A FEW TOYS
[Illustration FIG. 144.]
=Wooden Swords, Knives, and Daggers.=--Before beginning work, read
_Marking_, _Knife_, _Whittling_, _Paring_, _Rounding Sticks_, _Rasp_,
_File_, and _Sandpaper_, and look upany other references. The
construction of those shown in Fig. 144 is too obvious to require
special description. First cut the general outline as shown, then round
or pare or shave to the thickness required. If you have a bow-saw or
scroll-saw, it will save much time in shaping the outlines, or you can
have them sawed at the mill. If you stain these weapons with various
colours, as red, black, yellow, etc., and in various patterns, and
shellac them neatly (see _Finishing_), you can turn out quite a
formidable array of awe-inspiring weapons. They should be made of some
straight-grained and easily whittled wood. Nothing is better than white
pine.
* * * * *
[Illustration FIG. 145.]
To make a sword like that shown in Fig. 145, first select a piece of
straight-grained wood (ash or any strong wood) about 2-1/2' in length,
3/16" thick, and 1" wide. About 4" from one end make a mark. From this
mark taper the edges to the other end. Do not taper the stick too
gradually. Then draw a line along the centre of each side and taper from
this centre line to the edges, leaving the edges about 1/16" thick. Next
get out two pieces of wood 1/8" thick and 4" long (some dark-coloured
wood can be used for contrast). Nail one of these pieces with brads on
each side of the 4" space left for the handle. Next get a piece 4"
long, 1/4" thick, and 3/4" wide (see Fig. 145). Mark it as shown, making
the marks for the holes (3/16") so the outside edge of one will be just
1" from the outside edge of the other. Then bore these holes carefully
(see _Boring_) and cut out the wood between them with a knife or chisel
(being careful about splitting) and shape the outside as marked. Slip
the blade through the hole in the guard you have just made up to the
handle and nail the guard to the blade.
* * * * *
=Wooden Snake.=--This imitation reptile (Fig. 146) if well made will
(when grasped at the middle) by a slight movement of the hand undulate
and writhe in a very lifelike manner, as you may know, so do not be
eager to terrify your feminine relatives, or those of other boys, too
much.
[Illustration FIG. 146.]
* * * * *
[Illustration FIG. 147.]
Before beginning work read carefully _Marking_, _Rule_, _Knife_, _Saw_,
and _Rounding Sticks_. The snake can be of any size--say from 2' to 6'
long and from 1" to 2" in diam. Select a piece of straight-grained
wood,--white pine or any wood easy to work. First see that the stick is
square, then make it hexagonal (six-sided), then taper it to the general
shape of the snake, and finally round and smooth it (Fig. 147). Remember
not to use sandpaper in the smoothing, as the grit will dull the tools
yet to be used. The head you must whittle or carve according to your
ingenuity and skill. The mouth can be cut with a fine saw.
The snake having been shaped, mark pencil lines lengthways along the
middle of the top and bottom (except at the head), and cut with a knife
a little slit or groove merely wide enough to hold a fine cord (like
fish-line). This can be done with a fine saw (as a back-saw), using the
teeth only at one end of the saw blade, but much care is required and
the stick must be firmly clamped or held in the vise. You will probably
do it more easily with the knife. Mark equal spaces (Fig. 148) of 1/2"
to 2", according to the diameter of the snake, from the neck to within a
short distance of the end of the tail. If you make these marks as near
together as 3/4", the snake will look more natural, as the notches will
not have to be so wide, but you will have to cut more of them. Number
these sections so that you can finally put them together again in the
right order. With the knife or chisel notch in to the centre from each
side at each of the marks, or use the saw and knife or chisel, until the
body of the snake is cut into sections (Fig. 148). Put the sections
together again by sinking a fine strong cord in the longitudinal grooves
in the top and bottom. Set the cord in place with glue (see _Gluing_),
and fasten with little staples (which you can make of bent pins), or
something of the sort, at the end of each section.
[Illustration FIG. 148.]
Set beads in the head for eyes. Sandpaper the whole with fine sandpaper
(see _Sandpaper_). Paint in imitation of whatever kind of snake you
prefer (see _Painting_), using red for the inside of the mouth.
* * * * *
=Windmills.=--These are made in a great variety of forms. A few patterns
which can be readily constructed of wood are given below. Bear in mind
to make them strong, as they are under very great strain in a violent
wind, and, also, that the larger they are the stronger they must be; for
little models, you know, are much stronger in proportion than large
structures made after the same designs. Dimensions are given merely to
help illustrate the principles of construction. The windmills will work
just as well if made larger or smaller, within any reasonable limits.
