poltr1 | Science toys.....

filkertom posted a question on his LJ: what scientific toys did you have as a kid?

My sister had a microscope. When she was younger, she wanted to go to veterinary school. We couldn't afford it. She ended up going to UB (SUNY at Buffalo) for geography, the University of Wyoming for a masters' degree, and now teaches geography at Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, CO (near Denver).

As for me, I had the Radio Shack 10-in-1 electronics kit, and a weather station that I picked up at a garage sale. I also ordered some water test kits from a scientific supply house in Rochester, NY. On a lark, I thought I'd Google them to see if they were still in business, and they are! Ward's Natural Science -- http://www.wardsci.com/. I first heard of them from Chuck, a friend of mine from junior high, who gave me a copy of their catalog.

And then in 1983, I picked up a Minimoog from a teacher in Buffalo for $400. (Not exactly "scientific hardware", but it can be used as such. Ask the folks at the Bob Moog Foundation.)

Omong other musical "toys", I'd still like to get a Tektronix oscilloscope, for demos and for use as a way-cool stage prop. (But the price? Hundreds if not thousands of dollars? Sheesh.)