. I’m impressed.
hidetheelephants said:
Simpo Two said:
JerryEXE said:
having the nuts and bolts at the back of one of the drawers is an inconvenience
I wonder if the threads are imperial too? I'll be impressed if they are.Gassing Station | Scale Models | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff