How to Make Toy Cow

by: Josh

Step 1: Gather Your Materials

These are the materials you need to assemble your wooden toy.

Tools:

1. Band saw

2. Drill Press

3. Drill bits

4. 1” Belt Sander

5. Router table with ¼” round over bit

6. Safety Glasses

Supplies:

1. Axles and wheels

2. Wood Glue

3. Paint

4. 2”x 6” stock wood

5. 1/8” ply wood.

6. 100,180,220 grit sandpaper

Step 2: Find Your Image

1. Find image of a cow

2. Make sure image is easily recognizable

3. Image has to be from a side view where you can see the whole cow if not it becomes very difficult

Here are some examples of images you could use that would be perfect for you toy.

Step 3: Print Your Image

Step 3:

Print your image

1. Put your image in Microsoft word or google docs

2. Resize the image so it is roughly 4” high and 5” long

Once you print the image it would be a good idea to cartoonize your image so it is easier to cut. Cartoonize means to exaggerate the features on your image. An example is shown down below.

3. Make holes on your picture so you know where the wheels will be placed

Step 4: Create Your Template

1. Once your picture is cut you will

trace it onto a 1/8” piece of plywood.

2. Cut your piece of plywood according to your trace on the band saw

3. Once finished cutting your template sand It on the 1” belt sander and using 100 grit, 180 grit, and 220 grit sandpaper

4. Add dots onto the legs of the cow for where your wheel holes will go

Step 5: Cut Your Toy

1. Cut a 2”x6” stock piece of wood for your cow

2. Trace your template onto the 2”x 6” stock wood

3. Cut out your stock wood on the band saw. Make sure you leave room around the lines to make room for error.

4. When finished cutting make holes for the axles

Step 6: Drill Axle Holes

1. Find the appropriate size for your axle hole by measuring with tool

2. Attach drill bit to drill press

3. Place a scrap piece of wood on the drill press table. This will keep your wood from binding.

4. Drill your holes on the dots that you have marked on your toy

Step 7: Router Your Toy

1. Place round over bit onto the router

2. Test router bit on a scrap piece of wood

3. Router all of the edges of your toy on both sides

4. If spots are too small to get to by the router table you will need to sand them by hand.

Step 8: Sand Your Animal

The reason for sanding your animal is to remove tool marks from the previous tool used such as burns or rough edges and it also makes your toy look aesthetically appealing.

1. Use 1” belt sander to sand your animal to make edges smooth

2. If belt sander cannot reach certain areas you will have to sand it by hand

Use 100, 180, 220 grit sandpaper in that order to sand places that can’t be reached by belt sander.

Before moving on make sure all of your previous tool marks are removed and also burns are removed. No jagged edges and everything must be smoothed out.

Step 9: Paint Toy

You want to think about how you want to paint your toy. It is never really a good idea to paint your whole toy one color so you want to think carefully how you want to paint your toy.

1. Don’t use too much paint

2. Use your imagination

Step 10: Gluing Axles and Wheels

1. Put all of your wheels onto your axles

2. Test fit your axles to make sure your holes you drilled are the correct size

3. If everything fits correctly apply glue to axle and put some in the whole you drilled

4. Insert you axle into the whole but leave a little room so your wheel can spin freely

Step 11: Your Finished Toy