THE ART OF WOODWORKING, WOODEN TOYS AND CRAFTS TIME-LIFE BOOKS ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA ST. REMY PRESS MONTREAL + NEW YORKTHE ART OF WOODWORKING ws produced by ST.REMY PRESS PUBLISHER Kenneth Winchester PRESIDENT Perte Leville Pierre Home-Douglas| Francine Lemieux MareCassin Editor Andrew Tones ArtDireors Normand Boudrewult.Luc Germain, Michel Giguere Desiguers Helene Dron, Jean Guy Dei Francois Dathelet, Frangols Longpre Picture Elitor Chiitopher Jackson Writers John Dowling. Daid Simon Research Asstant Adam Van Seria ContrButing Misratrs Giles Beauchemin, Michel Blas, Ronald Durepos, Michael Stockdale, James Theries Adminisaator — Natabe Watanabe Production Manager Michelle Turbide Sjtem Coonfinitor Erie Beaulieu Phomgrapher Robert Charter Administrative Asigant Domniqe Gagné Proofender Gare Marko Indexer Christine M. Jacobs Time-Life Booksisa division of Time Life inc. ‘wholly owned subsidiary of "THE TIME INC. BOOK COMPANY ‘TIME-LIFE INC. President and CEO. John M. Faber ‘Edtorin-Chief John Papanek ‘TIME-LIFEBOOKS President John D. Kall Vice President, Director of Marketing Nancy K.Jonee ‘Mauagitg Elior Roberta Conlin Direiar of Design Michael Hentges Director of Editorial Operations Hen Robling, Coming itor John R. Sullivan Vice Presiden, Book Production Marjan Caléwell Praducion Manager Marlene Zack Quality Assurance Manager James King ‘THE CONSULTANTS. Giles Miller Mead taught sdtncedcainctmsaking a! Montreal technica school for more than ten years. native of New Zeslat he has worked asa restorer of antique furniture. Fred Sneathis tind cecstor who builds aticulted wood «en wy ad exely musical nates in Stony Cree, Ortare is work hasbeen highlighted in Fie Noadborking nd Contino magazines (Chester Van Ness designs andbuilds wooden tors inhi Scotland, Ontarn studi He alan buh children’s activity con- ter for hosptalsand doctor offices and designs dus ermal siemsfor smal woop, Wooden toys raft pec, — (The Art of woodworking) . Includes index. ISBN 0:8094-9529. 1. Wooden toy making. Time-Life Boks. I Tile: Woo toys and erfts IL Series TH74s.Wewes 1995 74599220 20187 cp For information about any Time-Life book, please al 1-800-621-7026, write: Reader information, “Time-Life Customer Service RCL Bos C-32008, Richmond, Virginia 23261-2058 © 1998 Time-Life Books nc Alleighis served. Nopartof this book may be reproduced in any form ot by any eletrotic or mechanical means, including information Storageand retieval devices o¢ sisters stout prige writ. ten permission from the publisher, except that bre! passages ‘may be quoted for reviews. Fint printing Printed in USA. Published smukaneousy in Canada, ‘TIME-LIFEis a trademark of Time Warner Inc. US.A,uu wd bu bu ead! yaa | 12 14 Vf 20 22 31 36 58 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 96 GAMES AND PUZZLES 98 Chessboard and chessmen TOYS AND CRAFTS BASICS 105, ibbage board Lathe basics 108 Puzzles Scroll saw basics 114 CRAFT CLASSICS MODELS 116. Jewelry box Locomotive 122 Shaker box Dump truck 125. Briefcase Tractor 130 Nutcracker 136 White cedar bird SLEIGHS AND SLEDS 138 Hand mirror Bent-runner sleigh Yankee clipper 140 GLOSSARY Toboggan 142 INDEX ROCKING HORSES Stand-mounted rocking horse 144. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Swinging horse Iraditional rocking horse DOLLHOUSES Anatomy of a dollhouse Scale modeling Customizing a dollhouseINTRODUCTION Steve Malavolta on | HAND-CUT WOODEN PUZZLES | y interest in woodworki stunning variety of colors, different cutti as a lot to do with wood itself, which offers a nd shaping abilities, and a wide my career I explored these properties of tactile qualities. In the beginnit ing lap dulcimers and guitars, incorporating a good amount of inlay. With dition of mine, I once made a puzzle for my nephew. It was the start ofa new career nd-up serpent id what I sometimes consider an obsession, My earliest puzzles were only nicely colored and figured slabs of w somewhat undefined pieces and then framed. Carrently Lam incorporating my i skis in a style simila ointarsia, creating three-dimensional architectural puzzles, abstracts, and landscapes like the one shown on page 108. (The inlay work, along with a jvele for consistency of grain, color and figure. T le pigces, is done on a scroll sx blade. the individual piece. g what con g- Then comes, imple tothe mind: uzzle piece witha well-defined ood puzzle The complexity of the n all my pieces I use a standard-shaped ind socket on each side to lock it to the others, a process that carries through the whole puzzle. After years of frechand cutting, this isa process that has become second nature, and I find this part of my work to be very meditative. my puzzles. It not only creates depth for the bods are kept in their ‘olor. enables me to finish the pieces on both sides, making saving the puz en harder. Finishing i alsoan important part of my puzzes,as they are meant tobe handled, giving them a tactile as well asa visual pel Each puzzle is made to be played, creating both entertainment and intellectual iallenge. I take pleasure in knowin rs | have been able to com- bine both elements in each piece. Mi playable works of art of is to practice your woodworking techni also increases the puzzle’ difficulty. Because the nt my puzzles loom quality. My re dation to you ues and enjoy the pleasures that the pro cess of creating and the use of the finished piece gives back to you.INTRODUCTION Don Buhler builds A GLIDING ROCKING HORSEINTRODUCTION Johannes Michelsen tips his TURNED HAT fter years of turnin; diffe utting bowls and wife and I w up with an for shrin northern rosewood, reds pada attain the two is sanded and ability across the cou siana who likes to wear ips to Hollywood pe he future for turned hat ght indeedLA as ae ee ee ee eee eeTOYS AND CRAFTS BASICS dren, involve other considerations. Foremost amo shown below, toys intended for infants d to bela allowed and lodge A ff ost ofthe requi for build M ing furniture—functional designs, proper tool setups and techniques, and safe work habits kin are also crucial to rafts. But wooden toys, because they are intended for use by chil enough that they cannot be ina child’swindpipe, And since children MAKING CHILD-SAFE TOYS explore as much with their mouths as with their hands, the wood species you use for your projects and th apply—whether puintora ck must be non-toxic. The charts 13 rate the toxicity of various finishes and wood species. Because many toys are made with tured parts, many of which are small the lathe and seroll saw are two of the ‘most commonly used tools. This chap: ter also explains how to set up both and provides information ic operations and techniques A coating of baby oil. toa child’s rattle w ta cloth 7 en aewee ee eee eee eRe ee ee 3 TOYS AND CRAFTS BASICS CHILD-SAFE FINISHES SAFE RINISHES Baby ol Penetrating Mineral oit Penetrating Beeswax Surface Shellac ‘Suriace Paraffin wax Surface Raw linseed oil Penetrating Pure tung oll Penetrating ‘The chart above lists wood finishes that are considered safe for toys that children may put into their mouths. Refrain from using any other product—even if it is labeled 28 being nontox- ic or the Materials Safety Data Sheet compiled for the product (available from the manufacturer) does not include any toxic substances. A toxin must be present in concertrations greater than 1 percent to be listed, and many such substances, such 2s metallic driers added to finishes, usually comprise less than 1 percent. Even after a finish is fully cured. rough han- dling can cause a small portion of the finish to eke off and ‘SAE FINISHES Pure walnut oil Penetreting, Carnauba wax Surface Non-torie paint with Surface ‘the seal ofthe Arts ‘and Gratts Materials Institvte or the words *conferms to the ASTMD-4236” Modeler’s enamel paint Surface be ingested. As a result, any toxic ingredient in a finishirg product is potentially harmful, After applying a finish, make ‘sure that the surface is completely dry before giving the toy toa child. Paints that are safe once fully dry may give off harmful volatiles as they cure. And do not assume that 2 paint or finish is completely cured when it is dry to the toucn. Some products can take months to cure completely: rafer to the label instructions for drying times. The chart aiso distinguishes Detween products thet penetrate the woed or simply remain on the surface. Toxic wooDs Toxie WOODS Toxte woos ‘oxic Woops ‘Arbor vitae R European spruce RS ‘Satinwood, Ceylon. S Bleck soruce RS Imbuia RS ‘Siky-oak RS Boavocd Rs troo RS Teak Rs Calforia redwood RST Lacewcod RS Wonge RS Cashew s Mahogany RS Wostarn red cedar RST Cocabolo RS Pine RS Ebony RST Red cedar RS eerie European larch RS Rosewood RS Ts Ton elects ‘The dust from many wood species can pose health risks ranging from respiratory ailments to skin and eye irritations. Some woods contain chemicals that can cause toxic effects. The chart above lists a number of species and their possible health effects1T he lathe shown below is a typical freestanding model that will serve you wel for most toy-making projects. Lathe ie is measure in wo ways swing and capacity Swing istwice the distance between the headstock spindle and the ‘ed, which limits thediameterof blanks ‘ANATOMY OF A LATHE ” plate which ie ‘then threaded onto headotack LATHE BASICS Capacity is the distance between the headstock and talstock. which imits the length of blanks. The weight ofa lathe is important, as greater weight provides: more stability and dampens vibration. Another feature to consider is how casy it isto change speeds; larger workpieces Tallotock Variable epeed control lever Increases or decreases speed of pul rotetlon without stepping machine: pulled out and turned ‘tochange speed 14 ‘Ahiollew shaft with a reveroe taper that holds centers in.a fiction fi: taming must be turned at lower speeds than smaller ones. Changing the speeds of some lathes involves switching drive belt betwen two sts ofstepped pulls other models have variable-speed pulley systems that allow the speed to be changed without switching off the tool. spindle Tailetock Secures one end of Dark for spindle toring Sides along bed to. accommodate banks of ait ferent lenetho Bed Made of cast- Iron or tubular steel tracks, or ways, typically ‘spaced V. Inches apart: accurately machined 60 that teol base ‘and taistock slide smoothly 777788. SPP Zee eee teeMa lla ll ll la TUTE W ‘TOYS AND CRAFTS BASICS BASIC urwine TOOLS Porting tool = Narrow cutting toot used for [oeirg tesco tty i tao fring tone rough cut ofieders from alate ink