Tools for the Toy Maker

I make toys and fretwork. Here is my take.

1. Workbench with a Vise

It doesn't have to be fancy, but you can't work without it.

2. Drill Press

Everything I do uses a drill press in some form or another. Drilling, hole saw for making wheels and sanding with various attachments.  Sanding mops are a must have in my shop. You can use it as a drum sander, and there are many attachments that you can buy or make for it.

3. Belt Sander

I have a 1" x 42" Delta Belt and disk sander. This one is very much like it. I also have a 6x48-inch belt sander. One or both of these get used on every project. I don't find the disk sander to be very useful.

4. Saw - Type depends on the situation.

You need to cut wood  Provided you can get the wood in the thickness you need. There are many options. If all you are doing is scrollsaw projects, a hand saw will work. You can use a scroll saw in place of a bandsaw for everything but resawing lumber. You can use a scroll saw for cross-cutting and ripping with the proper blades but only for smaller pieces of wood. I some times cut parts from 3/4-inch stock and resaw them to get the appropriate thickness. I have a table saw that I rarely use. I break down larger stock with a battery powered circular saw and straight edges and cut the rest with a 12-inch sliding compound miter saw. If you set it up right, you can cut just about any size you need square and safe. Resawing with a bandsaw is not something for beginners and you really need to add jointers and planers to this.

5.


Steves List
1. Table saw.
2. Disc/Belt Sander
3. Drill press
4. Workbench
5. Planer
6. Band saw
7. Drum sander
8. Jointer.

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Tool Review - Harbor Freight - Pittsburg 4 inch Ratcheting Bar Clamp

Harbor Freight - Pittsburgh 4 inch Ratcheting Bar Clamp

The first one of these I ever saw was the next larger size. I purchased some and discovered that the clamps would not hold. I could clamp hem down tight, and a short time later I would find the clamp had loosened. I finally gave up on them when one broke and tossed them in the recycle bins.

Several times over the last few years, I tried them again in the store and found that they broke easily and would not clamp tightly. I got a deal on some Irwin clamps and didn't look at them again.

The one day I received an email from a trusted friend telling me how great the 4-inch clamps worked and that with a coupon I could buy them for $0.99 each. I build toys, and when I am making a large batch of them, I sometimes run out of small clamps. For $0.99 I had to give these a try.

They must not make many of the Pittsburg 4-inch clamps, or they are in high demand because I had to stop by the store several times to get five of them.

Once I got them in the shop and had a chance to play around with them a bit, I found that they worked quite well. Better than the small much more expensive Irwin clamps I have. The best clamps I have in this size and type are DeWalt clamps. So far the Pittsburg Clamps are on par with the DeWalt clamps.

During the first real glue up the clamps slipped just like the old ones and I had to use the DeWalt clamps. What happened? They worked good when I was testing them. Something had to have changed.

I eventually figured out why they slipped. It was my fault. For years I have routinely put johnsons Paste wax on my clamps to keep the glue from sticking to them. Wax on the bar clamps never caused a problem for me before because I was using clamps that had multiple clutch plates and grooves cut in the metal for them to grab. Waxing the Pittsburg Ratcheting Bar Clamps will make them slip.

The fix was easy.  Using a blue paper towel and some mineral spirits, I gave the clamps a good cleaning. After the mineral spirits evaporated, the Pittsburg clamps worked great.

If you need some small light duty clamps, it's hard to go wrong with these. With a coupon, they are only $0.99 each. Without a coupon, they cost $1.49. My DeWalt Trigger Clamps cost $4.99 each, and I had to buy a dozen of them to get that price. The DeWalt clamps are $5.97 each a Home Depot. The IRWIN Micro Handed 2-Pack Clamps are $12.98 for two at Lowes.

On price alone, the Pittsburg clamps are hard to beat but add in Lifetime in-store replacement warranty, and this makes these clamps a must-have for toymakers.

Handmade Wooden Toy Car, Old Fashioned Vintage Style from Bad Bob's Custom Motors Series

Handmade Wooden Toy Cars Bad Bob's Custom Motors Sedans & Coupes In Various ColorsHere is a fleet of cars ready for the camera. A few of them are missing from the photo. My grandson managed to talk me out of four of them. One of them he gave to his friend for a Christmas gift. These cars were a lot more work than they appeared to be looking at the number of parts. The fenders are delicate until I glued them to the body of the car. I broke several of the solid wood fenders during sanding. The next batch I make with this style fender will either have plywood or other laminated wood fenders. Baltic birch would work well, I think. The breakage problem was caused by the cross grain in the thin part of the wood. With this shape, there is no way to cut the fender where there isn't a weak point. To get around this problem, I cut the frames so the more vulnerable areas would be glued directly to the sides of the body of the wooden car. They are plenty strong once glued. Sanding was the problem. Push a little too hard on the sandpaper and the fender would snap along the grain. All of the sanding had to be done by hand, slow and careful.

