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Wood animals are shockingly easy to make! (with the right tools) - Page 4

post #61 of 238
9/9/07 at 12:41pm
Oh, and I just found out a good friend of mine has a scroll saw. I'm going to be bugging him to make some things for me. It's better than having one of my own, because I don't have to spend any extra money or figure out how to store it.

I have a local woodworking shop that carries more exotic woods. I already know that I want some purpleheart, yellowheart pine, zebrawood, ebony, mahogany.

I want to use some scraps partly to maybe make more animals with and partly to make some blocks with. I know for a fact that when I get those, I am going to use the tung oil to bring out the fabulousness of those woods without altering the graining.

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post #62 of 238
9/9/07 at 3:15pm
These are so beautiful! I wish I had the tools. I was going to order some for a child care I'm organizing for a 4 day yoga training, but they were too expensive, so I'm just going to have to sew felt woodland animals.
post #63 of 238
9/13/07 at 12:43am
Beautiful!!!!!!
post #64 of 238
9/13/07 at 1:21pm
Thread Starter 

Renting tools...

I love all the amazing creatures people have made! This is an amazing bunch of women here! :-)

This came up somewhere else, so I thought I'd mention it. Most towns have a tool rental store, where you can rent anything from tile cutters to scaffolding to a tow-behind woodchipper to, most likely, a scroll saw. They will also show you how to use them. If you already have your patterns drawn out on your wood, a half-day's rental would be all you need to cut a whole bunch of critters. It would probably cost you somewhere in the realm of $10 or so.

-Laura
post #65 of 238
9/14/07 at 3:17am
Quick question... what thickness of wood do you think works best for a beginner to cut?
post #66 of 238
9/14/07 at 9:38am
Thread Starter 
Standard 1" pine boards, I think, found at any lumber store/home despot in huge quantities. If it's too thin the board will flex on you, too thick and it will be more difficult to cut.)

(Note: a "Standard 1" board" is actually 3/4" of an inch - just like a "2x4" is 1 1/2" by 3 1/2". That's just the way the industry does it - go figure!)

-Laura
post #67 of 238
9/14/07 at 9:47am
where do you all find out how to shape these - they are LOVELY!
post #68 of 238
9/16/07 at 11:57pm
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...2/MVC-002F.jpg


Here are some we made this afternoon. It takes a little practice, we'll for sure do more.
post #69 of 238
9/17/07 at 9:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoo Loo Naturals View Post
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y16...2/MVC-002F.jpg


Here are some we made this afternoon. It takes a little practice, we'll for sure do more.
These are adorable!!! Wonderful job

For those of you that have made them already, do you have suggestions for those of us newbies?
post #70 of 238
9/17/07 at 3:51pm
Thread Starter 
I second that! Wow!

What did you use for the edges? Did you hand-sand, or use a dremel, or what? Looks fabulous!
post #71 of 238
9/18/07 at 2:11am
Quote:
Originally Posted by isaberg View Post
I second that! Wow!

What did you use for the edges? Did you hand-sand, or use a dremel, or what? Looks fabulous!

A cordles drill with a sanding pad on it for the initial shaping, a dremel with a little sanding wheel to sand the edges and then a foam sanding block to sand the edges (hand). A coping saw was used to hand cut the shapes.
post #72 of 238
9/18/07 at 3:33am
Wow, so wonderful, you've made some really great stuff!

It really is fun, isn't it? I started woodworking in the early 1990s and have done it on and off since.
post #73 of 238
10/4/07 at 1:16am
I wanted to mention, for those that don't have a scroll saw in the budget, like yours truly, a coping saw might work, though it'll be slower. For sanding, making a broad file with a sander belt that's stretched onto some wood will help work the edges.

I haven't used this technique but I'm planing on it.

I read about this technique in a cool book, American Folk Toys.
post #74 of 238
10/4/07 at 1:20am
yeah, you go, Serena!

ZooLoo I love all your toys, I have been admiring them and really like the husky dog in your shop. My son really wants it.
post #75 of 238
10/4/07 at 1:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by KJoslyn78 View Post
where do you all find out how to shape these - they are LOVELY!
Look at the one you would buy, and draw something similiar. whalah!
post #76 of 238
10/4/07 at 1:28am
Those are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing!
post #77 of 238
10/4/07 at 2:38pm
I was looking for some animal templates and I came upon this site that has some animal silhouettes. I think I'll hand draw the template but use these as samples.

Anyone else got any templates to share?
post #78 of 238
10/5/07 at 12:50am
We're doing this! I'm making templates and sanding and painting/staining, and DH is cutting. He was excited to have permission to buy a tool - he got a scroll saw - and I'm excited to have more natural toys for DS. I'll post pictures when I have them.
post #79 of 238
1/10/08 at 5:12pm
subbing
post #80 of 238
1/12/08 at 1:58am
love your animals, I bought a piece of oak with my Christmas money, now I just have to find a spare moment
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Mothering › Mothering Discussion Forums › The Kitchen Sink › Arts & Crafts › Wood animals are shockingly easy to make! (with the right tools)