My back is slightly improved, so some home projects are being moved up, and I am taking a hiatus from toy making.
I’ll show what I have gotten done.
The first was the Go-Go Mobile, which looked like something that Goldie Hawn would have driven in Rowen and Martin’s Laugh-In TV show.
The second was the Ornithologically Incorrect Bird (I looked through the Audubon picture books and found no other birds with wheels).
Designed with a very short wheelbase and with the fantail outboard of the rear wheels, I deemed this “safe” as it would rear up like Lone Ranger’s horse before you could jab yourself, or it would scoot away on the wheels. However, when I showed this with my panel of mothers, they said it “looked dangerous” and they would not allow their kids to play with it. So this piece is the only one made with the fantail. All the others have a bobtail, shortened about 3/4” and rounded. I like the look of the fantail better, but the panel said “no”.
The Go-Go Mobile and the Ornithologically Incorrect Bird were derivative. I saw similar toys being sold online.
The “eyes” for the bird are simply drilled holes. I was surprised how much the perceived expression changed by simply changing the size of the drilled holes. When the holes were small, the eyes looked “beady” and unfriendly to me. The larger holes looked more innocent and inviting. Of course that was only my perception, but I think it is interesting to note.
The Sports Car, below is an original design (though I had a photo of an 1961 XKE in front of me as I sketched—I wanted the proportions to be right.). The plan was to design something that I could cut on the band saw at a higher production rate. The curves were drawn with that thought in mind. But, alas, my bench top Ryobi bandsaw was not up to the task, so these are being cut on the scroll saw too.
I have run out of wheels (I ordered 100), so I should have 25 made when I am done.
I have only to assemble the wheel assemblies and add the finish to the Sports Car.
I do have to package these and add a tag or something that calls out that these have non-toxic finish applied.
Starbucks collects toys before Christmas, and I figured to drop them off there in December.
Do you think there is any risk that someone will filch the toys and they would end up being sold at some toy store somewhere? That would upset me a great deal.
I’ll show what I have gotten done.
The first was the Go-Go Mobile, which looked like something that Goldie Hawn would have driven in Rowen and Martin’s Laugh-In TV show.
The second was the Ornithologically Incorrect Bird (I looked through the Audubon picture books and found no other birds with wheels).
Designed with a very short wheelbase and with the fantail outboard of the rear wheels, I deemed this “safe” as it would rear up like Lone Ranger’s horse before you could jab yourself, or it would scoot away on the wheels. However, when I showed this with my panel of mothers, they said it “looked dangerous” and they would not allow their kids to play with it. So this piece is the only one made with the fantail. All the others have a bobtail, shortened about 3/4” and rounded. I like the look of the fantail better, but the panel said “no”.
The Go-Go Mobile and the Ornithologically Incorrect Bird were derivative. I saw similar toys being sold online.
The “eyes” for the bird are simply drilled holes. I was surprised how much the perceived expression changed by simply changing the size of the drilled holes. When the holes were small, the eyes looked “beady” and unfriendly to me. The larger holes looked more innocent and inviting. Of course that was only my perception, but I think it is interesting to note.
The Sports Car, below is an original design (though I had a photo of an 1961 XKE in front of me as I sketched—I wanted the proportions to be right.). The plan was to design something that I could cut on the band saw at a higher production rate. The curves were drawn with that thought in mind. But, alas, my bench top Ryobi bandsaw was not up to the task, so these are being cut on the scroll saw too.
I have run out of wheels (I ordered 100), so I should have 25 made when I am done.
I have only to assemble the wheel assemblies and add the finish to the Sports Car.
I do have to package these and add a tag or something that calls out that these have non-toxic finish applied.
Starbucks collects toys before Christmas, and I figured to drop them off there in December.
Do you think there is any risk that someone will filch the toys and they would end up being sold at some toy store somewhere? That would upset me a great deal.
