Furniture Design Ideas

rP he bent-runner sleigh featured in і this section blends traditional sled design with modem woodworking tech­niques. As shown in the photo below, the legs are attached to the stretchers with plate joints—a simple and sturdy joiner)’ method. The posts supporting the backrest are secured to the deck with screws and metal cross dowels. Using […]

Today, sleighs and sleds con­jure up images of children on bright winter afternoons coasting down snow-covered hills, squeal­ing with joy. The origins of the con­veyances featured in this chapter, however, are far more practical. In northern regions of the world, the sled evolved centuries ago as a humble yet efficient carrier, trans­porting food and belongings […]

The truck featured here is an exam­ple of a sturdy toy designed with child safety in mind. The moving parts have no pinch points and the truck’s surfaces are rounded and smooth. Assembly is fairly straightforward. The quantity and shape of all the parts required are shown below and each can be cut from either […]

  Building the engine shown below is essentially a matter of preparing all the parts illustrated on page 23 and gluing them to the chassis. You can cut and assemble or cut all the pieces first, then glue only when all the components are ready. To help you produce a scale model, the profile and […]

favorites with children and adults alike for generations. This chapter shows you how to build three wooden models that are based on real-life counterparts: a locomotive, a dump truck, and a tractor-rock picker. As the photo on page 20 confirms, the results are certain to please and delight. These projects will exercise a range of […]

blade tension lever Locks or releases the tension of the blade Blade tension knob Adjusts tension setting Hold-down adjust­ment knob Raises and lowers the hold-down blower tube Directs a stream of air behind the blade to clear sawdust from the cutting line blade guard Protects the operator’s hands from the blade Hold-down Holds stock secure […]

r’P he lathe shown below is a typical 1 freestanding model that will serve you well for most toy-making projects. Lathe size is measured in two ways: swing and capacity. Swing is twice the distance between the headstock spindle and the bed, which limits the diameter of blanks. Capacity is the distance between the headstock […]

Most of the requirements for build­ing furniture—functional designs, proper tool setups and techniques, and safe work habits—are also crucial to making toys and crafts. But wooden toys, because they are intended for use by chil­ dren, involve other considerations. Foremost among these is safety. As shown below, toys intended for infants and toddlers have to […]

A fter years of turning bowls and vases in my spare time, I started to search for a different sort of project, and hit on the idea of turning head wear. Being busy with life, I didn’t seize upon the idea immediately but instead treated it as a joke, putting bowls and vases on my […]

B uilding a rocking horse was more than a way to keep busy on long winter evenings. It was the fulfillment of a dream that I had cherished for years before I was a father. My wife, Darlene, and I have been blessed with one son, Nathan, and one daughter, Melissa. Nathan’s first birthday present […]