and Ya inch widths . ‘Skew chisel Andled cutting tool used for making beads, V-cute, and shoulder cuts and for smocthing surfaces: avallable in widths between /: and Ti inches Teestoc ang besce ond Coes and for Sere optccncrt maton widths between < and inch TURNING A CYLINDER Marking the centers ofthe blank Mounting the blank onthe lathe ‘To mount a blank between centers ‘Butt one end of the blank against the tailstock’s live center. Supporting the other fon the lathe, mark two lines across end of the blank with one hand. slide the tailstock toward the headstock until the each end from corner to comer. The drive center in the headslock aligns with the indentation you made in step 1. Secure tines will intersect at the center. Next, the tailstock in place with the locking lever ang avarice the the tailstork spandie and use an awl to make indentations at center by turning the handwheet until the blank is held firmly between the centers both points (above). (above). Secure the talstock spindle in place with the spindle lock 15TOYS AND CRAFTS BASICS Turving a cylinder Holding a roughing gouge with a overhand grip, brace the blade on the tool rest. Cut very lightly into the blank, making sure that the bevel is rubbing against the stock and moving the gouge smoothly along the too! rest. The gouge will begin rounding the corners of the workpiece. The smoothest cuts are made by moving the blade withthe grain Continue making successively deeper asses along the blank, raising the han- dle ofthe tool with each pass, until the edges are completely rounded and you have a cylinder (right. Adjust the posi- tion of the too! rest as you progress to keep it as close to the blank as possible. MAKING COVES AND BEADS ‘Askew chisel enables you to turn beads Turtinga cove with sherp detail. Outline the bead on Outline the cove on the blank with a pencil. Then, hold @ spindle gouge in an under- the stock with 2 pencil, then make a V- hand grip withthe flute pointing sideways and slice into the wood just inside one of cut at each line. For best results, use the marked lines with only the cutting edge of the tool. Siowiy angle the tool handle the long point of the chisel. Then, work back towards the line until the bevel rubs on the workpiece, and make a scooping _ingon one side of the Y-cuts. widen the Ccut down to the middle of the cove. As you make the cut, turn the handle to rotate cut, slowly lifting the handle so the ber- the bevel agairst the workpiece. The gouge should be fat on its back when it reaches _el rubs and the long point of the chisel the center of the cove. Make the second cut from the opposite side of the cove. makes 2 rounded, rolling cut (above) Work in 2 downhill ditection, as shown by the errows—from a high point toa low Repeat for the other side of the bead, point on the blank; never cut uphill or against the grain, otherwise the too! will dig making sure your cuts are always made into the wood. Repeat the process from both sides of the cove, keeping the bevel in adownhill direction. Once the shape rubbing on the stock at all times (above). Continue cutting back tothe marked lines of the tead is smooth, turn a round nti the cove is complete. shoulder on each side of the bead 16au Aare Aa! aaa Blade guard Protects the operator's —— hands from the blade Table tile ‘securing knob ———— Locks the table at the desired ‘angle SCROLL SAW BASICS Blade tension lever Locks or releases the tension of Blower tube Drecte a stream of ai behind the blade to cear sandsot from the ating ire - Speed indicator Displays the running 2pred of the Blade Speed adjust- ment knob Adjuote the blade oped Blade tension knob Hold-down adjust- ‘Adjuste tension mont knob setting Raises and lowers the hald-down Table tilt adjust ment screw ‘Adjusts the angle ofthe table topBLADE GAUGES AND THEIR USES indard ecroll blade ‘Acoarse cutting blade usualy used for cutting thick orhard Stock has teeth similar to those on a handsam. Some hhave pins on the ends, requir- Ideal for cutting fer devas: ‘the stip-tocth design alows sandust to clear, reducing ‘cut in all directions without ‘tuming the stock requires greater etl for precise cute Because it produces a wider kerf than other blades MAKING AN INSIDE CUT Proparing the workpiece Since a scroll saw blade is detachable, you can bore a hole through the waste ‘area of your workpiece and slip the blade ‘through the hole. Make sure the hot is large enough to accommodate the blade. Detach the blade, set the workpiece on the saw table with the hole centered over the table opening, and feed the blade ‘up through the hole (right TOYS AND CRAFTS BASICS on Ren 28 25 23 18 15 4 12 115 115 11 95 95 For inticate work and thin ‘stock, Good for veneers and materials such as hard plas- ‘ties and thin (fe to %-inch) materials For cutting tight radivees in thin Q&- to Zeinch) stock, veneers, and plastics For cutting tignt radiuses in thicker (&inch or more) ‘materials, hard ard soft woods, and plastics For cutting wood thicker ‘than % inch BRR ARRaaa a a da) tb : uy TOYS AND CRAFTS BASICS Reattaching the blade Slip the end of the blade into the blade clamp mecha- nism and tighten it with the hex wrench supplied with the machine to secure the blade in position (sbove. ‘Setting up the saw and starting the cut Check the tension by pushing a board with mederate pres- ‘sure up against the blade; the blade should deflect about inch. To aijust the blade tension, release the tension lever, then turn the tension adjustment screw clockwise to increase tension on the blade and counterclockwise to reduce the ten- sion. Lock the tension lever back into position. AS you gain ‘experience, you will be able to pluck the blade and listen for the sound it makes to gauge the tension. Once the blade is properly tensioned, lower the hold-down so that it presses ‘the workpiece firmly against the table. To start the cut, align ‘the blade with the cutting line and feed the workpiece with both hands (above). Finishing the cut To-cut tight curves pivot the work- piece on the table, shifting your hand position as necessary. For 90° or greater tums, like these at the top of the stem section in the leaf design shown at left, ‘cut slightly beyond the cutting line into the waste section, then pivot the work piece, and continue along the cutting line. Once you return to your starting point, remove the waste section and detach the blade to free the workpiece.ae ea ee a ee ee)brass partsto prevent tarnishing. By adding railroad tracks and ties and displaying the train ina realistic set- ting, the lacomotive can be trans formed from toy to exhibit The dump truck isa sturdy toy that faithfully recreates the tireless strength of old-style trucks Its built to withstand even the most punish ing “driver” and is spacious box is designed to hold avarietyof articles V J heeled vehicles, large and small have been perennial favorites with children and adults alike for generations. This chapter shows you how to build three wooden models that are based on real-life counterparts: a locomotive, a dump truck, and a tractor-rock picker. As the photo on page 20 confirms, the results are certain to please and delight These projects will exercise a The boiler and smoke box of the locomo that its young owner might wish to range of woodworking skills, from tive shown on page 20 can be turned from a transport. The model featured in theauthentic detailing involved in single blank on the lathe. this chapter is made with paris that making the lacomotive (page 2? e demarcation between the two elements cannot pinch or squeeze a child’ and the simple, sturdy construc- ‘be burned into the blank with alength of hand, like the sloped ends of the tion techniques needed for the wire fastened to shop-made handles lever mechanism (page 35), dump truck (page 31) to the fine The tractor and rock picker come shaping ofthe trector and rock picker (page 36) from along line ofrugge farming machinery. With its aten Thelocomativeisa|/32-sale mode ofan carly20th-Century tion to detail and realistic moving parts this toy can serve an coal-buming stam engine. Inadcition tomakingall ofitsparts educational function as well as provide many hoursof play to sale, you can use contrasting hardwoods o highlight par- Whatever typeof finish you apply to these vehicle, remem: ticular details of the model. The wooden parts of the locomo- ber to choose a nontoxic product if you are making the mod tive shown on page 20 were finished with three coats of el for a child. Refer to the Toys and Crafts Basics chapter (page satin-finish polyurethane. Clear nail polish was applied to the __ 12) for more information on child-safe finishes. ta 3 4 J Buite by Doug Kermey of South Dennis, Massachuscts, the ty rain shown at 3 leftisacarfuly crafted 1/32-scale reproduction ofan American Standard steam 3 Tocomative in operation a the turn ofthe 20th Century. To complete the real 4 setting the tran i displayed on rails and tes cut from contrasting hardwoods S “The mals measure by ind; the ies are iby-rby-3 inches > 21BB tising the engine shown below is essentially 2 matter of preparing all the parts illustrated on page 23 and gluing them to the chassis. You can cut and assemble or cut all the piece frst, then glue only when all the components are ready. To help you produce a scale model, the profile and dimensions of all the necessary partsare provided. The following pages show step-by-step instructions for producing the more challenging pieces. Although the locomotive is made mainly from wood, afew items of met= al hardware are required. You will need %einch-long No, 16 brass escutcheon pins, for example, to attach the con- ‘necting rods to the wheels. Drill pilot holes for the pins inch from the een- ter ofthe wheels, The connecting and drive tods are cut from 2-inch-long (0,025-gauge \-inch-wide brass strips, The spacing between the holes through ceach end of the connecting rods should LOCOMOTIVE inches, Make the piston ich-long, ”-inch-diameter brass rod with a hook at one end and attach tothe drive rod. Push the pision into Vclength of -inch-diameter tub- ing. then fit the tubing into the cylinder glued to the chassis. ANATOMY OF & LOCOMOTIVE ideal () ‘Smoke stack (C) Serene reeeereme eee ee ,4 3 MODELS 3 23MODELS. Paired with the shop. le jig show on page 25, 4 drill press boresaa spoke hole through one of the 3 wheels. Consisting of two rings that sandwich the whee, the jig ensures that the wheels will end up identical. The ji’s outer ring features 12 brass bushings spaced equally around its circum cence. Asa result, the spoke holes