How to Make a Parachute Drop With An Erector Set

Build a square base out of beams and L-shaped brackets. Bolt them together with the nuts and bolts provided in the set. Position the square with one side pointing toward you.

Attach a beam upright to the top-left corner, on the left side. Bolt a second to the bottom-left corner. Repeat on the right-hand side.

Build a second square to the same dimensions as the base square. Bolt this to the top of the upright posts.

Brace the upright beams by attaching a beam to the left-hand beam on the base square, near the lower-left corner upright. Bolt this beam at a 45-degree angle to the top-left corner upright. Repeat on the other side, from the top corner to the bottom.

Repeat this process to make a tall tower. Attach uprights, then add a new layer and brace the beams. The height of your tower will be the distance your parachute rig drops your passenger.

Attach L-brackets to the top of the base square, at the bottom of the tower. Attach beams to the bottoms of these L-brackets and point them away from the base of the tower. This is where you will attach the counterweights, the books.

Attach two beams to the left and right sides of the top of your tower, so that they extend forward toward you. Viewed from the side, the tower should look like an upside-down L. Extend this beam at least 6 inches out to create a platform.

Use L-shaped brackets to attach a second beam to the front of the extended platform.

Place several panel pieces overlapping each other, so that they create a platform as wide and long as the platform you created. Bolt these panels together to create the drop plate. Position the plate underneath the platform on your work surface.

Attach L-brackets to three corners of the drop plate. Two L-brackets should be at the top of the drop plate and one L-bracket should be at the bottom on the right side of the plate. Position the brackets so that the upright sides match the right or left side of the plate.

Hold the drop plate against the bottom of the platform. Thread a rod through the side of the platform, then both L-brackets and out through the other side of the platform. Attach a rubber wheel to either end of this rod to hold it in place. Release the drop plate and let it swing down.

Bring the hanging part of the drop plate back up to a horizontal position. Thread a second rod through the left side of the platform, then the remaining L-bracket. Attach C-clips to the middle and left-end of this rod, which will be the dropping rod.

Place the tower at the edge of your table and stack some books at the back of the tower. Place your parachute toy on the drop plate. When ready, pull the drop pin out. The drop plate will drop and the parachute toy will fall through and drop to the ground.