the beautiful music all around us stephen wade stops by

we had a great event in manchester last wednesday evening.  the verrmont council of the humanities first wednesdays program featured stephen wade, a grammy winning banjo player and music historian.  he is a stunning performer and great story teller.  he spent an hour or so describing his travels through the south, meeting and playing with the old time musicians in the 60s and 70s interspersing the story with song on about 7 or 8 historic banjos from his collection.  naturally, at the end of the show, will needed to buy his book, the beautiful music all around us ... field recordings and the american experience.  more about that book at this link.  while doing that, he struck up a conversation with stephen and his friend sandy, a banjo collector.  next day, wouldnt you know, they showed up at the shop for a visit and to test out a few of wills banjos.  great music, great banjos, and a great time was had by all ...

sandy, with a new one, hot off the press

 

and will plays a tune for stephen ..

see more photos of wills banjos and their construction on his seeders instruments instagram feed.

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How to Build a Picnic Table Step by Step Guide

This post will show you how to build a picnic table exactly like the one shown in the photo below.  I think this picnic table would make a wonderful addition to your outdoor summer experience at home.  When correctly built and finished you will be able to enjoy this woodworking project for many years to come.  I built mine using everyday woodworking tools that could be bought very cheaply second hand or borrowed from a neighbour.  I used plans that I downloaded and were essential when it came time to build my picnic table.  Just follow the step by step guide below and it will teach you everything you need to know about building a picnic table.

You can make this picnic table, just keep reading!

 

 

Step 1:  Materials list and tools used

The materials used were bought at my local hardware store quite cheaply:

• 2x4s
• 2x6s
• 2x8s
• 3" x 3/8" galvanised carriage bolts
• 2 1/2", 3" and 4" inch decking screws
• Outdoor wood varnish

Thankfully all the tools I needed, I already owned:

• Circular saw
• Sabre saw
• 3m tape measure
• Framing square
• Combination square
• Cordless drill and an assortment of bits
• C-clamps and bar clamps
• Ratchet set
• Paint brushes
• Safety specs
• 120 and 220 grit sandpaper

Terminology used in the guide

Step 2:  Cutting the legs to length

Cut the legs to length using a circular saw.  Clamp your framing square at 60 degrees to the end of the 2x8 and use this as a fence to run your circular saw against to ensure a perfect 60 degrees.  Obviously, you need to do this 8 times.

Step 3:  Cutting the table slats

Cut the table slats to length from a 2x8.  The top edges of the slats may be rounded off using a router or giving a light run with a smoothing plane.

 

Step 3: Prepare the end table and centre table supports

This involves cutting a 60 degree angle on the ends of the supports.  This cuts down on weight slightly and makes for a more knee friendly table.

Step 4: Creating the picnic table top

The table top assembly requires the two

end table supports and the centre table

support.  Spacers are used in between the slats, during assembly, to allow a space between the slats for rainwater drainage while maintaining a practical table

surface.

            Drill pilot holes, 2 for each slat on both end table supports and the centre support.  Countersink the holes so that the screw head finishes flush with the bottom surface of the supports.

            Screw the supports to the table slats.  You may use a wood glue if desire for extra rigidity.

 

 

 Step 5: Attaching the legs

 

 
Clamp the legs in place and position them on each of the centre slats and on the outer face of the end support faces.  The legs will be attached with some galvanised carriage bolts with washers.  It is very important to use galvanised elements as they resist corrosion and ensure that your table will be held together securely.

 

Drill some clearance holes for the bolts.  It is a good idea to drill clearance holes which are very slightly smaller than the bolt diameter.  This will make for a very rigid leg structure.  The bolts will be tightened from the inside.  The counterboring ensures that the end of the bolt does not protrude underneath the table and possibly injure somebody while sitting.  Also, ensure that you use a galvanised washer.  This will spread the load applied when tightening the bolt and minimise any puncturing of the wood and prevent any ingress of water into the timber, which will result in premature rotting of the wood.  You can plug the counterbore with some clear silicone after you have finished tightening the bolts.

 

Step 6:  Attaching the bench supports to the legs

 

Mark the position of the bench support and clamp to the legs using a c-clamp.   Mark the position of the holes. Using deck screws and a cordless screwdriver attach the bench supports.

 

 

 

Step 7:  Cut and attach the braces

 

Using 2x4s cut the braces to length and cut

60 degree angles on both ends.  Centre

the brace on the bench support and drill

pilot holes for the decking screws.

