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In 1951 there was a children's U-238 Atomic Energy Lab playset for $50

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Re: In 1951 there was a children's U-238 Atomic Energy Lab playset for $50

#11

Post by rdtsc »

jpdoctor wrote: post #2

My grandfather worked for AC Gilbert, which made the Erector Set, and American Flyer trains. I had rather complete sets growing up, and couldn't figure out why my erector set and toy trains were so much better than everyone else's. But another toy was a lead casting kit: You would melt lead in a crucible, which would then pour into a mold. http://www.girdersandgears.com/kaster.html Never had the atomic energy kit, pr…

> probably because I was already too stupid from the lead fumes out of the crucible.

Ha! Remembering back all the nights I hovered over electronics, soldering, breathing all those fumes, blown capacitors with nasty smoke billowing into a small apartment. You know you got a heavy dose of all kinds of nasty compounds when you can tell what kind of component blew by the smell only.

Re: In 1951 there was a children's U-238 Atomic Energy Lab playset for $50

#12

Post by pavel_lishin »

jpdoctor wrote: post #2

My grandfather worked for AC Gilbert, which made the Erector Set, and American Flyer trains. I had rather complete sets growing up, and couldn't figure out why my erector set and toy trains were so much better than everyone else's. But another toy was a lead casting kit: You would melt lead in a crucible, which would then pour into a mold. http://www.girdersandgears.com/kaster.html Never had the atomic energy kit, pr…

An official lead casting kit? That's pretty neat. I just pulled cells out of discarded car batteries that I found while playing on a construction site, and melted it in bottle caps over the kitchen stove.

I cannot believe my parents let me do ANY of that. The joys of growing up in the USSR.

Re: In 1951 there was a children's U-238 Atomic Energy Lab playset for $50

#13

Post by pavel_lishin »

tomjen3 wrote: post #6
glimcat wrote: post #3

In 2012, there was the Raspberry PI computer for $25. As much fun as I'd have with a Gilbert U-238 Atomic Energy Lab, the present isn't too shabby either. I've also seen someone fly a Geiger counter on an autonomous quadcopter, so there's that.

You know those things could be useful to detect radiation leaks or even dirty bombs.

I wonder how sensitive they are. What's to stop some jerk from buying uranium and scattering it around the city triggering a rash of false positives?

http://www.unitednuclear.com/index.php?main_page=index&c...

Re: In 1951 there was a children's U-238 Atomic Energy Lab playset for $50

#14

Post by bwag »

jbyers wrote: post #4

The section of the pamphlet titled "Radioactive Source Replacement" is spectacular. I wonder how many -- if any -- reorders they ever processed. Was there a crate of radioactive zinc sitting in Gilbert's warehouse waiting to be shipped to rosy-cheeked little scientists?

"...waiting to be shipped to rosy-cheeked little scientists?"

Or whatever address those rosy-cheeked little scientists decided to put on the form. I remember sending ants to unsuspecting neighbors using the refill from that came with my ant farm.

Re: In 1951 there was a children's U-238 Atomic Energy Lab playset for $50

#17

Post by jpdoctor »

pavel_lishin wrote: post #12
jpdoctor wrote: post #2

My grandfather worked for AC Gilbert, which made the Erector Set, and American Flyer trains. I had rather complete sets growing up, and couldn't figure out why my erector set and toy trains were so much better than everyone else's. But another toy was a lead casting kit: You would melt lead in a crucible, which would then pour into a mold. http://www.girdersandgears.com/kaster.html Never had the atomic energy kit, pr…

An official lead casting kit? That's pretty neat. I just pulled cells out of discarded car batteries that I found while playing on a construction site, and melted it in bottle caps over the kitchen stove. I cannot believe my parents let me do ANY of that. The joys of growing up in the USSR.

> I just pulled cells out of discarded car batteries that I found while playing on a construction site

Dodging the acid in the lead-acid batteries?! Now that is dedication.

I raise my cup (of coffee) to you in honor of your superior talent for self-destruction.

Re: In 1951 there was a children's U-238 Atomic Energy Lab playset for $50

#19

Post by rdtsc »

jgrahamc wrote: post #10
slavak wrote: post #7

Apparently the first half of the 20th century was fucking awesome [1]. [1] http://www.cracked.com/article_19481_the-8-most-wildly-irres...

I'm from the second half and had some pretty cool chemistry sets as a child. I've noticed recently that all the chemistry sets are really rubbish now. Where's my strip to magnesium to set fire to?

Yeah vinegar and soda is now the most exciting stuff you can get for kids' science experiments.

Not many people mind kids playing contact sports, getting concussions, broken ligaments, but when it comes to stuff like this is "Oh, no! Hide all the science equipment, we don't want them to burn their little fingers on the Bunsen burners".

Re: In 1951 there was a children's U-238 Atomic Energy Lab playset for $50

#20

Post by bigohms »

pavel_lishin wrote: post #12
jpdoctor wrote: post #2

My grandfather worked for AC Gilbert, which made the Erector Set, and American Flyer trains. I had rather complete sets growing up, and couldn't figure out why my erector set and toy trains were so much better than everyone else's. But another toy was a lead casting kit: You would melt lead in a crucible, which would then pour into a mold. http://www.girdersandgears.com/kaster.html Never had the atomic energy kit, pr…

An official lead casting kit? That's pretty neat. I just pulled cells out of discarded car batteries that I found while playing on a construction site, and melted it in bottle caps over the kitchen stove. I cannot believe my parents let me do ANY of that. The joys of growing up in the USSR.

I remember collecting and playing with mercury from thermometers (here in the US), probably why I can't recite PI to anything more than 6 places :)
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