How to make moving objects from a metal construction set. Easy childhood, iron toys. The benefits of a smart toy
This is how I remember my childhood. It’s easy, also because of the abundance of interesting technology and hardware around. My parents, especially my dad, surrounded me very much from the time I was little. interesting things- then the engine is from a Cossack kitchen table, either a color tube TV disassembled for repair, or a portable Mriya radio, which could play gramophone records while suspended. But most importantly, my parents sometimes bought me various interesting construction sets. And the most memorable thing for me was the “Electrical engineering in 200 experiments” set.
Photo from the Virtual Museum and Directory - Domestic Radio Engineering of the 20th Century
Now, unfortunately, they don’t make such things, including abroad. I constantly look at the shelves of stores with toys both in our country and when I travel around Europe. There is nothing like it. What was good about this construction set was that it combined a lot of different parts and components from which it was possible to assemble both toys and carry out entertaining physical and electrical experiments. For example, it was possible to assemble a telegraph.
Photo from the Made in Leningrad community
Or an electric motor-fan, or a homemade galvanic battery, in general, the designer lived up to the name - you could assemble two hundred unique crafts, not counting your own invented ones.
And now, when my son is growing up, I also want to surround him with interesting technical things. And one of them is such a constructor. I don’t want to buy incomplete used ones from 30 years ago, because incompleteness is a tragedy :) And it’s almost impossible to find it at flea markets. But it is quite possible to assemble something similar from available parts, and without much effort.
First, the base, ordinary inexpensive metal construction sets that can still be bought in toy stores.
And secondly, what will bring this constructor to life will add movement. These are motors, wires and batteries. Where can I get them? Ha, I'm sure if you have children, you know what Chinese toys are. They are certainly bought as gifts for children by both parents and grandmothers, acquaintances, and guests of parents. All these flying dogs, jumping cars, barking airplanes - all this breaks down in an hour (day, week) and goes into the trash. But for me they go into the trash only after the main treasure has been extracted from them :)
Engines direct current. Considering that I have four children, I have accumulated a lot of this wealth. How can these motors help? Here's what. One day a couple of years ago, my son and I were tinkering with my tools and I suddenly suggested to him, let’s build a car out of a stick. Who wouldn't agree to this? We took a piece of some kind of block, a motor, nails, an AAA battery and put it together in 30 minutes.
From nails and sticks, literally, it turned out to be an unsightly self-propelled toy. The child did not let go of it all evening, and then showed it to all the guests - “Look what a limousine dad and I made!” That's when I decided it was time to do these things on a more serious level. First we assembled a windmill, a memorable object from our last trip to Europe.
It turned out so cool that there was only one thing left to do, stock up on parts for such crafts in sufficient industrial quantities :) I bought all sorts of switches, battery holders, and rubber bands at the market. Grandmothers and friends were told that now our best gift- metal constructor. And after a while, my son and I became the owners of the coolest set possible. It was possible to start creating.
Our next craft is an airplane. Twin-engine fighter.
Where there is a plane, there is a helicopter. The son added two additional floors to the main rotor, which seemed better to him.
The child played with this helicopter toy for the longest time, because the main rotor was easily used as a grinder circular saw - the helicopter sawed a lot of things in the house - to the delight of his mother :)
Now she walks reluctantly, the mechanism needs to be adjusted.
But immediately after production, the walking machine, as its son nicknamed it, made everyone very happy with its vigorous gait :)
And the very last of our crafts. To make it, I bought on Aliexpress a radio control kit, a remote control with a receiver, a motor with a gearbox and wheels, a steering servo and a motor control board. All these things are available on Ali in abundance different sizes, capacities, opportunities. We made a radio-controlled tricycle with full control - gas, brakes, steering.
There is so much dope in this crazy tricycle that it’s difficult to get going without slipping. But it’s easy to make a police U-turn.
Below is a video of the unequal battle between a mad car and a caterpillar. My son and I collected the caterpillar for an exhibition in kindergarten, there was a need for a craft from natural material, well, we’ve built a realooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, well, we built a real oooooooooooooo slow caterpillar from coconuts, chestnuts and construction elements. Due to the slowness of the caterpillar, the video is slightly delayed.
Such wonderful things can be made from ordinary things. metal constructor, fragments of old toys and some purchased parts. The only necessary skill for parents is to be able to solder a little, without this it will be difficult with all these wires, switches and batteries. And, of course, imagination, but usually children have even more of it than adults, so involve your child, he will tell you what to do.