 

 

 

 

 

Step 8: Cut the bench cleats and attach

 

Use spacers to space out the bench slats and fix the bench slats together using the bench cleat.  Clamp the assembly together usingbar clamps.  Drill pilot holes and fix using decking screws.  For extra strength you may choose to use two bench cleats.

 

 

 

Step 9:  Fix the bench to the bench support

 

Position the benches onto the bench supports and hold them in place using the c-clamps.  See the position guides in the diagram

Drill pilot holes on the underside of the

bench supports.  Attach the benches to the

bench supports using decking screws.

 

 

Step 10: Sand and finish

Using a sanding block and some 120 grit paper give the surfaces a sanding. Sand in the direction of the grain to give a smoother finish.  If you are in a hurry then may choose not to sand on the surfaces that are not visible.  Using a vacuum cleaner suck all the dust off the surfaces.  Using 220 grit sandpaper, sand again.  This should leave a smooth surface. Again vacuum the surface and rub all surfaces with a tack cloth.  Note: A tack cloth is a lint free cloth that has been impregnated with a wax that will grab all bits of dust from your woodworking project.  If you want to stain the wood I would recommend using a pre-conditioner if you have built your picnic table from pine.  The pre-conditioner helps softwoods like pine to stain more evenly.  Once the picnic table has been dusted you may apply a coat of outdoor varnish.  Allow to dry for 24 hours.

 

Conclusion:

I hope that you have enjoyed this project.  It can be easily done over a weekend and will last for years to come.  If you need some blueprints. I bought a very good set of plans online.

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St Thomasteppich visited by St Thomasguild

The most memorable and impressive event during our visit to Wienhausen (Germany) was the visit to the Thomasteppich or Saint Thomas-tapestry in Kloster Wienhausen. We had made a special appointment with the convent as the tapestries are normally not on display at that time of year (They are in June, during the tapestry weeks). The Thomasteppich is very special for us, as Saint Thomas is the patron saint of our guild, and the tapestry is made in the same decennium as we re-enact: the late 14th century (1370-1380). We were warmly welcomed by the konventualinnen and received answers to our many questions on details of the construction and the tapestry, while our children were kept busy with drawing materials.

The Thomasteppich is a large tapestry, it measures 2.05 by 4.46 meter. The tapestry originally had been even larger, as a small part of the right side and the top has been cut off. Some fragments of the top still remain the depot, which we did not see.

 This image of the Thomasteppich is taken from the blog Medieval arts and crafts and the book Kloster Wienhausen by Horst Appuhn. 1986. ISBN 978-3980131605.
 

Construction of the Thomas tapestry

The tapestry is made in the so-called Klosterstich (cloisterstich, see Racaires blog for a detailed pdf handout on this technique) embroidered in wool on rough linen. The klosterstich is a very economical embroidery technique: most of the woollen threads are at the front and only a small amount is at the back of the linen. The wool itself is a S-turned thread twined of two two z-turned threads. The embroidered wool completely covers the linen (unlike the Bayeux tapestry). The linen background consists of several bands which were stiched together, when the embroidery of these bands was finished. In the tapestry museum in Wienhausen this stitching can be seen on some other tapestry fragments, were parts of the embroidery have gone.

This type of woollen tapestry was entirely made within the cloister: the design, the drawing of the design on the linen with special ink and the embroidery were all done by the nuns. But also the making of the linen, the spinning and colouring of the wool (the right side of the tapestry shows a spinning nun and one working flax) was done by them. And finally, even the use of the finished tapestry was restricted to the convent. Once finished, re-enforcement bands were stitched to the back of the tapestry, such that it could  hang safely.

More than one nun worked on the embroidery, though it is not known who worked on the Thomasteppich. On some tapestries individual styles can be distinguished, proving that more nuns worked on a piece. Tapestries took several years to embroider, but also the preparatory work took a year.

The colours used in the Thomasteppich are a bit faded, but for a more than 600 year old tapestry they are still bright. The only colour that has suffered through the ages is the black, which is nearly gone due to the oxidation of the iron. This means that there is little detail on the faces, eyes, nor any accents in the folding of the clothes. Colours used for the Thomasteppich are yellow, red, pink, bluegreen, yellowgreen, dark blue, metal blue, brown, dark grown, beige, lila, natural, and black.

