Drac in a Box (Version 1)

As a kid I watched far too many monster movies. I'd scan the TV guide at the beginning of the week to see what awaited me in the Saturday late night monster movie time slots. One of the movies that always filled my week with dread was Christopher Lee's Dracula has Risen from the Grave. I was an absolute moth to the flame with that one. It was one of the few movies that actually scared me and it also led to one of the more salient pieces of weirdness from my childhood. 

In the movie Dracula is revived accidently and that really bugged me. Although it is still hard (impossible?) to explain, I became worried that if I flushed a toilet at just the right moment, Dracula would come back from the dead. What can I say? That movie REALLY scared me. (I'm over that particular bit of oddness, thank you very much. But don't worry; my cabinet of weirdness is still so full I can't close the door.)

I've mentioned how frugal I am about raw materials and when people give me free stuff, I just can't resist. So a few years ago after a friend gave me an empty tea box with a sliding lid, I faced my fears and built a Dracula toy. Instead of Dracula rising from the grave, I decided to make him pop out of a tea box coffin. (I'd say that this was systematic desensitization or exposure therapy... but honestly, I just wanted to make something fun my girls would get a kick out of.)

Drac himself is 3 3/8" long and cut from 1/2" pine. I cut him out using a coping saw, but would now use a band or scroll saw. There is a plan at the bottom of this post, but obviously, you can make him (or her) however you want. Just keep in mind the dimensions of your box. There is a 5/16" hole all the way through his body towards his bottom. A 1/4" dowel fits through this hole to allow him to pivot up in his coffin.
 
 

The tea box I used was 5 3/4" long by 3 3/16" tall by 2 1/8" deep. The sliding lid is 1/4" thick with 1/16" inch tongues that slide into grooves the full length of the box.  The only changes I made to the box were to paint it and drill a few holes. The four holes:

• A very small (3/64) hole at the foot of the coffin. This holds one end of a rubber band. The other end goes through Drac's mid-section.
• A 1/4" hole all the way through from side to side that holds a 1/4" dowel. That dowel goes through a 5/16" hole through Drac's body. This allows him to swing/pivot up when the trigger dowel is removed.
• A 1/4" hole in the "head" of the coffin. It holds a 1/4" piece of dowel that keeps Drac in place and under tension. This is the trigger dowel.
• The last hole is 3/64" and it is in the sliding lid. A string leads from this hole to the trigger dowel. When the lid slides, the string pulls out the trigger dowel and Drac springs up.

The rubber band being threaded through Drac. (Note his stylish cape. Just because you are un-dead doesn't mean you shouldn't try and look nice.)	Tie knots on either end of the rubber band to prevent it from pulling through the holes. (Is that a Nobel Prize around his neck?)

Slide the lid partially closed. Then push Drac down and lock him in place with the trigger dowel.	A small piece of black cloth along the top of the inside of the coffin folds down to hide Drac until he can spring up.

Here is a short video of the Drac in a Box in action.
(WARNING - Not for the faint of heart. This may be the most terrifying 11 second clip involving an old tea box and a two dimensional vampire on the internet. Well, at least I hope it is...)



Here are the plans for general reference. If you make your own, your dimensions and set up would be dependant on the box you used. Adjust as necessary.

(Version 2 is the works and will do away with the rubber band and will be a bit easier to "load.")

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Climbing Monkey - FAIL

"Haven't you always wanted a monkey?" - If I Had a Million Dollars (Bare Naked Ladies) 

"Sure, just not a creepy one that doesn't work." - Toy Making Dad.

So when I started posting things on this site, I decided that it wouldn't just be show and tell. I wanted it to be a how-to site ( as opposed to just  "Hey everybody, LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME! PAY ATTENTION TO ME!") I think that a big part of learning how to do stuff is to learn how NOT to do stuff. You only figure this out by doing something wrong. Which isn't the worst thing in the world, and honestly sometimes these "mistakes" lead to new techniques or better ideas.

Building the creepy climbing monkey was not one of those times.

The plans for this guy (complete with fez I might add) were in a book I got from the library six or seven years ago. I don't blame the book but in retrospect, I don't remember building anything else from that book. Mainly because nothing really caught my eye as being super cool except for the idea of a climbing monkey. I believe the book said that this was based on antique German tin toys that worked the same way.