will be equidist around the wheels. After drling the first hol 1a dowel or brass rod through the fig rin ‘and the wheel 10 keep the pieces from rotating as you bore the remaining holes. See detailed instrutions on 25 for me MAKING THE WHEELS Hole by pilot bit Drive whee! Cutting out the wheels Clamp a backup panel to your dill press tabl the wheel blanks. Cut a %-by-2/-by-15-inch p for the drive wheels and a %-by-1-by-8-inch be wheels. Cut both sets of wheels the same way, using one hole saw to define the rim and a smaller hole saw fort inside the tim. For the drive wheels, install in the drill press and cut les in the w tn an 80-grit sanding flange ure t to the top of yo back an¢ forth across the surface un rkpiece, stopping enough waste w: You can now cut imitat © use a jig (page 2 hole saw, aligning the pi t by the larger bit (above, left. This will ensure thatMODELS The jig shown at right wil enable you to make quick work ‘of dling equidistant holes for spokes around the rim cf drive wheels like the ones shown in the photo on ‘page 20. The jig consists of two rings: an outer and Jnner one. The wheel and hub are held steady fer driling by the two rings: the flange clone the whee!’ circumfer- ‘ence prevents it from slipping out. Cut the two rings from a board the same thickness as. ‘he wheels. Use 2 3-inch hole Saw to define the outside ‘circumference of the outer ring end a 2-inch hole sew to separate the two rings. Use a %-inch-diameter bit to drill cut the hole inthe inner ring for the hut; use a short length of dowel for the hub. To prepare the jig, assemble the rings and the hub, and use a %-inch dil bit to bore holes at 30° intervals through both rings. After drilling, the frst hole, slip inch dowel into it to keep the rings aligned as you bore the remaining holes. Once all ‘the holes are drilled, insert a piece of brass tubing in each hole in the outer ring, sized to accept @ inch ill bit. Refer to the color photo on page 24 for instruc- tions on using the jig. 25 ‘Cutting “spokes” into the drive wheels To create the illusion that the drive wheels are spoked, you can use a backsaw to ker! the outside faces of the wheels. To hold the wheels as you cut them and ensure that the kerls are spaced equally. use a jig made from a board slightly thicker than the wheels. For the jig, cut a 22-inch hole into the middle ofthe board and mark the kerf lines arounc the circumference of the hoe. Spacing the ‘marks 30° apart will allow you to cut 6 kerfs. Secure the jig to your benchtop, insert the wheel in the hole, and transfer the kerf marks onto it. Then holding the whee! in place with an index finger, cut a Kerf into the jig and Inch into the wheel (left). Keep the saw teeth parallel to the work surface. To cut each remaining ker, rotate the wheel in the jig until the next kerf mark aligns with the cut in the jig and repeat the cut. Inner ring Rin fits inside wheel: hub fies inside ring Wheel hub % inch outside diameter => Wheel Rim ie 24 inches Inside diameter Is 14 inches Outer ring with brass tubing Rim is 3 inches dameteris 2MODELS MAKING THE BASE ASSEMBLY ‘Shaping the chassis and the pilot Roler to the anatomy illustration on page 22 for the diman- sions of the locomotive chassis. Cut it to shape on your band saw and remove any marks leit by the blade with a sanding block. Make the pilot from a %-by-2-inch hardwood board, long enough to teed sately across your table saw. To cut the ‘grooves in the pilet, adjust the blade height to Ms inch and position the rip fence for a cutting width equal to the width of the blade kerf. Feed the board acress the table to cut the first groove, them shift the fence away trom the blade by twice the terf width and repeat. Cut the remaining grooves the same way, feeding the stock with a push stick and pressing the board against the fence at the trailing edge of the stock with your {ree hand (above). Once all the grooves are cut, saw the pilct to shape on a band saw (below)weeded eee dd ed MODELS Preparing the chassis forthe wheels Clamp a backup panel to your crill press table and install a "X.-inch bit to bore the axle holes for the drive wheels. Mark the holes 1 inch and 3 inches from the back cond of the chassis. Then, holding the chassis on ite side, rill each Hole through the stock (left). Bere matching holes through the wheel hubs or center. Making the tuck ate assembly Refer to the anatomy illustration (page 22) or the shape of the truck ‘axle, then cut out the shope on your scroll saw (above). Drill the axle holes in the assembly and front wheets Using a Yécinch bit. Install the wheels with Yrinch diameter pogs. ‘Attaching the wheels to the chassis To mount the front wheels, drill a % Jnch-diameter hole into the underside of the chassis near the front end and instai! the truck assembly with 2 %-inch peg (left), Aisa attach the drive whee!s to the chases using -inch-siameter pegs. 27MODELS MAKING THE CAB Gluing the firewall and the side walls to the base ‘Spread glue on the contacting surfaces of the side walls and firewall end secure them together with @ handseraw (right) Immediately apply adhesive to the base ‘and set the wall assembly on top, placing ‘shim under the clamp to keep it level while the glue is curing, Cutting the windows The locomotive cab consists of six parts: two side walls, shown at left, a firewall and base (below), the cab jack, and the roof (step 3). Refer to the anaio- ry illustration on page 22 for the dmen- sions and shapes of these pieces. Cut them all to size on your scroll saw. When sawing the window notches in the side walls, keep the stock from jumping off the saw table with a hold-down (lef) 28 sagen ee 8 |. o_o a awe eee eee eee een a MODELS ‘Shaping the root ‘Make the roof of the cab froma %-by- 2yeby-2%.nch piece of hardwood. Mark the slope of the roof on the long edge of the stock, then use a disk sander to round over the surface. Holding the edge Of the stock flat on the sarding table, rock the top of the roof back and forth across. the abrasive disk until you cut to the ‘marked line (rght). Once you are satis- fied with the shape of the roof, glue it to the rest ofthe cab and mount the cab to the chassis on top of the cab jack. MAKING THE BOILER AND DOMES ‘Turning the boiler and smoke box You can turn the boiler ang the 1. inch-long smoke box separately, using contrasting woods. But if you wish to make them from a single workpiece, mount a 7/-inch-long blank between centers on your lathe; white ash is a good choice for these parts of the pro- ject. Make the blank J inch longer if yeu aso want to produce the smoke box hatch from the same blank. Turn the workpiece into a cylinder with a roughing gouge, then use a pece of wire to burn 2a demarcation line between the boiler ‘and smoke box (photo, page 21).To turn the smoke bax hatch down to a diameter of 1 inch and its top down to ¥ inch, use a skew chisel (left. I you are making the hatch separately, use icine dowel stock cut from a contrasting hardwocd,‘Making the domes Shape the domes for the smoke stack, steam dome, and sand box from dowel stock of the correct width. Install a piloted round-over bit in a router and ‘mount the tool in a table. To help you keep the dowel square to the cutter, clamp @ pair of guide blocks and a hold- down to the table, as shown at right. Cut ‘a notch out of one end of the hold-down and place it on a shim so the notch will be just above the workpiece and prevent it from jumping up when it contacts the bit. Standing on the right-hand side of the table and holding the dowel against the narrow guide block, advance the workpiece toward the bit. When the dowel contacts the pilet, press it against the block and rotate it toward yourself to snape the end. To finish the dome, simply cut it to length. You can also ‘saw off the dome and glue it to 2 dowel ‘mace from a contrasting hardwood. Once all the domes are made, glue them to the boiler and smoke box. MODELS Preparing the boiler and smoke bor forthe stack and domes Once you have turned the boiler and ‘smoke box, bore the Noles for the smoke stack, the steam dome, and sand box ‘on your drill press. Cut a V-shaped wedge ‘out of a wood biock, creating a jig that will hld the workpiece steady as you drill the holes. You need to bore three holes with three different bits: one 1% inch in diameter, located 1 inch from the back ‘end of the boiler; a second 1 inch in diameter, 2 inches away from the first hole; and a third %- inch in diameter, located % inch from the front end of the ‘smoke box. Hold the workpiece securely inthe jig as you drill each hole (left Direction of dowel rotation Hold-down 30a a aa aa a a aa DUMP TRUCK "he truck featured here isan exam- ple ofa sturdy toy designed with child safety in mind. The moving parts have no pinch points and the truck’s surfaces are rounded and smooth. Assembly is fairly straightforward. The quantity and shape of all the parts required are shown below and each can be cut from either solid tock or birch- veneer plywood. All you need to hold the pieces together are a few dowels, although some connections can be rein forced with screws. Ifyou use screws to complete this project, be sure to coun- Designed by Chester Van Ness of Scotland, Ontario, the dump truck shown above terbore the fasienersand cover the heads is fuilt1o ake abuse and punishment without giving any back Its conners are with wood plugs. rounded and its surfaces are sanded smooth and finished with nontasie paints ANATOMY OF A DUMP TRUCK (0) Front axle housing Bu Ver ne” (0) Rear axie housing TnL Peinch thick: Vrinch diameter (8) Engine block 7 WER TR x2" ey orsr —= ss, | 5 4 (L) Box side wall (H)Boxtront wall GT eZee Baten Ue Be aMODELS MAKING A DUMP TRUCK Cutting the chassis and axle housings Make your chassis blank a little larger than its final dimensions, then use your Dand saw to cut it to the shape shown in the anatomy illustration (page 31). Outline the profile on the stock, make the cuts on the ‘saw (ebove), then use a chisel fo clean out any corners ‘or edges you could not cut square. To produce the bevel at the back end of the chassis, use the band saw or a stationary power sander, then sand all surfaces smooth Next, band saw the front and rear axle housings o shape. ‘Preparing the chassis and axle housings {for the wheels and box Mark the holes on the chassis end axle housings for the wheels and the box, then installa inch bit in your drill press. To minimize tearovt asthe bit exits the stock, clamp a backup panel to the machine table. Then set the chassis on ‘the panel with the mark aligned under the bit