Intermediate Projects

PROJECT NUMBER 49

ALLIGATOR PUPPET

This flexible spine alligator is made by fastening small blocks of wood to a strip of leather.

The two halves of the head are cut from ½-inch white pine or other soft wood. The markings are outlined with dark crayon, ink, or paint.

The body and tail of the alligator consist of a strip of thin leather to which blocks of screen molding have been glued. Cut two pieces of ¾-inch screen molding to correspond to the length of each of the numbered bands along the pattern for the tail strip. Fourteen such pairs of blocks will be required to complete the alligator. A beaded type of molding similar to that pictured on the opposite page is recommended.

To assemble the alligator, place the shaded area of the tail strip between the two halves of the head, as illustrated in the drawing, and fasten the blocks together with two nails. Then glue the blocks of screen molding to both sides of the tail strip, starting behind the head with the longest pair of blocks. Each block should be placed exactly opposite the corresponding piece on the other side of the strip. A fast-drying household cement or contact cement is best for this purpose. The four legs are cut from pieces of thin leather, and are cemented to the posterior edges of the second and tenth pairs of blocks as illustrated in the drawing below.

Paint the alligator with green oil stain.

PROJECT NUMBER 50

JEWELRY BOX

All pieces for the jewelry box are cut from ¼-inch plywood or crate wood.

The sides and end pieces are positioned as indicated by the dotted lines on the pattern for the bottom of the box, and fastened in place with fast-drying household cement.

The four "feet" are cut from the small wing-shaped pattern at the bottom of the page and are cemented to the underside of the box in the positions shown by the shaded areas on the pattern.

The top piece is fastened to the box by means of a strip of leather which serves as a hinge for the jewelry box. The hinge should be made of very thin leather which is cut to the shape of the pattern at the bottom of the page. The leather hinge is folded down the center to form a sharp crease before being cemented to the top and back of the box as illustrated in the drawing above.
When the cement has dried thoroughly, the box may be given a coat of shellac or clear varnish and decorated as desired.

PROJECT NUMBER 51

WATER WHEEL

The base block of the water wheel is a piece of ½-inch or ¾-inch stock cut to the size of the pattern in the upper lefthand corner of the opposite page.

The four paddles are pieces of ¼-inch plywood or crate wood cut from the pattern in the lower lefthand corner of the page. The side supports are also cut from ¼-inch stock.

The shaft of the wheel is a block of ¾-inch pine or other soft wood with a finishing nail protruding ½ inch from the center of each end. The paddles for the water wheel are nailed to each of the four sides of this block, as illustrated in the drawing at the bottom of the page.

The side supports are fastened to the center of opposite edges of the base block with nails. The paddle wheel is then set into the cradle formed by the notched ends of these supports.

To operate the water wheel, set it in a stream of running water or place it under a faucet.

PROJECT NUMBER 52 LETTER HOLDER

The top of the head and body of the duck are cut from ½-inch pine or plywood. The slots in the duck's back can be cut with a crosscut handsaw or power saw, and should be at least 1/16 of an inch in width.

The base is cut from a piece of ¼-inch plywood.

The beak and lower part of the duck's head are formed by a spring-type clothespin.

Separate the two halves of the clothespin, and fasten the half which retains the spring to the neck of the duck so that approximately ¾ inch extends beyond the front edge. For maximum strength, both glue and ½-inch brads or wire nails should be used. Reassemble the clothespin and glue the top of the duck's head to its upper surface in a position 3/8 inch from the front edge of the clothespin.

The duck is now placed in a vise, and the base piece is nailed and glued to the bottom edge.

The letter holder may then be painted with tempera colors or rubber base paint. The tip of the clothespin can be painted yellow or orange to represent the duck's bill. The remainder of the duck could be painted white, with black markings for the eye and wing. Blue paint applied to the base piece will represent the water in which the duck is swimming.

PROJECT NUMBER 53

FLYING SAUCER

The flying saucer consists of a metal propeller which is launched by rotating a spool mounted on a dowel handle. The propeller is cut from a tin can cover 3½ inches in diameter. The edges are protected with a strip of masking tape. To give the propeller "lift," the four blades should be twisted approximately 20 degrees as illustrated in the drawing on the opposite page. Two holes are punched in the center of the propeller in the positions indicated on the pattern.

A wooden spool approximately the size of the one pictured is fastened to a length of ¾-inch dowel or broomstick with a long nail so that it will turn easily. Two small wire brads are placed in the top of the spool so that they will engage the holes punched in the propeller. The brads are trimmed so that they extend only about 1/8 inch above the top of the spool and permit the propeller to be lifted off easily.

