How to make a wooden toy car.

This is the first of a series of posts that I want to do showing how to make simple wooden toys. All of my designs can be made with hand tools, or basic electric tools if you have them.

This is the plan for the body of the car. If you right click and save this picture it should print out to scale. The car is 6 inches long and just over two inches tall.













These are the tools and materials needed:

1. 8" or more of 1X4 pine board

2. 6" of 3/16 dowel rod

3. Coping Saw

4. 1/4" drill bit

5. 7/8" flat wood bit

6. 1-1/2" hole saw with 3/16" guide bit

7. Drill (not pictured)

Step 1. Cut out the pattern and trace it onto one corner of the pine board. Be sure to also mark the holes for the axles and the window. Then, clamping the wood firmly in place, cut along the traced edge with the coping saw.

Step 2. Drill the two holes for the axles using the 1/4" drill bit, and then drill out the window using the 7/8" flat wood bit.















Step 3. Using the remainder of the 1X4 board, cut out the wheels using the 1-1/2" hole saw. Then cut the dowel rod in half, so that you have two 3" axle pieces.















Step 4. Sand all the rough edges. Then, insert the dowel rods into the wheels and tamp lightly with a hammer until they slightly protrude from the other side as seen in the picture below. After that, you can put the axles on the car and tap on the remaining wheels from the other side.















Step 5. Test the quality of your work by giving it to a kid near you. By the look on his face I think this one will be just fine!