TOYS FOR THE KIDDIES
If there is as much pleasure in giving as there is in receiving you can
get twice as much pleasure out of making toys with your own hands and
giving them to your little brothers and sisters--if you have any, and
if you haven’t, then I’m truly sorry for you.
Since you know how to use wood and metal working tools it will be easy
for you to make any and all of these toys I have described in this
chapter and some of them are quite useful too. And when you are making
them let the little folks watch you for this will please them greatly
and make them doubly happy.
Now some grown-ups don’t know it but however small a kiddie is he or
she likes to play with things that look like those the older folks work
with. Of course all toys cannot be of this kind for some of them are
made to be funny and others are made to be lifelike, but these are the
three chief kinds of toys.
=How to Make a Policeman’s Puzzle.=--Get two strips of wood ¹⁄₄ inch
thick, ¹⁄₂ an inch wide and 11 inches long and cut handles on one end
of each strip. Saw with your scroll saw out of ¹⁄₈ inch thick wood, two
policemen 6 inches high and also one Baxter Street clothier of Semitic
persuasion, 3 inches high as shown in Fig. 96.
Pivot the leg near the foot of each policeman to the ends of both of
the strips by driving a couple of _brads_ through and into them and
then nail the Israelite fast to the top strip with a couple of brads.
Now when you pull the strips apart one of the long arms of the law will
crack Ikey on the cranium and when the strips are pushed together again
the other minion of authority will bounce his club on the place where
his brains ought to be. A little red and blue water color will add to
the realism of the toy.
[Illustration: FIG. 96. A POLICEMAN’S PUZZLE, OR NOW WILL YOU BE GOOD]
=How to Make an Automobile Truck.=--This little toy will bring a lot of
unalloyed joy to any tiny, weentie fellow and it’s easy to make, too.
Cut out a board for the bottom ³⁄₄ inch thick, 4¹⁄₂ inches wide and 14
inches long; trim down one end of it so that it is 2 inches wide in
front as shown at A Fig. 97. Bore a ¹⁄₄ inch hole 2³⁄₄ inches from the
front end.
Saw off a block of wood 1 inch square and 2¹⁄₂ inches long--this is to
brace the seat with--and glue this block across the body 6¹⁄₂ inches
from the back as shown by the dotted line in Fig. 97. Make a seat of a
board ¹⁄₄ inch thick, 1¹⁄₂ inches wide and 3¹⁄₂ inches long and glue or
nail it to the block.
[Illustration:
_C--THE HOOD_
_B--SIDE VIEW_
_TOP VIEW_
FIG. 97. PLANS FOR THE AUTOMOBILE TRUCK]
To make the body or box, cut out two strips of wood ¹⁄₄ inch thick and
make one 2 inches wide and the other 2¹⁄₂ inches wide and 4¹⁄₂ inches
long for the front and back, and two strips of wood 2 inches wide and
6³⁄₄ inches long for the sides. Nail one of the short strips on the
bottom close up to the seat and the blocks of wood it rests on and nail
the side strips on the bottom.
Next round off the lower edge of the short board that is left; set it
in between the ends of the sideboards and drive a brad through each of
the sideboards and into the tail-board near the bottom; this brings the
tail-board so that it can be closed up or let down as the side view at
B shows.
Saw off two ³⁄₄ inch square blocks and have both of them just a shade
over 4¹⁄₂ inches long and these are for the axles. Nail one fast near
the rear of the bottom 2 inches from the back end, and nail the other
one fast to the front of the bottom 1 inch from the end.
[Illustration: FIG. 97D. THE AUTOMOBILE TRUCK READY TO RUN]
Make a hood out of a block of wood 1³⁄₄ inches wide and long and 2
inches high and bevel off the top as shown at C; nail this to the
bottom in front as shown in the top and side views. For the steering
wheel saw out a wheel ¹⁄₄ inch thick and 1¹⁄₂ inches in diameter.
