Happy Valentines day!
-J
Archive for the Toy Making Category
You Make My Heart Spin
Posted in Automata, Toy Making, Woodworking with tags Automata, handmade gears, Valentines day, wooden toy on February 15, 2014 by JimWheel spacing jig for toy wooden car wheels
Posted in Toy Making, Woodworking with tags birthday party, handmade, kids toys, toy cars, wooden toy, woodworking, woodworking jig on January 25, 2014 by JimTonight, I had to make some wooden toy cars for a birthday party.
I have always had a little trouble when using pre-made axles for toy wooden cars. I either sink the first axle too deep and the wheel will not turn. That, or I sink it too deep when I flip the car over to drive in the second axle. I needed something to stop all this silliness.
Tongue depressors save the day
I cut a notch in the end of two tongue depressors and laid them on the car body with the notch around the axle. When you drive the axle into the body, the tongue depressor stops it with just the right spacing. I made two so I can leave the first one in place when I drive the opposing axle in. This keeps me from sinking the first axle too deep when driving the second one.
I think that they will be well received at the party.
So, if you are making toys with little wooden axles – get yourself some tongue depressors.
Happy making,
Jim
Bird on a wire, well, technically – a string…
Posted in Birds, Toy Making, Wooden tops on March 25, 2013 by JimI haven’t been able to get into the shop for a bit now but today, I had a few minutes to make something for a little one:
This one is mulberry wood on a cherry base with maple wheels – an old button to pull it with.
Happy making,
Jim
Old fashioned Wooden Tops
Posted in Toy Making, Wooden tops, Woodworking on January 9, 2012 by JimA friend found me a great used lathe recently. I was able to get it set up and work up a couple of new tops.
Happy Making,
Jim
A Tiny Stainless Steel Whistle
Posted in metalwork, Toy Making, Whistle Making on September 20, 2010 by JimIs there a machinist in the house?
I have a Unimat metal lathe. I prize it because it was my grandfathers. He was a blacksmith and he just about used this little lathe up. It earned its living – if you know what I mean.
A couple hours before bedtime to play tonight and I got the lathe out to see what kind of trouble I could get myself into. So I made this little whistle.
I dug out a little scrap of 3/8″ stainless rod left over from a jig I made and chucked it right up! Then I discovered what I do every time I use this lathe. I am not a machinist. I need to take a class or get some instruction.
Anyway, I like how it looks. I will like it even more when I get it to whistle 😛
Happy Making,
Jim
Robin Whirligig – it’s too hot to go birdwatching
Posted in Birds, Toy Making, Whirligigs, Woodworking with tags birds, Whirligigs on August 11, 2010 by JimFar too hot to be serious, I needed a little silly
It has been to hot to go to the lake to get in any birdwatching. Whirligigs make me happy. So, there you have it – it had to be a new whirligig for the yard. Seriously, I love things that move and spin and whirl. This weeks shop fun was a little robin whirligig:
He is cedar painted with latex house paint and held up on a brass spindle.
Happy Making,
Jim
A flood and a catfish – what a combination
Posted in Carving, Toy Making, Uncategorized, Woodworking on May 21, 2010 by JimWow, the last two days have been about water. Squirrels in my yard decided that my gutter downspouts were lovely walnut dispensers. They brought walnuts from the other side of the house to stack in my gutters. It was like a giant Pez dispenser for squirrels.
Without gutters to give the rain something funner to do, it all ran into my shop. I have been moving water from one side of the shop to the drain on other side since yesterday.
On a happier note, I got to play with the new draw-knives that my dad made me (see post just before this one). They flew through this poplar like butter. I am finding that I can rough out a carving like this faster and more happily with a spokeshave, hand plane, and a draw knife than with power tools.
This little catfish survived the flood. I was laughing a lot of the time I was carving him. I have been making up epic tales of his exploits in my head. (Maybe I was breathing too many paint fumes in the shop…)
If you need King Catfish to swim in your pond, or to recite to you his heroic exploits, he will be available on my Etsy shop here.
Praying Machine flies!
Posted in Automata, Carving, Gear Making, metalwork, Toy Making, Woodworking with tags Automata on April 13, 2010 by JimThe wings flap…
Our prayers are going to Heaven! I have not had a lot of time the last few weeks to work on the Praying machine but I did sneak in a few hours this weekend.
I got the bit of the mechanism complete that raises and lowers the wings. Next will the be the gearing that spins the prayer box itself.
Cranking on the Automata Praying Machine
Posted in Automata, Toy Making on March 29, 2010 by JimI am starting to think through how the gears are going to move in the Praying Machine.
I made a jig that lets me try out moving gear ideas.
Last time I posted about automata, I mentioned Dug North. I have found another maker that is also incredibly inspiring. Take a look at the work of Keith Newstead. He has a blog here. Just looking at his work makes me happy.
The process of making my machine is as enjoyable as any thing I have ever made – probably better.
I will keep you posted on the progress. I plan to sell this piece on Etsy when it is completed.
-Jim
Go Kart or Summer Sled
Posted in Toy Making, Woodworking on March 20, 2010 by Jim
Go Kart, Summer Sled, or ‘big wooden thing that is more fun than you can shake a stick at’…
Holy cheese Batman, this thing is waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyy more fun than I expected. We will not have to wait for snow to go sledding anymore.
The idea came from ‘The Dangerous Book for Boys‘ which I cannot recommend enough.
Make Stuff With Your Hands 