To launch the flying saucer, wind a two-foot length of string with a loop in one end around the spool as pictured in the drawing above. Then hold the handle over your head and pull the string rapidly.

PROJECT NUMBER 54

BIRD FEEDER

This bird feeder is designed to hold a small olive jar filled with bird seed. The back of the bird feeder is cut from ½-inch or ¾-inch pine. A hole is drilled in the top of this piece so that the feeder may be hung up.

A block of ¾-inch pine is used for the base. Three 1-inch holes approximately ¼ inch deep are prepared in the base block as indicated in the pattern on the opposite page. Holes to` accommodate three ¼-inch dowel perches are drilled in the sides of the base block in the positions indicated by the dotted lines on the pattern.

The bird feeder is assembled by nailing the back piece to the back edge of the base block. The olive jar is then positioned in the feeder and a strip of leather or linoleum binding material is cut to the proper length to hold the jar to the back of the feeder. The jar may then be removed while the supporting strap is tacked to the edges of the back piece as pictured above. Finally, the dowel perches are glued in the holes provided for them at the front and sides of the base block. A protective coat of shellac or clear varnish may then be applied.

The olive jar is filled with bird seed, and the feeder is inverted over the mouth of the jar. Then the feeder with jar in place may be turned upright, and the seed will pass from the jar to keep the three seed cups filled.

PROJECT NUMBER 55

TOP

The top is composed of three disks of ¼-inch plywood encircling a length of ¼-inch dowel. The disks are cut from the patterns on the opposite page and are fastened to the dowel pin with glue.

The handle for spinning the top is cut from a piece of ¾-inch pine. A hole for the ¼-inch dowel pin is drilled in the expanded end of the handle. This hole should be prepared large enough to permit the top to spin freely without wobbling.

To assemble the top, coat the center dowel with glue at the points indicated by the dotted lines and insert the rod in the holes prepared in the middle of each disk as illustrated in the drawing above.

An eighteen-inch length of string with a loop in one end is used to spin the top. The dowel is inserted in the end of the handle and the string is wound around it as illustrated above. The string is pulled quickly and the handle is lifted off, leaving the top to spin by itself.

PROJECT NUMBER 56

PENCIL HOLDER

The bird figure consists of two pieces of. ¾-inch pine or other soft wood. The front piece is shaped to represent the head, body, and wings of the bird; the back piece forms the tail. Six holes a inch in diameter are prepared in the edge of the tail piece at the positions indicated on the pattern.

The base is also a block of ¾-inch pine.

Before assembling the pencil holder, the pieces are sandpapered thoroughly, and the markings are outlined with a dark crayon, ink, or paint. Then the two parts of the bird figure are fastened together with nails. Care must be taken that the nails do not obstruct the holes prepared for the pencils. The correct position for the front piece is indicated by the dotted line on the pattern for the tail piece.

The base is now fastened in place with nails driven into the feet of the bird from the underside of the block.

The completed pencil holder may be decorated with bright-colored tempera paints or given a protective coat of shellac or clear varnish.

PROJECT NO 57 KANGAROO PUPPET

The body of the kangaroo is cut from ½-inch white pine or other soft wood. Holes are prepared in the positions indicated on the pattern for attachment of the arms and legs. The kangaroo's ears are cut from scraps of leather and are tacked to the side of the head as illustrated in the drawing above.

The arms and legs are cut from ¼-inch plywood. The holes prepared in these pieces should be slightly smaller than the 1 ½-inch finishing nail which will be used to fasten them in place.

With the legs in position, the finishing nail is tapped through from one side to the other until the head is flush with the surface of the leg through which it was started. Then the protruding portion of the nail is clipped off with a wire cutter. If the nail does not fit snugly in the hole, it is advisable to leave 1/8 inch of the nail protruding so that it may be bent over to secure the legs in the proper position. The arms are fastened in place in the same manner.

PROJECT NUMBER 58 CANDY DISH

The bottom of the candy dish is prepared from a square block of 3/4-inch pine or other soft wood. The four edges are beveled to correspond to the end view at the bottom of the opposite page. This must be done carefully and accurately if the side pieces are to fit properly. A crosscut handsaw is better suited for this purpose than the coping saw.

The four side pieces may be cut from ¼-inch or 1/8-inch plywood. The sides are fastened in place by two nails through the bottom of each piece.

The assembled candy dish should be sanded carefully and given a protective coat of shellac, varnish, or oil stain, followed by an application of paste wax.