and, holding the workpiece firmly, dil the hole (right. Repeat the process tobore the holes in the axle housings. Since these pieces are too small to hold by hand, clamp them to the backup panel 2 you drill te holes. You can also bore the holes in the cchasss and axle housings belore cutting them te shape.ww eh ww aaa MODELS ‘Turning the wheels To produce the wheels on your lathe, start by preparing a ‘simple turning jig on the band saw. Cut the block from 2-ineh- thick stock into a 6-inch-diameter circle, then screw it to a faceplate and mount the plate on the lathe headstock. Nest, prepare the wheel blanks, cutting them from %-inch stock with 2 Z-inch hole saw mounted on your dill press. Cutline one of, ‘the wheels inthe center ofthe turning jg, turn on the lathe and, use a scraper to cut a inch-deep recess within the outline. ‘Seat the bank inthe recess, using double-sided tape to ald it in place. You can now turn the blank: Postion the tol rest clase to the workpiece and use a scraper to cut the treads and then a spindle gouge to shape the recess around the whee! hub (atovel Remove the biank from the jig, affix the tape on the side you just turned, and repeat the process to shape the other side ofthe ‘wheel. Repeat for the other wheels, Keeping in mind that the front and back wheels have slightly different profiles (eage 32). Drilling the cab window Cut your cab blank roughly to size and outline ts contours, including the window hole. Locate the hole 1% inches from the back end and 2 inches from the bottom of the cab. Install a 1¥-inch ‘spade bit in your drill press and clamp a backup panel to the machine table to ‘minimize tearout. Clamp the stock in a handscrew, secure the clamp to the back tup panel so the marked hole is directly Under the bit, and drill the hole (eft). 33‘Shaping the cabin Cut the contours of the cab on your band saw, feeding the stock with both hands and being careful to keep them Clear of the blade (right). Nest, cut the fire wall and engine block to shape and ‘sand the pieces. ‘Gluing the engine block and cab tothe chassis Stat by gluing the cab to the chassis. Once the adhesive has cured, spread ‘2lue on the contacting surfaces of the engine block and fire wall, and clamp the pieces together. At the same time, ‘Blue the front and rear axle housings to the chassis. Once dry, glue the engine block to the chassis and clamp it in place on a flat work surtace, using @ ‘wood pad to protect the stock (below). MODELS 34 eet em errr eee Ree eee eeeSO a ee eee aaa aaa MODELS ‘Attaching the box o the chassis CCut the box hinge and the pieces of the box on your band saw, then drill a -inch-diameter hole through the side of the hinge for the dowel that wil secure it to the chessis. Screw the hinge to the underside of the box bottom, flush with the back ‘end, using a handscrew to hold the pieces snugly 2s you drive the screws (2bove, left). Counterbore the fasteners so you ‘can plug their heads. Next, assemble and glue the box togeth- cr, cutting a shallow rabbet around three sides of the bottom to accept the sides and front. Once the adhesive has cured, place the box on the chassis so the hinge rests in the slot. Dab a little glue on the trailing end of the connecting dowel, then slip the pin through the holes in the chassis and box hinge to secure the box in place (above, right). Conceal the screw heads with wood plugs. Ghee te eecen es reek Complete the truck by installing the fenders and wheels. Outline the fenders cn blanks and cut the pieces to shape on a band saw or scroll saw, starting with the notch on one face, then the curved cut along the edge (lef). Glue the fenders in place, then mount the wheels to the axle housings with dowels. You can now finish the truck; be sure to use a child- safe product (page 12). 35TRACTOR Made by Garnet Hall, of tractor and rock picker shown at left straddle the line ‘between toy and display piece. To show off the beauty of the various wood species used, this model was coated with a clear finish, Although the tracor-rock picker can be entirely shop-made, sont of the pa as the wheels, pegs. and dowels, are available at craft and hobby shops. You can build the toy to scale by cutting the parts according othe ful-scle plans provided below and on page 37. oughton, Saskatchewan, the (2) Front whee! stock 36 (A) Mudguard Botack (0) Front axle YH otack Actual ze TA" thick 22" wide x 6" long eS) teem } (ide view) y | i i i i | I PPpPerenrmeneaeeaeae eeMODELS (8) Fork (ele view) O° jen aaa a 37MODELS ASSEMBLING THE TRACTOR ‘Shaping the body Cut the tractor boy roughly to size, referring tothe anatomy illustration on page 36 for its shape and dimensions. Oulline the profile of the body on the stock, cut it out on your band saw, and sand the surfaces smeoth. To curve the edges ofthe body, insall a pioted round cover bit ina router and mount the tool in 2 table, Fashion an auxiliary fence for the infeed side ofthe table, cutting a notch to cover the bit and rounding the front comer. Screw the fence toa support board and clamp both pieces tothe table. Press the stock agains the pilot bearing as you feed it across the tabe. Turn the body cover to shape the other side (righ). Cut the hitch, drill a hole through it and glue itt the back of the tractor body Mounting the steering whee, fuel cap, and mutfler ‘Mark holes on the tractor Dody forthe steering wheel col- length of %-inch dowel can form the mutter. Dab glue into the umn, fuel cap, and muffler. Bore /-inch-diemeter holes forthe three holes and set each piece in place (above). (tis easier to column and cap, and a %-inch-diameter hole for the muffler. sand the pieces belore gluing them in position.) To finish the Meke all the holes + inch deep. Fashion the steering wheel by muffler, drill a i-inch-diameter hole through the middle of a attaching a Ycinch wheel to a /-inch-diameter dowel. Make inch dowel, spread some glue in the hole, and stp the dowel ‘the fuel cap from a wood button or peg with a short shaft; a over the smaller peg already in place. 38 a i eee ererreeeee anne s EERE EE E.}waa aa eww ew MODELS Installing the front axle and wheels Cut the axle on your banc saw from a piece of I-by-2%inch-thick stock and sand its surfaces smocth. You need to Gril three %-inch-diameter holes into the axle: one in each side for the wheels and a third in the top to attach the axle to the tractor body. Clamp a backup panel to your drill press table and secure the axle in a handserew as you bore each hole (right). Drill a matching hole into the Underside of the tractor. You can make the front wheels on the lathe (nage 33), then glue them tothe axle and attach the axle tothe tractor body using pegs and tle. The peg securing the ale to the body cen be lett alittle long to allow the axle to swivel. Gluing the fenders Cut the two parts of each fender ‘assembly on yout band saw, making the bases from Jeinch-thick stock and the ‘mudguards from /-inch-thick stock. The pieces on opposite sides of the tractor ‘should be mirror images of each other. Dill holes into the ends of the mudguarcs for the buttons and dowels that will serve as the lights, then glue the mudguards to their respective fender bases. Once the adhesive has cured, glue the fender assemblies to the tector body, making sure the bottom edges of the pieces are flush with each other. Use a handscrew tohold the fenders in position while the adhesive cures (lft). Give wood buttons to the front of the mudguards for headlights ‘and dowels to the back for taillights. 39‘Mounting the rear wheels Orill the axle hole through the fend- e's and tractor body, then make the axle by cutting ieinch dowel stock to a length ‘of 2 inches, Slip the dowel into the axle hole in the tractor, dab a litte glue on both ends, and mount the wheels (ight) ‘Making the rear wheels Use a compass to outline the 24-inch diameter wheels on ¥-inch-thick stock. Then, clamp a backup board to your dril press table and install a 1¥-inch spade bit in the machine. Holding the middle of one wheel outline uncer the bit, drill 2 hole to @ depth of % inch. Repeat for the other outline (eft). Next, install a %- inch brad-point bit and bore holes for the axle right through the stock. Cut out the wheels on the band saw and sand their rims round and smooth, SABRE ARRAS eevee erm eeemeeeA a a a MODELS MAKING THE ROCK PICKER ‘Making the fork. Referring tothe anatomy illustration on page 37, cut the fork to shape from { piece of %-inch-thick stock. Sand all the surfaces, ensuring thatthe contours are smooth ané rounded. Then mark a lire ‘across the fork X inch from its thick edge and a series of parallel lines at Yécinch intervals from the thin edge to the marked line, Meke @ cut along each of the parallel lines on your band saw (right), feeding the fork with beth hands and making sure you keep your fingers ciear of the blade, ‘Shaping the reel ends Make the reel ends by cutting out two ‘Veinch-diameter whee's from %-inche thick stock. Sand the wheels smooth and dail a Zinch-diameter axle hole through each one. To make the indentations along the edges ofthe wheels, mark six radius lines spaced 60° apart. You can then cut the indentations by hand with a tapered half-ound file oron an oscilating spindle sander with athin spindle. On a spindle sander, you will need to make a V-block Jig to do the jo. For the jig, cut a 130° angle wedge out of a boerd, then drill @ hie through the jg centered on the angle's ‘rex; the hole should be large enough to ‘accommodate the spindle. Clamp the jig tothe sanding table, centering the spincle inthe hole. Tum on the sander, advance ‘the rool flat cn the table with both index fingers so that one of the radius lines aligned with the spindle, and cut the indentation to a death of inch (left. Repeat for the remaining indentations. a $$ 4MODELS ‘Assembling the tee! Installs Yinch bit in your dell press ‘and bore @ stopped hole into the middle of each projection on the inside faces of the reel ends. Make each hole i inch deep. To join the reel ends together, cut 2 2k-inch-long dowel for each pair of holes. Then dab some glue in the holes, insert the dowels into one of the wheels, {and fit the second whee! on top (left). ‘Gluing up the body On your band sav, cut the parts of the rock picker’s body, including the sidewalls, the base, and the bucket. Glue the bucket sidewall to the interior. To prepare the sidewalls for assembly, you ‘eed to drill four holes in each one: one each for the bucket, wheets, fork, and real. The holes fer the fork and bucket should be Ye inch in diameter: make the holes for the reel and wheels Ya inch in iameter. Once ail the holes are drilled, tse a dowel and give to jein the bucket to the sidewalls (right). Attach the reel between the sidewalls with wooden pegs and glue the base in place. mmm eeeeRReeaeeaeeaernamenremeeaaenA wi aaa a a MODELS. ‘stalling the bitch Cut the hitch to shape on your bend ‘saw and sand its surfaces smooth. Drill Hitch. holes in the hitch for the wheel pegs and the peg that will join the hitch to the twactor. Then spread glue on the contact- ing suttaces of the hitch and sidewall and clamp the hitch in place on a work table (right). 