My dad and my younger brother always had a "monkey thing" (that is until the spate of monkey mauling stories over the last couple of years) so that was added motivation for building this toy.

The basic idea is you pull the string down and the monkey pulls himself (or herself) up the rope for a few inches. You then relax the tension on the rope; his legs swing back up and grab the slack. Then you pull down again and he climbs by pulling himself up. Sounds good, it should work...

Monkey legs move up when string is at rest because  of a little bit of elastic.	Pulling down on the string should make him seem to pull himself up the rope.

Maybe I was being an idiot but he just never worked right.  I never got the tension correct on the elastic that pulled his legs back up. I'm also not sure that I ever got his string "rigged" properly. He would climb, but it was so small as to be almost imperceptible. Pulling the string eight or ten times would result in a climb of 1/4 or 1/2 inch. Not the kind of fun the kiddies are looking for. So in a word - FAIL.

Well, maybe I did learn a few things from this build: 

• Leaps of faith are one thing, but if you really don't understand how something is going to work... you need to build a proof of concept piece first.
• At the time I felt I had to do the complete build before testing because I wasn't going to be able to paint and finish the toy once it was done. I was wrong. You can always partially disassemble or just tack things on lightly to test.
• Although I love his creepiness now, I probably should have just started over with the face...

 

The book was returned long ago to the library. I don't remember the title and I've never gone back to try and research similar toys to see how the strings should be rigged. I still have the little guy around though.

When I showed him to my younger brother, he laughed and said that he looked too evil to be a kids toy. He has kids now. Maybe I will look up how to fix the monkey... so I can give him to his kids and scare them. Hey, it's what older brothers with evil monkeys do.

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Climbing Toy

This climbing toy is one of those folk toys that is so crazy easy to make and use that it is almost scary. (Not Night of the Living Dead scary, just scary good.) Just pulling strings up and down makes these simple toys seem to magically climb straight up. You can easily knock one of these out in less than a hour.

The first one of these I built was from the "Climbing Bear" plans in John R. Nelson's "American Folk Toys." (Again, it is a great book, you should pick up a copy.) I painted mine and when I look at him now he seems so much rougher and less "finished" than most of the toys I make now. But you know what? WHO CARES! He is a happy bear who has been played with a lot and has a lot of years ahead of him. "A good toy now is better than a perfect toy never."




It is a simple build. There are only two parts and some string. (I've included a pattern and plans at the end of the post.)

• Transfer your pattern to the wood you are using (The plans called for 3/4" wood but all of mine were made from 1/2" pine because that is what I had on hand at the time.)
• Cut out the pattern using a coping, scroll or bandsaw with a small blade.
• Drill two 1/8" holes horizontally through the arm/hands of the toy. If you were to draw a straight line across the toy where the holes exit from each arm the holes would slope back towards the head at about 45 degrees. (No fissionable material is used in the making of this toy so if you don't get it exactly right, relax. Trust me. It won't explode no matter how off you are.)
• Make a toggle bar a little wider than your toy. I used a 1/4" thick by 1/2" wide by 3 1/2" long piece of hardwood. (A 1/2" round hardwood dowel could also be used.)
• Drill three 1/8" holes in the toggle bar. One in the middle (this is what you will hang the toy from) and a hole on each side 1 1/4" from the center.
• Use nylon string to make the two climbing ropes. Thread them through the toggle bar and then through the holes in the arms of the toy. One string on the right, one on the left. Tie the strings off in large knots or through wood beads. The string can be any length you want, just keep in mind where you will typically hang this toy.
• Make a loop out of the nylon sting and have it so that it is above the toggle bar. Secure it through the center hole with a large knot or bead.
• Find someplace to hang your toy and then alternate pulling the strings up and down. (Sort of like you were milking a cow.) The toy will climb right up.

A completed toggle bar

About a year or so after I made the bear, one of my daughters asked me to make her a climbing gingerbread man for Christmas. It seemed like a really sweet idea so I made that for her and an angel for her sister. That way they could race between the two toys to see whose could climb the fastest. Here is how they came out and below are two quick clips of them in action and plans for the Gingerbread man.