PROJECT NO 59 X-9 JET AIRPLANE

The fuselage of this jet airplane is cut from a piece of ¾-inch white pine or other soft wood. The nose is rounded to a blunt point, and the tail is
rounded on the bottom and two sides. The top surface of the tail section is left flat. The cockpit is made from a length of ¾-inch screen molding. One end is rounded, and a slot is prepared in the other end to receive the tail assembly. This piece is nailed to the fuselage in the position indicated in the drawing above, and the tail section is contoured to conform to the shape of the fuselage.

The wings and tail pieces are all cut from 1/8-inch plywood. The wings are nailed to the underside of the fuselage in the notch provided near the center of the airplane. The two sections of the tail piece are held together by means of the slots prepared in each, and the assembly is glued in the groove provided for it in the screen molding.

For added realism, the entire airplane may be given a coat of aluminum paint.

PROJECT NUMBER 60

TOOTH BRUSH HOLDER

The top, bottom, and side pieces for the toothbrush holder may be cut from ½-inch pine or other soft wood.

Before the outline of the top piece is cut out, it is best to drill the holes in each of the four corners. This will minimize the danger of splitting the wood during this operation. The square area in the center of this piece may be removed by disengaging one end of the coping saw blade from the frame and threading the blade through a hole prepared in the center of this area. Then the saw is reassembled and the necessary cuts are made. The saw may be removed in the same manner.
When all pieces have been thoroughly sanded, the toothbrush holder is assembled by nailing the top and bottom blocks to the ends of the side pieces as indicated by the dotted lines on the patterns. The completed project may be finished with a coat of rubber base paint or shellac.

PROJECT NUMBER 61

INBOARD RUNABOUT

The hull of the boat is fashioned from two pieces of wood which are glued and nailed together. The bottom may be cut from a piece of ¼-inch plywood or crate wood, or a wooden shingle may be used to give a tapering appearance. The upper portion of the hull is a piece of 3/4-inch white pine or other soft wood with the inside section cut out. To remove this section, cut across the hull at the point indicated by the dotted line. We now have direct access for removal of the center section which will become the cockpit. The two halves are then rejoined and aligned with the edges of the bottom piece when the boat is assembled.

The seats may be cut from any available ¼-inch stock. The back edge of the lower part of the seat is beveled slightly, as indicated in the end view below the pattern. The two parts of each seat are cemented together and glued to the bottom of the boat in the positions indicated in the drawing above.

A windshield may be cut from a sheet of thin plastic of the type used for various types of display boxes such as those in which greeting cards are sold. The windshield is held in position by tacks placed in the center of the three tabs at the bottom of the pattern.

PROJECT NUMBER 62

RECIPE HOLDER

The head and body of the owl are cut from ¼-inch plywood. The markings should be outlined with a dark crayon or India ink or tempera paint.

A wood clothespin (spring type) is separated into its two halves. The half which retains the spring is nailed to the body of the owl in the position indicated by the dotted line. With the clothespin in position, a hole should be drilled in the top of this piece to permit the recipe holder to be hung on the wall.

The remaining half of the clothespin is nailed to the back of the head piece so that the top of the clothespin is approximately even with the top of the owl's head. The spring is then held open by thrusting a sharp screw driver beneath one arm, and the clothespin is reassembled. Thus, the clothespin forms the beak of the owl, and may be used to hold recipes or messages.

PROJECT NUMBER 63

SHADOW BOX

Pattern For Top And Bottom

 
Pattern For Sides

The outer frame and sides of the shadow box are fashioned from pieces of ¼-inch plywood. The top and bottom of the box are pieces of ½-inch pine, cut to the size of the pattern in the lower righthand corner of this page.

The plywood side pieces are cut from the pattern at the bottom of the page and fastened to the ends of the top and bottom blocks with wire nails and wood glue.

The outer frame is then positioned over the box assembly and secured with small wire brads in the front edges of the top and bottom blocks. Two screw eyes placed near the back edge of the top block will make it possible to hang the shadow box on the wall.

The completed shadow box may be stained, varnished, or painted as desired.

PROJECT NUMBER 64

DESK TRAY

The desk tray provides a place for letters, bills, pencils, pins, paper clips, and the like.

The square area bordered by the heavy black line on the opposite page is the pattern for the base of the desk tray. It is cut from ¾-inch pine. The two patterns within this area form the front and back pieces for the letter holder, and are cut from ¼ inch plywood.

