I received my package this Saturday from the House Of The Unusual. I still get that same feeling I got as a kid when opening mail-order packages. Here's what I received..........


This was a surprise. A copy of L.E. Young's "25 Lessons in Hypnotism" as seen in hundreds of comic book ads.

Build your own Monster-Mechanical Man Plans from the infamous Abracadabra Magic Shop of New Jersey, U.S.A..

And last but not least, the famous Bartlett Flying Saucer Plans as sold through Boys Life Magazine. Very cool!

I might have a problem with the 120 lb limit given I'm no longer at my mid-century weight. Might have to add a second motor or tweak the fan pitch. The design modifications are unlimited given enough time and money. Thanks "House Of The Unusual" aka Eddie!
WOW! Congratulations, Dr. Sab. As much as we complain and make fun of Eddie ... he's actually a pretty great guy. But please don't tell him I said so. He'd never let me live it down. HA!
I'm guessing the Monster Mechanical Man would be the more "realistic" build over the UFO for skinny people. -- TRM ๐ ๐ ๐
TRM: Eddie was very generous and it didn't take the customary 4 to 6 weeks. ๐
The Flying Saucer plans are really funny. Your feet are literally between a piece of chicken wire and a 4 HP engine turning a wooden airplane prop at 1500 rpm. Crazy! OSHA standards....none. Riding through your neighbor's tomato garden....priceless. While reviewing the blueprint I kept thinking "I'VE GOT TO BUILD THIS THING!".
Thanks again Eddie! ๐๐๐
Glad you got them Drsab itโs a pleasure. Build a robot man and Iโll buy them off you
Eddie: LOL! Do you want a scaled down version or full size?
Hey you live in Jersey canโt have anything less than full size 7!feet tall. Easy to pick up
It would be worth the 40 year wait
I sent you some information Original ad of what the one I like looks like or at least the one from the ad
If you read the different ads it gives you a glimpse of how it looks like
It has one eye like gort goes side to side
A 15 inch version will be a better start to see what the large look like
Eddie: I see that my comment got you excited so I quickly CAD modeled up the Robot's head. He doesn't have the proper proportions yet but that's easy to adjust. What do you think?
Love the way it looks๐๐๐
The cad drawings would let me create the plans to build it. Along with a finished model EXCITED??? Are you kidding I am shaking 38 years looking for the thing now you offer not only the making of a plan but an actual finished product. WOW!!! I have become obsessed over the years looking for these plans that fell of the face of the Earth. I would love it to accommodate a 6 foot person. In your drawing you have achieved a perfect look better than the ad. This makes it better because the ad always downgrades the actual thing. I want it to look just like the original. It should be 7 feet tall I guess about 20" to 30" wide you know these things better than me. Name the price as you will be getting a load of mail order surprises in the next coming weeks. I just got home from work and was so excited that I could not go to sleep without writing you. I huge THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS! for making these now old dude a kid again. 38 to 40 years??? A very long time.
In the past I tried 3 times to build one. The first was cardboard which the wife Threw out on me one day while I was away and said it broke...did not believe her. The second I built it but fail to get it done...it came out bad..I then sold the head on eBay. the third which I started 15 years or more ago...still have not finished due to space and lack of robot building skills here are a few pictures of the one that sits in my collection uncompleted but falls short of what I really want which you almost mastered at least in the head part for now.
I have a load of step by steps in my building process since I wanted to make it into a booklet. I stopped when the actual walking part became complicated. I was trying to make the darn thing really work. you should see all the motors I bought. Just trying to make one out of my head. What I really wanted and want is the costume/robot from the ad what you are now doing....Thank you again. Please join our podcast when you get a chance..
Let me play around with the model for a while. After looking at the ads, I believe the Melton Robot was probably to be fabricated from cardboard. I can't image a child inside a sheet metal version and still have the ability to move the robot. Also, the ad says you can build if for a couple of bucks. Cardboard again? This plan is different than the Abracadabra plan in that it's not an illusion where you open the front to show that no one is inside. Let me design a small prototype first but just remember, it may take longer than 4 to 6 weeks.
I am sure I can wait the 8 to 12 weeks ๐
The original was cardboard I was told by the creator of the plans or should I say his son over 20 years ago. I just want to see if the corners of the cardboard could be either wooden dowels or something to make it sturdy enough to last or make the cardboard 300 pound test which is really thick I can order you the supplies from U-line. It will be delivered to your house.
The regular cardboard boxes we all have is 200lbs test 300 is twice the thickness and they come in 24 x48 size
Wooden like the one I built would be on hidden casters. I guess like a wooden cabinet with a back door where you go inside and shuffle your feet as to where you like the thing to go. I am just throwing things around.
You know the abracadabra magic shop plans do they say that the things should be made of wood just wondering how the heck with somebody carry around the cabinet if itโs heavy.
I guess itโs old fashioned mail order things are a big illusion. They just have great Ad sell for suckers like us back then. You think I would have learned by now. I still love ordering and falling for junk in the mail. I even chase the mailman to this day. Ha ha.
I'm thinking of modeling a small scale version first that can be 3D printed in plastic. Let's see how that goes.
PERFECT!!!
Oh goodie! Eddie has a new playmate! This is awesome, Dr. Sab! You are now officially on โEddie-Dutyโ full-time moving forward. If you need someone to step in and keep him entertained for a little bit, reach out to me or Joe. (But mostly Joe.) HA!
Iโm so happy you two crazy kids found another to talk robot plans and construction. Canโt wait to see where this all leads. ๐ ๐ ๐
@TRM Who knows TRM. Could lead to full-size bots or Christmas tree ornaments or even key-chains. LOL
@Houseoftheunusual.com EDDIE: What do you know about this "Monster Mechanical Man" plans? This looks different from the one you offer for sale and the missing one you covet. -- TRM
They are the same from the above Abracadabra Magic Shop. This ad is from a Vick lawston catalog.