Meccano

Having completed opinions on LEGO and K’NEX, I took a look at other categories on dooyoo for similar construction sets and found to my surprise that the granddaddy of them all, the one that all other sets are based on, only had a single opinion written about it. I am referring of course to Meccano. Fifty years ago, the greatest thing that a boy could aspire to at Xmas, was a Meccano set. It was the ultimate possession and hours would be spent poring over magazines with pictures of these wonderful red and green playthings. I call it a plaything in the loosest of terms, as grown men were just as keen to get their hands on it. What then was Meccano? ...  Read the complete review

We have a derivative of meccano in the United States that is called "Erector Sets". They used to be much more popular but Lego's marketing finesse was the ultimate undoing of this great educational toy which has now been overwhelmed by the ease, durability and trendiness of k'nex blocks and contemporary appeal of the advanced motorized Lego sets. Our erector sets (erector sets being a generic word applicable to both Meccano in the UK and Gilbert in the USA and even the Russians had their own version [Konstrukter] but the way theirs worked is you were required to leave all the plow and consumer components in the box and only make weapons)were ...  Read the complete review

My son started to take an interest in toys drills, screwdrivers etc (must be Bob the Builder) and so we decided to look around for something he could build - to develop these skills. And guess what we ran into in a toy shop - yep - Meccano - its still here. In my day it comprised of metal holed strips and a small metal spanner. Does anyone remember the catalogues with a picture of a kid having allegedly built a crane the size of a small dog on their kitchen table ? I had a set when I was young and like a lot of things I thought it had gone out of production years ago. Well it hasn't. It's been updated and dragged screaming into the 21st century. ...  Read the complete review

I bought the airplane to play with a while back. I love it. My model came out looking like the picture with one exception. I cannot screw on my airplane wheels properly. I am not sure if it is the tools given or the airplane just function on that basis. However, it helped that they gave a step by step pictorial diagram on how to put together the airplane. I have never played with meccano before but the quality of the toy and the instructions just won me over and kept me busy for an entire afternoon. There is a quite a bit of thinking involved in the mechanics of putting parts together so that they will come out looking like the picture. Good for inculculating ...  Read the complete review