Here is a fleet of cars ready for the camera. A few of them are missing from the photo. My grandson managed to talk me out of four of them. One of them he gave to his friend for a Christmas gift.

These cars were a lot more work than they appeared to be looking at the number of parts. The fenders are delicate until I glued them to the body of the car.  I broke several of the solid wood fenders during sanding. The next batch I make with this style fender will either have plywood or other laminated wood fenders. Baltic birch would work well, I think.

The breakage problem was caused by the cross grain in the thin part of the wood. With this shape, there is no way to cut the fender where there isn't a weak point. To get around this problem, I cut the frames so the more vulnerable areas would be glued directly to the sides of the body of the wooden car. They are plenty strong once glued.

Sanding was the problem. Push a little too hard on the sandpaper and the fender would snap along the grain. All of the sanding had to be done by hand, slow and careful.

The best Countersink I Have Ever Used - KEO 53512 Cobalt Steel Single-End Countersink

KEO 53512 Cobalt Steel Single-End Countersink, TiN Coated, 82 Degree Point Angle, Round Shank, 5/16" Shank Diameter, 1/2" Body Diameter

This isn't a tool I use much for toy making, but I use it a lot for making jigs and special purpose fences. I have tried lots of countersinks for cheap ones from Harbor Freight to some expensive Bosch brand countersinks. Some cut better than others, but they all chattered. After trying one of these, the others went into the recycle bin.

In some materials, this countersink will cut shavings not chips. You will get smooth, round countersinks. After using this one for a while, the others went into the recycle bin.

I don't use it for metal, but you can use it for that. From the seller, "Cobalt steel tools are similar to high-speed steel, but with more cobalt for improved performance when cutting harder metals such as stainless steel or nickel alloy."

The KEO 53512 Cobalt Steel Single-End Countersink costs about twenty dollars on Amazon. 

How Do You Cut Dowels Into Small Pieces For Your Toys?

Handmade Wooden Toy Dowel Cutting Jig With Japanese Pull Saw & Clamps

For some reason never have understood many people want to use a complicated jig or some big power tool like a 12-inch sliding compound miter saw, table saw or bandsaw to cut dowels. The will go to a lot of trouble to build jigs to accomplish this without throwing pieces all over the garage or cutting their fingers off. You don't need to go to all this trouble.

Pictured above is the jig I use. I didn't make this jig for cutting dowels. Originally this jig was an experimental wrench rack for mechanics combination wrenches made from big box store plywood. One day I need to cut some axels for a toy car I was building and was looking around for an easy way to hold the dowel and cut it straight when I spied this in the scrap pile. Its been on my workbench ever since then.

To use it measure and clamp on a stop where the point you want to cut lines up with the edge of one of the slots. Clamp the dowel in place and cut away. Hold the saw against the side of the slot to keep it vertical and square. Rinse and repeat. That's all there is to it.

I can cut a lot of dowels with this pretty quickly with the 20 TPI Japanese pull saw in the photo. One full-length stroke is more than enough to cut through most dowels.

I build a lot of toys from reclaimed wood, and so I do a lot of cut-to-fit on my axels. It works great for this too. Clamp it in place and cut.

If I ever wear out my dowel cutting jig, I will build another one. I already have a couple of ideas on how to improve my jig.

Click here to see my Etsy shop.