They should be made of _straight-grained_ white pine, whitewood, or some
wood easy to work.[19]
* * * * *
[Illustration FIG. 149.]
[Illustration FIG. 150.]
Before beginning work read carefully _Marking_, _Rule_, _Square_, _Saw_,
_Knife_, and _Paring_, and look up any other references. In case of
using heavy stock, see also _Draw-knife_, _Spokeshave_, and _Plane_. To
make a very simple form (Fig. 149), take two sticks, say 8" x 1" x 1",
and halve or notch (see _Halving_) each piece at the centre (Fig. 150),
so that when put together they will form a cross with arms of equal
length. Bore a hole through both pieces at the centre to loosely fit the
pin upon which the vanes are to turn (see _Boring_). Upon the ends of
each stick mark diagonal lines (Fig. 150) slanting in opposite
directions, or so that, if you revolve the cross edgeways and look in
turn upon each of the four ends, the lines will all slant the same way.
This is essential, for the next operation is to shave each of the sticks
down towards these lines until perhaps 1/8" thick (Fig. 150), and you
can readily see that if these vanes are not turned the same way the
windmill will not revolve. When this shaping is done fasten the sticks
together with brads (see _Nailing_). The remaining part is very simple
(Fig. 151), perhaps 1' long and 1/2" thick, with the broad vane made
thin, as the only object of this is to act as a weather-vane to keep the
windmill headed toward the wind, and if made thick and heavy the whole
affair will not balance well.
[Illustration FIG. 151.]
The revolving cross you can now fasten with a nail or screw upon the end
of the part last made (Fig. 151) so that it will revolve freely. Find
the point at which the whole windmill will balance over your finger or a
stick, and bore a vertical hole through the horizontal stick at this
point. Through this hole loosely screw or nail the windmill on the end
of a stick, slightly rounded to prevent friction (Fig. 151). Sandpaper
the whole with rather fine sandpaper (see _Sandpaper_).
You can paint in one or more colours, if you wish (see _Painting_). The
vanes can be painted in light and dark bands crossways, causing an
appearance, when revolving, of concentric rings (like a target). By
having two axles or spindles (Fig. 152) two sets of vanes can revolve at
once, and, by slanting the vanes of the two sets in opposite ways, the
two will revolve in contrary directions.
[Illustration FIG. 152.]
[Illustration FIG. 153.]
The weather-vane can be made of two pieces (Fig. 153).
A more elaborate affair (Fig. 154) is made on similar principles, but
requires more care. The construction is obvious. Before beginning work
read carefully _Marking_, _Rule_, _Square_, _Saw_, _Plane_, _Knife_,
_Spokeshave_, _Drawshave_, _Rounding Sticks_, and look up any other
references. The general dimensions of the one illustrated are: length of
main frame (in which spindle turns) 9", height of one end 4-1/2", height
of the other end 2-1/2"; length of weather-vane (from main frame) 10",
width at end 4-1/2"; length of revolving fans 1', width at ends 2". The
spindle is held in the main frame on a slant (Fig. 155) to lessen any
tendency to slip out, so the hole through which it passes should have a
corresponding slant (see _Boring_). The revolving fans or vanes are
reduced to round pins at the small ends and fitted tightly into holes
bored in the head of the spindle, all the vanes being turned to have the
same slant. Care will be required to bore these holes so that the vanes
will be equidistant and revolve in the same line.
[Illustration FIG. 154.]
[Illustration FIG. 155.]
The weather-vane is set in a slanting groove cut in the bottom of the
main frame (Fig. 155), and fastened with a couple of nails or screws.
You can cut this groove by making two saw-kerfs and paring out the wood
between with a chisel. The bent nail or wire shown on the top of the
spindle in Fig. 154 is to keep the latter from jumping out of the frame
from a sudden change of wind. The vanes should all be shaved down until
they are quite thin at the ends.
Set up and finish this windmill like the one just described.
[Illustration FIG. 156.]
A form which is good practice in whittling, and upon which you can also
exercise your artistic faculties, is the "Happy Jack" shown in Fig. 156.
