3 ms·

Lectron (Raytheon electronic block kits)

27 points by fidotron 3y ago

nippoo 3y ago
$128 in 1967 money is worth approximately $1,172 today - not cheap for a kids' toy!
the_third_wave 3y ago
So that is what those things were I saw when I briefly joined De Electronenclub ('The Electrons Club' in Dutch) in the early 70's. I was around 7 years old and never got to do much with these but the concept fascinated me to no end. Later I got to fiddle with similar although more complex Fischertechnik blocks at a friend of mine (hey Erik!) but those were wired together where these things worked like magnetic dominoes. I assume it was the Braun version I played with given that this was the Netherlands.
- Ginger-Pickles 3y ago
  See this article about the history: https://makezine.com/article/maker-news/the-braun-lectron-system-retro-circuit-dominoes/ https://makezine.com/article/maker-news/the-braun-lectron-sy... Submitted ten years ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5812175 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5812175
marshray 3y ago
I remember having one of those, I think we got it from a garage sale. I don't remember playing with it as much as the "NNN-in-One Experimenter Kit" versions. It may have been broken, incomplete, or simply beyond my level.
tamaharbor 3y ago
This was one of my better Christmas gifts as a child, and was mostly responsible for my eventual career as an electrical engineer.
jhbadger 3y ago
Note that there are modern kits that are similar to this allowing making circuits by snapping parts together. For example the Elenco "Snapcircuits" system https://elenco.com/snapcircuits/ https://elenco.com/snapcircuits/
neilv 3y ago
Related: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gakken_EX-System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gakken_EX-System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denshi_block https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denshi_block Most related children's "electronics lab" educational toys (at least in the US) would instead have components laid out on a thick cardboard top of a chassis, with the leads wired to spring terminals. You'd use included lengths of hookup wire between the terminals. (Solderless breadboards and loose components were available at Radio Shack, and promoted by the Forrest Mims books, but those weren't marketed as something you'd buy your kid for Christmas/birthday.)
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]

27 points by fidotron 3y ago

$128 in 1967 money is worth approximately $1,172 today - not cheap for a kids' toy!

So that is what those things were I saw when I briefly joined De Electronenclub ('The Electrons Club' in Dutch) in the early 70's. I was around 7 years old and never got to do much with these but the concept fascinated me to no end. Later I got to fiddle with similar although more complex Fischertechnik blocks at a friend of mine (hey Erik!) but those were wired together where these things worked like magnetic dominoes. I assume it was the Braun version I played with given that this was the Netherlands.

Ginger-Pickles 3y ago
See this article about the history: https://makezine.com/article/maker-news/the-braun-lectron-system-retro-circuit-dominoes/ https://makezine.com/article/maker-news/the-braun-lectron-sy... Submitted ten years ago: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5812175 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5812175

marshray 3y ago

I remember having one of those, I think we got it from a garage sale. I don't remember playing with it as much as the "NNN-in-One Experimenter Kit" versions. It may have been broken, incomplete, or simply beyond my level.

tamaharbor 3y ago

This was one of my better Christmas gifts as a child, and was mostly responsible for my eventual career as an electrical engineer.

jhbadger 3y ago

Note that there are modern kits that are similar to this allowing making circuits by snapping parts together. For example the Elenco "Snapcircuits" system https://elenco.com/snapcircuits/ https://elenco.com/snapcircuits/

neilv 3y ago

Related: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gakken_EX-System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gakken_EX-System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denshi_block https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denshi_block Most related children's "electronics lab" educational toys (at least in the US) would instead have components laid out on a thick cardboard top of a chassis, with the leads wired to spring terminals. You'd use included lengths of hookup wire between the terminals. (Solderless breadboards and loose components were available at Radio Shack, and promoted by the Forrest Mims books, but those weren't marketed as something you'd buy your kid for Christmas/birthday.)

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]