How To Make Blocks For Kids The Easy Way

I made some blocks after watching my grandson trying to build stuff from random chunks of wood. The best ones (the ones he likes and the most) are I cut from 2x4s. I sanded them smooth and rounded the corners with a belt sander. I didn't use a router for rounding over the pine because it tears out so easy I would need to sand them any after routing. I didn't use a pattern or plan. I reasoned that all you need to make a basic block set is to cut a square and use the square as the basic size and keep adding to it. For example, the second size block is exactly 2x the size of the square. A 2x4 is 3-1/2 inches wide. Trim the end to be sure you have it square and smooth. Now cut the blocks 3-1/2 inches long and you have your square blocks. Cut the next blocks 7 inches long yielding a rectangle 7x3-1/2 inches. Seven-inch double size blocks may be all you need. However, I cut a few 10-1/2x3-1/2. I cut around all the knots unless they are tiny and any pitch pockets or other defects. If you carefully pick you 2x4s from the better grades, you will get a much higher yield. Make a few fancier blocks to add some variety. By request, I bored som large (2-1/2 inch) holes in some of the blocks using a Forstner bit and rounded the corners with a router and sandpaper. One hole in the squares, two holes in the double squares and three holes in the longer pieces. I cut some lengths of closet pole for round pieces 3-1/2 inches long. You can make triangles, arches, or other shapes so long as you keep them based on the dimensions of the basic square. Other dimension lumber will work for blocks. To make small blocks cut a 1x2 the same way. A 1x2 will yield blocks based on 1-1/2 inch square. To make cubes, glue the squares together before sanding. I started with cubes. I had built a project that required me to laminate two 2x4s together. When I cut the pieces to size, the cutoffs were near perfect cubes. Within a day these had found a new home in my grandson's toy box. He loved to stack them. You could put some finish on the blocks. I don't think they need it. If my grandson wants to color them, then we get some shop time while he learns a bit about how to paint. MDF would make some excellent blocks. It's smooth and easy to use. To make blocks from MDF cut it into a square and make the other blocks as multiples of the square. If you size the blocks right, there will be very little if any waste. The only downside I can see to making blocks from MDF is that they have no moisture resistance. If MDF gets wet, it will swell up and fall apart. It should go without saying that you should not give MDF blocks to kids that like to chew on their toys.
I made some blocks after watching my grandson trying to build stuff from random chunks of wood. The best ones (the ones he likes and the most) are I cut from 2x4s. I sanded them smooth and rounded the corners with a belt sander. I didn't use a router for rounding over the pine because it tears out so easy I would need to sand them any after routing. I didn't use a pattern or plan.

I reasoned that all you need to make a basic block set is to cut a square and use the square as the basic size and keep adding to it. For example, the second size block is exactly 2x the size of the square.

A 2x4 is 3-1/2 inches wide. Trim the end to be sure you have it square and smooth. Now cut the blocks 3-1/2 inches long and you have your square blocks. Cut the next blocks 7 inches long yielding a rectangle 7x3-1/2 inches. Seven-inch double size blocks may be all you need. However, I cut a few 10-1/2x3-1/2.

I cut around all the knots unless they are tiny and any pitch pockets or other defects. If you carefully pick you 2x4s from the better grades, you will get a much higher yield.

Make a few fancier blocks to add some variety. By request, I bored som large (2-1/2 inch) holes in some of the blocks using a Forstner bit and rounded the corners with a router and sandpaper. One hole in the squares, two holes in the double squares and three holes in the longer pieces.

I cut some lengths of closet pole for round pieces 3-1/2 inches long.

You can make triangles, arches, or other shapes so long as you keep them based on the dimensions of the basic square.

Other dimension lumber will work for blocks. To make small blocks cut a 1x2 the same way. A 1x2 will yield blocks based on 1-1/2 inch square.

To make cubes, glue the squares together before sanding. I started with cubes. I had built a project that required me to laminate two 2x4s together. When I cut the pieces to size, the cutoffs were near perfect cubes. Within a day these had found a new home in my grandson's toy box. He loved to stack them.

You could put some finish on the blocks. I don't think they need it. If my grandson wants to color them, then we get some shop time while he learns a bit about how to paint.

MDF would make some excellent blocks. It's smooth and easy to use. To make blocks from MDF cut it into a square and make the other blocks as multiples of the square. If you size the blocks right, there will be very little if any waste. The only downside I can see to making blocks from MDF is that they have no moisture resistance. If MDF gets wet, it will swell up and fall apart. It should go without saying that you should not give MDF blocks to kids that like to chew on their toys.

