This past summer. . . .

[the tinker]

Don't ride much, but usually run into something interesting when I do. Fell in love with this 1918 steam tractor. The 52 Panther looked good parked next to it.

Really like these old steamers. This snowy week was a good week to take out the erector set and make a model of one. Been messing with this all week and just finished. It's made of almost all 1930's erector parts, some pre-war American Flyer parts and a few odd things from the old shed for details. A spray can of the wife's Scott's liquid gold was sacrificed for the boiler. I've made over 20 erector set models, from the Graf zeppelins to steam locomotives. What I like about building with these old erector sets is they're 100% metal and every screw is the old slotted type and all made in the USA, unlike the plastic junk being put out today. It's like our old Schwinns. Solid built and all heavy metal.

Dad bought my older brother an erector set in '48 and a Phantom in '51-52. Both of which I inherited. Looking at this photograph reminds me I have always been a junker. That old lamp behind the tractor model was pulled out of the top of a trash can by me back in '64-'65. The table I got off the curb about 10 years ago. There's a lesson here for us somewhere. Can't let this opportunity pass without sharing a photo of George. I bought him 3 erector sets and he loves them. I've posted these before, but here they are again:

Oh yeah. .. . sorry. I forgot this is supposed to be about Schwinns, isn't it? Here's another shot of "8 Ball", my '52. Taken this fall. The photo behind the locomotive is a shot of Mom and Pop. Dad told me he couldn't have a new bike as a kid, but got a beat to death old Elgin to deliver papers. Said he always wanted an Erector set too. That explains why he shelled out the wad of cash for my brother's Schwinn Phantom and bought the erector set in'48.

 

[razinhellcustomz]

Don't ride much, but usually run into something interesting when I do. Fell in love with this 1918 steam tractor. The 52 Panther looked good parked next to it.

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View attachment 1969684 Really like these old steamers. This snowy week was a good week to take out the erector set and make a model of one. Been messing with this all week and just finished. It's made of almost all 1930's erector parts, some pre-war American Flyer parts and a few odd things from the old shed for details. A spray can of the wife's Scott's liquid gold was sacrificed for the boiler. I've made over 20 erector set models, from the Graf zeppelins to steam locomotives. What I like about building with these old erector sets is they're 100% metal and every screw is the old slotted type and all made in the USA, unlike the plastic junk being put out today. It's like our old Schwinns. Solid built and all heavy metal.

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View attachment 1969694Dad bought my older brother an erector set in '48 and a Phantom in '51-52. Both of which I inherited. Looking at this photograph reminds me I have always been a junker. That old lamp behind the tractor model was pulled out of the top of a trash can by me back in '64-'65. The table I got off the curb about 10 years ago. There's a lesson here for us somewhere. Can't let this opportunity pass without sharing a photo of George. I bought him 3 erector sets and he loves them. I've posted these before, but here they are again:

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View attachment 1969725Oh yeah. .. . sorry. I forgot this is supposed to be about Schwinns, isn't it? Here's another shot of "8 Ball", my '52. Taken this fall. The photo behind the locomotive is a shot of Mom and Pop. Dad told me he couldn't have a new bike as a kid, but got a beat to death old Elgin to deliver papers. Said he always wanted an Erector set too. That explains why he shelled out the wad of cash for my brother's Schwinn Phantom and bought the erector set in'48.View attachment 1969726

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You are truly a lucky man to have some of the good things in life. I too have been blessed with a great grand daughter born on 12-22-23. Can't wait till she's a little older so I can spoil the Dickenson our of her. Cool stuff Tinker. God bless.

 

[the tinker]

You are truly a lucky man to have some of the good things in life. I too have been blessed with a great grand daughter born on 12-22-23. Can't wait till she's a little older so I can spoil the Dickenson our of her. Cool stuff Tinker. God bless.

All of us here are blessed. The very act of us visiting or participating on this site demonstrates a desire to learn something new and to find some excitement. That equates to the enjoyment of your life. A true blessing right there! All of us have those down periods where we feel the blessings are few or have stopped entirely. Especially if you're sick or have lost loved ones. It's hard sometimes to get motivated. Maybe being blessed is more of a frame of mind, I don't understand it myself. Somedays we all feel overwhelmed. Our morning quickly become late afternoon, wasting presious time thinking about the negative things happening to us or in the world around us. Who doesn't sometimes feel like throwing in that towel. But. . . to have no outside interests? I would think that makes it easier to "throw in that towel." I can't imagine spending what little time I have left on God's green planet existing like that. I know people that have no interests . No hobbies. Other than the news on their computer, they don't even read. How depressing that would be for me. It's a blessing right there for me, that I'm not like them. It hurts me to see them waste the most important blessing that has been given to them.. . . time. Frustrating to ask them , "How about finding a hobby?" The usual reply is; "I don't have time or money for hobbies." Hobbies, even this bike hobby we love doesn't have to be very expensive. I still regularly see 1960's and 70's bikes in garage sales and resale shops, just begging to be taken apart, greased up. . . cleaned up and put be back in service. And, as far as time, I spent all week building that little tractor. A whole week of free fun during the last dregs of a midwest winter. It's made from junk I've hoarded. The boiler is a Scot's Liquid Gold spray can. It's all junk. Have fun. I do.