Images of klosterstich and the backside of the Bartholomeuslaken from the book by Tanja Kohwagner-Nikolai "per manus sororum.." Niedersachsische Bildstickereien im Klosterstich (1300-1583). Martin Meidenbauer Verlag, 2006. ISBN 978-3-89975-082-9.

Details of the tapestry

The Saint Thomas tapestry describes the life of the apostle Thomas (doubting Thomas) based on the apocryphal book of Thomas, which tale later became included in the Legenda aurea. The scenes are presented in three rows with two rows of text in old-German, which is very similar to old-Dutch, between them (the text is also likely the place where the linen bands are connected). 

The clothing style, except for Thomas and Christ, is like that in the mid/late 14th century. One can notice the hood, the male cotehardies with many buttons and the female cotehardy with streamers hanging from the arms. The important persons, such as the king wear mi-parti hoses. The knight on the horse is wearing a bascinet with a movable visor, a popular helmet at that time.

In the corners of the tapestry were four shields with coats of arms. Two of them are still complete, of the third only remains a part, and the fourth is missing  Coats of arms on these woollen tapestries were often connected with donors or the abbess, prioress or noble ladies in the convent. It is however not clear to whom the heraldic symbols on the Thomas teppich belong. The griffin (black on a yellow shield) has been suggested to belong to the Earl of Wolgast, but the colours are different and the shield is halved. The lion (blue on yellow shield) could represent Luneburg, but the hearts on the yellow background are missing. The black and yellow striped shield could represent the Family Pallandt.

All detail images from the Thomasteppich were scanned from the tapestry image in the book by Pia Wilhelm "Kloster Wienhausen band III - Die Bildteppiche. Starting from top right and continuing clockwise are: the Indian king and his brother wearing a mi-parti hose; two court members wearing buttoned cotehardies and low-hip knightly belts. The person on the right also wears a hood with a long liripipe. The feet of the hose have pointy toes, also becoming more popular during this time; Next, the female playing the musical instrument has streamers; Finally the knight with the bascinet with aventail and klappvisor. 

Use of the tapestry 

The woollen tapestries were used as hangings on walls and as screens to divide rooms (e.g. the church /choir).  Tapestries also served as Memoria, items to help to remember - not only the life of the saint  depicted on the tapestry, but also that of the abbess who ordered the tapestry and its embroiderers, for which it served as a way to conquer death. The legend of Thomas on the tapestry does not strictly follow the official Legenda aurea. The last scene is from the legend as told by Hermann von Fritzlar (a 14th century German mystic), where Saint Thomas returns from the death at Eastern to spend the communion with the faithfull.  

The Thomasteppich is connected to the holy blood (Thomas touched the wound in the side of Christ and as such the blood of Christ) and as such to the cult of the "shrine of the holy sepulchre" in Wienhausen. The Thomas tapestry also links with the ritual of the oblatio, the entrance in the cloister, where the nuns became brides to Christ: Saint Thomas converted some maidens to the Christian faith and they decided to live a celibate life, like the nuns of Wienhausen. The angry husbands forced the Saint  to worship at a heathen temple, which resulted in its destruction and the death of Thomas by the sword of the priest (3rd row, 4th scene on the tapestry). All in all this provides plenty opportunity to display and use the tapestry during appropriate Christian rites.  

Dragons are vegetarians

Is the dragon in the lower left corner of the tapestry a vegetarian? If you look at the the decorative dragons on the tapestry they seem to be eating plants! You can clearly distinguish a leave on the stem at which they are gnawing.

Information on the Saint Thomas tapestry was kindly provided by one of the conventualinnen of Kloster Wienhausen,  as well as from the books "Kloster Wienhausen band III - Die Bildteppiche" by Pia Wilhelm and "per manus sororum..." Niedersachische Bildstickereien im Klosterstich (1300-1583) by Tanja Kaohwagner-Nikolai.

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a nice post by kate pace

we have recently hired kate pace of route 7 social to manage some of our online activity.  a good example of her recent efforts can be seen on our dorset custom furniture facebook page.

shes posting stuff for us there, treasures from past blog posts, related vermont stuff, and other local things she finds interesting.  give us a like if you visit us there.  i think its great to see what she finds interesting from my past writings.  she has definitely increased our blog traffic. we have known kate since she was really young as our families were neighbors on red mountain road in arlington .. at one point, she actually babysat for sam and will ... anyway, we are totally enjoying working with her.

kate also works doing sort of the same thing for the guild of vermont furniture makers and is currently profiling all the members by visiting their shops ... we enjoyed having her here, and she did an EXCELLENT job summing us up in the short article below. 

the text and photos below is a copy and paste.  click the photos to enlarge them.

