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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Swan View WA
    Age
    45
    Posts
    228

    Default Starting small...sort of. :)

    Hi all.... been lurking in here for a couple of months while I built up my tool collection and contemplated building toys. Some of my friends have started popping out kids, so I've now got plenty of excuses for spending time in the workshop.

    Started off with a 'small' job - a set of blocks for a friend's 1yo. Originally planned for 27 (3x3x3 cube) of 70mm3 blocks, but got corrupted/inspired by one of Stuart's blog posts and ended up with 81 blocks. Oops.

    Also made an open box for them to live in when not spread all over the floor...I have to say this was the worst piece of carpentry I've ever done, thanks to some incredibly bad joinery ideas. Oh well...live and learn.

    Piccies ahoy!

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Location
    Newtown Geelong
    Posts
    1,878

    Default

    They look good to me JUFFY
    I could play with them myself
    The box is great.
    If you don't want that router----
    Back To Car Building & All The Sawdust.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Swan View WA
    Age
    45
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    228

    Default

    Thanks.

    And no, the router's not going anywhere.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    Finland
    Posts
    360

    Default

    Hi,

    Don't know what's with it, but rediscovering building blocks is just almost too cool. Happened to me too.

    Those blocks are way cool and seem to fit just nicely together. However, that set in the seat won't ever stay organized, hehe .

    *********

    In our family, me and my wife "ask" our kids to clean up their rooms by themselves. For this, it's only fair from us that both of them have got a big toy chest where they can toss in those toys otherwise not easily organized.

    I have found out that for a modern age kids who get so much toys in numbers, they also need an easy place where they can keep them in one place. For the parents, it's also easier to go through them if needed.

    Kippis,

    sumu

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    North Of The Boarder
    Age
    68
    Posts
    16,794

    Default

    Juffy excellent Blocks now with two grandsons I guess I should fire up now spring is here.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    1,139

    Default

    Juffy , one can NEVER have too many blocks! Not possible!
    And the biggest possible toy box to go with it! Life doesnt' get any better.
    As long as the box is solid..... I can see my boys ( now toymakers themselves) take aim and "shoot" all the blocks back into the box.
    We had so many we could build a tower around one of the boys sitting on the floor. Of course we were just as bad with Legos..... a 4 drawer chest of drawer full!

    Oh I LOVED playing with them.... did you notice I said "I" ? lol Many times we started out on the floor together, but an hour later I was by myself happily building away while the boys had wandered off watchign tv or something lol

    Juvy
    Woodcrafters Haven
    Wodonga - Supplies for Turners and Woodcrafters
    Mobile 0407261703


  8. #7
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Swan View WA
    Age
    45
    Posts
    228

    Default

    Thanks for the comments guys - they were very well received by both child and parents. The littl'un was going back and forth between the blocks and her other presents at a great rate of knots.

    Keju - we also had lots of blocks and lego as kids, and they were the most long-lived of any of our toys. The best toys seem to be the ones that don't dictate what you can do with them...so much plastic crap out there these days that needs batteries to play music and flash lights, when you can leave a kid alone with a pile of blocks for hours and they'll still be finding new things to do with them.

    Blocks, matchbox cars and a sandpit - all you ever need.

  9. #8
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    1,139

    Default

    Oh you brought back memories, I used to spend my pocket money on matchbox cars.... back then they still came in matchbox like boxes!!! I was really upset when my brother took them all for his firstborn! I mean really..... just because I was a girl he thought I didn't want them anymore...... lol
    When I had boys of my own I went nuts buying those little cars..... always went for the odd ones, I remember the red double decker London bus , even had a special silver edition...

    We also had a sandpit.... wisely my Dad had built it was a wide rim..... the pit was triangular shaped... never seen one like it since.

    you need to add to the "blocks, cars and sandpit" tho...... you need a bit of water too and later the erector sets with nuts , bolts and screws.....

    Juvy
    Woodcrafters Haven
    Wodonga - Supplies for Turners and Woodcrafters
    Mobile 0407261703


  10. #9
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Swan View WA
    Age
    45
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    228

    Default

    *grin* My sister and I are sporadically (and good-naturedly) arguing over who gets the Lego collection. I think it should go to whoever pops out the first kid, but she's afraid I might beat her to it.

    We never had the erector set, but did have a nice collection of 'Technik' Lego, back when it was just yellow bricks, black bars and grey wheels. And vaguely affordable.