The last thing to do is to saw out four wheels ¹⁄₄ inch thick and 2³⁄₄
inches in diameter; drill a ¹⁄₈ inch hole in the exact center of each
wheel and screw it on the end of the axle with a 1 inch long, round
head, wood screw. Paint the automobile a bright red when it will look
like D and run like a fire engine.
=How to Make a Swell Coaster.=--This is a practical toy that every
little tot will like immensely. It is just as simple as the automobile
but it must be made very much stronger.
[Illustration:
_=A=--TOP VIEW_
_=D=--STEERING HANDLE_
_=C=--SIDE VIEW_
_=B=--AXLE SUPPORT_
FIG. 98. PLANS FOR A SWELL COASTER]
Get a board, hardwood is the best, ⁷⁄₈ or 1 inch thick, 5³⁄₄ inches
wide and 14 inches long and saw it out so that one end is 2¹⁄₂ inches
wide as shown at A in Fig. 98; bore a hole 1 inch in diameter in the
front end and ³⁄₁₆ inch holes across the back at the places marked with
circles.
Next make the rear axle support and for this saw out of a 1 inch thick
board a piece 4 inches wide and 7 inches long and saw out of one end
of it a piece 2 inches square. Take your brace and bit and bore a ¹⁄₄
inch hole through the hangers as shown at B.
Screw this support to the seat across it 1¹⁄₂ inches from the rear end.
Brace the support by screwing an angle brace, as shown in the side view
C, to it and the seat. This done make the steering handle, and for it
you want to use a stick of hardwood 1 inch thick, 2 inches wide and
15 inches long; saw a piece out of one end 1¹⁄₈ inches wide and 2¹⁄₂
inches deep for the axle support for the front wheel; saw the other end
down until it is 1 inch wide and 6 inches deep.
[Illustration: FIG. 98E. THE COASTER READY TO RIDE ON]
Round off this smaller end for the handle, as shown at D, and bore a
¹⁄₂ inch hole close to the end for the handle bar. Slip the rounded end
through the hole in the front part of the seat, drive a nail through
it just above the seat and glue in a piece of wood ¹⁄₂ an inch in
diameter and 6 inches long, for the handle bar.
Saw out three wheels each of which is 4 inches in diameter, bore a ¹⁄₄
inch hole in the center of each one. Set one of the wheels between the
hangers of the steering handle, slip a bolt through them and screw on a
nut.
Push a bolt through each of the other wheels and through a hanger of
the axle support and screw on a nut, when the coaster is ready to run,
as shown at E. A coat of bright paint will make it more attractive but
it won’t run any better.
=How to Make a Nifty Wheelbarrow.=--This is a cute wheelbarrow and will
tickle any little _choptie_ ’most half to death and you can make it in
no time.
Get two sticks of wood ³⁄₄ inch square and 24 inches long and round off
one end of each one about 3 inches down for the handle. Next bore ¹⁄₂
inch holes half way through in the other ends of the sticks 4 inches
back for the axle; bore two more ¹⁄₂ inch holes 6¹⁄₄ inches back of the
first two, and finally 5³⁄₄ inches back of the last ones bore two more
¹⁄₂ inch holes, as shown at A in Fig. 99.
This done cut off four sticks ¹⁄₂ an inch in diameter--or ³⁄₄ inch
square ones will do--and make one of them 4¹⁄₂ inches long; the next
one 6³⁄₈ inches long, the third 8 inches long, and the last one 10¹⁄₂
inches long.
Out of a board 1 inch thick saw a wheel 5 inches in diameter and bore
a hole in its center ¹⁄₂ an inch in diameter. Smear some glue on the
middle of the shortest stick and slip the wheel on it so that it is
exactly in the middle.
Make the body, that is the box, of the barrow of wood ¹⁄₄ inch thick
and have it 4¹⁄₄ inches wide at one end, 6¹⁄₄ inches wide at the other
end, 5 inches high and 7 inches long. Through the middle, but a little
toward the back and near the upper edge, bore two holes a shade larger
than ¹⁄₂ an inch in diameter and slip the third longest stick through
the holes in the body; drive a brad through the stick on each side of
the body to keep the latter from slipping from side to side, but it
must swing easily on the stick.
