Baby Gift Done (Pic)

[Helen Gee]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions for my initial post regarding baby gift ideas:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=31397

I ended up making this wooden push toy out of oak (spokes are made out of oak dowels). The main handle and inside wheel connector are made from walnut dowels. I did not have time to put finish on it before my friend's baby shower. Only issue we had with this design was with the balls binding up in the middle dowel that connects the wheels to the outer shell. Next time I make this, will need to make sure distance from the spokes to the center dowel is a little bit bigger or smaller.

Tied a red ribbon on it and gave it to them :D Hope their soon to be newborn daughter will enjoy it as much as us (err, well, when we were testing it out).

Will be making 2 more of these for the other friends who are expecting in the upcoming months.


http://www.pooter.com/pictures/Woodworking_Projects/Childrens_Push_Toy/400/DSC_7723.JPG

I am planning on taking up Tod's suggestion for the train set! Just found out family friend had a baby son :cool:

Thanks for looking!

[Karl Laustrup]

Great idea Helen. Looks really great. Make sure to use a finish that is baby friendly. I don't know what that might be off hand, but the thought just popped into my head.

Karl

[Gail O'Rourke]

Helen, what a great project. I am sure that it will be popular with it's new owner.

[Keith Starosta]

Helen, what a great project. I am sure that it will be popular with it's new owner.

...and maybe not so popular with the owner's parents!! :D ;)

Pretty cool, Helen!!

- Keith

[Alan DuBoff]

Helen,

Excellent project! Great results! What a great idea...

Your name always looks so familiar to me, you didn't work at Taligent previously, did you?

[Jason Tuinstra]

Helen, that's a great idea. Nice project.

[Rob Bodenschatz]

...and maybe not so popular with the owner's parents!! :D ;)

- Keith

I know what you're thinking Keith, that d*&%* plastic popper toy. I suspect Helen's makes a more soothing sound, like a chime. :)

Seriously, though, that is really cool.

[Jim Becker]

Ooh...a noise maker! (nicely done, I might add!!) You're going to be "very popular" with the parents...LOL! :)

[Frank Pellow]

It looks like gift that will be played wioth a lot Helen. I have saved the picture into my folder of ideas for childrens toys.

[Helen Gee]

Thank you for everyone's compliments :) The parents will probably not like it as much once their daughter starts using it. George, however, came up with an excellent idea to also supply the kid with a drumset :rolleyes: for her 1st birthday. :D

The balls actually don't make as much noise as the plastic ones so I guess the parents will be fine..for now....................

[Frank Chaffee]

Helen,
That is definitely a cool toy, and brings back memories of the one I learned to drive with.


…I suspect Helen's makes a more soothing sound, like a chime. :)
Picking up on Rob’s thoughts, I wonder if the wooden dowels could be replaced with either hollow aluminum tubes or flat alum strips, allowing the sound produced to be more like a wind chime or xylophone. Likely, suspension of those members would be key (pun intended), but also, they could actually be inside a structurally supporting wood dowel frame, just as you have now but with fewer dowels.

Just a thot for the young and energetic among us…
Frank

[Helen Gee]

Hmm, that would be a good experiment :) I'll give it a try and let you guys know :) If it makes too much noise, it'll be a present for the next couple who's expecting :rolleyes: