Botstock Additions

[Tinman]

I finally got around to cleaning up all of my Botstock finds and wanted to post a pic or two. Here is what I brought home, excluding a few items I won in the raffle. I think the space target (Rocket Launcher) is great and would love to know more about it; if you have pictures of other versions (ER&S), the packaging, or information on how this thing stood up, it would be appreciated. The Linemar Space Man robot was an unexpected find at Renninger's although I found a few more condition issues when I cleaned him up on closer inspection. The mechanism that drives his left leg is broken and one of the forks on his left foot had been repaired. The foot repair looks old and was covered in lots of dirt. It's funny how you don't see these kinds of things "in the field," and only find them once the thrill wears off. Oh well, do you think he's still worth the $210 I paid for him?

[Morbius]

Yep, he's worth it. Not an easy find, congrats on adding him. The more we examine these guys the more we will find after all they were likely sent down an assembly belt or through many hands only to be dumped into a bin at the end before being boxed, they weren't meant to last more than a few weeks at most. Enjoy him, each piece has a story of how he was found and where's he's been for 50+ years. !

Space Target game looks really nice. Amazing this stuff survived all these years.

[astrogonza]

wow , that Space Man is in my 'wish List'

[Morbius]

NOS Moon Explorer and Silver Warrior were sent to Joe's via a wonderful Alphadromer (Thankyou!! ) and NOS Space Commander which surprisingly is in full working order and was obtained from BIG BANG Richard.

Thanks Phil for the Galaxy Fighter, mine was the Taiwan version that didn't work, this one is the SH that works great!!!

Finally have just about all of the remainder of my old robots back. The old shelf is complete once more, mission accomplished.

[Ultrarobotman]

Congratulations, Tinman. I don't think I've ever seen one of those Space Men before. I really like the Space Jet gun. Have one and love the action inside.

[Ultrarobotman]

NOS Moon Explorer and Silver Warrior were sent to Joe's via a wonderful Alphadromer (Thankyou!! ) and NOS Space Commander which surprisingly is in full working order and was obtained from BIG BANG Richard. Finally have just about all of the remainder of my old robots back. The old shelf is complete once more, mission accomplished.

Those are perfect-looking examples Morbius, I had all but the space commander and I can actually remember even as a youngster seeing the difference in quality having had the Horikawa Super Astronauts and then having these; But yours look so great that now I want them again. I believe the plastic drive gears on these almost always break now with their age, so use caution on running them! On the good side, the gear should be easy to replace, with these robots screwed together instead of metal tabs

[robothut]

We did a nice thread on the topic of these plastic robots and gears once, one of the versions not only has plastic gears inside but even the shafts that the gears are on are plastic as is the gear box side parts, yep all plastic no metal to be found other than the motor , wiring and battery contacts.

[Morbius]

That explains them John. In the late '70s when I first had these they failed after a couple of runs, that's why I painted the Silver Warrior first gold (above old pic) then red. Figured he was a doorstop anyway why not modify him. As for the Super Moon Explorer he became a scarecrow on our deck in the mid-'80s until he crumbled into a pile of rubble.

[Morbius]

That explains them John. In the late '70s when I first had these they failed after a couple of runs, that's why I painted the Silver Warrior first gold (above old pic) then red. Figured he was a doorstop anyway why not modify him. As for the Super Moon Explorer he became a scarecrow on our deck in the mid-'80s until he crumbled into a pile of rubble.

[Tinman]

Here's a better pic of the tin litho space target I picked up at Botstock; the thick cardboard rocket can be locked into a hole on the top and will launch when the cardboard target is hit. I have no idea how the tin target was mounted and held in place so that it could be fired at, or what gun came with the set. Any information out there?

[Joe K.]

.

Here, Bill:

where you predicted adding one to you collection.

The logo from the box lid:

No gun. Hand thrown, wooden darts with feathers on the end:

Here's the direct link to the Hakes listing:

http://www.hakes.com/item.asp?Auction=211&ItemNo=129045

.

[Tinman]

Well crap Joe, this only happened in March and I had forgotten about it already?! Getting old sucks! Anyway, thanks for the reminder and links; maybe this thing never had legs or means of standing up, maybe it just laid on the floor and shot the rocket across the room.

[Tinman]

Actually I take that back; if you look at the Hake's pic of the target in the box you can make out a wire in the lower right corner, kind of like the other space targets. Now I'll have to figure out how it connected cause there's not much on the reverse side of this thing.