[Illustration:
_=A=--TOP VIEW OF WHEELBARROW_
_=B=--SIDE VIEW_
_=C=--WHEELBARROW COMPLETE_
FIG. 99. A, B. PLANS FOR THE NIFTY WHEELBARROW, C. THE BARROW READY TO
WHEEL]
You are now ready to _assemble_ the wheelbarrow and if you intend to
paint it you must do so before you put it together. To assemble it
smear glue on the ends of all the cross-sticks, except the one with the
wheel on it for this one must revolve, and drive on the handles, being
careful that the axle of the wheel does not bind. A side view of the
wheel barrow is shown at B.
When it is done, see C, you will see that however high or low the
handle-bars are held the body always sets level and if it is a good
idea for a toy why wouldn’t it be a good idea for a full grown
wheelbarrow?
=How to Make a High-Low Swing.=--Here is a peace promoter and a
queller of disturbances wherever there are very little kiddies around.
It is an indoor swing that can be hung from the top of a door-case.
Further, though it may look a little complicated in the drawing, it is
simplicity itself.
First take the seat and for this, as for all of the wood for the swing,
use ¹⁄₂ inch thick stuff. Cut out two side bars 1 inch wide and 13
inches long and drill a ³⁄₈ inch hole in the end of each one. Across
these bars nail four cross bars 2 inches wide and 14 inches long as
shown at A in Fig. 100.
Next make the sides of the swing and from each of these saw off two
strips 1 inch wide and 13 inches long as shown at B. Bore a hole in
each end of both sticks to match the holes in the side bars of the seat
and then bore two ¹⁄₂ inch holes in both sticks and have each hole 2¹⁄₂
inches from the end.
Saw off two strips of wood ¹⁄₂ inch thick and 1 inch wide for each
side, cut down and round the ends, smear glue on them and drive them
into the cross-sticks. The backs of the swing, as you will see at C,
are made exactly like the sides except that they are 14 inches long,
and finally a single bar 1 inch thick and wide and 14 inches long with
a ¹⁄₂ inch hole in each end goes across the front of the swing to keep
the little fellow from falling out.
[Illustration:
_=A=--THE SEAT_
_=B=--THE SIDES_
_=C=--FRONT BAR_
FIG. 100. PLANS FOR THE HIGH-LOW SWING]
Now get two pieces of good ³⁄₈ inch thick manila rope about 10 feet
long; double each piece in the middle and pass one end through the
hole in the front bar, thence through two holes in the side-strips and
finally through the hole in the cross-bar of the seat and then knot it.
This done pass the other end through the holes in the cross-strips of
the back, then through the holes in the cross-strips of the side and
last of all through the cross-bars of the seat. Fix the other piece of
rope the same way and swing is done, as shown at D.
[Illustration: FIG. 100D. THE SWING READY TO SWING LOW, SWING HIGH]
All you have to do now is to loop the top of the ropes over a couple of
hooks screwed into the top of the door-case, put the little tot in and
give him or her a swing.
=How to Make a Stick Horse.=--This is a great improvement over riding
a broomstick because it doesn’t take so much imagination to change it
into a runaway horse.
Saw out of a board 5 inches square the head of a fiery steed as shown
at A in Fig. 101 and paint it a dapple-gray, with a mane on its neck to
look like a real pony. Make a rein of webbing and then nail the head on
a stick ³⁄₄ or 1 inch square and 3 feet long for the rider to straddle.
[Illustration:
THE HEAD OF THE HORSE
THE STICK HORSE COMPLETE
FIG. 101. RIDE A STICK HORSE TO BANBURY CROSS]
Make an axle of a stick 1 inch square and 4 inches long; whittle the
ends down until they are ¹⁄₂ an inch in diameter and nail the axle to
the free end of the long stick. Saw out a pair of wheels of ³⁄₄ inch
thick stuff, 4 inches in diameter and bore a ¹⁄₂ inch hole through
their centers.