State of Craft: A Visit to Dorset Custom Furniture

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This spring Dan Mosheim celebrated thirty-five years in the studio furniture business. At such a benchmark, his portfolio is extensive, award-winning and happily installed in public and private spaces across the country.

Dan’s blog A Woodworkers Photo Journal chronicles the work at Dorset Custom Furniture. And as a reader of the blog could expect, there was lots to see, learn and take in when we visited last month.

Since Dan’s furniture catalog is deep in volume and stylistically diverse, it was really difficult to choose a finished piece or two to feature here. We settled on ‘Bridges,’ for its aesthetic and design story. The bench was Dorset Custom Furniture’s contribution to the Bennington Museum exhibition ‘State of Craft’ a few years back.

The bench design was partly inspired by Dan’s grandfather, Irvin Seeders, a bridge riveter for Bethlehem Steel for 52 years.  And the design and fabrication was a collaborative effort between Dan (b. 1947)  and his two sons, Sam and Will. “Sam did the steel work and green paint, Will did the burning and finishing, and I roughed out the recycled oak wood, worked on assembly and the conceptual stuff.” Typical Dorset Custom Furniture, dividing the jobs up according to specialty, resulting in a piece that’s totally unique, with a measurable WOW factor. Since then, a really cool line of Bethlehem Steel studio pieces has emerged.
The DCF Family is five. Or six. Five guys making furniture. And one guy making instruments. Trevor’s been with Dan since 2006 and he’s the resident CNC master. Check out his work. Chris is the newest to join the group, a very competent woodworker (recent project here) who’s worked on his own, and also with Guild Member Bill Laberge who has a shop down the street.

And Jim Parsons (a.k.a Mr Lucky) we didn’t get to meet. Dan says he’s the Vice President of ‘lightness and humor’ in the shop. A talented woodworker and glass blower, the two have worked together on an off for many years. Jim rounds out the DCF crew.

 There were a few projects underway when we visited, and some ready to ship. Will was working out a neck for a five string open back banjo. “It’s all Vermont native wood – cherry and hardhack — and themed inlays,” he told us. A few years ago, Will had been working in the furniture shop and making instruments on the side. As an accomplished player (see Gold Town) it was a natural fit and after a blush of first orders, he shifted his title to full-time luthier.

Of course there are similarities between furniture and instrument making. The design process, the client relationship, the way past projects inform new experiences… all shared elements with the addition of one, the performance requirement.

“Right. It has to make music.” Will laughed. But then he leaned in, and said earnestly, “I put my heart and soul into my instruments, touching, making every piece. I consider where it’s going, how the person will use it. And I think people like knowing that some presence of the maker is there.” Will explained that he’ll even tackle the metal hardware eventually. “I’ll find time to work out that process with my brother, next door, and that will really set my work apart.” We liked his approach but had to let him know we think he’s already there… You can see for yourself at Seeders Instruments.
And the ‘next door’ Will referred to? That’s his brother’s metal shop… Sam Mosheim Metalwork.
“I taught myself welding,” Sam told us. “I had a couple of friends who studied sculptural metal work and I’ve learned from them. You get to know the basics,” he says. “And then it’s just about practice. And more practice and more practice.” Sam’s been working metal full time for about five years. Each project is basically a custom job and he takes those, most of the time, from start to finish; design to installation.

With a really solid and diverse catalog of work, clients and contractors are inspired to request a drawing with their own customization. “Part of the process is figuring it out. And each time you learn from it and become better and better.” No doubt, as you’re out tooling around Southern Vermont, you’ll start to spot Sam’s work here and there… railings, porches, balconies, sign posts, you name it. Just beautiful stuff. And his contribution to the DCF catalog has been pretty profound, and popular. The guys are cranking out fantastic slab tables with steel bases that have heft, shimmer and lightness all at once.

And when Sam’s not working in the shop, he’s gone fishing. That’s guaranteed.
Before we headed out, we reconnected with Dan, almost embarrassed to ask if he would choose a favorite project. Easy going in response, he offered up a library. A job from scratch. “We cut the wood from the clients land in Glastonbury, built the library in Arlington, assembled and finished it in Cambridge. Then we took it apart, put in on a truck and drove it down to New York, where we suspended it like a half inch inside an 18×22 room. It took the better part of year from start to finish.” Wide-eyed but not surprised, this seems exactly like the thing Dorset Custom Furniture would do. Totally custom, unsurpassed quality and no limit to the vision or execution. And it seems like a reasonable project for Dan to choose. But (and there’s always a but) after scrolling through pages of blog content, we think he’s got a sweet spot for pool tables, too.

