Ankerstein 4

Back to basics: Today I built a straightforward plan from the Ankerstein Set 4 booklet included in current production.

Well maybe not entirely straightforward -- the notched arch of the NS sets is substituted for the the standard GK-NF arch, but that is a minor adjustment.

I haven't built with Anchor Blocks for a while, and as always when I return, the scent and feel of the stones is a evocative pleasure.

The blog Don's Hobby Keep is doing a series of posts showing the layer-by-layer construction of an Anker building. Check it out, and be sure to check following days for more stages.

Good Block Play.

Addendum -- double checking the link to Don's blog above, I followed a link in a comment there and discovered a picture of the same building as above, built with a Set 6. Sure enough, when I check my Set 6 book, there is the same page reproduced in the early part of the book. Nice pictures of several constructions -- check them out as well.

Second Addendum -- I found another new Ankerstein builder blog, with a new and different perspective and very well done. Unfortunaelty, I couldn't seem to post a comment, so must say "Welcome!" here, and hope he sees it eventually. Again, check it out.

Bayko in the snow

I keep enjoying Bayko, and during recent snow have been enjoying thinking about photographing a construction in real snow -- not something to contemplate with wood blocks or Ankerstein.

I'll need to disassemble this quickly and dry off all the metal parts to avoid rust, but still ...

Christmas is coming, and Bayko has a nice Christmas look which is very much enhanced by fresh snow on the roof.

Good Block Play.

Lego Crazy Action Contraptions

I am a big fan of Klutz books, from potholders to melty beads to games. But a long time favorite was their Lego Action Contraptions. Now it is out in a new edition and is a prime candidate for a Chistmas gift.

Why Lego doesn't do a nice project set with their Technik parts, something along the lines of fischertechnik Universal? Not that I think it wiuld be better than fischertechnik, but some folks might, and others would enjoy having the alternative.

At least with these Klutz books, we have a taste of how suitable the Lego line is for this type of construction. For anyone that enjoys these projects, and wants to go further, I recommend fischertechnik highly.

There are lots of other excellent construction toys to be found in the Block Play Store -- courtesy of Amazon.com, and I appreciate your doing a little holiday shopping there, or anywhere on Amazon via that entry. I get a little something that makes a small but appreciated contribution towards the cost of my blogging.

An especially good deal might be an Amazon Gift Card -- good for anything on Amazon.com

Quite good for Good Block Play.

Bayko 1

The other day I built and blogged my first Bayko structure, but didn't manage to say much about it. Today I returned to Bayko, to build the larger structure shown above. If anything, I enjoyed this project even more than my first.

I've known about Bayko for years, and was aware of the attractiveness of the structures, and the intriguing style of assembly (right).But it took me until this last summer to actually get some. Partially because it is hard to find in the US - it may never have been sold here, or only in the smallest quantities. My set came from Canada - -whether bought there new or brought over (or sent as a gift) from the UK, I couldn't guess.

There is a wonderfully extensive web site of information at http://www.bayko.org.uk -- including full sets of manual images.

At left is a typical plan entry, from my own 1952 manual, showing the parts list, view, and plan. Note that the plan shows the stacking order of pieces top down from bottom up, which can be disconcerting at first. The cryptic abbreviations quickly become clear, and construction is not difficult -- nor is it boring.

All of the constructions, large or small, are built up on bases into which the support rods are inserted (illustration above right). There is only one size of base -- for larger structures, multiple bases are connected together with base links screwed to the bases. I am short a couple of screws (long time readers already knew that -- but this time I mean that literally not figuratively). What size of screw? I can't seem to find out online.

But even a couple of screws short, Bayko is Good Block Play.