Thread: Toy Project

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I found an old pattern for a baby's rolling toy hanging on a nail in the shop, and decided to make one for the littlest grand son but the wooden ball I had was a bit big so I scaled up the pattern. A pair of offset ovals connected by four dowels to trap a wood ball. As the toy rolls on a hard floor the ball click-clacks side to side in the dowels. Walnut ovals from my property, maple ball from the hobby store, vegetable oil finish so there's no concern with it going into the mouth at some time....

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Very nice work! Vegetable oil finish, that's a great idea!

Been there, a Labor of LOVE for sure !

nice work too

Em

That is so cool.. it's so simple - it's cool!

Nice work Roger.
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Just had 2nd birthday party for Gavin and I wanted to give him a welding helmut so he could help building go kart frames-----

Roger, do you have any other plans or templates for other wood toys you could show or share? Our kids new favorite toy is a lawn cart so they can ride behind the mower.

Hey, can I show my ignorance here please and ask just what it is and how does it work ? Now you guys might not know, but my wife and I had decided long before we got married that we wouldn't bring a child into the world resulting in the fact now that I have absolutely no idea of what childrens most desireable toys are let alone how they work. I do like the idea of using vegie oil to stain the object as that certainly is better then a good dose of lead based paint like what was used on toys and cribs of old.

Originally Posted by Whiplash23T

I have absolutely no idea of what childrens most desireable toys are let alone how they work.

Whiplash my friend it's simple, the desireable toys are hotrods, and how they work is simple, give 'er gas!

Whip, like Matt says, you just roll it across the floor and the ovals being offset causes the captured ball to roll from side to side as the toy rolls. As the baby gets older they'll push it and crawl after it again, and again, and again.

Ryan, I've got a template for a wood rattle for the little ones. It's a piece of hardwood, split with a portion routed out to form a hollow, then glued back together with a spoonful of rice inside. All smoothed with a cutout for easy holding, and of course vegetable oil finish. If they happen to break it open the rice is harmless.

There may be others, and it's easy to copy old designs that were common 40 to 50 years past, but no longer seen.

Nice work.
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Nice work!. I've heard Danish oil is safe too. I used that on a crib I built for my first Niece. Also built it out of Elm as that is a non toxic wood too.

Originally Posted by stovens

Nice work!. I've heard Danish oil is safe too.....

Thanks! Lots of opinions in the wood turning world about "safe" finishes, and many do say that Danish Oil is food safe but the consensus seems to be that it must be fully cured before it's inert, up to a month of drying time. I like Canola Oil for things like this, as it's a food product immediately safe, and it can easily be renewed if desired.

Roger, For the numerous baby beds, and butcher blocks the shop we had always used mineral oil, it use to be the ol'standard for safety, however I had heard of using vegetable oil as well, the mineral oil is really cheap in the pharamacy dept, don't know why all shops used mineral over vegetable?? Just something we all did maybe...

I've been using Veg/Canola Oil on my carbon steel skinning and kitchen knives for years with great success.
3 in 1 doesn't taste very good on a steak.