6 ‘Mounting te fork and the whee! ‘Use glue and @ dowel to attach the fork to the sidewalls, To complete the project, Use glue ond wooden pegs to join (he wheels to the rock picker (lef, You ate now ready to apply ¢ finish. 43ey fl ada SLEIGHS AND SLEDS L oday, sleighs and sleds con- esof children on ight winter afternoons coasting down snow-covered hills, squeal- ing with joy. The origins ofthe con- veyances featured in this chapter, however, are far more practical. In northern regions of the world, the sled evolved centuries ago as a humble yet effi porting food and belongings over ice and snow. From the Inuit Adogsled and the Laplander pulka to the Bi oika and the Ameri- can “one provided {tial northerners needed to survive ‘on showy terniin. Each ofthe the pieces desribe in this chapter cam trace its lineage to one or more of these early antecedents. The bent-runner sleigh pictured above and at left isa refined version of the traditional sled. Its raised-deck design is based on the sleds of Switzerland and Austria Despite its delicate appearance, the sound construction techniques shown beginning on page 46 will produce a very sturdy sled. The Yankee clipper (page 54) evolved in Colonial America, and kas been a popular fixture of winter frolicking since Revolutionary times. Perhaps its most famous incarnation carrier, trans ht plastic is fasten ight pi backrest is attached to the seat rails with knock owen connectors, This mode! isbased on a design by Walter Last of Winnipeg. Canada, as “Rosebud”, the sled that played a key symbolic rate in Orson Welles’ classic 1941 film Citizen Kane. You can build your selfa version of this sled with a modest investment in wood The toboggan shown on page 58 is not very different from its primitive forerunners, which were used by North An Columbus. Althos gan may be ba design, itis an ingcnious mean of transportation, perfectly adap ed to travel in loose snow, where as raised-deck sleighs require a packed-snow surface to glide effi ciently. The heart of any sl lies in its runners, and each of the Uiree models in this chapter uses a different design. ‘The runners for the low-to-the-ground clipper ate the simplest to make. As shown on page 54, they can be cut out on the band saws, The bent-runner sleigh with its raised deck requires stronger runners, which ate curved by bending and laminating thin strips of wood. The flat runners for the toboggan—constituting both deck and gliding surface—are flexed to such a tight radius that steam bending is the only practical way to make them,BENT-RUNNER SLEIGH he bent-runner sleigh featured in this section blends traditional sled design with modern woodworking tech- niques. As shown in the photo below, the legs are attached to the stretchers with plate joints—a simple and sturdy joinery method. The posts supporting the backrest are secured tothe deck with screws and metal cross dowels. Using knockdown fasteners in thisapplication allows the backrest to be removed easi- ly, transforming the sleigh into a flat- deck racer. The undersides ofthe runners are covered with a layer of ultra-high molecular weight plastic, 2 high-tech material availble from mos plasticsdis- tributors and some woodworking supply houses twillenbance the runners’ sick- A pair oflegs fora bent-eunner sleigh are glued to one ofthe stretchers, while a shop-miade ig holds the pieces atthe correct angle. Plate joints (page 30) are cut to reinforce the connection, Refer to ‘page 51 for instructions on making the clamping jig. ness and make them glide much better on snow. As described beginning on page 47, the runners and backrest are made of thin wood strips laminated together and bent during glue up. Since both parts share the same curvature, they can be bent on the same form. Oak and ash both have superior bending qualities, and are the best choices if you want strong and tough runners. But other hardwoods, lke maple, birch, and beech, can be used. The sleigh shown in the photo on page 44 is made of cherry, another good choi Any sled must be built to withstand abuse as well asthe elements. Use only stainless sted fasteners and a highly water-resistant adhesive for glue up. Finish thesleigh with marine varnish. Be sure to finish the bottom of the runners before attaching the plastic strips. ANATOMY OF A BENT-RUNNER SLEIGH Yeinch dowel: secures joint between leg ard runner Wi n2' 429": WX2 x5 Deck rail PTX OTE ‘Véeinch-long cross dowel; Backrest. fits into %-inch hole éinch-long bole; ‘fits into -inch hole, Screwed into crose done! Le PUPP PRR BeeneSLEIGHS AND SLEDS MAKING THE RUNNERS: Ripping the runner stock (Cut the runner strips on your table ‘aw from a board wie enough to ye a the runners you will need. The board should be slighily thicker than the final width of the runners. Position the tip fence for an seinch cutting width and {eed the workpiece with a push stick (right), Use one han to press the board flush against the fence, being careful to keep both hands well clear ofthe blac. Cut an extra stip to use as a clamping aul instep 3. ‘Making the bending form To bend beth the runner and back: rest strips, you will need a shop-made bending form. For the jig, cut three pieces of 2i-inch plywood, mark a circle with a 6-inch radius on their 9p surfaces, and cut out the cunes on your band saw. Also saw a long rectangular slot in the center of each piece. Screw the pieces of the jig together, making sure the ‘ends and edges are aligned. To facilitate clamping the curve, dnl a series of holes with 2 spade bt slightly larger than | the clamp jaws you will be using: remem. be to secure a backup panel to the drill Dress taple to minimize tearout (eft enw wa a a a a aa a a a a a ka a7SLEIGHS AND SLEDS 2=Seeee Screw the bending form to a base of :Sinch plywood and clamp the base to a ‘work surface. To prevent the runners fram sticking to the form, apply a thin paraifin wax to the form’s outside Spread glue on one side of each strio of the runner and stack the pieces, lining up their ends. Leave an extra unglued strip an the outside to protect the strips from the clamp jaws, Place the stack along the outside edge of the form and use clamps to secure the strips against it, stating at the curved end and working to the oppo: site end (left). Let the setup cure for 8 to 10 hours. Bend the backtost the same way, but align the center of the lamina tion with the center mark on the form. Jointing the tamination ‘Once the lamination is cry, remeve i fiom the form and joint one edge. Slowly feed the workpiece across the cutters, using push blocks to feed the workpiece 48 BPePepeprpPeerepeeesSLEIGHS AND SLEDS MAKING THE DECK SE ES Preparing the slats ‘The sleigh’s deck has an inward curve atthe front end and deck with the centerline on the table. Next, use a shoo-made ‘a matching outward curve atthe back. Start by cutting the slats compass to mark the curves on the sla For the compass, dil slightly longer than their final iength and mark a centerline on two holes 9 inches apart through a wood strip; one hole should 2 work surface. Then arrange the slats on the table. Place accommodate an awl and the ether a pencil (inset). Mark the Yeinch-thick spacer strips between the slats to maintain the front curve an the slats so the arc ends atout » inch from the proper spacing. Then clamp the slats together edge to edge and edges of the outside slats. Draw the back curve so the center of secure the assembly to the table, aligning the middle of the the atc is 36 inches from the center of the front curve (above). CGatting the deck stats Cut the deck slat curves on @ band saw (left), then sand ary marks left by the blade: a spindle sander works well for this type of work. Finally, bevel the edges of the slats sightly with a sanding block. Weber eae aaa aa te &SLEIGHS AND SLEDS ‘Making the legs Cut your leg blanks from 1-inch-thick stock to a width of VA inches. Then miter the ends of each blank on your table ‘saw with the miter gauge adjusted to 60°. Next, use a band saw te cut one of the legs te the profile shown (above, left) the finished leg ean then serve as 2 template for cutting the remaining ones. Sand away any marks left by the band saw blade. The legs are joined to the runners with inch-diame- tet, Lvinch-long dowels. To bore the dowel holes in the legs, mark lines that intersect at the center of their bottom, ends. Then miter the end of a board at 60° to create a jig ‘mat will brace the workpiece on your drill press table. Install 2 inch bit in the machine and set the drilling depth to slightly moce than one-half the dowel length. Align the certer of the leg’s bottom end under the bit, clamp the jig along. side the leg and, holding the leg firmly against the table end Jig, bore the hole (above, right). Jeining the legs tothe stretchers Attach the legs to the stretchers with plate joints—thin, football-shaped biscuits of compressed wood that fit into mating slots. Use the clamping jig shown on page 51 to align the parts and mark center lines for the biscuit slots across the joints between the legs and stretcher. Use a plate joiner to cut a slot into the top end of the legs; hold the workpiece in place with a clamp. Then secure the stretcher to 2 work surface, align the guideline on the tool's faceplate with the slot location mark on the workpiece, and cut the slot (above). Repeat the procedure at the other slot locatioes, then glue each pair of legs to its stretcher, as shown in the photo on page 46. "ARERR PRR & & & & & & & & & & & & E E & = = &uaa aaa ‘LEG-CLAMPING 116 ‘The jig shown atright, made entirely from %inch plywood, makes it easy ‘align the legs and stretchers of 2 bent-runner sleigh for marking olate joint slots and gluing up. Cut the pieces so the distance between the Inside edges ofthe leg supports isthe ‘game as the length of the sleigh’s stretcher. Trim the corners of the ‘Swetcher support as shown to accom ‘modate the clamp jaws during gue- tp, then screw the tips to the base, ‘making sure thet the leg supports are square tothe stretcher support ‘Wax the top surface of the jig to pre- ‘ent the glued-up assembly shown in dotted lines) from bending to it.The Photo on page 46 shows the jig in use. ASSEMBLING THE SLEIGH SLEIGHS AND SLEDS Lea support Attaching the Leys to the runners Postion the legs on the runners, then mark the dowel holes on the run ners, Bore 2 hole at each mark slignt- ly deeper than one half the dowel length. Then apply glue in the holes ‘and on the contacting surfaces be- ‘ween the legs and runners, insert 2 ‘dowel into each hole in the legs, and fit the pieces together (lef) Clamp the assembly, making sure the stretch- rs ae perpendicular to the runners. 