Mr. Submarine

Tuesday, August 15, 2017
Overcast and Rain
21 C 70 Fahrenheit

Mr. Submarine  

Please click here to visit this most-interesting website

 I'm always happy to receive e-mails from collectors or other websites related to toys. I received an e-mail from Mr. Neil McLaren  last week. He had found my website, and asked if I might visit his  submarine website and give my feedback. Naturally, I went to his website and was thoroughly impressed.  As it turns out, Neil makes his own submarines from materials that he finds in all kinds of places. 

"Welcome to Mclaren clockwork submarines, this site is for anyone who has an interest in tinplate clockwork models. All the boats on this site have been made using 100% recycled metals. They are designed and hand built by myself using only basic tools they are fully functional with custom made clockwork motors which I also construct from scrap materials . My submarines are fitted with an internal ballast system together with adjustable diving planes, this gives the boats a broad range of dive capabilities or they can sail just on the surface. For information purposes none of my models are for sale, any reference made on this site to "Sutcliffe", refers to the former Yorkshire manufacturer of pressed steel model boats and submarines."

Below are just some examples of the models that he has made. For "toys" ( although Neil, I'm sure calls them "models", they're very sophisticated, THe models come with gear sets and small cylinders that contain pressured air.  The submarines can sink to the bottom of a bathroom bath, or even a small lake. The timer can be set, so that the submarine will release air and cause the submarine to rise to the surface.

Below:

Model U37

Tinplate Clockwork Submarine

Length:  22"  55.88 cm 

Below 

Model  U35

Length:  31"  /   78.74 cm

Weight:  9.9 lb.   /   4.5  kg

"This monster has three ballast tanks , its own compressed air system , a clockwork timer to blow the ballast and a clockwork motor turning a coaxial gearbox for its two props . The colossal weight of this submarine is due to the fact that all my boats are dry hulls , therefore the bigger they become the heavier they must be to submerge. The tandem contra rotating prop design is awesome ,  it efficiently deals with the huge power needed to propel the boat , its slow to start but once up to speed its quick. The compressed air tank is charged with a bicycle pump and it can stay submerged for up to an hour."

Below:

The set of 4 photos below illustrate how Neil recycles things that he finds or buys.

The clock mechanism is used as a timer for the submarine. The alarm bells were even recycled to make the compressed air tank . Notice how sophisticated the gear mechanism is!

Below: 

"Does my bomb look big in this??? Whilst U35 may appear as though it should be strapped to the wing of a military aircraft , I can guarantee its nature is purely aquatic . The design is very much in line with modern "Tear Drop" hull construction. I made this because I wanted to try my latest build , a contra rotating coaxial gear box . This double in line prop system does not lend itself to the older style boats ( apart from torpedoes and a Japanese midget submarine ) hence the hull choice. What a ball ache to build though , the gearbox itself requires about 20% of the mainspring output to run so I had to build a very powerful motor to make a viable drive. Should be interesting when its finished.To ensure quality control , every model is subjected to an intense and thorough cat scan."

I didn't want to add too much information or photos. The reason is that it would be best to visit Neil's fabulous website and see for yourself the mastery that Neil has in order to build these models. It's too bad that his models are not for sale, because I'm sure there would be a few people who be interested in buying them.

So that's it for today, and I hope that you enjoy visiting Neil McLaren's website, because it most certainly is worth visiting!

Thanks for dropping by,

And as always, 

Have a great part of the day or night,

Wherever you may be.

Stacey Bindman

Toysearcher@gmail.com

Aero1Toys - A Fine Etsy Seller

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Aero1Toys

(A fine Etsy Seller)

   On July 13, 2013, I wrote about  Matching A.C.Williams Toys to Their Original Catalogue Drawings. My favourite toy was a road scraper.  Somehow,I had forgotten that these items were once pulled by horses before they had a gas-powered motor. I mistakenly wrote that I couldn't see the motor on this item. 

   Coincidentally,  I received a note from a reader by the name of Mr. John Armstrong. He nicely wrote  that this toy was in fact pulled by horses , without  his mentioning my big "blunder". The toy had reminded him of a "real" life road scraper that he saw as a youngster when he was growing up in Iowa. I wrote back to John, and asked if I might use his comments, and added the correction and his words to the post. I also found a "real" horse-drawn road scraper to add.

   Well, I couldn't let this reader "off the hook" so easily, and had to ask if he collected old toys. He didn't, but  he mentioned that he is a seller on Etsy. For those who don't know, Etsy is a great place for old toys and antiques, as well as many craftspeople who make all kinds of things.   I went to Etsy, and looked up John's store which he calls Aero1Toys. When I went there, I found a wonderful collection of hand-made wooden toys of all kinds. For today, I just concentrated on a few trains. I'll return in the future to write about some of his other toys.

   Not only are his handcrafted toys great, but he also takes fine photos, and presents at least 4 images of each product. I naturally had to ask John if I might write about him and use his photos. He informed me that he has sold about 250,000 toys over his span of 26 years as a professional toymaker. I had to ask him of had "elves' helping him out. He answered no (politely), but said that his wife helps him out. His fine work can be found in many US states across America.

  Although I wrote mostly about old and antique toy, I have written about modern-era toys, and models. Models are more collectors items and not toys. They're usually higher-priced, have many small parts (not for children),and are for people who are interested in those fantastic cranes, earth-movers, and trench differs.

  So today's post is all about a fine craftsman who makes fine toys for children.  I must inform everyone that these toys are not for very young children because of the small parts. John specifically mentions this on every one of his toys. Nevertheless, I'm sure all of the people who have ever purchased these toys are aware of this, and have made many of their children very, very happy.

Aero1Toys

Please click here to be redirected to John Armstrong's fine store

   I wanted to present John's toys in the same way that I normally do. That is, against a white background. I sent him an example, and he wrote that he preferred a coloured background as white was too bright for the toys. John did give me the OK to use white since I was the blogger, but I decided to go with the coloured background. I took too much time "experimenting", so I was only able to present 5 fine toys today.I also had to visit the dentist today, as I needed emergency work on one of my teeth. I still like the white background, but the coloured one does in fact allow the toys to show better.

Any way that  these toys and the quality photographs are arranged illustrate the 

fine work and finish that John Armstrong adds to each of his fine toys. 

Now if only I was 60 years younger (in body)!

Thanks for dropping by,

and have a great part of the day,

wherever you may be.

Stacey