Blog Archive

2019-09-08

Etsy Listing - Handmade Wooden Ghost Cutout Custom Sizes Available Made To Your Specification 540504790

Custom handmade Halloween cutouts made from wood or wood products made to your specifications. Sizes available up to eight inches and thicknesses from 1/4-inch to 1-1/2-inch. Larger sizes are possible. Material choices include pine, oak, poplar, MDF, and plywood.

Do you have an idea for a ghost that you don't see anywhere? If you can draw it, I can probably cut it for you.

The sample size shown in the photos below is currently available for purchase on my Etsy shop. If the size or materials are not what you want, contact me through my Etsy shop to place a custom order

These make great pretend Halloween toys for kids. My grandson has an entire set of them and was my inspiration when I made the first ghosts.



Click here for this listing.

Click here to see my other Halloween items.

Click here go to my shops front page.




Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette
Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette On My Work Bench

Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette
Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette Front View

Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette
Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette Size


Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette
Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette

Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette
Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette

Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette
Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette

Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette
Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette

Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette
Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette

Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette
Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette

Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette
Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette

Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette
Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette Size on Ruler

Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette
Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette Size On Ruler

Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette
Handmade Wooden Toy Halloween Ghost Cutout Silhouette Size On Ruler

2019-08-31

Handmade Wood Halloween Ghost Cutout Made From Solid Pine Wood Custom Made To Order 643250709

Use these ghosts to make Halloween decorations, mobiles, ornaments, toys, or cake decorations. Use several or mix and match with other cutouts and create unique items.

Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood
Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood


A handmade, unfinished 3/4-inch thick Halloween Ghost cut by hand on a scroll saw. It has been lightly sanded with 220 grit sandpaper and is ready to be painted. Use the ghosts as is or paint them. The kids always want colors. Unlike many thinner cutouts, these are freestanding and are good pretend toys.

Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood
Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood



I can easily make these in any size up to eight inches. Sizes above eight inches require a custom printed pattern at additional cost.

Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood
Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood


Hardwood, plywood, and MDF are a few of the materials I can cut ghosts from. Some materials will cost a bit more. Custom orders are always welcome.

Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood
Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood

Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood
Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood
Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood
Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood

Click this link to see more Halloween items:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/OdinsToyFactory/?section_id=22228027



I made the first batch of these for my grandson, Odin. He is crazy for anything Halloween related. Some friends saw them and wanted them too. They are great Halloween decorations, but, for my grandson, they are toys. He builds haunted houses from blocks and uses them as scary occupants.



This toy is not for use by children under three or children who like to chew on things.

Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood
Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood


I recommend sealing with shellac before applying craft paint. You can use craft paint without sealing. However, it will require more painting and more sanding to get a smooth finish. If sealed and painted, wooden Ghosts are safe for outdoor use.

  Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood
Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood


Another option for painting is Behr exterior house paint. You can get it in small sample cans at Home Depot in just about any color you can imagine. Other hardware, home centers, and paint stores offer similar samples.

Height 3.5 inches
Width 3.5 inches
Thickness 0.75 inch

Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood
Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood


These Ghosts are handmade from real wood. Each piece, even from the same board, is different. The one you receive may not look the same as the one in the listing photos.

Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood
Handmade Halloween Wooden Toy Ghost Cutout Made From Pine Wood



I sell these individually instead of in sets so you can pick and choose only the ones you want. Shipping per item gets lower as you buy more of them.

Free Shipping for purchases over $35.

 

 

2019-08-25

Wooden Wheel Patterns for the Scroll Saw

Wooden Toy Wheel Patterns Ready To Cut With A Scroll Saw
Wooden Toy Wheel Patterns Ready To Cut With A Scroll Saw

I salvaged the wood from 2x4 pieces that would typically go into the burn bucket and used for kindling the next time we have a backyard fire. Because the wheels are so small, it is simple to work around defects such as knots and pitch pockets. I resaw the wood to 1/2-inch thick on my Shopsmith band saw, sand the wood on the belt sander, apply the blue tape, and the patterns. I drill using a drill press and a very sharp brad point drill bit getting as close to the center as possible.

I have tried several methods for drawing the circles on the wood using printed patterns is by far the most accurate way to do it.

The blue painter's tape lets me remove the patterns with little fuss, leaves no residue, and lubricates the scroll saw blade.

I made a pattern to print 35 wheels on a page. I used two and a half pages and made 88 wheels. There are always a few that are don't come out well, but the yield was very high for this batch.

Click here to get a copy of the pattern I used to make these wheels.

2019-08-11

Toy Makers Shop - Dust Collection For My Sanding Mop Made From PVC Pipe Coupler

Pipe Coupler Dust Collector Mounted ON My Harbor Freight Drill Press with a Sanding Mop
Pipe Coupler Dust Collector Mounted ON My Harbor Freight Drill Press with a Sanding Mop



In my toy making shop, I use a sanding mop a lot. It makes a considerable amount of fine dust, that is hard to collect. The 2x4 PVC pipe coupling is the best solution I have found so far. It is straightforward to build and costs about $10 if you don't already have the parts.

To make the collector drill a hole in the 2x4 pipe coupling and bolt on a magnet. Then connect your shop vac. If you don't have a cast iron top an electrical box cover screwed to a piece of plywood or MDF will give you something to clamp.

I used a magnet from a previous project that I didn't need anymore. I  got mine from Harbor Freight, but they are available from Amazon and eBay if you don't have a Harbor Freight store. Warning, Test your magnet to be sure you can get it off. The one I used sticks so tight I needed a pry bar to get it off. This project is a good candidate for mag switches if you move it around a lot.

All vacuum hoses will not fit tightly. I have an extension hose for my shop vac the fits tight on the inside of the coupler. However, the regular hose end is a little too small. You may need to make an adapter.

This contraption works very well as compare to what I used to do. Nothing or clamp the shop vac hose to the table and hop it stays put. The vacuum hose worked, but it was quite tricky to keep in place. The Pipe coupler with this magnet isn't going anywhere. The hose will pull out before it moves.

2019-07-25

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 - Pittsburge 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.

2019-07-13

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 Colors
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.