The small scalloped pattern at the bottom of the page is the pattern for the three blocks which form the pencil rack. These blocks are cut from ¾-inch pine and are nailed to the base piece in the positions indicated in the drawing above. The ends of these pieces should be flush with the front edge of the base piece. The front wall of the letter holder may then be nailed to the other end of each of these blocks.

Finally, the back of the letter holder and the front of the pencil tray may be nailed in the positions indicated above.

PROJECT NUMBER 65

TABLE TENNIS PADDLE

The table tennis paddle is cut from a piece of ¼-inch plywood, with a handle reinforced by a length of 1-inch dowel or broomstick.

The plywood is cut to the shape and size of the pattern on the opposite page. The edges should be rounded with sandpaper.

A piece of 1-inch dowel or length of broomstick is cut to form two half-round pieces which are then trimmed and beveled as indicated on the pattern. The flat inside surface of each half should be smoothed with a plane or wood rasp so that it may be closely applied to the plywood. Then the two half-round reinforcements may be glued to the paddle in the position indicated by the dotted line on the pattern.

At this point, the paddle may be given a coat of shellac or clear varnish. The finishing coat should be confined to the handle and periphery of the paddle, leaving the area inside the thin line free of shellac or varnish. This thin line which borders the blade of the paddle is the pattern for the two pieces of fine sandpaper which will be glued to both front and back surfaces, as illustrated in the drawing above. Rubber cement is recommended for this purpose. The cement is applied to the back of the sandpaper and also to the face of the paddle and is allowed to dry for three to five minutes before the two surfaces are pressed together. The handle may be bound with a strip of plastic electrical tape.

PROJECT NUMBER 66

PICTURE HOLDER

This picture holder is designed to hold a standard size "snapshot" photograph.

The base and side pieces are cut from ½-inch pine or other soft wood.

A groove ¼ inch deep is prepared in the inside edge of each of the side pieces by making two parallel cuts with a crosscut handsaw and then carefully breaking out the intervening rib of wood.

A piece of cardboard cut to the size of the pattern at right will provide a backing for the photograph and may be used to trim oversized pictures to fit the picture holder.

The side pieces are fastened to the base at the points indicated on the pattern by driving two nails through the bottom of the base into each side.
The completed picture holder may be given a finishing coat of shellac, varnish, oil stain, or paint.

PROJECT NUMBER 67

HOT DISH HOLDER

The center block of the hot dish holder is cut from a piece of ¾-inch pine. The anchor design may be applied with a dark crayon, tempera paint, or a wood burner.

The six pieces which form the arms of the star are strips of 1/8-inch plywood cut to the size of the pattern at the bottom of the opposite page. Two notches are cut in one side of each strip in the position indicated.

To assemble the hot dish holder, position three of the strips on alternate sides of the center block so that the notches are facing up. The strips should be adjusted so that they form an equilateral triangle and then fastened securely to the center block with two small wire nails. Apply wood glue to the three remaining sides of the center block, and insert the other three strips with notches facing down to complete the star.

When the glue has dried, the points of the star may be smoothed with sandpaper, and the hot dish holder given a coat of shellac or clear varnish.

PROJECT NUMBER 68

KITE REEL

The kite reel is fabricated from two lengths of ½-inch dowel and two pieces of ¼-inch plywood.

The pieces of plywood which form the sides of the reel are cut to the size of the pattern on the opposite page, and holes are drilled in each end. It is important that the prepared holes be of the proper diameter to hold the dowels firmly.

The two dowels are then cut to the correct length and marked as indicated on the pattern. Before assembling the kite reel, apply wood glue to each dowel at the points indicated by the dotted lines on the pattern, and to the inside of the holes. Then insert the dowels, first into one side piece, then into the other, so that the assembled kite reel resembles the one pictured above. Check carefully the alignment of the pieces, and allow the glue to dry thoroughly.

PROJECT NUMBER 69

RACING CAR

The body of the racer is cut from a piece of ¾-inch pine. Holes for the ¼-inch dowel axles are drilled in the positions indicated on the pattern. After the body is cut, the edges may be rounded with coarse sandpaper or a wood file.

The exhaust pipe and axles are lengths of ¼-inch dowel. One end of the exhaust is beveled, and the other is rounded as shown in the illustration. It is then glued or tacked in the position indicated on the pattern for the body. The length of the axles will be determined by the thickness of the spools used for the wheels. They should be cut approximately 1/8 inch longer than the combined thickness of the body and two spools. The axles are inserted in the holes and fastened with a small wire nail from the bottom of the racer.

The four spools which form the wheels may be fitted with rubber washers to represent the tires. The type of washer used for coupling a garden hose will be adequate if spools of the size indicated in the drawing are used. The wheels are held in place by thumbtacks driven in the ends of each axle.