Before beginning work read carefully _Marking_, _Rule_, _Square_, _Saw_,
_Knife_, _Rasp_, and _File_, and look up any other references. Fourteen
inches is a good height for the figure itself. The outline of body and
head can be sawed from a 3/4" board and the edges trimmed and rounded
and the details cut with a knife, or rasp and file can be used for the
edges. The arms are made of separate pieces. Bore holes in the outer
ends of the arms to hold the paddles (see _Boring_). Also bore holes
lengthways into the arms, from the ends next the body, and into these
holes tightly drive the ends of a stiff metal rod long enough to also
pass through the body at the shoulders (Fig. 156). Before actually
driving this rod into both arms you must bore the hole through the body.
The holes in the arms should be smaller than the rod, so that it may
drive in tightly without danger of getting loose, but the hole in the
body must be larger than the rod, that the latter may revolve easily in
it. Bore in from the centre of each shoulder as carefully as you can,
until the holes meet, rather than attempt to bore clear through from one
side. Put in the rod and drive on the arms, but not quite up to the
shoulders. In driving on the arms be sure to keep the holes for the
paddles in the right positions, so that the paddles will be in line as
shown--that is, so that when one points directly upwards the other will
point directly downwards. Also bore a hole upwards between the legs for
the rod upon which the figure turns, and screw or nail a piece of metal
(Fig. 157), with a hole for this rod, on the bottom of the legs (Fig.
156). Fig. 158 shows a way to put on the hat. The paddles can be made
from a shingle, which will save the labour of tapering the thickness
towards the ends. The paddles must be set obliquely, or turned part way
around, as in the case of any windmill. When set at the proper angles
the man will spin around while the paddles are revolving. Sandpaper the
whole (see _Sandpaper_), and paint in various colours (see _Painting_).
[Illustration FIG. 157.]
[Illustration FIG. 158.]
A set of boats to sail around in a circle is not hard to make (Fig.
159). Before beginning work read carefully _Marking_, _Rule_, _Square_,
_Saw_, and look up any other references.
Take two sticks from 2' to 4' in length, and from 3/4" to 1-1/4" square,
of any fairly strong wood. Halve these sticks at the middle (see
_Halving_) and fasten them together in the form of a cross,
strengthening the joint (weakened by the halving) by nailing or screwing
on a piece of board above or below, as shown in Fig. 159.
[Illustration FIG. 159.]
The boats can be whittled from a piece of board on edge and fastened to
the ends of the sticks by halving (Fig. 160), as well as nails or
screws, or they can simply be flat pieces of board shaped as in Fig. 161
and screwed or nailed on top of the sticks. In the first case the
halving had best be done before the sticks are fastened together. One
mast with a simple leg-of-mutton sail will answer for each boat. A
little experimenting will show you how much to haul in the sheet. Each
boat must, of course, "come about" and "jibe" once in every rotation of
the apparatus. Sandpaper with rather fine sandpaper (see _Sandpaper_),
and paint as you wish (see _Painting_). The whole affair is balanced and
pivoted on top of a pole in the same manner as the windmills just
described, which see.
[Illustration FIG. 160.]
[Illustration FIG. 161.]
[Illustration FIG. 162.]
[Illustration FIG. 163.]
[Illustration FIG. 164.]
A steamer with screw propeller can be made from a piece of board on
edge, shaped as shown in Fig. 162, a small windmill with short and
broad fans (Fig. 163), serving for the screw. Before beginning work read
carefully _Marking_, _Rule_, _Square_, _Saw_, _Knife_, _Spokeshave_, and
look up any other references. This boat must be made of a board so as to
give a thin section (Fig. 164), in order that the screw may not be
shielded from the wind, for this vessel must always head to windward or
the screw will not revolve. To ensure this the fore and aft sail must
always be kept set and the sheet close-hauled. This sail answers the
purpose of the weather-vanes of the windmills just described. It can be
made of tin or any sheet metal, or even of thin wood. The rest of the
rigging and the smokestack you can arrange as you wish. The bottom of
the rudder can be supported by a little strip extending aft from the
keel. For the other details of the work, see the windmills already
described.
* * * * *
=Water-wheels.=--An undershot wheel, turned by the water passing beneath
(Fig. 165), can be easily made. It can be of any desired size, and of
any wood readily worked.
* * * * *
Before beginning work read carefully _Marking_, _Rule_, _Square_, _Saw_,
and look up any other references.
[Illustration FIG. 165.]
[Illustration FIG. 166.]
[Illustration FIG. 167.]