There is, of course, another way. For example, ready-made Lego sets. Lego has a windmill.
There are all sorts of racing cars and trucks.
In general, Lego has everything, including robots and kits for customizing and programming them.
But personally, I don’t have a soul for Lego. And my son has problems with Lego, once he dropped the toy, and it was shattered into small cubes, it’s very disappointing to put everything back together. And Lego costs a lot, especially interactive robotic kits with motors or limited editions of all sorts of starships from Star Wars. Our metal will be more budgetary, even taking into account the purchase of remotes on Ali.
There is also an original metal construction set, Meccano. But again, it is very expensive and it is not easy to get it in our area. Therefore, here is the final photo of our wealth.
Hello friends. I haven't done a craft review for a long time. creative personalities. I still couldn’t find time for this, conducting my master classes, traveling to IT exhibitions () and starting my mini-journey and changes, which I wrote about in my blog.
I will send descriptions of the pictures and the works themselves, and the author will announce himself in the comments if he wants.
The first sets began to be made in 1901 in England.
Initially, the idea was to create working models to demonstrate projects, such as bridges.
But the material from which the models were assembled must be universal. This is how the idea of using perforated strips was born. Therefore, their models are unique in terms of the complexity of their mechanical solutions and design beauty.
Motor:
Lift (stacker) control unit:
It's like a Tiger tank.
AN-2. It seems similar.
Mini model. The idea was taken from foreigners, but all the details are ours.
Cubism. Corner sides of large and small cubes. The large one was assembled from the standard corners of the designer, and in the small cube he placed his own parts to connect the sides. The gap turned out to be minimal.
I took a retro car from Meccano (red) and assembled it from our parts except for the wheels, headlights and hood cover.
I made templates for making cover sheets from different companies. For now, only from the Yunost 4 set converted to the millimeter standard. And sheets from the GDR Construction 100 set. There are some duplicate drawings, this is to fill out the sheet. Some parts resemble those from a Mercur kit.
Drew in Word program. It seems that it turned out not bad, but it is better to make templates on graph paper. This will be more accurate.
I will take the material from the covers of accounting folders. There are folders with normal thickness. I would like to have more, but we will use what we have..
I punch holes with a set of punches for pressing holes in the rubber. It is not expensive, costs about 300 rubles
This is how the retro truck turned out from memory. Eat homemade parts, these are door hinges, wheels and many other converted parts from our kits. A trial option to make improvised headlights from ketchup caps. In principle, LEDs can be installed in these caps and power the headlights. It is possible to add this model with hinges on the body and a lifting mechanism for the body. Although lifting mechanism this is for a different type of truck. Or put a roof on the body or put an awning on it. I'm thinking of using Legos and adding colored side lights. You can paint the wheels black, this will highlight the outer shoes, as if the model had rubber wheels.
What do people think can be recommended to manufacturers for creating such a set?
How I make loops.
Yes, the task is long, tedious and thankless. I got a little distracted and that’s it... the ejection loop.
And so, we take a 5x5 or 5x10 panel; 5x10 is better; the thinner metal is easier to bend. We unfold the turns on the panel on the anvil and outline future blanks for the loops. Everything is visible in the photo.
Well, then it’s a matter of technique... mode, bend, saw, nails mode, and drive the loops towards each other.
Trying to make gear sets.
It turned out to be such an impromptu... unknown aircraft model... Objections and comments are accepted. 🙂
I decided to continue the collection of old tanks from the war. This time it is the English tank Cromvell Mk 4 (A27M). This is the first version of the model so far. I will refine some small details, maybe add some small details on the tower. I won’t install caterpillars yet. Perhaps I’ll put them on after disassembling the KV-1. We need to space the wheels out a little more. The tank's gun was made from a telescopic antenna.
Where two tanks are together you can clearly see how the iron coating oxidizes in air. It becomes pale, matte, then begins to darken. The iron on the second tank had been in the packaging all this time. Design kits were purchased almost simultaneously. Conclusion: our coatings are poor quality, although not all construction kit manufacturers have them. Still a shame!
Trying to make big wheels Option 3 and 4
Part of my instrument.
Here is the continuation of the retro series. This is a Parisian taxi from the beginning of the last century. This is not a complete analogue of any model. In those days there were a lot of models of this type, and the series of cars were very small.
Mecano has decent models for re-building; our material and technical base is very small and depends on the amateur’s wallet. Not everyone wants to spend several thousand rubles on 3-4 dozen parts.
In short, the model is not yet the final version. We need to make a front bumper and a rear one too. Maybe it's worth hanging a spare tire in the back. Make fences for suitcases on the roof.
In short, accept for criticism another model for assembly from domestic parts. I tried to paint the wheels from a regular aerosol can with alkyd enamel for interior and exterior work, it turned out not bad, in my opinion.
IN Soviet times Children's metal construction sets were very popular - sets of strips and plates of different sizes, with holes and fastening screws. Although the expression " iron toys"at one time was pronounced with mockery, but as life has shown, plastic toys much worse. Especially if it's cheap toxic material from China. It is not surprising that many parents prefer environmentally friendly wooden or iron ones. Therefore, silumin car models cost 2-3 times more than plastic ones. But let's return to the designer from this review. In the photo below, half of the elements are already missing (let's go to work), but the essence is clear.
It was bought by friends through an online store, for only 600 rubles, as a gift for his son. The set is called “Super Universal”, and believe me, it fully justifies its “super” prefix! Moreover, such a thing is, as it were, preparatory stage mastering electronics for kids, showing how complex structures are made from individual simple parts.
In a convenient plastic box there are a lot of all sorts of parts, not just simple cadmium-plated ones, and painted in various colors durable powder paint. The developers even provided such useful little things, like a crane hook, nylon rope, rollers and several types of wheels.
Constructor kit
- 1. Plank - 36 pcs.
- 2. Corner - 10 pcs.
- 3. Plate - 25 pcs.
- 4. Hood - 1 pc.
- 5. Plate - 3 pcs.
- 6. Fork - 5 pcs.
- 7. Bracket - 11 pcs.
- 8. Disc - 2 pcs.
- 9. Roller - 7 pcs.
- 10. Large wheel - 4 pcs.
- 11. Small wheel - 2 pcs.
- 12. Wheel - 4 pcs.
- 13. Tire - 4 pcs.
- 14. Hairpin - 5 pcs.
- 15. Axle - 4 pcs.
- 16. Cord - 2m.
- 17. Handle - 2 pcs.
- 18. Screw - 74 pcs.
- 19. Nut - 96 pcs.
- 20. Key - 3 pcs.
- 21. Screwdriver - 1 pc.
- 21. Instructions
The instructions contain a dozen samples of what can be assembled from such a set, but it is clear that with a little imagination, the number of possible designs is unlimited. Here is just a small part of what I managed to photograph during the process:
Photos of crafts made from an iron constructor
Machine
Helicopter
Airplane
Self-propelled gun
Tank
Lantern with lamps
Motorbike
Tractor
Sofa
Crane
In general, at such a ridiculous price, we get not just one car or tank, but a whole bunch of all kinds of toys. I got tired of one - they took it apart and put a new one, and so on at least every day. And the main thing is that they cannot be broken, unlike delicate plastic ones. You can only bend it, but this can be fixed :)
Discuss the article CHILDREN'S IRON CONSTRUCTION TOY
The metal construction set is considered a complex toy and embodies the dream of any boy to “work” with tools similar to adults.
Cold metal fascinates, allows you to create the most complex models using a screwdriver, keys, bolts and screws. The activity of assembling a model will seem interesting not only to children, but also to adults. Metal intellectual toys are a real excursion into the world children's thinking and fantasies.
The main idea of the toy
The complete set of each product consists of components similar to those that dad keeps in his tool box: nuts, brackets, screws, and other fasteners. All this appears to the child as real, only performed in miniature.
Metal objects are fastened together by screwing in bolts of suitable diameter. The plates can be straight, curved, narrow or wide, each element of the plate is perforated with holes.
This makes the designer universal and makes it possible to create models guided only by imagination. Sets with a variety of elements allow you to assemble structures of all possible scales and varying degrees difficulties.
Samples of finished products are shown on the packaging, accompanied by an assembly diagram and instructions for use. A boy can successfully create unique mechanisms and structures, collect crafts for school and preschool classes and play assembled models in games.
Self-made toys are a source of pride for a boy, so children’s interests should not be ignored; it is important to introduce a child to construction from an early age.
A smart toy will allow parents to captivate their child for a long time and go about their business.
Before starting the game, it is important to explain to the child that the initial design may not work out, but correcting errors will allow the desired results to be achieved in the future. The solution to the problems and non-standard tasks– the main purpose of the team game.