And what does Dan do when he’s not in the shop? He’s busy living. “Now, what have we got and where are we???? Almost 40 years in the same geographic area, unbelievably interesting clients/friends, a great shop, a great place to live, fantastic gardens by Kit, two great and talented kids working with us, a little time for golf and tennis … What more could a person ask for? I’d say the ‘State of Craft’ on Goodwood Lane is pretty good right now. I realized this morning I have to occasionally stop and appreciate how lucky I’ve been to have been involved with the ‘State of Craft’ … It’s been a good ‘state’ for me ….” And hearing Dan’s thoughts and understanding his story, I’d have to venture that it’s been good for us, too… Dorset Custom Furniture is a real life feel good story. It’s about Vermont. About art and creativity, and what’s possible. It’s about a talented family, devoted to design, quality and one another.

May we propose a toast … to 35 years in business… To collaboration, community and to keeping the state of craft alive!
Find Dorset Custom Furniture work on our website and on Facebook. And if you’re interested, bookmark Dan’s blog site and keep up with him there.

This entry was posted in In the Studio, Member Work and tagged Dan Mosheim, Dorset Custom Furniture, Sam Mosheim Metalwork, Seeders Instruments, Vermont Furniture on May 13, 2014 by Kate Pace.

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a mahogany slab conference table

this slab has been around the shop, looking for a home for a while now and it finally found one recently.  it will be going to a local financial firm, and will be a conference/meeting table 

in their about to be remodeled offices.

as you might imagine, any conference table in 2015 will require lots of wires and power outlets, in fact there will be four cat 5 cables, an hdmi cable, and 3 duplex outlets, all recessed into the bottom of the slab so that there are no holes poking up through it.  we will likely add some small simple wire retainers to support the cords where they loop up and over from below.

some early drawings and revisions of the plan above.

and we made a couple small scale models.  this one is 1" = 1.

lots of hand routing by trevor as the slab was too big and heavy to go upstairs to the cnc.

the electrical layout

while you cant see it here, there are holes in the bottoms of the hollow legs and the wires will exit through the top of the leg and into the channels to the boxes.  in the end, the table will be bolted to the floor as it is installed and the wires will come in from the cellar below.  we had it on its feet earlier in the week, but i somehow missed that photo opportunity .., well try that again later ...

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just a thought about Popeye by Jeff Koons

from todays new york times ... here, let me read the caption for you ...

  this stainless steel "popeye" by jeff koons is expected to draw 

$25 million when sothebys auctions it next month.

 

hmmmm .. after a really busy week at the shop, i found this article hit me kind of the wrong way.  i have an idea for whoever is the runner up bidder at the sothebys auction.  why dont you take the $24,950,000. you didnt spend on this rather questionable piece of art and pick 20 artists whose work you really like (do you really like popeye $25 million worth?) and give em each a million bucks to make you some stuff.  give em a year or two to do it.  then, when all that stuff is all done, you can decide which of those five artists did the best job, and divvy up the other $4,950,000. among the five of them.  i bet youll be a lot happier in the long run.  maybe you wont be able to flip the stuff in 10 years for $50,000,000., but you will have quite an experience; you will have validated some serious artists, and, in the end, will have acquired a small museums worth of stuff with a good story attached to it.  hey.  take a shot.  maybe one of the 20 you pick will be the next hot ticket.  wouldnt that somehow be more interesting?

end of rant ...

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How to Make a Wooden Toy Airplane

 

This is a really easy woodworking project that is also quite fun to do.  You could easily have this done in a day or have a dozen or so made over a weekend ready to be sold the following weekend at any trade show or market.  Basic woodshop tools are all that are needed and the plane itself can be made from scrap wood.  Imagine handing this completed woodwork project to your son, nephew or grandson.  I am sure they would have tonnes of fun with it.

 

 

 

 

Step 1 - Tools and materials needed

 

Tools:

• Pencil
• Cordless drill with an assortment of bits
• Fine tooth hand saw
• Bandsaw, jigsaw or coping saw
• 80, 120 and 220 grit sandpaper with sanding block
• Smooth woodfile
• Stanley/carpet knife

 

Materials:

• 19mm x 50mm x 300mm pine board (3/4" x 2" x 12")
• 12mm x 90mm x 850mm pine board (1/2" x 3 1/2" x 33")
• 8mm (1/3") dowels
• 30mm (1 1/3") and 50mm (2") woodscrews
• Woodglue
• Non toxic wood finish?