One like Fig. 166 can be made by simply nailing a set of small boards or
paddles in a radial arrangement between two disks of wood. A dowel or
broomstick will do for the shaft and should be fitted tightly in the
hole bored through the wheel (see _Boring_), but should turn freely in
the bearings at the side. It will make a rather neater job to shape the
paddles as in Fig. 167, so that when put together the wheel will look
like Fig. 166, but this is not at all necessary, and it will work just
as well to make plain rectangular paddles and simply nail the disks on
the outside edges (see _Nailing_). If you have no saw with which to get
out the disks you can have them sawed at the mill, or you can work them
out by describing the required circles and sawing a hexagon outside of
the line with a common saw, when the circle can be finished with shave,
hatchet, chisel, or knife (see _Paring_). Divide the circumference of
each disk into as many parts as there are paddles and draw lines on the
side to the centre, by which to nail the paddles in the right position.
Start the nails on these lines and drive them nearly through before
placing the paddles in position. Then nail one disk to the paddles, turn
the wheel over and nail on the other disk. It is essential to a neat job
that the paddles should all be of the same width. First make one edge
straight. From this edge gauge the desired width on all the pieces (see
_Gauge_) and saw or plane or trim, with knife, chisel, or shave, exactly
to the line. If you make the paddles as shown in the cut, first square
lines across at equal distances from one end (Fig. 167), and with a
gauge set at a point equal to the thickness of the disks make lines
parallel to each edge, and with the saw or saw and chisel, or even a
knife, remove the pieces marked (see _Paring_).
[Illustration FIG. 168.]
[Illustration FIG. 169.]
* * * * *
The overshot wheel (Fig. 168) is harder to make, but is a livelier
wheel. It is put together upon the same principle as the wheel just
shown, except that the paddles, which do not project beyond the
circumference of the disks, are not placed radially, but so that, with
the addition of another set inserted to connect them, they form buckets.
* * * * *
To lay off the lines for the buckets, divide the circumference of each
disk as before, and from the centre describe a small circle, as shown in
Fig. 169. From the points on the circumference draw lines tangent to the
small circle. These lines will give the positions for the bottoms of the
buckets. To complete the buckets mark from the circumference equal
distances on these lines, and from these last points draw lines as _ab_
to the next points on the circumference. First, nail together with only
the bottoms of the buckets (on the lines _ca_). Then fit in the other
pieces, to complete the buckets, on the lines _ab_. The ends of these
last pieces should properly be bevelled (see _Bevelling_) to make a
fairly tight joint. The rest of the work is the same as for the
undershot wheel. A larger form (but harder to make) is suggested in Fig.
170. See note under _Windmills_, above.
[Illustration FIG. 170.]
* * * * *
[Illustration TOTLET TOWN.]
=Play Village.=--It is capital fun for several young people to design
and build a miniature village, and it is certainly an instructive and
quite inexpensive pastime. Such a village, planned and made recently by
a family group of half a dozen youngsters, and facetiously named "Totlet
Town," was constructed entirely of old boxes and packing-cases of all
sizes up to three feet long, waste pieces of board, shingles, etc.; but
when painted and arranged in a corner of the lawn, with dirt roads, and
paths, small evergreen shade trees and hedges, well-sweeps, miniature
fences, and other accessories, it made so pretty a picture as to be the
admiration of all who saw it. If you have as good a time in making such
a village as these young people did, the experiment will be a success.
You can easily think up many additions to the suggestions here given.
[Illustration FIG. 171.]
The buildings were made by selecting boxes of the desired proportions,
sawing out spaces for the doors, adding the roofs and any other
alterations. The chimneys were made of blocks painted red. The doors
were made of pieces of board and hinged with leather. Bay-windows and
the like were made of blocks of the required shape nailed to the boxes.
The windows and blinds were represented by painting. Some of the roofs
were shingled with pieces of shingles. A suggestion for a light-house is
shown in Fig. 171.
Considerable care in the use of the tools is called for to make these
buildings neatly. Much of the effect depends, also, upon the care with
which the painting is done (see _Painting_), and the taste used in the
selection of the colours. Brighter colours are suitable for a little
village of this sort than would be in good taste for real houses. White
with green blinds is good, of course; or yellow can be used. The roofs
should be painted. Red roofs are very effective.
Before beginning work, read carefully _Marking_, _Rule_, _Square_,
_Saw_, _Plane_, _Nailing_, _Withdrawing Nails_, etc.
[Illustration FIG. 172.]
=Dolls' House.=--The house shown in Fig. 172 is quite easily made, and a
shallow affair like this has the advantage of being more convenient than
a deep one about arranging the contents.
* * * * *
Before beginning work read carefully _Marking_, _Rule_, _Square_, _Saw_,
_Plane_, and look up any other references.
Pine and whitewood are suitable, or any wood can be used that is not
hard to work.