The buttons on the Gingerbread Man were made with axle caps.	The wings on the Angel were made with, what else, clementine box wood.

Here is my first shot at plans.
They should print full size on an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper set to landscape.
For the eyebrows and mouth I used thick "puff paint" to give it an icing look.
If you don't want to use this pattern, you can trace a cookie cutter or use some teacher clip art.

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Flippy Acrobat

 A couple of weeks ago, my youngest (a five year old) came home from school and told me "Nicole's party is in five days. You need to make her something. It needs to be blue." Well, Princess gets what Princess wants so time to get to work.

Without a doubt, the toy I have made the largest number of is flippy acrobats. When I first saw the plans for this toy, I thought the toys were too good to be true. They only consisted of a few pieces. They could be made out of inexpensive wood. They required only simple tools (my first dozen or so were made with a hand drill and a coping saw) and they had the promise of being action toys. They didn't just look nice, they did something. Wow. Too good to be true...right? Wrong. These little guys are all that and more.

The original plans (and the pattern for the one built in this post) come from John R. Nelson, Jr's book American Folk Toys. It is full of history, useful techniques, great photos and easy to follow directions. From that book I've also built the climbing bear, Jacob's ladder, carousel and Whimmydiddle (which I had been introduced to as "gee-haw whammy stick" in 5th grade. But more on that another day.) Again, they were easy to build, look great and are all action toys. If you are interested in building or just learning about folk toys, pick up a copy of this book. I simply can't recommend it highly enough.




I've used wood from clementine boxes for all the flippy acrobats I have built. It takes a little effort to break the boxes down, but as a ...ummm... frugal person it is worth it. If anyone calls you cheap, tell them that you are just being "green" and recycling (Be sure to act smug when you say it.) Look for clear 1/8" plywood bottoms and side.

For best results don't use already painted on wood for toy parts that will show. It has a tendency to show through the acrylic paint that I use.	Ancient Sicilian craftsmen  knew to use all parts of the clementine box...especially the bottom.

I've made this toy as bears, monkeys, dogs, cartoon characters, football players, skeletons (for a little Day of the Dead action) and some pretty odd but funny choices as well (the Kaiser, Captain Ahab, Ernest Hemmingway.) You are only limited by your imagination and a couple of simple guidelines.


Trace or print a couple of photocopies of the patten. (This came straight from American Folk Toys so I won't reproduce it here. I'll post a couple of my own patterns later... I promise! In the meantime... buy a copy of American Folk Toys! )

Rough cut the paper patterns for the body, arms and legs. Leave some space around the outside to help you guide your cut later. You can use double face tape to hold the patterns to the wood or lately I've started using spray adhesive. Spray the wood and let it get tacky for about five minutes before you put the pattern on. It will be easier to remove later.

Cut or acquire two 1/2"x1/2" 12" long sticks that will make the uprights for your acrobat. The wood can be wider but don't go overboard. You want it have a good feel in a child's hands. You can rip these sticks yourself but I've used 1/2" hardwood dowels (both round and square) from hardware/craft stores. Just look for straight solid ones. Drill  a 1/4" hole about 5" up from the bottom of each stick, centered on the stick and about 1/4" deep. Next drill two 1/16" holes 1/4" from the top and about 1/16" in from each side. These holes go straight through to the other side. Remember, you're making a toy, not parts for a nuclear reactor.


You'll save a lot of time by cutting your arms and legs two at a time (the toy's that is, not your own.). Just double face tape another piece from the same piece of plywood under your original. You'll get great results with a coping saw or a scroll saw if you have one. After they are cut out, drill 1/16" holes all the way through the parts. These holes will be where the arms and legs will pivot through the torso and the string will pass through the hands.

Have a piece of waste wood to make for a cleaner exit hole as you drill through the parts.	You'll also need a 2" piece of 1/4" hardwood dowel (shown above.)

Total time from for gluing, cutting, drilling, taking fuzzy pictures and filling oneself with smug self-satisfaction... about an hour.


Cleanup and sand your parts. I use "Goo Gone" to clean the adhesive off. The stuff works great(I do wish it smelled better though ... just saying.) Then the fun part. Start painting. I use craft store acrylics because:

They come in an amazing variety of colors (including the specified blue!)
They are water soluble so cleanup is a snap
They dry quickly
Non-toxic (needless to say a must in toy making)
and ummm... well... They are CHEAP!