The steering wheel is a large tack inserted in the center of the dash board. The type of tacks that are used as gliders on the bottom of wooden chair legs makes a good steering wheel.

PROJECT NO 70

COVERED WAGON

The floor of the wagon and driver's seat are blocks of ½-inch pine. Four holes are prepared at the points indicated on the pattern for the floor block to receive the ends of the two wire loops which support the top. The loops are lengths of wire coat hanger shaped to the pattern on the opposite page.

The two axles are blocks of ¾-inch pine fastened to the underside of the floor of the wagon in the position indicated by the dotted lines on the pattern. The wheels are cut from ¼-inch plywood, and are nailed to the center of each end of the axle blocks.

The solid line which borders this page is the pattern for the top of the covered wagon. A piece of heavy cloth cut to this size is folded at the points indicated by the dotted lines and stapled or stitched to form two sleeves through which the wire loops may be passed. The top is assembled in this manner and the ends of the wire loops are placed in the holes provided in the floor of the wagon. Finally the block for the driver's seat is glued in position at the front of the wagon.

PROJECT NUMBER 71

PIPE STAND

The top and front pieces for the pipe stand are cut from ¼-inch plywood. Three holes are cut in the top piece at the points indicated on the pattern. The back and base of the pipe stand are pieces of ½-inch pine. The base block is divided by four lengths of ¼-inch dowel which are glued in the positions indicated by the dotted lines on the pattern.

The pipe stand is assembled by first nailing the back piece to the edge of the base block as pictured in the drawing above. The top piece may then be positioned so that the top edge of the back occupies the area enclosed by the dotted line on the pattern, and nailed securely. Then, with the pipe stand lying on its back, the scalloped front piece should be nailed in the proper position. Finally, the four lengths of ¼-inch dowel are cemented in place.

The pipe stand may be finished with a coat of oil stain, shellac, or varnish.

PROJECT NUMBER 72

LETTER HOLD

The horse figure which forms the back of the letter holder is cut from a piece of ¼-inch plywood. The outline of the horse may be applied to the wood with dark crayon or paint.

A block of ½-inch or 3/4-inch wood should be used for the base. Two holes should be drilled at the points indicated on the pattern to receive the ½-inch dowel fence posts.

Two equally spaced holes ¼ inch in diameter should be prepared in each of the fence posts for the crossbars. These crossbars are lengths of ¼-inch dowel.

The horse figure is nailed to the back edge of the base so that the top surface of the base is flush with the dotted line below the horse's feet. Then the fence is assembled by inserting the fence posts in the holes provided for them in the base and locking them in position with the two crossbars. If the dowels do not fit snugly in the holes, it may be necessary to fasten them with glue.

The letter holder should be given a finishing coat of oil stain, shellac, or clear varnish to protect the wood.

PROJECT NUMBER 73

BIRD HOUSE

The two ends and the floor of the birdhouse are cut from ½-inch white pine or other soft wood. The opening in the front of the birdhouse is a hole one inch in diameter which may be prepared with a large drill bit or with a coping saw. The perch is a length of ¼-inch dowel for which a hole is drilled below the entrance in the position indicated on the pattern.

The roof and sides of the birdhouse are made from a piece of asphalt roofing material twice the width of the pattern outlined on this page. Thus the dotted line marks the center of the roof of the birdhouse.

To assemble the birdhouse, nail the front and back pieces to the two ends of the floor. Then fold the roofing material evenly over the top and sides of the birdhouse so that the front flap is centered over the opening. It should be stretched tightly across the arch formed by the front and back. When properly positioned, the roofing material is tacked to the edges of the two ends and floor. Finally, the perch is fastened in place with glue.

A small screw eye placed in the center of the top edge of the back of the birdhouse provides a simple means of hanging the house.

PROJECT NUMBER 74

RACING BOAT

The hull of the racing boat is composed of two pieces: A piece of ¾-inch pine with the center section cut out to form the cockpit and slot for the tail fin, and a piece of ¼-inch plywood or crate wood which forms the bottom of the boat. The two parts of the hull are sanded and fastened together with glue and 3/4-inch brads or wire nails.

The tail fin is cut from a piece of ¼-inch plywood and fastened in the slot behind the cockpit with glue.

A windshield may be made by cutting a small strip of plastic of the type used for various types of display boxes, and gluing or tacking it in position in front of the cockpit.

The racing number and other markings may be applied to the boat with a crayon, followed by a protective coat of clear varnish or shellac.

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