Making Fun

[EIEIO]

I've been retooling my scroll shop lately to make more toys. Portraits and plaques can be impressive, but the look people have when they see a slick hand made toy is altogether different. Rolling, flopping, squeaking, flying, spinning toys are a lot more fun than fretwork and they force you to interact with the wood.

But in our Toys forum, the last thread was started back in March.

Am I missing something? Is there a reason this forum is so barren? Are the designers of toys are more protective with their intellectual property, or is there just less interest in that space? 

Anyone have any thoughts on it?   

[GrayBeard]

There are probably a lot of folks like me...my youngest grandchild just turned 21 so not much interest in making toys for me.

~~~GB~~~

[countryscroller]

I haven't made many toys out of wood since I started scrolling, but plan on making some. As you know my videos fit a theme each 10 episodes, so after the kitchen, then I might do a series on toys. Usefull items that you make out of wood are more fun to do than just a fretwork piece I agree. Like the toast tongs, they were easy to make, but serve a fun purpose.

[Merlin]

Doing some at the moment Ray but they are a big on the bigger side than I'm used too so it's taking a wee bit longer with health and all that stuff.

***Merlin***

[EIEIO]

Cars and trucks are great toys, but are the lady scrollers doing anything different for the little girls out there?

The grand-nieces don't seem too interested in cars, but they are always dragging out this Steve Good clown drop (birch wood with poplar dowels and red oak clown).


That's Senior Cork on the left. He's the carny running the rides.

A series of carnival rides might be fun to make. 
 

[Rapid Roger]

I've made LOTS of games and toys for my grandchildren over the years. I have five, 2 boys and three girls between the ages of 5 and 13.
Every Christmas the kids want to "See what Papa made me this year."  I think they are getting tired of it....No batteries needed. 
Several years ago I made these for the two oldest grand daughters.(the youngest wasn't here yet)
Sorry about the quality of the picture, it was taken with my old camera.




Don't even ask about a pattern, I pretty much drew it up and cut parts as I went. 

Rog

[Becky]

I've made a few toys for my nephew - last Christmas I sent him the gumball machine.  A few years back I made Steve's plane for him and he took it to bed with him every night.  He's getting older now and might enjoy the more mechanical type toys but I am running out of toy patterns for him unless a magazine prints one I like.

And what's with all the fretwork bashing?  I really enjoy fretwork!!  

Edited to add:  I meant that last smiley to mean I was just kidding with you guys.  On later thought, I realized you could take it otherwise.  No offense meant, just playing with ya!

[Rapid Roger]

When I first read your post last night (before the edit) I was concerned about a few comments that I've made lately. I don't in anyway want to put down fret work, I have done a lot of it in the past and still do from time to time. That is the way most of us get started using a scroll saw by seeing something in fret work and wanting to try it ourselves.
I just have discovered that a scroll saw can do a lot more than cutting slots in thin wood for pictures, plaques, signs, crosses etc.. With the tilting table (or upper arm) bowls, vases, pitchers, toys, games and a whole lot of other things can be done with a scroll saw.
I just try to encourage other people to try new and different ways of using our favorite tool and stretch their imagination and step outside the box (or lines). 
No offence meant or taken. 

Rog 

[EIEIO]

No bashing intended, I was just asking about a forum that seems like it should be active but isn't.

So maybe the better question is whether there is a shortage of patterns for making toys, or just not much interest in toy making? If new patterns were posted, would members use them?

[EIEIO]

Rog - your table and chairs are exactly what I was asking about for the girls. We have had a string of little girls in the family and I'd like to make things that they would enjoy.

Back a while I posted some small cups cut from 2x4 lumber.
http://stevedgood.com/community/index.php?topic=13199.0
The girls get them out all the time to play.
They also always ask for some plumber's putty and a cutting board to make cakes, cookies, pretzels, etc. That putty lasts a lot longer than Play Dough and must feel more like real dough because of the oils in it. I have a small piece of 1/2" PVC pipe they use as a rolling pin. I'm thinking a tub of putty, cutting board, tiny rolling pin, and a wooden spatula might be nice set for kids that like that kind of thing.

Anyway, this is a stream-of-thought posting hoping for some ideas from others out there. No disrespect meant to all the other great forums, just trying to bring some life to the toys area.

[dunk]

I'd love to see more toys, boys  (finally got my grandson) and girls (3 of these darlings)..  Not a lot of patterns available that I can find for free though.

[EIEIO]

I'd love to see more toys, boys  (finally got my grandson) and girls (3 of these darlings)..  Not a lot of patterns available that I can find for free though.

I just posted a pattern for some simple trucks.
http://stevedgood.com/community/index.php?topic=14411.0
They don't have any fancy fenders, lights, etc, but they have a nice weight and they roll around pretty well. They even sound good when you crash them together. I think young kids would not notice the simplicity.

I hope to post some other toy patterns as I work them out.

[Dakota Saw Dust]

I went to an Art/Craft show in Minnesota 2 years ago, to scout out participating. There was a couple selling Truck, Cars, and Trains and seemed do have a good business.  Personally, i think making these items [for family] has a short time window.  Sure Grandpa made them but our children/Grandchildren move on very quickly to store bought toys. Wood cars etc. are not for my Grand kids today. Now puzzles, jewelery boxes, even doll furniture will span a larger age range - in my opinion.

[slowcutter]

I don't make many toys,but do enjoy making them.
Do a farmers market every Sunday & use them to keep peoples entrust up in my wife's photography both.
I show & sell a few wood things there also.
Yes I think if there was more free patterns more people would make them.
There is a man at market that sell cars trucks & things like that & he has great sales every Sunday.
Under a $300 day is a bad day for him.

[dunk]

I just posted a pattern for some simple trucks.

I saw that Ray  Thanks for the generosity...do you have a link for the clown drop?  Unable to find it on steves site...