 

Step 2 - Marking out and cutting nose and fuselage

First off, if you are planning on making a large number of these to sell then I would recommend making templates so that you can quickly trace out the shape of each of the constituent parts.  If you are just making one then using the drawings as your guide start drawing the outline of the wooden toy airplane parts.

 

Draw out the shape of the nose and the shape of the fuselage onto the sheet of 19mm (3/4") thick pine.  Cut out these parts using a bandsaw, jigsaw or coping saw.  Glue the surfaces of the nose and fuselage that will be coming into contact with eachother.  Position the nose onto the plywood and drill a pilot hole through the nose and into the fuselage.  Allow the glue to dry.

 

Step 3 - Marking out and cutting tailplane and rudder

Draw out the shape of the tail plane and rudder onto the 12mm (1/2") thick pine board.  Note the way I used a bottle cap to add a serrated effect on the trailing edge of the tailplane.  Cut out the shapes using a bandsaw, jigsaw or coping saw.

 

 

 

Using a piece  of 12mm wood and starting from the trailing edge of the tailplane, trace out the thickness of the notch into which the rudder will slide.  The notch at the aft section of the fuselage will give the distance required to finish off the outline of the section to be removed in the tailplane.

 

 

Step 5 - Gluing the empennage (tailplane and rudder) together

Before the tailplane and rudder are glued together it would be a good idea to round off and sand the edges.  This is much easier to do before they are glued together.  The assembly is held in a c-clamp whilst the glue dries.  Ensure that the rudder is 90 degrees to the tailplane using a small set square such as one you would find in highschool mathematical set.

 

Step 4 - Marking out and cutting the wings

The wings are cut from 1/2" pine board.  The shape of the wing is simply traced out onto the pine board and then cut using a bandsaw or jigsaw.  I chose a round wingtip profile.  I feel that this gives the biplane a softer profile.  Choosing not to have any sharp points on the project is a good idea if the toy will be used by young children.

Once the top and bottom wings have been made they are positioned one on top of the other  and then the holes are drilled which will receive the dowels.  The dowels will give strength to the structure as well as giving the biplane an authentic look.

Step 5 - Make the landing gear

The landing gear is comprised of two struts and is made using the 3/4" pine boards.  These are later attached to the bottom wing.  As with the tailplane and rudder assembly it would be a very good idea to round and sand the edges before attaching to the rest of the plane.

Step 6 - Attach the landing gear to the bottom wing

Position the landing centrally underneath the bottom wing.  Each strut is screwed and glued to the bottom wing.

 

 

Step 7 - Assemble landing gear, bottom wing and fuselage

Now the airplane is really taking shape!  The fuselage is bonded to the bottom wing using glue and a couple of screws.  The piece is clamped tightly while the glue dries.

 

 

Step 8 - Attach the empennage to the fuselage

The empennage is screwed and glued to the fuselage.  The underside of the fuselage and tailplane is shown below in the photo.

 

 

Step 9 - Attach the top wing

Cut the dowels (4) that will be used to space the top wing from the bottom wing.  Glue is applied to the dowel ends and they are then inserted into the holes that were drilled in step 4. Finally a hole is drilled in the middle of the top wing following through into the fuselage.  A dowel will be glued and inserted into this hole.

 

 

 

Step 10 - Make the wheels & axle

The wheels are made using a hole saw and the 1/2" pine wood. The axle is cut to length from a dowel.  A good idea here is to make the holes slightly larger than the diameter of the axle.  The wheels are glued to the axle.  Tip: Applying some linseed oil will lubricate the axle and reduce sqeaukiness when the child is playing with the toy.

Step 10 - Make the propeller

This the last step.  The propelleor is made from the 1/2" pine wood and may be carved using a Stanley knife to make it look more realistic.  Tip:  A more detailed plane will higher money if you plan on selling the plane(s).

 

 

 

The toy airplane is now constructed.  You may choose to leave the airplane unfinished or stain it using food colour dyes or non-toxic wood finish.  I hope that you enjoyed reading this guide.  This is a very easy project but will give you great job satisfaction.  It is a simple but good looking toy that any child would cherish.  I used these plans and they aided greatly.?

 

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