Hobby Thread - June 14, 2025 [TRex]

Welcome hobbyists! Pull up a chair and sit a spell with the Horde in this little corner of the interweb. This is the mighty, mighty officially sanctioned Ace of Spades Hobby Thread. We gave the Ace of Spades Wheel of Hobbies(TM) a spin and it decided to celebrate nostalgic toys a year of hobby threading with TRex! We'll leave the board games and legos for another time and focus on other toys for this thread.

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Lots going on in the sphere of current events. Let's give the Hobby Thread theme a little space to breathe before we resume insightful observations and witty commentary on the news. The 100 comment rule is in effect.

As always, your hobbying participation does not need to limited to the theme. All hobbying is welcome.

Standard terms apply for any commenting. Play nice. Do not be a troll and do not feed the trolls. Pants are optional.

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The Hobby Thread existed well before TRex arrived on the scene and (hopefully) will last long after TRex has moved on. However, this weekend marks the one year anniversary of TRex officially taking the helm of the Hobby Thread. There were some sporadic appearances before to help fill in here and there, but the keys to the Hobby Thread were left on the Ace of Spades counter this time last year and ended up in my pocket. Never underestimate the reach of short arms...

Thanks much to all of you for reading, commenting and contributing. The breadth and depth of Horde interests and skills is breathtaking.

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If you're going to be crafty, you know about the sock monkey.

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Did you pull newsprint with silly putty?

or were you more of a Play-Doh sculptor?

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The Hobby Thread has covered a wide range of topics and themes over the past year. In many cases, the theme is only a starting point and the comments take the thread in different directions. It is organic and unpredictable which makes it fun.

What themes have been most popular? Comment volume is the easiest measure, but volume depends a lot on time of the year and what else is going on. Quantity also doesn't measure quality. Some themes attracted fewer comments, but the comments resonated with the Horde and sparked wonderful memories and insights. But...we have comment volumes, so we'll go with that as an indicator.

The winner by a large margin was the model rocket theme in July 2024.

Second place is a tie between coin collecting and writing (both in November 2024). Both were likely popular on their own, but he colder weather likely kept people at home and closer to their computers more than warm weather months.

Third place is a four way tie: national parks in June 2024, tools in May 2024, genealogy in July 2024 and knitting/stitching in August 2024.

All of those were in 2024. The three biggest themes in 2025 were Presidential history locations and model railroading in Jan and museums in March.

The comments often provide inspiration for future themes. If there is interest and energy, we'll go with it. If you have ideas, please offer them. Either post in the comments or send a note via email.

Please remember the theme is just a suggested rally point. Comments are welcome on whatever you're hobbying or interested in. No need to stick with the theme.

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One of the best parts of looking after the Hobby Thread is the ability to showcase Horde Hobbying. We've shown quilts, scale models, decorated eggs, paintings and more. We had a feature specifically for jewelry and trinkets created by Jewells before she passed away.

Thanks to all who submit their Hobbying to share with the Horde. Thanks to all who haunt my emailbox periodically just to say hello. Please continue.

Tankascribe's quote anchors each post. There is truth in those words. There is a reason they are included each week.

Anyway, thank you all.

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Indestructible.

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Tinker Toys or...

Lincoln Logs...

or Erector set?

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Etch a sketch and...

the mighty View Master.

Related comment of the week candidate taken out of context from the Wednesday Art thread:

Hat tip to Cicero and scampydog

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Jacks...

marbles...

and dominoes.

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Hot wheels and matchbox (along with miles of orange track):

Crashing carnage. Demolition derbies. Jumps and races. Sadly, parents disposed of some collections thinking their children had "outgrown" toys. SMH.

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Still being made, but I'm stunned that a Big Wheel costs $129 or more on the interweb these days. The original apparently cost between $11 and $18 - which is roughly in line with current prices when adjusted for inflation.

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Barrel O Monkeys and...

Slinky!

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Did you make anything edible in an Easy Bake Oven?

Senior Cara de Papa

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What else? Hula hoop, Magic 8 ball, yo yos, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Rock em Sock em Robots, kaleidoscopes, Stretch Armstrong, Operation, Lite Brite, Simon, paper dolls, jump rope, frisbee, Barbie, GI Joe, plastic green army men, etc.?

Nerf warrants a category of its own.

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For those whose hobby is motorsport in some form, the Hobby Thread reminds you that this weekend is the 24 Hours of LeMans and next weekend is the 24 Hours of Nurburgring. If that's not enough, the 24 Hours of Spa follows to make three straight weekends of endurance racing.

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What are you hobbying these days?

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Did you miss the Hobby Thread last week? We talked treehouses. The comments may be closed, but you can re-live the content.

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Notable comments from last week:

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Words of wisdom:

"Because despite all our troubles, when things are grim out in that wide round world of ours, that's when it's really important to have a good hobby." Posted by: tankascribe at June 22, 2024 07:41 PM (HWxAD).

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If you have trouble finding something in the content or comments that resonates with you, hijack the thread for your hobbying as you see fit. We will feature a different theme next time. What are you hobbying? We love showing off Horde hobbying. Send thoughts, suggestions and photos of your hobbying to moronhobbies at protonmail dot com. Do mighty things.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 05:30 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Welcome Hobbiests

Posted by: Skip at June 14, 2025 05:33 PM (tl5zd)

2 Working on a past hobby topic, puzzles with my mom which was a gift to my dad from my sister. But so far he is watching TV and not assisting

Posted by: Skip at June 14, 2025 05:35 PM (tl5zd)

3 Thanks Dino

We had most all of those toys except Big Wheel

We were a Hippity-Hop family
/sad trombone

Posted by: San Franpsycho at June 14, 2025 05:36 PM (RIvkX)

4 Did a SOTA hike this morning. Band conditions were hit-and-miss, so it took a while to get my required 4 contacts. But the weather was lovely, and my legs aren't too scratched up from all the pokey shrubs and downed limbs.

Posted by: PabloD at June 14, 2025 05:38 PM (Dsfkc)

5 I like the photoshop, but I don't think I'd want to attend THAT TRex's birthday party.

Thanks for your time and effort putting the post together, TREX . Congratulations on the hobby thread birthday.

So many happy memories of time with toys-etch a sketch, slinky, easy bake oven, silly putty. I also also had (still have) a beautful handmade dollhouse and Barbie with lovely oufits made by someone whose mother was a terrific seamstress.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 14, 2025 05:38 PM (2GCMq)

6 I think we had well over half of those toys...

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at June 14, 2025 05:38 PM (GlyvH)

7 My household growing up had every single one of those depicted except the sock monkey. Yikes.

Posted by: goatexchange at June 14, 2025 05:38 PM (hyS0X)

8 Happy Anniversary, TRex!

Amazing how time flies when you are having fun!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at June 14, 2025 05:39 PM (GlyvH)

9 Hot Wheels rule.

I actually have a couple "desirable" collectable cars.

Jack Rabbit

https://tinyurl.com/mrbpd3hz

That's obviously horseshit. But....

Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 14, 2025 05:39 PM (Q4IgG)

10 Happy Anniversary. TRex. You have made it a fun year. I would have to add a rocking horse and cap gun to the toy list.

Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025 05:39 PM (DLqye)

11 Yeah. I had a nice Tonka Truck when I was 5. Played in the dirt with my older brother until mom made him go to school. He got old enough to have to go to school. We were playmates until then.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at June 14, 2025 05:39 PM (ZmEVT)

12 I was the knock out punch!

Posted by: Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots at June 14, 2025 05:40 PM (lIgBp)

13 Toys??!!

https://tinyurl.com/v4twy6ph

Posted by: OrangeEnt at June 14, 2025 05:40 PM (0eaVi)

14 I had plastic army men. The Jeep pulling a cannon was the best.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at June 14, 2025 05:40 PM (ZmEVT)

15 Happy first anniversary TRex. A solid year of fun threads.

Posted by: JTB at June 14, 2025 05:41 PM (yTvNw)

16 Who you callin' silly?

Posted by: david puddy at June 14, 2025 05:41 PM (i0F8b)

17 Great thread T Rex! Us poor kids had Action Jackson vs GI Joe and Johnny Lightening vs Matchbox. JL had the best drag race track!

Posted by: TG Sam at June 14, 2025 05:41 PM (17Ly9)

18 I still have my old Tonka dump truck. I'd like to give it to my grandsons but it's made out of metal, not plastic, and the dump controls are broken and the bed just flies back.

P.S. I also still have my stuffed bear, Cinnamon, that I got for Christmas circa 1960.

P.P.S. I could never remember which was which between Tonka and Toyota.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, And You're Not at June 14, 2025 05:42 PM (L/fGl)

19 TREX, you left out both the clackers of doom and lawn darts.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at June 14, 2025 05:42 PM (zZu0s)

20 I am far enough past 29 that when we were given the Mr. Potato Head we actually had to use a real potato. We did eventually move on to the newer set with the plastic model.

My sister had the Easy Bake oven, and yes it did actually bake a cake.

Posted by: Lirio100 at June 14, 2025 05:43 PM (zS4/f)

21 Wow! All the toys of my youth! I loved the big metal Tonka truck, it had a lever where really could dump the load.

Posted by: Tom Servo at June 14, 2025 05:43 PM (e15Ap)

22 I owe my career choice in engineering to the Visible V8 Engine.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at June 14, 2025 05:44 PM (lIgBp)

23 Had all those toys at one time or another

Posted by: Skip at June 14, 2025 05:45 PM (tl5zd)

24 Teddy Chainsaw Bear

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veMiNQifZcM

Posted by: rhennigantx at June 14, 2025 05:45 PM (gbOdA)

25 My best friend growing up. He and I played G.I Joes and other assorted army soldier stuff. He grew up to be a multimillionaire (solid waste disposal). He owned an office building, in which at least two entire office suites were full of his collection of GIJ's and army soldiers. He hasn't outgrown it. We're still in touch, 50 years on. Now THAT's a hobby.

Posted by: goatexchange at June 14, 2025 05:45 PM (hyS0X)

26 I had a bunch of Matchbox cars that are now long gone after my Mom gave them away or threw them out . Now I collect full size cars to deal with the trauma

Posted by: fd at June 14, 2025 05:45 PM (gc+OO)

27 My sister had the Easy Bake oven, and yes it did actually bake a cake.
Posted by: Lirio100 at June 14, 2025 05:43 PM (zS4/f)

My old man and I had to eat that shit my lil sis made

Posted by: rhennigantx at June 14, 2025 05:46 PM (gbOdA)

28 I have a %99 complete Erector Set from around 1960

Posted by: Skip at June 14, 2025 05:46 PM (tl5zd)

29 Excellent thread. Thank you.

We had TinkerToys.

And 'Speak and Spell ' ruled.

Posted by: Stateless.. 27% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 05:47 PM (jvJvP)

30 Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at June 14, 2025 05:42 PM (zZu0s)

Clackers of doom. I remember those!

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at June 14, 2025 05:47 PM (2GCMq)

31 Estes rockets.

Fired on less than optimal ballistic angles.

Like at your younger brother.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 14, 2025 05:47 PM (Q4IgG)

32 Lincoln Project Logs are soaked with old man tears.

Posted by: rhennigantx at June 14, 2025 05:47 PM (gbOdA)

33 Bass-O-Matic '76!

Posted by: When SNL was funny at June 14, 2025 05:47 PM (lIgBp)

34 I think we had well over half of those toys...
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at June 14, 2025 05:38 PM (GlyvH)

Almost all of them at one time or another. Except the girl one. Mom was the only girl in the house.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at June 14, 2025 05:48 PM (0eaVi)

35 There are kind of Sc-fi road rage games with the likes of Matchbox cars I see at conventions

Posted by: Skip at June 14, 2025 05:48 PM (tl5zd)

36 Remember the toy cars and motorcycles with the big zip-tie looking thing that you pulled really fast to make the toy go?

Posted by: PabloD at June 14, 2025 05:48 PM (Dsfkc)

37 I just gave away to my grand nephews 94 95 and 96 still in package complete NASCAR Hotwheels collection.

Posted by: rhennigantx at June 14, 2025 05:48 PM (gbOdA)

38 Clackers were known for shattering into sharp shards during enthustiastic clacking. That's why they dont sell Clackers anymore

Posted by: fd at June 14, 2025 05:49 PM (gc+OO)

39 My best friend growing up. He and I played G.I Joes and other assorted army soldier stuff. He grew up to be a multimillionaire (solid waste disposal). He owned an office building, in which at least two entire office suites were full of his collection of GIJ's and army soldiers. He hasn't outgrown it. We're still in touch, 50 years on. Now THAT's a hobby.

Posted by: goatexchange at June 14, 2025 05:45 PM

When I was a kid my mother went to work at a factory that had a contract to make plastic sprues for GI Joe. She was allowed to bring home any of the stuff that didn't pass inspection. My GI Joe's had everything anyone could want. They never had to reload their guns as I have a couple dozen for each of them. I had tons of .50 cals, bazookas and mortars. Sadly all of my stuff was burned up in a house fire.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at June 14, 2025 05:49 PM (e5NfL)

40
Jacks and Legos mean no bare feet.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 14, 2025 05:49 PM (QnmlO)

41 Bizarrely, I think I/our family owned every toy listed except the erector set.

I clung to my childhood way too long but eventually I lost all interest in toys. Toy guns gave way to the real thing.

Unless, that is, we count video games. Those still hold my interest/waste my time. Like City of Heroes. Brought back to life and now free of charge.

Posted by: Mark Andrew Edwards, Buy ammo at June 14, 2025 05:49 PM (xcxpd)

42 Sizzlers. The EV's of Hot Wheels.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 14, 2025 05:49 PM (Q4IgG)

43 We had a lot of 'Star Wars' toys too. Well used so they were donated or tossed.

A racing track too.

Posted by: Stateless.. 27% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 05:50 PM (jvJvP)

44 36 Remember the toy cars and motorcycles with the big zip-tie looking thing that you pulled really fast to make the toy go?

Posted by: PabloD at June 14, 2025 05:48 PM
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No idea what those were called, but I can still recall the sound vividly.

Posted by: TRex at June 14, 2025 05:50 PM (Eaoic)

45 Stomp rockets.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at June 14, 2025 05:51 PM (lIgBp)

46 I learned about electricity from a erector set when I stuck one of those little metal beams in a power outlet.

Posted by: fd at June 14, 2025 05:53 PM (gc+OO)

47 Cox Cars

I had a Baja Bug you started up and set the wheels in a turn and watch run until it ran out of gas or wrecks.

Also the tether car. with nail in the road.

Posted by: rhennigantx at June 14, 2025 05:53 PM (gbOdA)

48 TRex, You really came up with a great list. Tinker Toys, erector sets, silly putty, Etchasketch (sp?), Play Dough, and so many others from my 1950s/60s childhood. Slinky wasn't just fun, it was cool, especially having it go down stairs. (The challenge was placing it JUST RIGHT.)

