Wooden Toys and Pattern Routing/Making

[Absinthe]

I got a book on making wooden toys. It has many patterns that I have to copy to wood. It seems to me that it would be best to copy them to a good "pattern" material and then use that to trace onto real wood, bandsaw rough and use the pattern with a router to clean up the edges. Does this sound like I am overdoing it? If I do it this way what is a good pattern material? Masonite? or Luan? or what?

 

[Mike Davis]

Masonite

If you plan to do more than one this is the way to go.

 

[Raymond]

I used 3/8" poly to trace the pattern (I have 4 basic patterns) and I use those on the wood before I go to the bandsaw.

 

[Absinthe]

Can you work that with regular tools or doesn't it melt all over things?

 

[Raymond]

Can you work that with regular tools or doesn't it melt all over things?

I use it only as a template for tracing the outline (I am cheap and lazy - I didn't want to destroy the book by tearing out the pages and I didn't want to constantly make paper copies.) I put no tools to these templates so I have no fear of them melting or getting cut or chopped up.

 

[Jeff]

How about a few pics of the toys that you'd like to make? If they're small it may be better to cut them out with a scrollsaw rather than a router.

I like MDF for patterns because it's easy to cut and easy to sand the curves for a nice template.

 

[Jim M.]

+1 for Masonite, I'm still using some of my grandfather's decoy patterns made from it. No kidding they're probably 50 years old or more.

 

[Absinthe]

I will have to scan some of the photocopies .. .unless that feels like copyright infringement... otherwise I will take pictures of what I cutout. FWIW, the book is "How to make ANIMATED TOYS" by David Wakefield.

Here is the Amazon link https://www.amazon.com/Make-Animated-Toys-David-Wakefield/dp/0943822947

 

[Jeff]

I doubt that the copyright cops are just around the corner so scan a few and live dangerously in the fast lane.

The cover of the book looks like the pieces may be 1/8"-1/4" thick so scroll sawing around a pattern may work.

 

[Pop Golden]

Back in the days when I was doing graphic design they sent me to copyright school. Some books let you use their patterns any way you like, some will let you use them to make your stuff, but no making for sale. In the copyright world it's called "fair use". You bought the book you have a right to use the patterns.

Pop

 

[McRabbet]

I purchased three copies this same book several years ago for our Western NC Woodworking Association Library where members could borrow a copy for making toys. I made copies of several patterns (the bus, the hound dog and Tyrannosaurus Rev come to mind) and mounted them on 3/16" tempered Masonite. Many involve thick stock where I used my bandsaw after tracing the pattern onto the stock; pieces like legs and arms were on thinner stock that I cut on a scrollsaw after tracing the patterns. This is a great book and certainly affordable. I recommend buying wheels and axles from Casey's Wood Products in Maine.

 

[JGregJ]

I built a few of toys in the book - a dog and the dinosaur - my kids got the dog, my nephew got the dino. Loved the dog and it's animated motion as you pull it across the floor. Built it out of cherry so it had the brownish look of a dog - enjoy.

 

[ScottM]

Being a moderator here and in a scrollsaw forum I can tell you that posting a picture of an actual pattern is considered a no no but it is totally fine to post pictures of you finished projects. Even WIP pictures. I have made similar toys using a scroll saw. If making more the a handful I will make a template from 1/8" masonite / hard board.

 

[Jeff]

Being a moderator here and in a scrollsaw forum I can tell you that posting a picture of an actual pattern is considered a no no but it is totally fine to post pictures of you finished projects.

Tak, tsk, tsk, "considered a no no" by whom? A violation will result in excommunication from NCWW? I seriously doubt that the copyright cops are monitoring the site contents ready to pounce on an occasional one-off copyright violator who will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!

A lot of the information is considered to be in the public domain as long as an offender is not "producing" the product on a large scale and selling it!

 

[Mike Davis]

It is our policy not to post copyrighted material.

 

[Jeff]

That makes it clear. Thanks.