It can be made of any desired size. Three or four feet wide and a little
higher in the middle will probably be suitable for ordinary cases, and
twelve or fifteen inches will be a good depth (from front to back).
The construction is plain. The roof and sides are to be cut from dressed
stock of uniform width, and from 1/2" to 7/8" in thickness.
Carefully true one edge, if it is not already true, and get out the
bottom board, then the upright sides, and then the roof. The bevels at
the highest point of the roof and where the roof joins the sides you
must mark with the bevel (taking the slant from your drawing), or you
can find it by arranging two strips to cross at the desired angle and
marking the bevel by them (see _Bevelling_). To saw these bevels
requires much care. Draw lines by the square on both sides, as well as
the angle on the edge, and putting each board in the vise saw carefully
and steadily.
The three floors should be narrower than the outside of the house by
just the thickness of the stock to be used for the back, and rectangular
openings must be sawed from one of the back corners at the head of the
stairs to allow the dolls to pass from one story to another. If the
sides of the house are 14" wide, make these floors 13-1/2" wide, and use
1/2" or 3/8" stock for the back. Also mark and saw out the windows. To
do this, first bore a series of holes inside of the line (see _Boring_)
and cut out whatever wood may be necessary until you make a slot in
which to start the saw. Any roughness left from the holes can be trimmed
with knife, chisel, or file (see _Paring_). Nail these parts together,
just as in making a box, carefully sighting across the face to see that
the front and back do not wind, or use _winding-sticks_ (_q. v._). Also
test with the square to see that the sides are at right angles with the
bottom. Get out stock for the back carefully (with the boards running up
and down) so that the boards will be square at the bottom, and when
these pieces are fitted in place to form the back they will ensure the
house being square. The slant by which to cut the top of the back can be
laid off by measurement from your working drawing or the back can be put
in place and the lines marked directly from the under side of the roof.
When fitted, nail the back securely in place, first cutting the windows
as before. Then fit in the upright partitions, first cutting the
doorways. The staircase can be made easily if you have, or can saw from
the corner of a larger piece, a triangular strip which can be cut in
short sections to use for the steps. Nail these to a thin strip of board
(from the under side) and fasten the whole in position (Fig. 173). The
chimney can be made of a block with a notch sawed to fit the roof, or it
can be made of four pieces, box-fashion. Glass for the windows can be
held in place by gluing strips of cloth or paper around the edges, or
thin strips can be nailed around with fine brads. Thin strips can be
nailed around the window openings on the outside, if you wish.
[Illustration FIG. 173.]
All the pieces should be neatly planed and scraped before putting
together, and, when entirely put together, the whole should be carefully
sandpapered with fine sandpaper. The parts coming on the inside had best
be sandpapered before putting together, however, but be sure not to do
this until all cutting with the tools has been done. Set all the nails
carefully (see _Nail-set_). The whole can be painted in one or more
colours (see _Painting_), and portieres, window drapery, etc., can be
added according to your taste and the materials at command. The inside
can be papered, if preferred.
A more thoroughly workmanlike way is to groove the bottom into the
sides, the upright partitions into the floor boards, and to cut rabbets
around on the back edge of the sides, roof, and bottom, into which to
set the backboards. This involves a good deal more work and care in
laying out the work (see _Grooving_). If you have the pieces got out at
a mill it can be easily done, however.
[Illustration FIG. 174.]
It may be a convenience to screw castors on the bottom. A door (with a
door-bell or knocker) can be added to the front of the hall, if thought
best.
A house which can be closed is shown in Fig. 174. The construction is
quite similar to the preceding. A strip must be fastened above and below
the large doors, as shown, that they may open without striking either
the roof or the floor on which the house stands. The little door,
representing the entrance to the house when closed and shown in the
closed half, can be made to open independently and can have a bell or
knocker.
If this house is made quite deep (from front to back) it can easily be
divided lengthways by a partition and made into a double house, the back
side being made to open in the same way as the side here shown.
FOOTNOTES:
[19] You can attach your windmill to a building or set it up on a pole,
or you can easily make a small trestle-work tower, built of small
sticks, on the top of which you can place the windmill, with a small keg
(to represent a hogshead or tank), and thus have a very good imitation
of the large mills used for pumping water. Small windmills, if you wish
to go further into the subject than comes within the scope of this book,
can be used to do any light or "play" work by having them turn a bent
shaft (or any eccentric movement), connecting with a piston-rod or
revolving drum; or various other attachments can be applied, according
to your ingenuity.