31SLEIGHS AND SLEDS Installing the deck raits Cut the deck rails to size, curving the back end using the same techniques described on page 49 for the slats. Pesition the rails on the strechers and against the runners, and apply glue on the contacting surfaces. Clamp the rails in pace and dril two pilot holes through the runners into the front end of the rails. Also bore holes through the rails into the stretchers. Attach the rails to the runners and stretchers with counter- ‘sunk stainless steel wood screws (ight) removing the clamps as you go. Attaching the deck slats Lay out the slats on the stretchers, spacing them with %-inch-thick wood strips. The two center boards should over- hang the front stretcher by about 1 inch Position the other boards so their ends form a smooth cune. Drill countersunk pilot holes through the slats into the stretchers, temporarily remove the slats, and apply a bead of water-resistant glue ‘along the stretchers. Reposition the slats. on the stretchers and fasten them in place with stainiess steel screws (lef). 52 PP Pere eee ee eeeSLEIGHS AND SLEDS INSTALLING THE BACKREST ‘Making the suppor posts Cut the support posts to size, then mark the notches that will accommodate the backrest, referring to the anatomy lilustration on page 46. Cut the notches con your table saw, installing a dado head con the machine. Adjust the cutting height to the thickness of the tackrest slats, then screw a board tothe miter gauge as ‘an extension. Holding the workpiece flush against the extension, align the end of the notch outline with the blades, butt a wood block against the workpiece, and clamp it to the extension as a stop biock. Holding the stock against the extension ‘and the stop block, feed the workpiece. into the dado head. Keep both hands clear of the blades. Make a series of passes tofinish cutting the notch, shift Ing the workpiece sideways as necessary. For the back post shown, turn the stock ‘around and repeat to cut the second ‘notch (right). Cut the notch on the front ‘post the same way. Once all the notches are cut, screw the backrest to the posts. the backrest tothe sleigh The backrest is secured to the sled with "%-ineh metal cross dowel connec tors. To prepare the support posts, drill 4 1-ineh-long %-inch-diameter hole into the end of each one. Also bore a % inch-diameter hole through the center of each post 1 inch from the bottom. Drill another set of holes through the deck slats at each post location to accommo. date the bolts. Fit across dowel into each hale in the posts, then posttion the back rest on the sleigh. Install aclamp across the back suppor posts to tend the back test to the correct width, install the bolts tp through the deck and into the posts, and tighten them by hand. Use a screw. driver to align the cross dowel (left), then finish tightening the bolts trom under- neath with 2 hex wrench, ww a aa aaaYANKEE CLIPPER "T i dssien of the clipper shown in this section evolved asa response to the abuse dished out by New England winters—and the young own, ersof these leds It is made from care fully chosen wood, held together by a simple, rugged method of construc- tion. The Yankee Clipper consists of only five main parts two runners, two stretchers, and a deck. The stretchers The snowflake design on the clipper shown above transforms a simple plaything into ‘an attractive and elegant sed. As shown on page 56, such designs can be stenciled ‘onto the deck with athick-bodied paint, such as quick-drying japan colors or acrylic aint. Ths sled was built by John Salinger of North Ferrsurg, Vermont. (MAKING THE FRAME Making the runners Outline the runners on 2 piece of inch plywood or hardboard and cut it out ‘asa template on your band saw. Use 2 ‘compass to outline the mortses forthe stetcher tenons on the-template. They ‘should be positioned so that when the seat deck is installed (page 56), ts surface willbe flush with the top ofthe runners. Drill a “inch hole at the mark lft by the Compass point. (This will sere to center the spade bit thet you will use later to Grill the mortise.) Outline the handle, then cut it out witha scroll saw or coping saw, then trace the design onto your run ner stock (igt), marking pont fr the mortises. Cut the runners using e band ‘saw and the Fancle with a scroll saw or coping saw, then bore the mortises on 2 il press fitted with a Linch spade bit Sand all the edges ofthe runners. are joined to the runners with round mortise-and-tenon joints, which are then pegged with hardwood dowels. Use a tough wood like ash or oak for the runners and stretchers, To keep the weight of the sled toa minimum, make the deck from alight species, such as white pine, For maxi- mum strength, glue the deck to the stretchers. Although this approach does not allow for expansion or con- traction of the deck, you can com- pensate by selecting wood that is free from checks and reinforcing the con- nection with screws, ‘The secret to a fast sled lies in the runners. Inthe 18th and 19th Centuries, the best sleds had shoes of silver steel polished toa mirror finish. Today, mild steel isa reasonable substitute. Youcan buy Y-by-% inch bars at most hardware stores and burnish the finished runners with abelt sander. 4 SPepPepPeprmeremerereae eee reer rer(eu ww ee YY Yt Yt =f a a a SLEIGHS AND SLEDS ‘Turing the stretchers Make the stretchers from 1%inch- ‘square stock, cut about inch longer than you need. Mount the blank between centers on your lathe and use 2 parting tool to turn a 1-inch-diameter tenon on ‘each end, Use calipe's to check the tenon diameter as you go (right). Trim the ends Of the tenons, if necessary, but they should be long enough to pass complete ly through the runners, ‘Spread glue on the tenons on the stretchers and in the runner mortises ‘and fit the pieces together, using a mallet totap the joints together, if necessary. Rotate the stretchers so that their top surfaces are parallel to the top edges of ‘the runners, then secure the assembly wth two bar clamps, protecting the stock with ‘wood pads and aligning the clamps with the strechers, Next, einforce the joints with dowels. Holding the frame steady on ‘a work surface, drill a hole for a Yeinch dowel into the top edge af each runner ‘and through each stretener tenon (left. ‘After boring each hole, deb a little ue info it and tap in a dowel. Once all the dowels are installed, trim them flush with 2 chiselSLEIGHS AND SLEDS. FINISHING THE DECK Secuting the seat Make the seat by edge-gluing boards together (page 98) then olane it to a thickness of Ys inch. Cut the seat to fit ‘snugly between the runners then, refer- fing to the color phate on page 54, cut the ends of the seat to shape on your ‘band saw, round over the exiges, and sand them smooth. With the seat upside down on @ work surtace, spread glue on the tops of the stretchers and clamp the seat tothe frame, using wood pads to protect the stock. For added strength, drill a ‘Series of countersunk pilot holes through the stretchers and into the seat. To avoid ‘boring through the seat, mark the drilling depth—the thickness of the stretchers plus no more than one-half the thickness of the seat—on the drill bit with a piece ‘of masking tape. Drive a stainless steel wend screw into each hole (right Making 2 stencil Paioting the seat ‘Make a photocopy ofthe stercil design, To help align the stencil procicely, draw reference lines centered on both the enlarging ot reducing the image. 2s appro- seat and the stencil. Then align the reference lines and secure the stencil to the seat Driste. Then use cerbon paper totransfer with masking tape. Ifyou are spraying the paint, hold an aerosol paint can 6 to 10 the design toa piece of stencil boerd.Cut inches from the surface and direct the spray at the stencil until the exposed ‘ut the pattern with a craft knife. pulling wood is coated lightly with paint (above). You can also use a stenciling brush to the knife toward you (ebovel.(A snawizke apply the paint. To avoid ary bleeding. remove the stencil while the paint is wet. pattern is shown on the backendsheet) Finish the sled with several coats of marine varnish, 56 ROR RRR RRP S589 5 oe LA PARRAa a a a a a a a a 4 4 a a 4 a : a a # 4 4 3 a a 3 3 a 5 SLEIGHS AND SLEDS FASTENING STEEL SHOES TO THE RUNNERS Bending the shoes Make a third sleigh runner (page 54) to use 2s a bending form for the steel shoes. As shown in the color photo on page 54, this runner will need a bulge along the top at the front end to form 8 loop that with anchor the tow rope. Measure along the edge of the runner, ‘cut the stee! to length using a hacksaw, ‘and file off any burrs, Mark screw holes ‘on the shoes at every transition paint the runner's edge. then a runner ne he runner (right) ‘Securing te shoes Set the sleigh on its si surface, then start installing a st front end of one of the runners. Holding cr clamping the shoe tight against the inner, drill a pilot hole into the runner using the hole in the shoe as a guide. ‘You may need to cut an angled clamping block to keep the clamp jaws equare to the shoe, Then drive a screw in place eit). Repeat the process at the next hole and continue until both shoes are installed. Because the steel will tend to creep foward as each screw is tightened,‘he flat-bottomed toboggan is a ns of transportation perfectly adapted to its environment. The run- made by steam bending narrow slats around a form. They are then fas MAKING THE RUNNERS: Preparing the slats Toby your slats 16 inches m the bend at th hes wide fro slats k stock. Next, smooth the edges ach slat on a tatle-mounted router TOBOGGAN tened to crosspieces. A rope is threaded through the crosspieces and serves two purposes: setting and holding the nose curve and providing a hand-held for breathtaking downhill rides. Since the runners also serve as this sled’s deck and seat, it is important to bend them precisely. They should have a radius