Differences from other species
It is difficult to call a metal construction set a toy; rather, it refers to serious intellectual work associated with creativity. Assembling the constituent elements, the child constantly refers to the instructions, develops ingenuity, patience and receives the result of his hard work in the form of a finished car or construction crane.
There's a lot in the game small elements, which need to be carefully connected to each other not with grooves, which is typical for other types of assembly toys, but with bolts, washers and nuts using special tools. During design, parts must be constantly recalculated so as not to make mistakes when installing the necessary elements.
The assembly structure has moving components that can be loosened or tightened depending on the nature of the finished product. From metal elements One model can be used to create others, and you don’t always need to act according to the instructions. This will allow the child to develop and improve the logical line of imagination.
By establishing the interaction of objects according to the type of connection, the baby builds his own approach to the process, forms personal preferences, and raises self-esteem. By correctly constructing complex parts into a finished structure, the boys feel indescribable pride in their invention.
Advantages of the game build:
- Versatility and the ability to deviate from instructions;
- Parts of different modifications and special tools complement each other;
- Suitable for classes for children of different sexes;
- Divided by age and intellectual development.
For preschoolers, such a construction set is suitable as preparation for school and lessons. labor disciplines. Interest in assembling metal products changes the behavior of many children, developing in them perseverance, concentration, and contact with adults at the level of discussing the action associated with assembling the necessary product.
It has been proven that assembling a construction set develops a boy’s clear and beautiful handwriting, which is important when depicting clear lines and letter symbols.
The benefits of a smart toy
Metal plates with perforations for construction became known in the last century. Manufacturers of construction sets in those years were unlikely to be guided by serious pedagogical motives, because the world of bright plastic had not yet been conquered, and wood and metal were the basic materials for making children's toys.
The popularity of logic toys made of metal has not slowed down, but on the contrary, interest in it is increasing every year.
The gaming assembly toy is designed to collect not only the parts from the instructions, but also others that can only come to mind. This allows you to develop imagination and logic.
Metal assembly toys are designed for children aged 5-6 years. In some cases, they are used in labor lessons in kindergarten and school, and for making crafts.
In the process of diligent study, the boy:
- receives the basics of technical thinking and logic;
- develops fine motor skills hands;
- develops concentration;
- development of creative potential and systematic thinking;
- increases alertness and coordination of movements.
On the mental side, a feeling of self-satisfaction and adequate self-esteem develops after collecting the model.
Assembly and design have always been considered in a good way relieve tension and stress, develop a personal opinion about yourself, learn to put achievable goals and overcome difficult challenges.
These abilities will help boys in the future, since many technical specialties in higher educational institutions are widely available to them. Proper systems thinking can improve school performance.
Types of metal constructors
Nowadays, metal construction sets have many modifications, and assembly can be carried out in the most unusual models. Classic cars, cranes, steam locomotives - today have been greatly modernized beyond recognition.
The kid can assemble a real plane, a tower, or a truck with a large body. The sizes of the construction set vary from medium to large, and the number of parts in the kit always differs from each other.
Many modern views designers are equipped with electronics. This is very exciting, as it creates the illusion of a real game: with tanks, cars, signal flares and so on. Once assembled, technical devices can produce characteristic sounds, light up, and some moving parts can be controlled remotely.
If the designer is classic, without additional accessories, then the baby controls the finished product himself.
A logic game made of metal can be produced for small children from three years old and for older children. They differ in some complexity of assembly and the level of intellectual perception in children.
Mini-constructors are suitable for beginners. They are characterized by a small number of parts, simplest assembly and instruction diagram.
Set of metal construction sets
Items undergo strict quality control from manufacturing to packaging. Depending on the type and type of assembly, fragments of the construction set may include cords, plastic or rubber parts. The kit comes with a set of assembly tools and instructions.
If necessary, special notes and diagram are provided. non-standard combination fragments, the use of elements with electronics, safety rules during the game.
How to choose a metal construction set
The purchase of a logic toy made of metal should be considered, since the type of activity is serious. It is worth considering some nuances that will not discourage the child from further design and self-development.
- Markings on packaging about mandatory quality certification;
- Age limit indication on packaging;
- When inspected, metal plates must be smooth, without sharp points or rough protrusions;
- The fasteners must have clear cuts and threads without visible defects;
- Toy parts for children under 5 years old should not be less than 50 mm;
- The product should not emit the smell of paint or rust;
- All constituent fragments must comply with safety requirements.