Sadly, Hasbro Flubber was discontinued decades ago. It was great to see how many times it would bounce around the room from one toss. We were young enough to realize the potential damage to breakable stuff in the room. Using it outside had the risk (if you were strong enough) of it bouncing out of sight.

Posted by: JTB at June 14, 2025 05:54 PM (yTvNw)

49 Kites. I still love flying kites.

Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025 05:54 PM (DLqye)

50 49 Kites. I still love flying kites.
Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025 05:54 PM (DLqye)

With tupence for paper and string

Posted by: rhennigantx at June 14, 2025 05:55 PM (gbOdA)

51
Pffft! on those nostalgic toys.

Presenting the Greatest Troy Evah!

Six Finger!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElVzs0lEULs

Posted by: naturalfake at June 14, 2025 05:55 PM (iJfKG)

52 The Paolo still has his Super Balls.

Posted by: The Paolo at June 14, 2025 05:55 PM (i0F8b)

53 48 Sadly, Hasbro Flubber was discontinued decades ago.

Posted by: JTB at June 14, 2025 05:54 PM
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Maybe we'll do a mini-feature on the Flubber in a future thread.

Posted by: TRex at June 14, 2025 05:56 PM (Eaoic)

54 https://tinyurl.com/227ym7pd

Posted by: UnkleSteve at June 14, 2025 05:57 PM (f/KOq)

55 49 Kites. I still love flying kites.

Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025 05:54 PM
***
Fun topic idea. Thank you!

Posted by: TRex at June 14, 2025 05:57 PM (Eaoic)

56 It might have been the time and place but yo-yos and string tops were a big deal when we were in grade school. Learning to tie and wind the string properly to get the most use was like a rite of passage.

Same with flipping baseball cards. I was damn good, often winning from the older 6th graders.

Posted by: JTB at June 14, 2025 05:59 PM (yTvNw)

57 46 I learned about electricity from a erector set when I stuck one of those little metal beams in a power outlet.

I learned about electricity from an erector set when I connected the 1.5 volt electromagnet to the 110 vac power outlet. : -(

Posted by: Admirale's Mate at June 14, 2025 05:59 PM (sMkAM)

58 Balsa wood gliders.

Posted by: Quarter Twenty at June 14, 2025 05:59 PM (lIgBp)

59 Happy 1 year anniversary, TRex! Thank you for the Hobby Thread. It is much enjoyed and appreciated.

Posted by: TecumsehTea at June 14, 2025 06:00 PM (Eo96p)

60 Not a hobby item per se, but, I have my first IOS App in review and hopefully in the next couple of days it will be released on the store.

It's not anything unique, in fact, there are a billion apps just like it, the point of the exercise is to simply release something so I can just get familiar with the process of releasing apps.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 14, 2025 06:00 PM (XV/Pl)

61
Kites. I still love flying kites.

Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025 05:54 PM

_________

We had some enormous Oriental thing. Someone called the cops thinking it was a UFO.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 14, 2025 06:01 PM (QnmlO)

62 60 Not a hobby item per se, but, I have my first IOS App in review and hopefully in the next couple of days it will be released on the store.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 14, 2025 06:00 PM
***
Congrats! The Hobby Thread respects anyone that builds.

Posted by: TRex at June 14, 2025 06:02 PM (Eaoic)

63 Stretch Armstrong. Mr. Pulsar.

Posted by: Boss Moss at June 14, 2025 06:02 PM (i51dK)

64 Clackers were known for shattering into sharp shards during enthustiastic clacking. That's why they dont sell Clackers anymore
Posted by: fd at June 14, 2025 05:49 PM (gc+OO)

That's because they were heavy as hell. They were essentially a two headed flail without a handle.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at June 14, 2025 06:03 PM (CA3k/)

65 Whoo-hoo! I think our favorite game was a Milton-Bradley "board" game called "Slap Stick" that came out around 1966 or '67. It came with a bunch of colored cards, each with a hole in it, and there were colored plastic rods attached to the board. With your color-co-ordinated plastic paddle (like a shovel with a very long handle), you were supposed to slide the paddle under a card of your assigned color and drop said card onto your color-co-ordinated stick. The cards were numbered and after all the cards in the middle of the board were scooped up, whoever totaled the most points won. Meanwhile, the other players would attempt to "Slap" the card off your paddle, thus preventing you from scoring. What was fun was that my siblings and I didn't drop cards onto the rods; nope, first we slapped cards off the paddles, then gave up all pretense of scoring and whaled the tar out of each other with the paddles! After some stinging shots landed on hands, arms, legs, and eventually somebody's face, the entire game was confiscated by Mom, never to be seen again. Awww....

Posted by: tankascribe at June 14, 2025 06:04 PM (NtoJk)

66 Biotron.

Posted by: Boss Moss at June 14, 2025 06:04 PM (i51dK)

67 I had a lot of these toys when I was a youth. The only one I see missing is Major Matt Mason. I had a ton of MMM toys. Including the Moonbase and Kallisto "from Jupiter. His transparent skull reveals the workings of his alien brain."

Still have some of that in storage somewhere.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at June 14, 2025 06:04 PM (CHHv1)

68 > Kites. I still love flying kites.

Posted by: Ben Had
---------
We were down on Del Monte Beach in Monterey with a kite many years ago. Got... way up there. Probably 1000 feet.

Took "a long time" to reel it in.

I'm still sore.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 14, 2025 06:04 PM (Q4IgG)

69 Before my time, but my aunt had a set (and presumably every other toy she had as a kid) preserved perfectly in her room at grandma and grandpa's house.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at June 14, 2025 06:05 PM (CA3k/)

70 The Trumptacular parade is getting started.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, And You're Not at June 14, 2025 06:05 PM (L/fGl)

71 Micronauts.

Posted by: Boss Moss at June 14, 2025 06:05 PM (i51dK)

72 I still have my favorite toy, and play with it at every opportunity.

Posted by: Jeffery Toobin at June 14, 2025 06:06 PM (i0F8b)

73
Not toys, but Avalon Hill board games. And canasta. Great for rainy summer days.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 14, 2025 06:06 PM (QnmlO)

74 Not toy related but I had a class in drawing today, my first ever. It was for absolute beginners and I picked up some good tips especially about proportions and perspective. It felt odd to get ideas from a class instead of a book. Now I have to keep practicing.

Posted by: JTB at June 14, 2025 06:06 PM (yTvNw)

75 65 then gave up all pretense of scoring and whaled the tar out of each other with the paddles! After some stinging shots landed on hands, arms, legs, and eventually somebody's face, the entire game was confiscated by Mom, never to be seen again. Awww....

Posted by: tankascribe at June 14, 2025 06:04 PM
***
Ha! Who could have seen that coming?! Clearly they had no children involved in the pre-production testing. Anything that can be converted into a weapon will be converted into a weapon.

Posted by: TRex at June 14, 2025 06:08 PM (Eaoic)

76 I still have my uncles view master. And his set of marbles.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at June 14, 2025 06:09 PM (CA3k/)

77
No rocketry. Unfortunately.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at June 14, 2025 06:09 PM (QnmlO)

78 74 Not toy related but I had a class in drawing today, my first ever.

Posted by: JTB at June 14, 2025 06:06 PM
***
Outstanding!! Congrats! Best wishes for the future!

Posted by: TRex at June 14, 2025 06:09 PM (Eaoic)

79 Anybody remember Op-Yops?
SillySand?

Or those kits that made jewelry our of some sort of plastic, it would heat up and we'd pour the material into the mold, and it would make soft cameo-type jewelry?

Posted by: TecumsehTea at June 14, 2025 06:11 PM (Eo96p)

80 @62

>>Congrats! The Hobby Thread respects anyone that builds.

