Top ten banned toys.

[Conrad]

This is interesting...

http://www.burlingamepezmuseum.com/bannedtoy/index.html

Number one banned toy of all time.

1.   Atomic Energy Laboratory

In 1951, A.C. Gilbert, inventor of the ERECTOR set, released the U-238 Atomic Energy Lab. Using real radioactive materials, one could witness mist trails created by particles of ionizing radiation.

The set included four Uranium-bearing ore samples, and originally sold for $49.50. (I wonder how much one of these would be worth now?    )



Wow!

I wonder why they would ban such a cool toy?   

I had a chemistry set and an erector set when I was a kid. I guess I missed out on this one by a few years.

[Conrad]

2. Lawn Darts
 
Heavily weighted and solid metal, Lawn Darts can pierce whatever they strike! Lawn darts have been responsible for over 7,000 injuries. On December 19, 1988, the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned lawn darts from sale in the United States.



Kids can't have any fun anymore. 

I still have a set of Jarts out in the garage.

[B.D.F.]

I would vote for the neutron emitter that David Hahn built. On the one hand it could be labeled a failure because he was actually trying to build a breeder reactor for the neighborhood (!) but on the other hand, using nothing but hand tools and clever materials procurement he did manage to create a neutron gun of sufficient radiation that his mother's house, where he did all of his atomic work, was declared an EPA Superfund site. Oh yeah, and he got a merit badge from the Boy Scouts in Atomic Energy too. Not too bad.

http://harpers.org/archive/1998/11/the-radioactive-boy-scout/1/

Now that there is a toy!

Brian

[stevewfl]

Lawn darts were great

[VirginiaJim]

We used to throw regular darts at each other when I was growing up.  That lasted until I got one stuck in my thumb.  Didn't have the armored gloves then.

[sherob]

BB Gun fights... that was the schizz!!!!  Find an old abandoned house, a couple of us inside to repel... a couple to storm...    Then the old Roman Candle and garbage can lid fights at night. 

Ahhhh... youth. 

[MrPepsi]

BB Gun fights... that was the schizz!!!!  Find an old abandoned house, a couple of us inside to repel... a couple to storm...   

Did this, oh those were the days.

[MrPepsi]

Holy crap I had the Battlestar Gallactic missle launcher.
Todally forgot about it until I saw this.

[Conrad]

We used to throw regular darts at each other when I was growing up.  That lasted until I got one stuck in my thumb.  Didn't have the armored gloves then.

Only babies used regular darts...

[Conrad]

I would vote for the neutron emitter that David Hahn built. On the one hand it could be labeled a failure because he was actually trying to build a breeder reactor for the neighborhood (!) but on the other hand, using nothing but hand tools and clever materials procurement he did manage to create a neutron gun of sufficient radiation that his mother's house, where he did all of his atomic work, was declared an EPA Superfund site. Oh yeah, and he got a merit badge from the Boy Scouts in Atomic Energy too. Not too bad.

http://harpers.org/archive/1998/11/the-radioactive-boy-scout/1/

Now that there is a toy!

Brian

Long read but VERY interesting! That made my dabbling in explosives back in the day look like child's play.   

Thanks for the post Brian.   

[Conrad]

Holy crap I had the Battlestar Gallactic missle launcher.
Todally forgot about it until I saw this.

You're lucky that you lived to tell the tale Brent!   

[Strawboss]

We used to go down to the frozen river in winter with a hatchet, walk out on the ice that wasn't quite frozen over to the other side, and chop off a huge chunk with us on it, instant iceberg, Ohio style! The river wasn't deep and it wasn't fast moving, we'd drift maybe a quarter mile. Stupid. But fun.

[rhhall]

Always fun until someone loses an eye.

[B.D.F.]

Sure, you did not like it then but what about now- I bet it helps you hold onto the handlebars, right?

Wait, which way does it stick through you thumb....

Brian

We used to throw regular darts at each other when I was growing up.  That lasted until I got one stuck in my thumb.  Didn't have the armored gloves then.

[B.D.F.]

That guy is one of my heroes. Well, not one of my regular heroes but one of my most favored 'warped' heroes!

There is another article I read about him that went into much greater detail about the neutron emitter he made. It was diabolically efficient and effective.

But most of all, he used a lot of aluminum foil and duct tape and who among us does not respect that? Notice he even taped the tool box containing the emitter closed with duct tape? Now that right there is just cool....

The most recent photos of him show a lot of really nasty red 'thingies' all over his face and neck. He would not submit to actual testing but the symptoms point to a huge dose of ionizing radiation absorption. He could probably be a dentist now and not even bother stepping behind the wall to snap the X-ray.... for that matter, he would probably not even need an X-ray machine.

Brian

Long read but VERY interesting! That made my dabbling in explosives back in the day look like child's play.   

Thanks for the post Brian.   

[Stasch]

Jr. High science club after school.

Access to the chemical storage area.  Elements are obtained, gunpowder is mixed.

A bottle is exploded using an electrical cord to detonate it.



It all fun and games until someone gets hurt . . . . .

Then it gets hilarious.

[Two Skies]

You know, it's amazing that any of us middle aged & older guys here in the U.S. survived our childhoods... with the things people freak about these days, the term 'milk toast' comes to mind!
 

Thanks for the read!

[VirginiaJim]

Jr. High science club after school.

Access to the chemical storage area.  Elements are obtained, gunpowder is mixed.

A bottle is exploded using an electrical cord to detonate it.



It all fun and games until someone gets hurt . . . . .

Then it gets hilarious.

I laugh in your general direction at your gunpowder.  We used HCL, aluminum foil and glass quart bottles.  That lasted until I got a glass shard in the corner of my eye and second degree acid burns on my butt.

[sherob]

You know, it's amazing that any of us middle aged & older guys here in the U.S. survived our childhoods...

+1  The things we did while growing up in HI... the restricted areas we used to get in to... we'd be shot today!   

[VirginiaJim]

Yep, been there as well on the AF bases we lived on.  Can't tell you how many times I got nabbed by the APs.