of 3/10 4 inches, with the curl tightening slightly toward the end. For best results, use a wood with superior bending qualities such as maple or ash planed to * inch thick To finish a toboggan, seal the top sur face with acost of marine varnish. The bottom should be rested with hot pine tar, available from ski shops. This will seal the wood and provide a surface to hold the runner wax. Work in the pine tarwith a rag, using a propane torch on a very low heat setting to keep the tar fluid. To prepare the toboggan for a day onthe hills rub on. ayer of hard cross country ski glide wax with a cork block. The tobog from steam-bent maple. Also known as a Can and sturdy enough to carry two 0 mat left was made dian sled, this version is long riders over the deepest snow. ee ee eeSLEIGHS AND SLEDS ‘Steaming te stats Bud a teamer like the one shown at nt from tao lengths of Schedule 80 ABS pipe joined by an ABS T connector. Use push-on end caps fo prevent the steamer {rom becoming over-pressuized, Give a ¥ inch comnectr pipe tothe T connector and altach the connector o a commercial wall paper steamer. To hold the wood abore condensed water in the pipes, installa seres of Yinch zine-coated machine belts Just below the centrine ofthe pipes. Use both steel ond rubber washers to make an airtight seal. Also dil a inch drain hole at one end. Lastly, build a 2-by-4 frame that will support the steamer on a slight incline to allow condensed wate to run out ofthe crin hole. To use the steamer, se- cure the push-on caps, tum on the device and let the steamer warm up. Once steam bagins to escape fromthe drain hole pace a Sat inside. Close the end cap tightly and let the wood steam for about 30 minutes. To avoid scaling your hands, wear work loves and use tongs when removing the ‘wood from the steamer (inset Cut a bending form from a board as ‘thick as the width of the sats, following the profile of the toboggan. Sorew the form to.a base made from two %-inch piywood sheets and clamp the base to a work sur faco, Bore three 1 inch diameter holes ‘hvough the base for locking dowels around the curved patt of the form. The space between the dowels and the edge of the Z| 3 Bending the stats a ee 4 foim should equal the slat thickness. When you remote a slat trom the steamer, ’ place it on the form and use a wedge to secure the front end. Working quickiy, bend the slat firmly and steadily, inserting dowels to secure the workpiece 2s you pro ceed (left). Use bar clamps to secure the sat tothe straight edge of the form. Leave ‘the slats on the form until they are coo! to ‘he touch—about 1 hour. The slats may ‘spring back 1 or 2 inches, but the corect curve will be maintained with the rope. 59.‘Ataching the crosspieces tothe slat Arrange the slats on 2 work surface, align their ends, and butt their edges together. Spread glue onthe undersice of 2 crosspieze and clamp itacrss the slats about 2 inches fem the back end; make sure the crosspiece is perpendicular to the edges ofthe slats. Glue another crasspiece in the mice of the bend at the front ene. Install the remaining pieces at uniform intervals in between. Then turn the toboggan over and drill countersunk pilot holes through each slat at every crosspiece location; bore two holes through the ouside slats and one hole through the chess. Mark the dling depth on the drill bit to avoid boring through the crosspieces. Then drive a screw into each hole (gat) SLEIGHS AND SLEDS 60 Making the crosspieces. ‘Make the crosspieces from 1-inch- thick, %inch-wide stock and cut the pieces slightly shorter than the combined width of the slats. To cut the notches in the crosspieces for the tow rope, installa dado head in your table saw, adjusting ts width and the cutting height to % inch. Screw a board as an extension to the miter gauge anc position the rip fence to make the cut 1 inch from the end of the crosspiece. Holding the workpiece flush ‘against the extension and the fence, cut 2 notch, then turn the board around and repeat to cut the notch rear the other end (lef). You will need one crosspieco at each end of the toboggan and at 11 to 13-inch intervals between, "mememe Sep epearreepeeTET Ti sa ee Ge Oe Te ae ee ee ee WwWkdoee dedi aaa a a eee Ww SLEIGHS AND SLEDS Preparing the crown piace rr ‘Make the crown piece that will cover the front ends of the slats from the same stock you used for the crosspieces, out cut it ebout twice as wide and slightly longer. With the same daco head adjust- ‘ment you used in step 4, raise the cutting height to % inch. Center an edge of the workpiece over the dado head and butt the rip fence against the stock. Also clamp a braced festherboard to the table in ine with the blades. Then use @ push stick to feed the piece into the dado heed, cutting a groove along the bottom edge (right) Fit the piece over the ends of the slats, then ¢rill pilot holes through it at each slat location. Secure the piece in place with stainless steel screws, Also ‘bore a hole through the crown piece near feach end for the tow rope. Use a belt sander to smooth the edges ofthe outside slats flush with the ends of the crown piece, and bevel the edges of the cross pieces with a sanding block, eliminating any sharp edges. Finishing the toboggan Finish the top surface of the tobog gan with a coat of marine varnish and the bottom with pine tar (page $8). The final touch is installing the tow rope. With the toboggan flat on a work surface, use a pair of clamps to hold the nose at the desired bend. Then knot one end of the {ope and thread it through one hole inthe crown piece and through the notches in all the crosspieces. Feed the rope across the back-end crosspiece, then back up through the remaining notches and knot at the front (left), After releasing the ‘lamps, make sure the pressure is equal ‘on both sides of the toboggan. Adjust the knots, if necessary. The toboggan nose should have a fair amount of spring with- ‘out overstressing the wood. 61~_ we ROCKING HORSES he modern rocking horse, ‘The sw nade mobile by curved wood runners or springs, has beena fixture of childhood for most of the 20th Century. The swing and sway of riding an animal undoubtedly has pr | appeal, dating to the more stylized rendering of equine form, but it has se by-4stock. Second, some c instructions for building three different, but equally delightful, rocking horses. The frst version, shown in the photo at left and beginning on page 64, comes closest to duplicating the shap. As a way of perso coloring, and appearance of design one with interchan horse. This horse is attached toa rurdy stand by mi ing a rocking horse, you can ferent heads to be used. nora ad by Fred Sneath of Ston traditional rocki a a 3 3 4 a 4 a q 4 a a 3 3 3 2 3 any dager ofthe toy falling ove. 3 Among the most useful features ofthis horse are the footrest ? positioned outside the stirrups. By fastening wood blocksto the not qu bya ctossbeam. Thishor { —__telatively easy to assemble from either solid wood or plywood, Carving the lifelike details ofthe head and tail, and theshap- ishing products. To protect the youn 4 —_ ing of the body will provide an opportunity to expand—or round ov display—your woodworking skills oid any sharp comers or pi oosingand applying child-safe paints and The sand-mounted horse shown at left. built by Don Buble of Swan River, Manitoba, i designed to adapi to its rides growth spurts. Fara child whose legs do not reach the footests, wood blacks can be fasten tothe nests. As the child grows, smaller blocks can be wsed or removed altogether. The horse fea turesa hand-carved head and tail, a leather halter, anda suete saddle beginningon page 78 ekiesona the ingenious features. First, it is easy and inexpensive to build from2- the the horse er onc bhindfore) ole cal cor adult. Finally, as shown in the photo at lef, the head fits onto the framework with a glueless mortse-and-tenon, allowing cif leheads. Thedeerhead The final project, featured y Lake, starting on page 82, isa more rods fixed tothe ani toddler. Easy to build, this horse stands ng it ideal for the small child who is rests, you can fit the horse to the size ofthe child usinggit Part ofthe allure of a rocking horse isa lifelike finish, Refer Despite its elegance and realistic appearance, the horse is to the Toy and Crafts Basics chapter starting on page 12 forSTAND-MOUNTED.ROCKING HORSE ANATOMY OF A STAND-MOUNTED ROCKING HORSE The rocking horse shown below or basswood, for example) should save you the concern of making measures 23 inches high by 33 be used for any of the parts that sure that the grain follows the inches long, It can be fashioned need shaping, such asthehead and length of pieces for maximum from virtually any stock, although tail. The legs and body can be con- strength. However, you will have to 4 wood suitable for carving (pine structed of plywood, which will cover the plies with edge banding. SIDE VIEW far Head Mane Gut from %inch- Git from inch. Cut from %-inch- thick stock-glued thick stack on thick stock gued — to.sde of head band saw and carved and shay et by hand: faotened Gut from 1 -inch- Breer bey thick stack fastened 10 top cf body Halter Leather fac- ened to head with uphol stery nails Cut From Y-inch-thick stock: edge-glued to stirrup and attached to stand with metal rod ot se eeeeeee eee eee e=repuanmoeewake ROCKING HORSES ‘Stand base BB 18" Back leg Bee eed dee eden dense ee rr wow ‘support board Pet ‘ide of body and to inside faces of. legs and stirrups Stirrup 65 1 sqeare= 1 inch. Enlarge grid to produce 2 cutting pattern ofthe appropriate size for your project. Btand eupport. Ah ( : Lea bracket 7) fat A | FLAN POTTS Ta a \ \ Front legROCKING HORSES ‘ust ont onthe and sae froma piewe of %inch-thick siock. Once itis sanded smooth the saddle back will be glued into an angled dado in the ody of he horst. Mest ofthe horse's parts, including the legs, body and Ihead, are cutout on the bans sar. PREPARING THE STOCK Prepare blanks for the part duced trom ye Ce enn eee ™ om om ™Be www ww eee eae aaah a ra il www Ww ROCKING HORSES. ‘Sawing parts to size Once the parts for one side of the horse have been outlined, cut them to size ‘on your band saw. Cut just fo the waste side of your cutting line (left, feeding the stock with beth hands and keeping your fingets clear of the blade, Once the parts for one side of the horse are sawn and ended to the line, use them as patterns toooutline the pieces forthe other side. ‘Gluing up the legs and stirups D-ft the legs and stirup for one side of the horse together and press the pieces together. Protecting the stock with wood and mark a line for a biscuit, o plate, joint across the center of pads, secure the joints with a ber clamp (above). Position the each seam. Use a plate joiner to cut aslo into the mating edges clamp jaws at the square ends of the legs and set the bottom end, of the pieces at each mark. Then spread glue along the edges _of the assembly on a suopott shim to hold the pleces level while ‘and into the slots, insert a woed biscutt into each slot the legs, the glue cures. Repeat the process forthe other side ofthe horse. 