Thematic areas
When purchasing a play assembly toy, parents are often guided by the child's preferences. It is impossible to attract his attention with uninteresting activities, so manufacturers develop models of metal construction sets taking into account the interests of young inventors. Accepted trends include designers in a technical and futuristic style.
Technical style
Aimed at creating classic models of combat and specialized vehicles: armored vehicles, tanks, military aircraft, guns, fire engines and signal vehicles with beacons, police crews and motorized vehicles, tower and cranes.
This type of assembly game is suitable for older children, so that they can later use the finished product as an addition to their own collection of toys.
Futuristic style
The direction is characteristic of creation famous heroes from cartoons. These assembly games come with additional parts made of high-quality bright plastic, cords, and rubber bands.
This game is suitable for younger age groups; it has large, bright pieces. color solutions. Children associate cartoon characters with positivity. Finished goods Can be used as a toy or room decoration.
Which we were one of the first to produce at our enterprise. They were created specifically for labor lessons in elementary grades and have been doing their job well for decades.
And, despite the fact that we made a more modern metal construction set “School” for labor lessons, the popularity of this series does not decrease. They are still one of the most popular and best-selling of all our iron designers for children. Representatives of parent committees of kindergartens and schools especially liked them.
We are already accustomed to the fact that metal construction sets for labor lessons are very often purchased for the entire class, group or school, and therefore we reserve them in the warehouse in quantities larger than all other construction sets. Designers of this series can also very often be found on sale under other trademarks, with a different name and in different packaging, we have made a lot of them and continue to make them for other market participants.
And finally, the fact that these construction sets are intended for labor lessons does not mean at all that you cannot play with them at home. They perfectly develop perseverance, logic, spatial thinking and fine motor skills. From each set, both relatively complex models and very simple ones are assembled.
To help you, we have created a “Support” section on the website of our online store, where all the instructions and assembly diagrams for all our construction sets are posted. There you can restore lost schemes and recharge with new ideas.
We also recommend that you look at othersmetal construction sets , produced by the Tenth Kingdom (there are already more than fifty of them), to choose from the table exactly the construction set that your child needs.
In addition, the undeniable advantage of this designer is that all parts are packaged in wooden box, of course, more durable than cardboard ones and more convenient for storing elements of a metal construction set. Accordingly, the chances increase that all the parts, screws, and nuts will be in one place, and not scattered around your house.
You can buy children's metal construction set No. 1 in wooden packaging in our Tenth Kingdom online store without overpayments at the manufacturer's price. Photos, assembly diagrams and detailed instructions duplicated in the “Support” section.
Metal construction set 2 sells well, but is not the absolute best seller among our metal construction sets for labor lessons. True to its name, it has been a consistent second-best seller in the series for nearly two decades.
It consists of 290 parts, which allows you to assemble 4 interesting models medium difficulty.
Being almost 82 rubles more expensive than the metal construction set 1 for labor lessons, nevertheless, in comparison with it, it is a more rational purchase. Metal construction sets are generally easy to check for profitability. You need to take the price and divide it by the number of parts. The price of one part in metal construction set 2 will be less than in the cheaper metal construction set 1. Apparently, life teaches us to count not only us, but also our customers, which is an indicator of good sales of this construction set, despite the fact that we have long become release new construction sets for schools using new methods of protection metal parts from corrosion.
By the way, having collected all four designs recommended by the instructions, you can go to the “Support” section. Assembly diagrams for all the iron construction sets we produce are posted there. You can choose another model that can be assembled from the parts at your disposal.
It would be fair if a person who types in the search “children's construction set metal USSR” ends up on this page. Why? Yes, because we are almost sure that “the most Soviet metal construction set” is produced by us. The fact is that the molds for this designer’s suitcase were made back in Soviet times; we bought them in the late 90s from one of the Soviet enterprises, which ultimately did not survive perestroika. The suitcase was actually produced back in the Soviet Union. In those days, they didn’t skimp on material; a suitcase takes a lot of material, which makes it quite expensive. But this, by the way, is the only drawback of the equipment; it still works like a clock.
In the suitcase you will find 158 elements, from which 5 models of varying complexity are assembled. By the way, the models are also from children's metal construction sets from the USSR era.
Feeling some remorse from the fact that we are still producing, in fact, a Soviet metal construction set, we are constantly planning to discontinue it, but constant orders do not allow this. It still has its own buyer, so it is always in stock in our Tenth Kingdom online store along with other, more modern metal construction sets.