Thanks, I'm building an ERP app that I'm hoping will fill a major whole in my particular business sector and am hoping to have an initial release candidate in about a year, in the interim, as I'm learning and building out the different elements, I'm learning different aspects of applications development and as result you test things seperately from the main app, so those testings are going be little app that I am hoping to make a couple from on the App store.

I'm not expecting to make any money as I am only going to sell these ios apps for a buck, I'm not going to do any advertising or in-app monetization.

The app is only going to do the things it's going to do, you want it, you pay a buck and that's it. I'm not collecting data, I'm not nickle and diming you.

Basically, using it as a learning exercise.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at June 14, 2025 06:11 PM (XV/Pl)

81 Crystal grow kits.

Posted by: Aetius451AD work phone at June 14, 2025 06:12 PM (CA3k/)

82 Mom taught me how to play Jacks.

We had "pick up sticks" too-- almost forgot about that one.

Hopscotch! My friends and I got into big trouble for playing it in front of neighbor's house-- we were told to scrub off every trace of chalk! Not as easy as you might think.

Posted by: JQ at June 14, 2025 06:13 PM (rdVOm)

83 Watching the parade. Who is the guy three rows behind Trump, who is wearing the Medal of Honor?

Posted by: Suburbanbanshee at June 14, 2025 06:14 PM (p2GXS)

84 44 36 Remember the toy cars and motorcycles with the big zip-tie looking thing that you pulled really fast to make the toy go?

Posted by: PabloD at June 14, 2025 05:48 PM
***
No idea what those were called, but I can still recall the sound vividly.

Posted by: TRex at June 14, 2025 05:50 PM (Eaoic

Actually, I remember those.

And remembering going Palestinian, revving it up to all heck and aiming it at my enemies.

Posted by: Stateless.. 27% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 06:15 PM (jvJvP)

85 Wow, I played with nearly all of these toys. I'm OLD!

Best thing ever was marbles. My dad had a friend who worked at a ball bearing factory and he gave me a YUGE ball bearing, which I claimed was a steelie. It was like dropping the Tsar Bomba. I shortly owned all the marbles.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 14, 2025 06:15 PM (kpS4V)

86 Lite Brite

Here... go make video signs. Probably a CIA thing.

Posted by: Martini Farmer at June 14, 2025 06:17 PM (Q4IgG)

87 The biggest thing that came with all those toys was imagination.

Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025 06:17 PM (DLqye)

88

What do sock monkeys jerk into?

Posted by: Just Saying... at June 14, 2025 06:18 PM (m1Nt+)

89 Evening, all,

"I had a Slinky. I straightened it."
( -- Egon Spengler)

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 14, 2025 06:18 PM (omVj0)

90 It's not a classic toy but Mom and I bought our friends' child an electronic set for her birthday. It looked really cool and I got it for about half price at 'Canadian Tire.'

I should try to borrow that. It looked fun.

Now, the older kids.....Legos. Tons of Legos.

Posted by: Stateless.. 27% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 06:18 PM (jvJvP)

91 My little brother and I went through a couple of bright yellow Fireball Wagons. Iirc, the front wheels were smaller than the large back ones and you could steer it pretty well. Red flame down the middle.

We had a hill in front of our house ending in a cul de sac. So many races with the neighborhood kids!!! More than a few crashes, bloody road rashes, bumps and bruises. Great time!

Posted by: nurse ratched at June 14, 2025 06:19 PM (WpUtP)

92 One of my hobbies is opera, listening not singing. I'm watching the Met production of Aida, a love triangle set in Ancient Egypt during an invasion of Egypt by Ethiopia. Anyway, this production has a kinda cool framing technique. It begins with an Indiana Jones-like figure rappelling down into a lost temple /palace long buried in the sand and reading the heiroglyphs to tell the story.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, And You're Not at June 14, 2025 06:19 PM (L/fGl)

93 87 The biggest thing that came with all those toys was imagination.

Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025 06:17 PM
***
Amen. I should have highlighted the endless possibilities of the humble cardboard box. Building blocks for almost anything.

Posted by: TRex at June 14, 2025 06:20 PM (Eaoic)

94 As kids we didn't play classic marble games. Those seemed to belong to the previous generation. But we got a lot of use out of them as ammunition: slingshots, our attempts at catapults, or just dropping them from a height on bugs like we were bombing Dresden.

Some games, jacks and hopscotch come to mind, were only for girls. Don't know why.

Posted by: JTB at June 14, 2025 06:20 PM (yTvNw)

95 I'm watching the parade on C-SPAN. One dude put down his brewskie for the national anthem, and promptly resumed chugging the second it was over. Respect.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 14, 2025 06:20 PM (kpS4V)

96 Bloody road rashes, bumps and bruises. Great time!

Posted by: nurse ratched at June 14, 2025 06:19 PM (WpUtP)

No one likes to end up as 'street meat puppets.'

Posted by: Stateless.. 27% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 06:21 PM (jvJvP)

97 Working on rust this week.

Not the programming language, oxidized steel. Some ahole let a coke spill down the side of a piece of gear what looks like at least two decades ago. Stripped the electronics and disassembled the box and the rusty bit is getting a nice vinegar bath right now.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at June 14, 2025 06:21 PM (lUFok)

98 Could only find the broadcast of the parade on PBS (spit). I want to know what the libs have done to prevent people from attending. Stands look half empty.

I hope Trump and the organizers were smart enough to station Marines at all the Metro stations to ensure Americans could get one without hassle and salute the troops.

Posted by: Diabeetus at June 14, 2025 06:22 PM (SawFp)

99 Super Toe!

Posted by: Biff Pocoroba at June 14, 2025 06:24 PM (ITkJX)

100 Amen. I should have highlighted the endless possibilities of the humble cardboard box. Building blocks for almost anything.

Posted by: TRex at June 14, 2025 06:20 PM (Eaoic)

My late mother needed some stuff every few weeks and they would come in some pretty big boxes. Big enough that kids could hide in them.

I saved up a LOT of them for my friends' kids. Got markers, put letters and numbers on them.

Oh, those boxes got used. Art. Cat homes, a lot of stuff.

The appeal of toys fades. A good huge cardboard box. That becomes a home....

Posted by: Stateless.. 27% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 06:25 PM (jvJvP)

101 That was like digging through my toy box 45 years ago.

Posted by: Bert G at June 14, 2025 06:25 PM (VARTN)

102 I had Play-Doh and an Etch-a-Sketch, flirted with Silly Putty, but never had Lincoln Logs or an Erector Set that I can recall. My Christmas toys were things like the Beany and Cecil stuffed talking dolls, Western gunslinger holster and pistol sets from Mattel, and later plastic model assembly kits. Oh, and an Aurora Model Motoring slot-car track setup.

Birthday gifts were often of the Marx Playset variety, such as Capt. Gallant of the Foreign Legion, Roy Rogers' Double-R Bar, Zorro, and one I wish I still had, the Flintstones set. It was amazing how many parts and pieces and figures you got for $4.99.

There was a fad at my grammar school for tops. I forget the brand name, the same as the yo-yo manufacturers -- Duncan? They had models like the Imperial. I learned how to wind the cord properly and make them spin for a reasonable time. We all vied to see who could make his top spin longest

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 14, 2025 06:25 PM (omVj0)

103 Not Silly Sand but Eraser Boards this magnets that moved iron filings I guess

Posted by: Skip at June 14, 2025 06:25 PM (tl5zd)

104 @79 - I had one of those - a ThingMaker with PlastiGoop. You poured then goop into a mold and you could make monsters, bugs, all kinds of stuff.