67ROCKING HORSES SHAPING THE EARS, HEAD, AND TAIL The ears ofa rocking horse can be smooth ed to their final shape most easily on a spindle sander. Although you can use a rasp for shaping, the sander removes waste wood more efficiently and is also ideal for smoothing marks left by the bband saw blade. Spindles of various siz can be insalled to suit the curve of the piece being shaped. The spindle moves up ‘and down while it rotates, preventing the Paper from clogging and allowing you to tse the ful surface ofthe sanding drum. After power sanding the parts, use pro- _gresively ner grits of sandpaper to hand: sand all surfaces. Carving the eyes and nostrils Gut the norse's hea to shape so the wood grain onented acres te piece then autne the eyes and nosis on each side, Refer tothe anatony illustration on | sage 64 forthe placement and size of | these detai's. Then clamp the head to a | work surace and use a carving gouge of the appropriate size to form the eyes and nostrils. Holding the tool vertically with the blade on your oti, strike the handle witha wooden mallet to cut about i rch deep into the wood. Make a second cut ‘right, ten clean up tha caity with a chic el. Repeat the process to cave the ros 68 "mae nparaenmnmnennaunaaROCKING HORSES ‘Shaping the mouth Once the eye and nostril are done, se a triangular ile to clean up the ‘mouth opening (left). Then turn the workpiece, reclamp it and repeat the process of carving the eyes and nostrils. ‘and shaping the mouth on the other side. Use the file in the same way to ‘shape and add detail to the tal Shaping the head ‘Once all the surface details have ‘been caned into the head, secure the piece vertically in a bench vise and use a rasp to round over its edges (below). Leave the bottom end of the head tiat, however, t0 facilitate join- ing it to the body. 4 3 3 a a a a a a a a a a a a q a a a =| a a a wi wl 09 2ROCKING HORSES & £ & ASSEMBLING THE HEAD AND THE BODY & £ £ & are pieces to the head ane pieces are cut t rT Bie oth conan era a the abn place (ugh Ha : smaller mane pieces f = ® 70 8veaeweewenwweeeeenweeeeneedenenecidianddi i a oe ROCKING HORSES Fastening the head and til tothe body Center the head and tal at opposite ‘ends of the body and outline their oca- tons on the board. Then secure the board ‘edge-up in a bench vise and dril counter- sunk clearance holes through the body within your cutlines: bore two holes for ‘the head and one for the tal. Spread glue ‘on the bottom end ofthe head end within the outline on the body and, holding the Head in position on the board, drive the sorews through the body and into the head (right), Reposition the body in the vise, and repeat the process to attach the tail Gluing the bod tothe leg, support boar ‘Spread glue on the contacting surfaces of the body andthe adhesive cures. Use a fifth clamp to secure the assembly to a leg support board and center the Body onthe board. As shown watk surface, placing 2 block unde the clamp jaw to distribute above. use four clamps to hold the nieces together while the the pressure.ROCKING HORSES MOUNTING THE SADDLE BACK Cutting the éado for the sadile back Clamp the body and leg support beard to a work surface, protecting the stock with a wood pad. Cut the saddle back on the band saw (photo, page 66) ané piace it on the body about 1 inch in front of the tal, Tit the sacdle back until it rests against the tail, then outline the location of the piace on the body. Because the dado shoulders must be sloping, cut them with 2 backsaw. Holding the saw at the came angle at which the saddle back will be tilted, about 15°, cut toa depth of about ¥ inch on the back of the dado. Clear the waste with a chisel. Holding the chisel flat-side down, slice through the wood from one end of the dado to the other (left). Make sure the bottom of the dado slopes toward the tail so that the saddle back les flush with the tail, oom (Gluing the saddle tothe body Prepare a set of clamping blocks for ‘lung the saddle back in place. Make an arched block with a concave cune the ‘same shape as the top edge of the sad: dle back and two angled blocks cut with the same angle as the bottom of the dade. ‘Spread glue on the bottom edge of the saddle back and in the dado and clamp the workpiece in place, using the clamping blocks to direct the pressure squerely on the joint (ight. 72eee ee ee eee waar eae eae ae ee ROCKING HORSES INSTALLING THE LEGS Preparing the legs forthe metal rods Before fixing the legs to the body, rill holes into thor inside faces for the ‘ods that attach the horse to the stand. ‘Merk the rod locations on the hooves and bore %inch-deep holes with a ¢ril press (above), using a brad:point bit the same diameter as the rods, 2 Gluing the leg assemblies to the body. Position each leg-and-strup assembly against the bay ard mark ane along the inside ofthe assembly where it meets the edge ofthe body. Then spread glue on the assemblies above your line and on the contacting surfaces of the body and fit the ‘pieces together. With the legs upright on @ work surface, install two bar clamps to press. the lop edges ofthe assemblies against the underside of the body and four more clamps to secure the assemblies to the side ofthe body. Use long, wood pads withthe second set of clamps to distribute the pressure along the length of both joints (above). Gluing the leg supports ‘and brackets tothe body Referring tothe anatomy illustration of the horse (page 64), cut the leg brack- ets to size. Also saw two leg supports from inch stock, Spread glve on the ‘contacting surfaces of the pieves and set them in place, As shown ot left, the brackets fit between the legs at each ‘end of the body while the supports lie ‘hush agains: the legs anc the underside of the bodyROCK! NG HORSES. ASSEMBLING THE STAND Building the framework Refer to the anatomy illustration fer the dimensions of the stand pieces. Dry-fit the four boards together and mark screw holes on the top and bottom pieces in line with the vertical boards. Orill a counterbored hole at each math a0 pilot hole into the ends of the vertical boards and screw the pieces together. Then fit the stand brackets in the top cor- ners of the stand and mark a screw hole on each side of the ‘corner. Drill counterbored holes and fasten the brackets to the stand (righ). Once the pieces are assembled, conceal the screw heads with won plugs. ‘taping the boy Secure the horse to @ work surface by clamping ene leg in a handscrew and clamping the handsciew tothe table. Use 2a rasp to stape the horse's body. Holding the tool with both hands, work from the top of the norse to the bottom to roung ver the edges of the body and legs (left Cantinve until you have smoothed all the sharp edges and corners. Before installing the saddle and halter (page 75) or mount ing the horse to the stand (page 76). apply 2 finish to the horse.ROCKING HORSES ‘ustaling the stan base The bave consists of two beards, one ‘al cach end of the stand. With the stand on its side on a work surface, hold one board in position and mark three screw voles on 1s underside. Use counterbored screws to attach the board to the stand ight). Repeat at the other end of the stand. Paint or finish the stand. Installing the saddle Cut the saddle to shape from a piece of heavy suede leather, test fit iton the horse, and trim it, if neces- sary, to make sure it fits between the neck and the saddle back, Spread glue on the underside of the saddle, position it on the horse, and secure ‘the perimeter of the saddle to the body with uphoistery tacks spaced at ‘equel intervals (lft) Then dab some adhesive in the hole through the mane and insert the dowel that wil serve 2s the handleInstalling the halter Make the halter from the same suede leather used for the saddle, cut ting it into %-inch-wide strips. You will need six strips: two around the top of the head, passing between the ears and mane, Iwo around the jaw, and two more tojoin these. Test-fit the strips in posi- tion, trimming them long enough to loop around the metal rings. Spread give on the underside of the strips and set them in position on the head. Loop the ends ofthe strips around the rings and use Upholstery tacks to secuie them (right). MOUNTING THE HORSE 10 THE STAND ROCKING HORS! (METAL ROD (%«" DIAMETER) sy ol ‘Attaching the metal rods tothe hooves Have two %-inch-diameter metal reds prepared at a metal working shop to the shape and dimersions shown in the surface, squeeze one of the rods to fit between the legs (above, right) and insert the ends into the holes you drilled in the illustration above, at lett. Holding the horse upright on 2 work heaves. Repeat at the ather end of the horse.ROCKING HORSES ‘Securing the horse to the stané Once both rods have been fixed to the horse, prepare the blacks that will secure the rods to the stend. Cut the ‘pieces of wood to size, then saw two ‘ie inch-long dadoes about inch from the front end of each block. The dadoes should be the same width as the diameter of the reds. Position the block on the top ea ka Jee of the stand about % inch from the fend and dril courterbored holes through a ‘the stand piece and into the block. Place the harse on the stand and, holding the 3D _diock steady, insert the top of the metal ‘od into the dadees in the block. Then J fasten the block tothe stand from under- neath (right. Repeat the process to mount _thetailend of the horse tothe stand. Do not plug these Noles 80 you can unscrew J —_ the block periodically o lubricate the ends ‘ofthe rods with wax. a a a a a 3 3 a 3 Installing the footest 3 The final step in making the horse {is attaching the foottest to the stirrups. a With the horse resting on its side on a wor surface, position the footrest against as the stirrups and drill two counterbored screw holes fr each stirrup. If you plan to 3 ‘add wood blocks tothe footrest to accom ‘modate a smaller child, drill pilot holes {for them into the ends of the foot rest before fastening it to the stirrups. Then, holding the footrest against the stirrups ‘securely, screw the footrest in place (lef.