Slip a wheel over each end of the axle and drive a thin nail through
each end to prevent the wheels from coming off, and it will be fit and
ready to ride as shown at B.
=How to Make a Pony and Cart.=--If this little pony and cart are to be
played with in the house you can make it the size marked in Fig. 102
but if it is to be used out-of-doors then you should make it twice the
size.
Get a nice smooth board ¹⁄₂ an inch thick, draw on it a horse, at least
as good as the one shown in the picture, and then saw it out. Paint it
any color but red or green, for ponies, even in little picture books,
are never of these colors.
Make a frame 1⁵⁄₈ inches wide and 4 inches long by nailing two strips
of wood ¹⁄₂ an inch square with a block of wood ¹⁄₂ an inch square and
1 inch long between them. This leaves an opening ¹⁄₂ an inch wide and
1³⁄₄ inches long as shown at A. Saw out of a piece of ³⁄₈ inch thick
wood a wheel 1 inch in diameter and drill a ¹⁄₁₆ inch hole through its
center. Set the wheel in the opening and drive a wire nail through the
frame and the center of the wheel for it to run on. This done nail,
glue or screw the horse to it as shown at B.
Make the cart next, see C, which is simply a box made of ¹⁄₄ or ³⁄₈
inch stuff, 3 inches high, 4 inches wide and 6 inches long. Nail a
strip of wood ¹⁄₂ an inch square and 4¹⁄₈ inches long on the bottom and
in the middle of it. Saw out a pair of wheels 2⁵⁄₈ inches in diameter
and screw them to the ends of the strip of wood so that they can turn
freely.
Next make the shafts; these are formed of two strips of wood ¹⁄₄ inch
thick and about 5¹⁄₂ inches long. Nail the ends of these to the front
end of the cart in the middle and at a distance apart so that the horse
will just slip in between them.
[Illustration:
_COMPLETE_
_FRAME FOR THE WHEEL_
_PONY_
_CART_
FIG. 102 A, B. PLANS FOR A PONY AND CART. C, D. THE PONY AND CART WHEN
DONE]
Glue, or otherwise fasten the shafts to the horse, as shown at D, and
you can then show your little brother how to play with it, but don’t
break it before you give him a chance to play with it too. The finished
pony and cart will then look like the picture.
=How to Make a Life-like Goose.=--Nearly all geese, including goslings,
are lifelike unless they are being made ready for the pot but this
gray-goose is lifelike in that her head moves out from and back toward
her body when she is drawn over the floor by a string.
[Illustration: FIG. 103. HOW THE LIFE-LIKE GOOSE IS MADE
A. The size of the board for the body.
B. The size of the board for the head and neck.
C. The crank shaft which makes the goose life-like.]
Get two pieces of thin wood ¹⁄₄ inch thick, 3¹⁄₂ inches wide and 6
inches long; draw the outline of a goose’s body on one of them, as
shown at A in Fig. 103, and then fasten them together with a couple
of brads. Saw them out and drill a ¹⁄₁₆ inch hole through them in the
center of the circle which is the wheel; also drill, or bore, three
¹⁄₄ inch holes at the points near the edge of the body as shown by the
larger circles.
On a board ¹⁄₄ inch thick, 2³⁄₈ inches wide and 5¹⁄₄ inches long draw
out the head and the neck of a goose, as shown at B, saw it out and
drill a ¹⁄₁₆ inch hole near the end of its neck. Now paint the bird’s
body and the _anterior_ part of its _anatomy_--by which I mean its head
and neck. Saw out two wooden wheels 2 inches in diameter and drill a
¹⁄₁₆ hole in the center of each one.
Cut off a piece of iron wire ¹⁄₁₆ inch thick, slip it through the hole
in the goose’s neck and bend the wire on both sides of it to form a
crankshaft as shown at C. The next move is to put each end of the wire
through the small hole in the body, then force a wheel on each end of
the wire tight and bend up what is left of the latter.