I bet it would be illegal today.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at June 14, 2025 06:27 PM (CHHv1)

105 Should the Gen X kid answer all the questions? Why not...

If you're going to be crafty, you know about the sock monkey.
Grandma's house had one.....

Did you pull newsprint with silly putty?
Had some silly putty.

or were you more of a Play-Doh sculptor?
Some of the commercial stuff, and some that Mom made with flour and water and food coloring and whatever else.

Indestructible. (Tonka trucks)
Had a few as sandbox toys. Not that one. Had a backhoe with way too many controls to make it much fun to operate.

Tinker Toys or...
One small set.

Lincoln Logs...
Part of a small set, that used to be Dad's when he was a kid. Just enough to build a small house. Not enough of the really short pieces left.

or Erector set?
We had this Erector set, in the yellow plastic case, with the little motor:
https://is.gd/K2d7mY

(1/x)

Posted by: mikeski at June 14, 2025 06:27 PM (DgGvY)

106 Army parade is on Merit tv.

Posted by: nurse ratched at June 14, 2025 06:27 PM (1U0OF)

107 I recall playing tiddlywinks. It was especially good when it was too nasty to go outside. (Nasty was defined by the mothers by how much dirt and mud we might bring in after playing.)

A kid could spend a lot of time trying to get the damn things in the cup. When you finally did, it was like sinking a put after thirty tries. You forgot all the previous attempts.

Posted by: JTB at June 14, 2025 06:28 PM (yTvNw)

108 Etch a sketch and...
Yup. Many stairs were drawn.

the mighty View Master.
You betcha. 3D before 3D was cool.

Jacks...
Nope.

marbles...
As aquarium decorations, never played the game.

and dominoes.
To set up and knock over, not to play the actual board game.

Hot wheels and matchbox (along with miles of orange track):
Yes and yes.

Still being made, but I'm stunned that a Big Wheel costs $129 or more on the interweb these days.
Had that big wheel, in the original red-yellow-blue colors.

Barrel O Monkeys and...
No, but there was a barrel at grandma's house.

(2/x)

Posted by: mikeski at June 14, 2025 06:28 PM (DgGvY)

109 Slinky!
The plastic kind, not the metal one.

Did you make anything edible in an Easy Bake Oven?
No, didn't have any sisters.

Senior Cara de Papa
Also at grandma's house.

What else? Hula hoop, Magic 8 ball, yo yos, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Rock em Sock em Robots, kaleidoscopes, Stretch Armstrong, Operation, Lite Brite, Simon, paper dolls, jump rope, frisbee, Barbie, GI Joe, plastic green army men, etc.?

No, no, yes, grandma's, no, yes, no, grandma's, yes, yes, no, yes, yes, no, yes, yes.

Etc.: still have my Rubik's cube, and still know how to solve it.

(3/3)

Posted by: mikeski at June 14, 2025 06:28 PM (DgGvY)

110 And how many of us got in trouble for Rubik's Cubes in class. And the rip off side puzzles. They were the smart phones of their day.....

And those electronic pets you had to keep alive. Which I never had. Thankfully.

Posted by: Stateless.. 27% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 06:29 PM (jvJvP)

111 I forwent asking for toys because I wanted a horse more than anything in the world.

Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025 06:29 PM (DLqye)

112 I was a little old for Hot Wheels when they appeared.

The amazing thing about Mattel's Shootin' Shell pistols and rifles is that they worked on basically the same principle as real guns do. There was a metal cartridge, a plastic "bullet" that snapped into the cartridge, and you put a Greenie Stik-M Cap on the flat base of the cartridge. When the hammer of your gun came down on the cap, you got a bang and the plastic bullet flew out of the barrel, leaving the cartridge behind. Of course the plastic bullets vanished pretty soon, so a cap on the cartridge was what you had, but it made a satisfying bang anyway.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 14, 2025 06:29 PM (omVj0)

113 Posted by: mikeski at June 14, 2025 06:28 PM (DgGvY

Battling Robots!

Posted by: Stateless.. 27% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 06:29 PM (jvJvP)

114 Etc.: still have my Rubik's cube, and still know how to solve it.

(3/3)

Posted by: mikeski at June 14, 2025 06:28 PM (DgGvY)

I'd love some bigger ones when life gets better. That would be fun.....

Posted by: Stateless.. 27% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 06:31 PM (jvJvP)

115 I never had a Mr. Potato Head.

As for the Beany & Cecil stuffed talking dolls, from Mattel I think, Beany vanished somewhere in the mists of time. But my mother kept Cecil, even though his pull cord-operated talking box had stopped working. She kept him as a decoration on an armchair in the upstairs loft that was her bedroom after we kids left home.

I wish I'd grabbed it when I was cleaning out the apartment after she passed away.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 14, 2025 06:32 PM (omVj0)

116 Plastigoop, Shrinky Dinks, Strange Change Machine.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 14, 2025 06:33 PM (kpS4V)

117 TCR racing was the first set that didnt have slots. Cars could change lanes, but they often just flew off the track.

Posted by: Biff Pocoroba at June 14, 2025 06:34 PM (ITkJX)

118 Coloring books and crayons.

Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025 06:35 PM (DLqye)

119 104 @79 - I had one of those - a ThingMaker with PlastiGoop. You poured then goop into a mold and you could make monsters, bugs, all kinds of stuff.

I bet it would be illegal today.
Posted by: BeckoningChasm at June 14, 2025 06:27 PM (CHHv1)
----

You routinely burned yourself on the hot metal molds. You shook it off and went on goopin'!

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 14, 2025 06:36 PM (kpS4V)

120 TCR racing was the first set that didnt have slots. Cars could change lanes, but they often just flew off the track.

At least the cars were glow in the dark, so you could find them if they went under the couch.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - Z28.310 at June 14, 2025 06:36 PM (lUFok)

121 Viewmaster! I bought one with my own money in 1969, to play the Man From U.N.C.L.E. episode reel for "The Very Important Zombie Affair." I still have the reels in the package. Had to buy a VM on eBay to play them. Now that we have the episodes on DVD, it's less important, but you know, a collector does this sort of stuff.

There was also a Star Trek episode on VM, "The Omega Glory."

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 14, 2025 06:37 PM (omVj0)

122 Oooooo, Eris,
Shrinky dinks!

Posted by: nurse ratched at June 14, 2025 06:37 PM (mT+6a)

123 I gave my god daughter a talking 'Barney' doll when she was 3 or 4.

Remember talking cars, how they would tell you 'Fasten Your Seatbelt.' Etc. Remember how fast those disappeared?

That was Barney. She'd trigger Barney, he'd start singing and she'd just mutter 'Shut up Barney!'

Posted by: Stateless.. 27% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 06:37 PM (jvJvP)

124 I was a little old to get into GI Joe and other action figures. When they came along I was already looking into getting a BB gun.

Posted by: JTB at June 14, 2025 06:37 PM (yTvNw)

125 Coloring books and crayons.

Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025

***
And Paint-By-Number paintings of Dracula and the Frankenstein Monster, with oil paints that took forever to dry!

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 14, 2025 06:38 PM (omVj0)

126 I lived on coloring books and crayons, when I could find where my mother hid the crayons! I always had paper and a pencil to sketch. Colorforms and tiddlywinks, but mostly all types of ball games in the streets....

Posted by: Grateful - the range bag lady at June 14, 2025 06:38 PM (Eaoic)

127 Oh, and there was the annoying Super Ball. It bounced so vigorously off a sidewalk or a wall that it was hard to control or predict where it would soar.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 14, 2025 06:39 PM (omVj0)

128 Hot Wheel tracks were a fearsome weapon

Posted by: Skip at June 14, 2025 06:40 PM (tl5zd)

129 Okay, I had to look.

There's a 33x 33 x 33 Rubik's cube.

