Odin's Toy Factory

Buy Now   This is a handcrafted wooden toy tow truck, freshly completed and ready for shipping. This piece is the most popular of my five-truck fleet, notable for its unique ability to tow the other trucks in the set. The truck's body is hand-painted with several coats of purple acrylic paint. The wheels, finished with amber shellac, add a touch of classic elegance to its modern design.   Material: High-quality wood Finish: Hand-painted with purple acrylic paint; wheels finished with amber shellac Functionality: Capable of towing other trucks in the fleet Customization: Available in various colors or unfinished for your personal touch. Custom orders are welcome. Add this unique, handcrafted tow truck to your collection or gift it to inspire creativity and play. Perfect for collectors, children, and anyone who appreciates the beauty of handmade toys. Order now to bring this purple marvel into your world.  

My Five Truck Fleet In my workshop, I'm crafting a wooden toy tow truck. The focus today is on the axles, which are three wooden dowels. They are held by spring clamps on a custom pegboard, allowing both ends to be painted simultaneously. The tips are painted purple to match the truck's body. In the background, there are various wooden toys and ornaments in progress. The next steps include assembling the truck's body, attaching the wheels, and adding details like a tow hook or driver figure. Follow along for updates on this project.

    My Five Truck Fleet When finishing toy wheels, I use Amber Shellac. It provides a beautiful, warm appearance and has practical benefits that make it ideal for kids' toys. One of the main reasons I favor shellac is that it doesn't mar the surfaces where the wheels roll. Unlike flat black paint, which can sometimes rub off and leave those pesky black marks behind, shellac stays put. The wheels I work with are typically made from end grain, which tends to soak up a considerable amount of shellac. There have been times when the shellac has soaked through the wheel. Shellac sprays beautifully straight from the can, but I prefer to apply it with a brush on the wheels. This method is less messy and gives me more control over the application. One common issue with dipping and spraying is that shellac can inadvertently get into the center holes of the wheels. Shellac inside the axle hole is crucial, as it can lead to glue failure when it comes time to attach the wheels to wooden ax...

  My Five truck Fleet Painting can be a rewarding yet meticulous part of making a toy, especially when striving for a flawless finish. Applying the first coat of acrylic paint tends to raise the grain of the surface. To achieve a smooth finish, it’s essential to let the paint cure completely, followed by sanding to remove any imperfections before applying additional coats. The process is repeated until the desired finish is obtained. The perfect finish may take several days, as it largely depends on the color of the paint and weather conditions. Some colors, like yellow, require a white undercoat to shine their brightest. Without this base layer, the outcome may lack the vividness you envisioned. Every color and type of paint is different.

  My Five Truck Fleet The handmade wooden toy tow truck body has been carefully sanded and is now ready for painting. I took my time to ensure that the body feels smooth to the touch and eliminated all sharp corners. The opening for the hook has been reshaped to accommodate the tow hook that will be added later.

My Five Truck Fleet I am making a wooden toy tow truck for a custom order. I cut the truck body with a scroll saw, and I precisely drilled the axle holes using a drill press. To remove the pattern, I used mineral spirits to dissolve the spray adhesive that I had applied to attach the pattern to the wood. I flood the paper pattern with mineral spirits and, after waiting a short time, I can easily lift it off, leaving only a small amount of adhesive residue. This softened adhesive can be easily wiped away with a paper towel. Once I have removed the pattern, I let the body dry overnight before sanding.  

My Five Truck Fleet I am creating a handmade wooden toy tow truck for a custom order. The photo shows the truck body, freshly cut with my scroll saw and drilled for the axles and tow hook. The window still needs to be cut. Since the window is an inside cut, a scroll saw is uniquely suited for this task. While I could drill a round window, it would completely change the toy's character. One of the most challenging aspects of this project is creating the space for the hook. To achieve this, I need to use flat, square pieces of wood that are well-sanded for a smooth finish. A precise layout is essential to ensure that the hook is accurately positioned and perfectly centered on the truck's body. This meticulous attention to detail enhances the toy's functionality and ensures it has an aesthetically pleasing look once completed.

My Five Truck Fleet I am cutting the body of a tow truck with my scroll saw. It's important to note the hole drilled into the edge to provide clearance for the hook. This hole must be precisely located, and the wood needs to be flat and square to ensure accuracy. Once the wood is prepared, I attach the pattern, ensuring the pattern's bottom edge aligns exactly with the corner. Using a square, I extend the lines from the pattern to the top of the wood, which helps in marking the locations for drilling the holes. Finally, I drill the hole using a drill press.  

Handmade Wooden Toy Tow Truck Red Version Left Rear View Here is a red painted version of my previously posted shellac finished version of my tow truck.   It was played with by my grandson before the photos were taken.  Handmade Wooden Toy Tow Truck Red Version Right Side I made this version of the tow truck for my grandson. There are a few differences from the previous version. This one I painted red using Apple Barrel  "Bright Red" acrylic craft paint. I did not apply any primer or clear coat. The color was applied directly from the bottle with a brush. I have used this paint on many toys. It covers well, cures fast, and looks good by itself. Applying a clear top coat will make the color pop. This time I chose not to use the clear coat. Handmade Wooden Toy Tow Truck Red Version Right Front View I cut the body from a section of pine 2x4 using a scroll saw and a #5 skip tooth blade. The pattern is designed for cutting from 2x6 stock. I shrink the tem...

Handmade Wooden Toy Tow Truck From the Quick N' Easy 5 Truck Fleet This version of the toy tow truck is made from a solid pine wood block. While it appears relatively simple. However, some of the parts are a bit tricky to pull off. Making the opening for the hook must be done before cutting the body from the wood. Care must be used to get it all aligned properly, or the hook will be off centered or crooked. Getting the window shape correct is essential. I could just drill a round hole, but that would change the entire look of the toy. I like to avoid round holes when possible. This version uses axle pins. I like the look of them on toy trucks. However, it is critical that the axle holes be drill parallel to the bottom edge of the body so all the wheels will sit level on the surface.  If you are using a handheld drill, you should use dowels for axels. When using dowels, there is a bit of wiggle room so if the holes are off just a tiny bit the wheels will still sit...