We Make (And Sell) Fun Animals From Woodshop scraps

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Keep your outlines simple and try to key them to your equipment. The curves on our hippopotamus, for example, just match the drum on the top of our sander (which, obviously, makes it very easy for us to sand down a hippo). Avoid fragile beaks or feet that can break off during the rough and tumble of play.

Another design tip: Many of our little creations have their f ront "legs" separated from their back ones merely by the removal of a half circle of wood from each of the animals' "bellies". By clamping two of the figures togetherbase to base-and then drilling with a 1-1/8" bit right through the resulting "crack" where the two blocks butt together ... we can take out both of the semi-circles at once. Bear in mind, too, that the hole drilled by a 1/4" bit makes a good eye on one of these animals. (Auger bits—the ones with little guide "screws" in their centers-are the best kind to use. They "clear" well, are easy to "place", and don't "run".)

MAKE A PATTERN FOR EACH FIGURE

As you perfect each of your designs, trace it onto a piece of tempered Masonite and cut out a master template or pattern. Mark the spot for the eye by drilling a hole with a 1/8" bit ... and you should be all set to duplicate your rabbit or rhinoceros or whatever as many times as you like.

To date, I've created ten animals and four birds and I'm working on some new designs. And don't forget that all your basic figures can be modified to make bookends, coat pegs, birthday-candle holders, and other children's items.

Pencil holders, for example, are nothing but stock animals with a few holes drilled into their backs (once you know what you're doing, you'll probably find it easiest to drill these holes before the figures are even bandsawed out).

And here's another simple way to get more mileage from an especially good design: just scale it up or down. I recently filled one order for a teacher who wanted a "papa", a "mama", and a "baby" elephant. She got all three ... but, except for size, they were all the same animal.

MASS PRODUCTION IS EASY

Once you've created a few patterns, it's a snap to mass-produce these wooden animals.

Place a template on a block, pencil around it, and mark the eye. Repeat for a second figure. Then clamp the two blocks together and run the 1-1/8" drill bit between them to form the animals' legs. Switch to the 1/4" bit and drill out the eyes.

Next, unclamp the two blocks andone at a time, with each held down flat on the band saw's table-cut out the animals with a 3/8" or 1/4" skip-tooth blade. Then sand them to shape with a medium-grit belt on your bench sander. And, finally, hand-sand each figure meticulously to take off all sharp corners and edges (remember, you're creating something special ... and it's for little children).

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