We should all get one for brain exercise...

Posted by: Stateless.. 27% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 06:40 PM (jvJvP)

130 Grateful, there you are ! To indulge my inner child some lucky person at the TXMoMe will receive an adult coloring book and crayons.

Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025 06:41 PM (DLqye)

131 My younger brother had a pedal car Jeep with the USAF logo on it. It was painted in the blue-gray of the USAF uniform. I was a little too big to fit comfortably in it, but I tried.

It had rubber tires, and was made of metal. Can you believe that? No way such a thing would be allowed nowadays.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 14, 2025 06:42 PM (omVj0)

132 Wolfus, I had one of those.

Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025 06:43 PM (DLqye)

133 We had a game we called Strikeout. Rubber ball the size of a baseball, strike zone painted on a wall. Usually in a school parking lot on weekends when it was vacant.

Posted by: Biff Pocoroba at June 14, 2025 06:45 PM (ITkJX)

134 127 Oh, and there was the annoying Super Ball. It bounced so vigorously off a sidewalk or a wall that it was hard to control or predict where it would soar.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 14, 2025 06:39 PM
***
I'm a fan of the mighty superball. Different sizes and colors. Mayhem.

Posted by: TRex at June 14, 2025 06:46 PM (Eaoic)

135 The Great Courses Plus has a great Drawing course. I want to go through that. Your local library may have it for 'free.' Mine does.

Also Chess. A bunch of other great stuff to that would fit into the hobby thread.

Posted by: Stateless.. 27% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 06:46 PM (jvJvP)

136 130 Grateful, there you are ! To indulge my inner child some lucky person at the TXMoMe will receive an adult coloring book and crayons.
Posted by: Ben Had

I have one. It has seen me through more than one emotional episode of one kind or another. Very soothing.

Posted by: nurse ratched at June 14, 2025 06:47 PM (mT+6a)

137 We had all of those building toys, and then some . Had something that I think was called Crystal Climbers--rectangles and discs and cylinders that interlocked, made of jewel-toned clear plastic. They smelled weird.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at June 14, 2025 06:48 PM (h7ZuX)

138 I am here Ben Had! What a great gift idea. Now you've got me thinking....

Posted by: Grateful - the range bag lady at June 14, 2025 06:49 PM (Eaoic)

139 Here's a link to that 33 x 33 x 33 Rubik's cube.

Pretty impressive.

https://tinyurl.com/499tnpvz

Posted by: Stateless.. 27% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 06:50 PM (jvJvP)

140 We had a metal pedal car too. And I had a plastic Batmobile to ride in. I loved Batman.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 14, 2025 06:50 PM (kpS4V)

141 I have a %99 complete Erector Set from around 1960
Posted by: Skip at June 14, 2025 05:46 PM (tl5zd)

I still have the Meccano set I had as child. Meccano was the British Empire counterpart to Erector, and many of the parts were compatible. Meccano used weird screw threads completely unknown to engineering science.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 14, 2025 06:52 PM (biyIY)

142 I ordered a Barrel of Monkeys on alibaba. When I opened the barrel, all the monkeys were dead.

I remember playing with Spirograph.

Posted by: Bombadil at June 14, 2025 06:53 PM (MX0bI)

143 Watching the parade on CSpan

Posted by: Skip at June 14, 2025 06:53 PM (tl5zd)

144 Grateful mentioned Colorforms. My little sister played with them, sort of an updated version of paper dolls. To my surprise, Colorforms are still made.

Posted by: JTB at June 14, 2025 06:55 PM (yTvNw)

145 What a fun trip down memory lane.

Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025 06:56 PM (DLqye)

146 We had all of those building toys, and then some . Had something that I think was called Crystal Climbers--rectangles and discs and cylinders that interlocked, made of jewel-toned clear plastic. They smelled weird.
Posted by: Dash my lace wigs!

We had some called Construx, too. All plastic, the connections were sort of a cross between Tinker Toys (because multi-directional, with long beams and little connector nodes) and Lego (because they snapped together).

Lack of info on the net makes me think they were not popular. The Wiki article looks like pictures all taken in the same house by the one kid who collected all the sets, heh.

Posted by: mikeski at June 14, 2025 06:57 PM (DgGvY)

147 Oh !!!paper dolls

Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025 06:57 PM (DLqye)

148 C-SPAN just shows the parade with the announcers and officer commentary. CNN had to politicize it.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 14, 2025 06:57 PM (kpS4V)

149 127 Oh, and there was the annoying Super Ball. It bounced so vigorously off a sidewalk or a wall that it was hard to control or predict where it would soar.
Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at June 14, 2025 06:39 PM (omVj0)

That's why this is an inside toy. Great action in a long hallway. Our mom was pretty tolerant.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at June 14, 2025 06:58 PM (h7ZuX)

150 Lite Brite, Gumby & Pokey; Spirograph, styrofoam planes, bubble soap, jumping ropes

Posted by: L - No nic, another fine day at June 14, 2025 06:58 PM (NFX2v)

151 Kites

Posted by: L - No nic, another fine day at June 14, 2025 07:00 PM (NFX2v)

152 Watching the parade on CSpan

Posted by: Skip at June 14, 2025 06:53 PM

Same here. I notice the Bradley's are just plain OD green now. I don't remember the Army stopping the three color NATO camo paint job but I guess they did when I wasn't looking.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at June 14, 2025 07:01 PM (e5NfL)

153 And the 'dangerous' toys.

Lawn darts. That's you failing 'Survival 101.'

I can't be the only one that used fireworks in a firefight. Those ones that shoot out one ball at a time. We were young and stupid but a tiny bit better.

Oh, and I almost hit my brother in the leg with a bow and arrow. Right between the legs and in the wall. Considering everything the last 5 months, kind of wish I hit him. We became estranged today. He came by for one last thing, went to Mom's bedroom to cry, I left for my friends across the street.

He hates me. Like really. Damn that bow and arrow and a time machine...

Posted by: Stateless.. 27% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 07:03 PM (jvJvP)

154 Balsa wood airplanes, pump rockets, ornithopters, kites.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 14, 2025 07:03 PM (kpS4V)

155 Ice Bird, Ice Bird,
You're such a nice bird.
Let's make an Ice Bird treat!

Scrape in the ice
To fill the cup
Then add the flavor
And eat it up!

Yum yum yum yum
How about another one?

Ice Bird, you're a lot of fun!

Posted by: Bombadil at June 14, 2025 07:05 PM (MX0bI)

156 Posted by: Stateless.. 27% - mental state clawing up from 10%
***
Hey Stateless. What do we need to get ya to at least 28%?!

Posted by: TRex at June 14, 2025 07:05 PM (Eaoic)

157 He hates me. Like really. Damn that bow and arrow and a time machine...
Posted by: Stateless
**********
I've learned that people have very different ways of coping and grieving. Even siblings. He may act like he hates you, but I'd bed money I don't have that it's not you he's upset with...after all, you were the caretaker.
Now you get to take care of yourself. And if you do half the job for yourself that you did for your Mom, you will be one happy man. And I look forward to hearing about that....

Posted by: Grateful - the range bag lady at June 14, 2025 07:06 PM (Eaoic)

158 Ricochet Racers on target!
Havin' lots of fun when you race with a Ricochayee...

Posted by: Bombadil at June 14, 2025 07:06 PM (MX0bI)

159 Incredible Edibles, which is like Plastigoop you can eat. It tasted like crap.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 14, 2025 07:06 PM (kpS4V)

160 Considering everything the last 5 months, kind of wish I hit him. We became estranged today. He came by for one last thing, went to Mom's bedroom to cry, I left for my friends across the street.

