Make your own wooden toys
Turn scrap pine into toys that float and roll, with a hand saw, a drill and sandpaper. Make one for a kid or a grandkid this weekend. Here's the video that hooks everyone, and everything you need for your first toy.
Space neededA table or a workbench
First projectA tugboat in an afternoon
Skill levelBeginner
Good forGifts, grandkids, using up scraps
The video that hooks everyone
Making a wooden toy boat
A little wooden boat with a cabin, two dowel smokestacks and a rubber-band paddle at the back, set afloat in clear water. Press play and see why it hooks people.
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Tool list
What you need to start
Everything you need for your first project, and nothing you don't.
Starter kit
01Pine scraps, 2x4 and 1x3Soft, cheap and easy to cut. Lumberyards often have a scrap bin.
02Coping sawA thin blade in a frame. Cuts the curve of the bow.
03Cordless drill + bitsDrills the holes for the smokestacks. Start with a 3/8 in. bit.
04Dowels, 3/8 in.Smokestacks now, pegs and axles later.
05Wood glueYellow wood glue holds the cabin to the hull.
06Two small clampsHold the wood still while you saw, drill and glue.
07Sandpaper, 80, 120 and 220 gritRounds every edge so there are no splinters.
08Food-safe finishMineral oil or a beeswax and oil polish. Fine for toys that get chewed.
09Safety glassesWear them for every cut and every hole.
The manual tells you what to look for when you buy each one.
- 1Small parts on toys for little kidsA common rule of thumb: if a part fits inside a toilet-paper tube, it's too small for a child under 3. Make their toys in one solid piece, with nothing that can come off.
- 2Skipping the sandingSplinters and sharp corners hurt little hands. Round every edge and sand until it feels smooth with your eyes closed.
- 3Gluing without clampingGlue needs pressure and time. Clamp the parts and wait the full time on the glue bottle before anyone plays with it.