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    belgrave
    Age
    61
    Posts
    7,934

    Default

    Great blocks. I too was a lego adict. I'd spend all day making the "town" to play in, and then it would be tea time and it all had to be packed up. Lego these days is to specialized. All special blocks and only make on or two things out of it. I always wanted more special blocks though. Even a roof block was special to me. Although my sons collection is now all just in one box. I don't think all the original toys will ever be made again.

    Just a suggestion with the wooden blocks. Some long lintel type blocks are really handy for bridges and windows and stuff. And flat ones for roofs.
    anne-maria.
    T
    ea Lady

    (White with none)
    Follow my little workshop/gallery on facebook. things of clay and wood.

  12. #11
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Australia
    Posts
    1,139

    Default

    Ohhhhhh... I don't know if they still do that, but growing up in Germany the toy stores there had huge walls with Lego drawers.... one could buy SINGLE bricks!!!!! All sorts of really fun stuff.... even years later when I had my own kids... they kept loosing ( or stepping on, or leaving in pockets) the specialized techno legos... pneumatics and electronics, lights etc... really came handy to be able to buy them again!
    We also bought all the base plates they had, streets and even moon scapes! lol

    Even back then Lego's weren't just for boys tho.... we girls built houses and all the interior stuff like furniture.. those were the days......

    I agree with tea lady...... some special bricks would be really good... maybe even bridge looking ones, triangular shapes and you got to have some columns!!!!! and and and....... gets me excited just thinking about the possibilities! Some blocks with holes , some dowel shaped ones.... you can add to this kids brick collection for years to come... you'll never run out of presents for b-days and x-mas! lol

    Juvy
    Woodcrafters Haven
    Wodonga - Supplies for Turners and Woodcrafters
    Mobile 0407261703


  13. #12
    Join Date
    May 2008
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    Swan View WA
    Age
    45
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    228

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by keju View Post
    Ohhhhhh... I don't know if they still do that, but growing up in Germany the toy stores there had huge walls with Lego drawers.... one could buy SINGLE bricks!!!!!
    I used to see mail-order catalogues where you could order individual pieces, or at least collections of them - so you'd get a bag of mixed yellow flat pieces, for example. Most of our pieces came from the buildings you could buy - the awesome thing was they'd come with instructions for 3-4 different versions of the building, and the pieces were all generic so you could do whatever you wanted.

    Edit: They do still have shopping for individual bricks:
    http://us.factory.lego.com/pab/?warning=false
    But dear god...a 1x1 full-height brick is 9-14c!!! I know Lego's expensive now but that's ridiculous - even my relatively small childhood collection would have a replacement value of $500 or so at those rates.

    I agree with tea lady...... some special bricks would be really good... maybe even bridge looking ones, triangular shapes and you got to have some columns!!!!! and and and.......
    You people are dangerous when you get excited.

  14. #13
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    belgrave
    Age
    61
    Posts
    7,934

    Default

    The national gallery in Melbourne had lego there in the school holidays last year. I can't remember why now. But they had their reasons. Anyway it was all white. That made anything look like art.


    Wandering off muttering......oh yes, lego base boards.... that's what I was going to get the small boy for his Birthday......
    anne-maria.
    T
    ea Lady

    (White with none)
    Follow my little workshop/gallery on facebook. things of clay and wood.

  15. #14
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Australia
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    Default

    at $500 you had a really small collection!
    Shoot have you looked at the prices of some of their boxes lately? Like the star wars collection? Think my kids would miss out now.... and to think how often we sucked those wonderful little bricks up with the vac!!!!!! I'm sure I broomed up a few too.... and one time.... oh you're gonna love this...... I had to sew them into a pillow case and put them in the washer becaues one little boy ( who shall remain nameless) decided the trip to the toilet was too far ........
    I did consider ditching the Legos..... but $$$$$$.... lol

    Yep...... oh you should have heard the noise!!!!! But they came out great.. nice, clean.... new looking
    Juvy
    Woodcrafters Haven
    Wodonga - Supplies for Turners and Woodcrafters
    Mobile 0407261703


  16. #15
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    belgrave
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    Aaah! So that's how to clean them.
    anne-maria.
    T
    ea Lady

    (White with none)
    Follow my little workshop/gallery on facebook. things of clay and wood.

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