[Illustration: FIG. 103C. GOOSIE, GOOSIE GANDER, WHERE SHALL I WANDER]
Make three pins of wood ¹⁄₄ inch in diameter and ⁷⁄₈ inch long; smear
some glue on the ends and drive them gently through the holes; these
pins will keep the boards which form the body the right distance apart
and the pins in front also act as a guide for the goose’s head. When
finished it will look like C. Now when a string is tied to the front
part of the goose’s body and your little sister (or you) pulls it over
the floor, the goose will run its head to and fro and forth and back in
a most real and life-like fashion.
=How to Make a Dancing Sambo.=--Here is a chance for you to get in your
fine work with your scroll saw and to do a bit of wood carving at the
same time if you want to.
[Illustration: FIG. 104A. THE DANCING SAMBO]
Saw out, or carve out, or both, the head and body of a black rascal
named Sambo, and make them of a single piece of wood; saw out a pair of
arms and legs but make each one of the latter in two parts and joint
them at the knees as shown at A in Fig. 104.
Fasten the arms and legs to the body with pins so that they will swing
freely. The figure should be about 6 inches high and painted in 3 or 4
bright colors. When you have it done fix the end of a wire ¹⁄₁₆ inch in
diameter and 5 inches long, firmly into the back of Sambo’s body.
Make a box 3 inches wide, 3 inches high and 6 inches long; bore or cut
a hole ³⁄₄ inch in diameter in one end; turn it upside down and drill
a ¹⁄₁₆ hole through the middle of the top and drill a ¹⁄₁₆ inch hole
through both sides 2 inches back from the large hole in it as shown at
B.
[Illustration: FIG. 104B. THE MECHANISM OF THE DANCING SAMBO]
Cut off a strip of wood ¹⁄₂ an inch square and as long as the box is
wide, drill a ¹⁄₁₆ inch hole through it and glue it inside the box so
that the hole in the strip and the one in the top of the box will be in
a line.
Now cut off a strip of hardwood ¹⁄₄ inch thick and 3¹⁄₂ inches long
for the lever and drill a ¹⁄₁₆ inch hole through it 2 inches from one
end; slip the lever through the hole in the end of the box with its end
under the cross-bar; pivot the lever by running a wire through the hole
in it and the sides of the box as shown at B.
Slip the wire which is fixed to Sambo through the hole in the top of
the box and on down through the hole in the cross-bar so that its free
end rests on the end of the lever. This is all there is to the working
mechanism of Sambo.
By working the end of the lever with your fingers as though you were
sending a telegraph message, as shown at A, the small time Ethiopian
will execute all sorts of fancy dance steps and cut up antics that will
keep the children, and the grown-ups too, in great good humor for a
long time.
By working the lever cleverly you can give the darkey distinctive
characteristics that not even a member of his own race ever possessed.
[Illustration: FIG. 105A. THE WIRELESS PUP. THE SLOT IN THE FLOOR OF
THE DOG HOUSE]
=How to Make a Wireless Pup.=--This is a most remarkable bull-pup for
he will jump out of the kennel when you or any one else calls him, when
you clap your hands or on any other occasion when a loud noise is made.
Always make a dog-house for a pup before you catch him so that when he
gets home he’ll know he’s there. Use smooth ¹⁄₂ inch thick pine boards
for the house and cut out a piece 7 inches wide and 8 inches long for
the floor. Cut a slot clear through the board 1³⁄₄ inches from one end
and parallel with the edge of the back and have it ¹⁄₂ an inch wide and
1¹⁄₄ inches long; then on each end of the slot cut a groove ¹⁄₂ an inch
long and ¹⁄₄ inch deep as shown at A in Fig. 105.
[Illustration: FIG. 105B. THE BACK END OF THE DOG HOUSE]
Cut out two pieces for the sides of the house 4 inches wide and 8
inches long and screw them to the floor. Now bevel off the top edges of
the sides with a plane to allow for the slope of the roof but before
you put it on you must install the wireless apparatus that makes the
pup jump out of the dog-house. Make a back out of a board 7 inches
square as shown at B.