He hates me. Like really. Damn that bow and arrow and a time machine...

Posted by: Stateless.. 27% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 07:03 PM

Not wanting to get into your personal business but I lost my brother some years back. We had words and never really spoke much for some years before he died. I wish I could invent a time machine and go back and try to patch things up.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at June 14, 2025 07:08 PM (e5NfL)

161 What about the little plastic rocket you'd fill half with water and half with compressed air from a little slide-whistle pump? What's that thing called? They launched pretty good.

Posted by: Bombadil at June 14, 2025 07:09 PM (MX0bI)

162 Smash up derby!

Posted by: nurse ratched at June 14, 2025 07:09 PM (mT+6a)

163 Stateless, your brother is lashing out with resentment and guilt because he didn't do jacksquat for your parents. His greed will haunt him to the grave.

Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025 07:10 PM (DLqye)

164 Hobby-related stuff today? Well, I made a modification to my media-blasting cabinet. It is from Princess Auto, but is basically a clone of the one Harbor Freight sells. I drained out the glass bead into a bucket, and sieved it. Got a lot of coarse junk out of. Then I modified the pickup tube for the siphon-feed gun according to a write-up I found on the Internet. Made a huge improvement; much more time blasting, much less time purging clogged pickup. And I put new batteries into my own mod. Made a bracket, and hung one of those little LED "head" lamps on top of the gun, pointing directly at where the stream from the nozzle impinges on the work. A little extra light in exactly the right place means fewer spot missed.

So bead-blasted six lamp housings for the Zip van, and two cast-aluminum valve covers and two cast-aluminum intake manifolds.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 14, 2025 07:11 PM (biyIY)

165 Posted by: Stateless.. 27% - mental state clawing up from 10%
***
Hey Stateless. What do we need to get ya to at least 28%?!
Posted by: TRex at June 14, 2025 07:0

Hi TRex. Thanks so much.

I'm getting there. 1% just for surviving. 1% for boozeless days, 1% for being productive and 1% for some sort of exercise. Convict conditioning by the way to keep the hobby thread on topic. I am hoping to make a lot of gains soon, especially when my living situation isn't still up in the air for 5 months.

I lost the rest of my family today but my friends' cat Snowflake is home and that's a pretty fair trade.

Posted by: Stateless.. 28% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 07:12 PM (jvJvP)

166 Little Kiddle dolls, including Kiddle Kologne. (Tiny doll inside a perfume bottle-shaped holder that smelled good).

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 14, 2025 07:13 PM (kpS4V)

167 What about the little plastic rocket you'd fill half with water and half with compressed air from a little slide-whistle pump? What's that thing called? They launched pretty good.
Posted by: Bombadil at June 14, 2025 07:09 PM (MX0bI)

I had one of those! Three stages, top one was a spherical satellite. Very clever design. The stages separated automatically as the pressure in the lower stage exhausted.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at June 14, 2025 07:14 PM (biyIY)

168 I lost the rest of my family today but my friends' cat Snowflake is home and that's a pretty fair trade.
Posted by: Stateless
*********
Stateless, there is the family you are born into and the family you choose. We are one of the families you choose, and you haven't lost us!

Posted by: Grateful - the range bag lady at June 14, 2025 07:14 PM (Eaoic)

169 "It's not a tank, it's a self-propelled Howitzer" 😆

I call them all tanks.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 14, 2025 07:15 PM (kpS4V)

170 Grateful, the same is said to you and TRex.

Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025 07:15 PM (DLqye)

171 I had a view master but my favorite related toy was the projector master. ( don't know if that's what it's called) . It was just a plastic tube with a light and magnifying lens. You had a ruler sized card with about 6 or 7 slides on it . Go into your closet and you have your own media room or back then your own movie theater.

Posted by: polynikes at June 14, 2025 07:16 PM (VofaG)

172 166 Little Kiddle dolls, including Kiddle Kologne. (Tiny doll inside a perfume bottle-shaped holder that smelled good).
Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 14, 2025 07:13 PM (kpS4V)

Oh, my sisters and I loved those!

Another one I thought about this week, what with permission to run over protestors and all, is the Flatsy doll. Think Gumby, but in a girl doll shape.

Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at June 14, 2025 07:18 PM (h7ZuX)

173 Hey Ben Had, 17 weeks til Corsicana!

Posted by: Grateful - the range bag lady at June 14, 2025 07:18 PM (Eaoic)

174 Posted by: Stateless.. 28% -
***
Control what you can control. One hour at a time. One day at a time. Don't carry baggage that holds you back. Have faith. Pray for strength and wisdom.

We've got your back.

Posted by: TRex at June 14, 2025 07:18 PM (Eaoic)

175 I still have my wagon, my tonka trucks (grader, dump truck, crane bucket and a broke in half loader) legos (with three generations added to it.) and most importantly my marbles.
Wish I had my erector set and tinker toys. I bet the grands would love those.
I don't let the grands play with the tonka stuff. I look at it now and go "really" as I vaguely remember the pain of getting pinched by them, a lot.

Posted by: Reforger at June 14, 2025 07:19 PM (LgDgc)

176 I had most of these toys at one time or another in my youth. My Tinkertoys, Lincoln Logs and Erector set were hand-me-downs that were kept at my grandparents' house. They'd probably be worth a fortune today.

I still have most of my Matchbox/Hot Wheels cars, and a wall-mount display case to show them in. I rotate it in and out with other wall art.

Good memories.

Posted by: Pennsyltucky at June 14, 2025 07:19 PM (QdGJh)

177 Kenner slide show projector.

Posted by: polynikes at June 14, 2025 07:19 PM (VofaG)

178 Another one I thought about this week, what with permission to run over protestors and all, is the Flatsy doll. Think Gumby, but in a girl doll shape.
Posted by: Dash my lace wigs! at June 14, 2025 07:18 PM (h7ZuX)
---

I remember them! You could hide them inside a book at school.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 14, 2025 07:20 PM (kpS4V)

179 Chemistry sets and wood burning kit.

I feel sorry for kids today that will never experience those toys.

Posted by: polynikes at June 14, 2025 07:20 PM (VofaG)

180 Grateful, I am counting the days and MoMe X can't wait to welcome you all.

Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025 07:21 PM (DLqye)

181 Spirograph

Posted by: polynikes at June 14, 2025 07:21 PM (VofaG)

182 Time to say thank you and good night before the next act takes the Ace of Spades stage. Thanks for being here. Thanks for participating. Looking forward to more Hobby Threads in the future.

See y'all in Club ONT later tonight!

Posted by: TRex at June 14, 2025 07:22 PM (Eaoic)

183 I had a kit with Peanuts stencils so you could draw your own Peanuts cartoons.

I also had a birdbath rink with mobile Snoopy and Woodstock playing hockey,

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 14, 2025 07:22 PM (kpS4V)

184 I got my wife a sock monkey last winter. She had told me she had gotten one as a present as a little girl.

Posted by: Kindltot at June 14, 2025 07:23 PM (D7oie)

185 Had wood burning kits a couple times

Posted by: Skip at June 14, 2025 07:24 PM (tl5zd)

186 Mr Potatohead was emasculated when it became a plastic potato with limited attachment points instead of spiked pieces you could put anywhere on a real potato. Also all metal spud guns. Air blasters!

