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Every now and then, I like to post about something that I built out of wood. I'm definitely an amateur woodworker (and basically all self-taught) but it's something that I enjoy doing from time to time. In fact, earlier this year I created a combination bookshelf / toy box for my son which has been a big hit with the little dude. That was one of the larger things that I've created recently but I have made some other nice things over the years including a BBQ cart that I built five years ago which is still in use today.
Anyhow, for a new challenge I decided to move away from large furniture and try something a bit smaller and more detail oriented...something that even the most critical person would approve of. I am, of course, talking about wooden toys for a one-year-old.
My little guy is now about 17 months old and he's really gotten into playing with his toy trucks. My wife and I love that he is already using his creative juices to play but we became somewhat disheartened when we looked at the toddler aisle in both Wal-Mart and Target for new toys for our son. In those stores, almost everything seemed to be full of bells, whistles, flashing lights, etc. I'm convinced that toys like that are so the parent can be more "hands off" raising the child and simply let the toy do the entertaining.
Well, if you listen to the same jingle for the 300th time in a week coming out of a little crappy toy speaker, you'll probably agree with my assessment.
Thus, we decided to try and focus on getting him toys that didn't rely on batteries...and that's where my idea for my next woodworking project came from! That's right, I decided to make him a wooden toy truck. Not just any truck though, a toy bulldozer - one of the best construction trucks known to man (or toddler).
From buying the boards to cutting, gluing, sanding, and then painting I'd estimate it took me about two weeks to build the bulldozer (I had to work during evenings and only then during evenings that I didn't have school lessons to write or exams to grade, etc.).
In the end, I'm quite proud of my first attempt but I'll let you be the judge!
The smokestack near the front of the bulldozer actually can be pushed down to "lock" the blade in an upward position. There's a hole drilled in the dowel for the blade that the smaller smokestack dowel fits into when the blade is pushed upward. I enjoyed making that little "action" mechanism and I'm glad it turned out well (getting everything to fit just right wasn't easy for a novice wooden toy maker like myself)!
I hope to make something else for my little dude in the not-so-distant future though my garage doubles as my wood shop and with the weather quickly turning colder I'm not sure if I'll find enough time to make something else before I have to close up shop for the season.
I don't plan to give up on baseball cards (or my LEGO) anytime soon but it is fun to have another outlet for my own creativity and it's even better when the fruits of my labor go towards creating such happiness and unbridled joy from my little guy!
Anyhow, for a new challenge I decided to move away from large furniture and try something a bit smaller and more detail oriented...something that even the most critical person would approve of. I am, of course, talking about wooden toys for a one-year-old.
My little guy is now about 17 months old and he's really gotten into playing with his toy trucks. My wife and I love that he is already using his creative juices to play but we became somewhat disheartened when we looked at the toddler aisle in both Wal-Mart and Target for new toys for our son. In those stores, almost everything seemed to be full of bells, whistles, flashing lights, etc. I'm convinced that toys like that are so the parent can be more "hands off" raising the child and simply let the toy do the entertaining.
Well, if you listen to the same jingle for the 300th time in a week coming out of a little crappy toy speaker, you'll probably agree with my assessment.
Thus, we decided to try and focus on getting him toys that didn't rely on batteries...and that's where my idea for my next woodworking project came from! That's right, I decided to make him a wooden toy truck. Not just any truck though, a toy bulldozer - one of the best construction trucks known to man (or toddler).
From buying the boards to cutting, gluing, sanding, and then painting I'd estimate it took me about two weeks to build the bulldozer (I had to work during evenings and only then during evenings that I didn't have school lessons to write or exams to grade, etc.).
In the end, I'm quite proud of my first attempt but I'll let you be the judge!
There are wheels on the underside so that the truck can be pushed around and driven since (obviously) the wooden treads don't actually move.
I hope to make something else for my little dude in the not-so-distant future though my garage doubles as my wood shop and with the weather quickly turning colder I'm not sure if I'll find enough time to make something else before I have to close up shop for the season.
I don't plan to give up on baseball cards (or my LEGO) anytime soon but it is fun to have another outlet for my own creativity and it's even better when the fruits of my labor go towards creating such happiness and unbridled joy from my little guy!
That's very cool. Nice work!
ReplyDeleteDude. That's awesome! One of my biggest regrets is not taking my father up on all of the wood working lessons he offered me as a kid. Seeing stuff like this awesome bulldozer only makes me regret it more. Great job!
ReplyDeleteThat looks excellent!
ReplyDeleteThis is really great! Sounds like you might actually be one of those few parents who didn't hand their kid a mobile device as soon as they were out of the womb. Woodworking is something that has been of interest to me for a long time, but will all of my other hobbies, I just haven't had any time to explore it -- there truly is such a thing as having too many interests.
ReplyDelete