Get busy and make some blocks. Blocks are easy to make and cheap to make, and the kids will love them.
Get busy and make some blocks. Blocks are easy to make and cheap to make, and the kids will love them. I made some blocks after watching my grandson trying to build stuff from random chunks of wood. The best ones (the ones he likes and the most) are I cut from 2x4s. I sanded them smooth and rounded the corners with a belt sander. I didn't use a router for rounding over the pine because it tears out so easy I would need to sand them any after routing. I didn't use a pattern or plan. I reasoned that all you need to make a basic block set is to cut a square and use the square as the basic size and keep adding to it. For example, the second size block is exactly 2x the size of the square A 2x4 is 3-1/2 inches wide. Trim the end to be sure you have it square and smooth. Now cut the blocks 3-1/2 inches long and you have your square blocks. Cut the next blocks 7 inches long yielding a rectangle 7x3-1/2 inches. Seven-inch double size blocks may be all you need. However, I cut a few 10-1/2x3-1/2. I cut around all the knots unless they are tiny and any pitch pockets or other defects. If you carefully pick you 2x4s from the better grades, you will get a much higher yield. Make a few fancier blocks to add som variety. By request, I bored som large (2-1/2 inch) holes in some of the blocks using a Forstner bit and rounded the corners with a router and sandpaper. One hole in the squares, two holes in the double squares and three holes in the longer pieces. I cut some lengths of closet pole for round pieces 3-1/2 inches long. You can make triangles, arches, or other shapes so long as you keep them based on the dimensions of the basic square. Other dimension lumber will work for blocks. To make small blocks cut a 1x2 the same way. A 1x2 will yield blocks based on 1-1/2 inch square. To make cubes, glue the squares together before sanding. I started with cubes. I had built a project that required me to laminate two 2x4s together. When I cut the pieces to size, the cutoffs were near perfect cubes. Within a day these had found a new home in my grandson's toy box. He loved to stack them. You could put some finish on the blocks. I don't think they need it. If my grandson wants to color them, then we get some shop time while he learns a bit about how to paint. MDF would make some excellent blocks. It's smooth and easy to use. To make blocks from MDF cut it into a square and make the other blocks as multiples of the square. If you size the blocks right, there will be very little if any waste. The only downside I can see to making blocks from MDF is that they have no moisture resistance. If MDF gets wet, it will swell up and fall apart. It should go without saying that you should not give MDF blocks to kids that like to chew on their toys. Get busy and make some blocks. Blocks are easy to make and cheap to make, and the kids will love them.

Tape, Adhesive, and Patterns - What tape do I use and how I stick my patterns to the wood?

I use 3m ScotchBlue Painters Tape. Yep, it sticks tight. I used to use a cheap knock-off tape that didn't hold so tight. I can't find it anymore around my local area. When I first started using the cheap blue tape, I had to use a roller on it to get it to stay in place. Out of habit, I rolled the 3M tape. Not a good idea. It pulled chunks out of the pine when I removed it. I learned that you need to rub it lightly to get the bubbles out, and that is it. The adhesive on the 3M tape is pressure sensitive the harder you press, the tighter it sticks. I spent $80 US on tape last year.

3m Scotch Blue Painters Tape

I cover the top wood entirely with the tape neat and trimmed. I don't want any tape hanging or sticking on anything while I'm cutting. I can mess it all by myself I don't need a poor taping job to help me.

Patrick Speilman talks about using tape for lubrication of the saw blade in one of his books. According to Patrick, the manufacturers put silicon in or on the top of the tape to keep the layers from sticking together. It should be evident that adhesive isn't a lubricant, yet you will not need to look far to find someone who claims the adhesive on the tape is what lubricates the blade. I'm not totally convinced that lubrication is what is going on, but I do know from personal experience that it helps keep the wood from burning. I don't use tape for its lubricating properties. I use tape so I can get the pattern off with as little drama as possible.

I attach the pattern to the tape with 3M Super 77 Spray adhesive. It only takes a tiny bit, and you better be sure of where you are going to put the pattern because you are not going to remove it. This stuff sticks tight even the edges. I have never had it come loose while I was cutting. I started out using rubber cement many years ago and tried just about everything all of them come loose but this one.  For me, not coming loose while I am cutting trumps everything else. A can lasts me a long time. I remove the nozzle from my spray adhesive and store it in a jar in mineral spirits. I always start with a clean, unclogged nozzle. I use this for my shipping labels too. Steve Good Recommends 3M 45 General Purpose Adhesive. I haven't tried it. It is cheaper.

I use double-sided carpet tape to hold wood together for stack cutting. I don't know what brand it is. I wish I did. This roll of tape must be 30 years old, and it still works great. I use four tiny 1/4-inch square pieces, one in each corner. After everything is in place, I squeeze each section where the is tape in my vise. Remember pressure sensitive, the harder you squeeze, the tighter it sticks. I have never had one come apart. I've had it stuck in the wrong place before; you don't want to do that. It is challenging to get it off.