Posted by: Commissar of plenty and festive little hats at June 14, 2025 07:26 PM (JazRo)

187 Had wood burning kit, and also leathercraft kits to make wallets and such. There was also copper sheets to rub over templates to make pictures.

Posted by: All Hail Eris, She-Wolf of the 'Ettes 'Ettes at June 14, 2025 07:26 PM (kpS4V)

188 Rockem Sockem Robots.

Posted by: polynikes at June 14, 2025 07:27 PM (VofaG)

189 I wish I had my Metal Tonka truck and crane. Long gone. I beat the crap out of them.

Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at June 14, 2025 07:28 PM (dR6yv)

190 Wind up Evel Knievel motorcycle. Fun toy

Posted by: Hatari Somewhere on Ventura Highway at June 14, 2025 07:29 PM (WF/xn)

191 I remember Tinker Toys, Lincoln Logs and Erector sets. I don't think I ever had a plastic toy. Maybe they hadn't been invented yet.

Posted by: Javems at June 14, 2025 07:30 PM (8I4hW)

192 Clackers.

So dangerous they were banned even before lawn darts.

Posted by: polynikes at June 14, 2025 07:32 PM (VofaG)

193 189 I wish I had my Metal Tonka truck and crane. Long gone. I beat the crap out of them.
Posted by: Mr Aspirin Factory, red heifer owner at June 14, 2025 07:28 PM (dR6yv)

The one I have we used to ride down this big hill. I drive up and down it all the time now and wonder how none of us died. Back when crying got you teased until you really cried. Blood was a badge of honor and our parents had not one fucking clue where we were.

Posted by: Reforger at June 14, 2025 07:33 PM (LgDgc)

194 I want to thank you all. I have been reading all the comments while having beers tonight. Was watching the Avengers but screw it.

TRex, has wine and beer making ever been a thread. My tiny Canadian town with 2 sets of stoplights has a store.

I think several of you were correct. With both Mom and Dad he insisted on being there when they died. SUCKIEST POSSIBLE HOBBY EVER BTW!!

But Dad and I had no unexpressed thoughts. We were good. Not to mention Mom and I. I thought Mom stopped talking on Monday. I was there Wednesday, her friend came in and Mom called my name over and over.

I was going to take that to my grave not to hurt Steve. But he showed up today, took a few more minor things, made 'Have a Nice Life' comments. So I had to tell him

Sorry Dude. You may be torturing me but I have no regrets.

The funniest thing is, is that I don't know how this happened. I thought we were good. But apparently caregiving is a vacation acording to my brother.

Sorry.

But it is a hobby thread.

And just for a while, beer, some pills from the canabis store are my hobby.

But just for a bit.

Posted by: Stateless.. 28% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 07:34 PM (jvJvP)

195 Lawn darts were cool. The set was kept at our grandparents' house, because we'd behave better there.

Still, older bro liked to aim them AT me, when he thought nobody was watching.

(I'm with you, Stateless-- cut bro loose and don't look back!)

Posted by: JQ at June 14, 2025 07:35 PM (rdVOm)

196 Lots of tree climbing as a kid, even as an adult. By gone days.

Posted by: JM in Illinois at June 14, 2025 07:36 PM (SJrOE)

197 I have some animosity towards Erector sets. My older brother got one. I was told by my mother that girls were not allowed to play with Erector sets, it was for boys, he did not have to share. I asked for my own. No, those are for boys. Lincoln logs were allowed though.

Posted by: Nancy@7000ft at June 14, 2025 07:36 PM (qFnnL)

198 NOOD

Posted by: 18-1 at June 14, 2025 07:38 PM (t0Rmr)

199 192 Clackers.

So dangerous they were banned even before lawn darts.
Posted by: polynikes at June 14, 2025 07:32 PM (VofaG)

----
Even if they didn't shatter! Fast moving, hard plastic balls: recipe for disaster.

Posted by: JM in Illinois at June 14, 2025 07:40 PM (SJrOE)

200 Erector set took a lot of work, took a lot of time. But some sets included an electric motor. hooray!

Posted by: JM in Illinois at June 14, 2025 07:43 PM (SJrOE)

201 163 Stateless, your brother is lashing out with resentment and guilt because he didn't do jacksquat for your parents. His greed will haunt him to the grave.
Posted by: Ben Had at June 14, 2025 07:10 PM (DLqye

I think you're right.

He was upset today. At least showing simulated human emotions.

"I'm sorry I hurt you!'

Yeah. Whatever. I'm good and my new Hobby will be climbing my happiness meter.

Posted by: Stateless.. 28% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 07:44 PM (jvJvP)

202 Didn't Easy Bake ovens get banned also?

Posted by: JM in Illinois at June 14, 2025 07:45 PM (SJrOE)

203 My older bro was good at the crocodile tears, too. After pretending to apologize (tearfully, in front of our parents)? As soon as they were out of sight/earshot, he'd glare furiously at me, the fake tears almost rolling back up his cheeks & back into his eyes.

And he'd always say: I hate you, (JQ). I'm gonna killl you.

Posted by: JQ at June 14, 2025 07:48 PM (rdVOm)

204 Clackers made bitchen bolos. Actually they were bolos rebranded by marketing.
They also were a prized marble, Grapes they wound up being called. Because conicidentally they resembled those grape decorations everyone had. I say had because within days of the discovery everyone had clacker marbles, now called grapes and nobodys parents had grapes in their decorations.

Posted by: Reforger at June 14, 2025 07:49 PM (LgDgc)

205 And he'd always say: I hate you, (JQ). I'm gonna killl you.
Posted by: JQ at June 14, 2025 07:48 PM (rdVOm)

I hope he's out of your life and you are at peace.
Me too....I post selflishly.

Posted by: Stateless.. 28% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 07:55 PM (jvJvP)

206 Yes, Stateless. I cut contact a couple years ago.

Hope you can get through it, too.

Posted by: JQ at June 14, 2025 07:59 PM (rdVOm)

207 I'm good and my new Hobby will be climbing my happiness meter.
Posted by: Stateless.. 28% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 07:44 PM
***
Hooray! We're here for it!
Looking forward to 29%.

Posted by: TRex at June 14, 2025 08:02 PM (MjX9c)

208 The original Mr. Potato Head had only the various parts on pushpins for use with a real potato!

Posted by: Formerly known as Skeptic at June 14, 2025 08:05 PM (ScMN3)

209 Hooray! We're here for it!
Looking forward to 29%.
Posted by: TRex at June 14, 2025 08:02 PM (MjX9c

Dude, I am so climbing.

I found a lot of videos on YouTube about surrendering to God and stop worrying and trust in God. Mom was a nun in Cleveland for 14 years. It didn't wear off on me until now.

By the way, Mom left the convent, met my Dad a year later, got married in Michigan, lived in Canada and had me 11 months later.

Switch it around and we Hallmark material.

Posted by: Stateless.. 28% - mental state clawing up from 10%, shit happened, clawing back now at June 14, 2025 08:08 PM (jvJvP)

210 Those Tonka trucks were not indestructible

Just give one to the young PMRich, older brother RFRich and younger DORich.

Guaranteed to not last the summer

Posted by: PMRich at June 14, 2025 08:24 PM (Pe+uV)

211 I’ve saved a few toys from my childhood, which I thought my kids would take to as I had. Not so much. Electric football was a bust. The trains had a short heyday. But there’s one thing I couldn’t bear to leave them alone with. It’s my Johnny Lightning car carrier in the shape of Al Unser’s Indy car from 1971. A completely outlandish design, for decades I thought it was just the imagination of some Mattel designer. then I saw the real thing.

Posted by: red speck at June 14, 2025 08:46 PM (0Id0S)

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