The paint dries so quickly that multiple coats are a piece of cake and any mistakes are easily covered. The acrylics I use are flat so you are going to want to give the parts a protective coat. In the past I've used spray polyurethane but I've recently starting using spray acrylic that dries much faster between coats.


Okay final assembly. Glue the 2" dowel into the 1/4" holes in the long sticks. Make sure they are lined up correctly and clamp the assembly while it dries overnight.


Next attach the arms and legs to the torso by bending a small piece of wire first as an "L". Then pass it through the holes and bend the other end down so that you have made a "U". Make sure that the arms and legs swing freely.


Use nylon mason line for the string. The string will fray like crazy when you cut it so here is a tip that I swear I learned when I was a kid while making rosaries for missionaries. (Seriously, no foolin'!) Use clear nail polish on the string and let it dry before you cut it. This will hold it together as you sting it through the 1/16" holes in the sticks and hands of the toy.

The wire goes through the holes and is then bent into a "U". (Sorry for the fuzzy picture but you can see the finished uprights and a box of Red Hots in the background.)	The string pattern is easier than you'd think. It crosses over at each stick and one strand wraps over the other through the middle.

After you finish treading the string, tie it in a secure knot. Give the knot and a bit of the excess string a good coat of clear nail polish and then after it dries, cut off the excess. You are all done.

Give the bottom of the stick a gentle squeeze and release and watch the acrobat start to swing. You'll get the hang of it really quickly and you acrobat will really start to move.

When I post my own plans I'll include a more detailed explanation of the string threading pattern and some of the things to consider when you make your own.

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Making a Spoked Wheel (Part 3)

Part 1

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Part 2

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Part 3

I've made the hubs of my spoked wheels using a jig with a peg on a board that allows me to cut a circle using a bandsaw with a thin blade. If you are careful (which you always have to be) it is a pretty fast and easy way to make tiny "doughnuts" (mmmmm doughnuts....) However, I have to admit, it is really easy to allow your fingers to get too close to the blade, and that is a really bad idea.

I've recently found that you can buy 3/4" or even better yet 5/8" hole saws and just cut hubs using them. Use a pilot bit the same size as the hole on your previous disk and you can cut use that piece of waste. The disk will still have the radial holes drilled in it, so just use the same sort of jig with the 1/8 dowels to keep it in place. 

Okay, time for the spokes so one more jig. All you need is a thin disk cut with your 2" hole saw and a dowel the size of your axel hole (in this case 1/4".)

• Glue the disk to the dowel (or is it the dowel to the disk?) and make sure the disk and dowel are perpendicular while they dry.
• After your jig dries, clamp the rim to the disk and place the hub over the dowel and push it flush with the disk.
• Push 1/8" dowels through the radial holes of the rim and glue the ends to the hub. (You may need to sand the dowels slightly or run a 1/8" drill bit through the holes quickly to widen them a bit or make the hole more "true.")

The jig guarantees that the axel hole of the hub will be at the center of the wheel.	A snug fit is good because the spokes are glued to the hub and not in the holes of the rim. You can go back and put some glue on the spokes on the inside of the rim if you want.

After the spokes dry, remove the wheel from the jig and cut off the excess dowels.

Sand the wheel and take a moment to revel in the fact that you have stuck it to the man and made your own spoked wheel rather than just buying one.

If your pirate ship should happen to need a new helm, you can always stop a this point.	The finished wheel next to a "pirate" cannon. In the same way that spoked wheel aren't right for the pirate cannon, solid wheels wouldn't be a good match for a field artillery piece.

So there you go. It took far longer to record and photograph the process than it did to make the wheel. Just a couple more words:

Remember, you're building little toy wheels, not components for the Space Shuttle. Don't expect perfection.

I probably should have mentioned to make at least two wheels at a time. (Wheels tend to be needed in even numbers for some reason.)

The bronze and green cannon shown in the first post on this topic was a heavily modified $1 craft store kit that will have its own post one day. This latest wheel is destined for a future toy of this local landmark:

Making a Spoked Wheel
Part 1	|	Part 2	|	Part 3

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