This apparatus consists of five chief parts and these are (1) a
_spanker_; (2) a _solenoid_; (3) a stiff piece of _clock-spring_; (4) a
_telephone transmitter_ and (5) two or three cells of _dry battery_.
[Illustration: FIG. 105C. THE SPANKER WITH ELECTRIC SOLENOID CONTROL]
The spanker, so called because it spanks the pup out of his kennel,
is shown at C; it is simply a strip of wood ¹⁄₈ inch thick, 1 inch
wide and 3¹⁄₂ inches long. Tack, or otherwise fix, a piece of tin to
one side of it to form an electrical contact; cut a ³⁄₈ inch hole in
the middle of it and then drive a brad in each edge near one end. The
spanker sets in the slot in the floor and the brads rest in the grooves
and serve as pivots.
A solenoid is merely an electromagnet with a loose iron core in it.
Make a cardboard spool 1¹⁄₄ inches long and 1¹⁄₂ inches in diameter and
have the hole in it ⁷⁄₁₆ inch in diameter; wind it full of No. 20 or 22
double _cotton covered magnet wire_ and your solenoid is done. An iron
bolt ³⁄₈ inch in diameter and 1¹⁄₄ inches long makes a good plunger, as
the loose iron core is called. Slip it through the hole in the spanker
and screw the solenoid to the inside of the back of the house as shown
in the cross section drawing at D.
[Illustration: FIG. 105D. CROSS SECTION SIDE VIEW OF THE WIRELESS PUP
READY FOR ACTION]
Make a _contact plate_ of a strip of tin or sheet brass and screw this
to the floor back of the spanker so that when the plunger is drawn into
the solenoid and the spanker is back as far as it will go the plate
will come in contact with the tin on the spanker. Put a _stop_ in
front of the spanker to prevent the latter from falling too far forward.
[Illustration: FIG. 105E. THE FRONT END VIEW OF THE WIRELESS PUP HOUSE]
Next get a strong, stiff piece of clock-spring, punch two holes in
one end and screw it to the back of the house near the top, with the
free end of the spring pressing out the spanker. Fasten by means of
hangers, or otherwise, an ordinary telephone transmitter to the roof of
the house as shown at D. Now make the front of the house and cut 4 × 5
opening in it for the pup to get in and out, and a hole 1¹⁄₂ inches in
diameter, as shown at E, so that when you put the front on, the hole
will be directly over the mouthpiece of the transmitter.
Before putting on the front connect up the apparatus as shown at D,
that is, connect one of the wires of the transmitter to the contact
plate; join the other wire of the transmitter to the battery; lead one
of the wires of the solenoid to the tin on the spanker. When these
connections are made the _circuit_ will be complete if a battery is
connected in and the spanker is pushed back. Now put on the front of
the house and then make the pup.
[Illustration: FIG. 105F. WHEN YOU CALL THE WIRELESS PUP OR CLAP YOUR
HANDS HE COMES OUT OF HIS DOG HOUSE IN A HURRY]
Saw the body of the pup and his legs out of separate pieces of wood and
glue them together. He should be 2³⁄₄ inches high and 5 inches long
when done and he must slide easily on the floor. See F, Fig. 105.
The action of the wireless pup is like this: You push the pup into the
house and back against the spanker as far as he will go; this presses
the spring back and at the same time makes connection with the contact
plate which closes the circuit.
The current from the battery then flows through the solenoid and
transmitter and this magnetizes the iron plunger core and holds the
spanker back against the force of the spring.
If now you call loudly, or clap your hands, the _carbon granules_ in
the transmitter will vibrate and this will suddenly weaken the current,
and, hence, the magnetism of the solenoid. The instant the magnetic
pull of the solenoid is weaker than the spring the latter will force
the spanker against the posterior end of the pup’s anatomy and boost
him out of his kennel.