How to Make a "flying" Eagle Toy

This is a simple children’s toy. It is suspended against a wall or over a door frame, and as you pull on either side of the string the eagle will "fly" up the string.

For this project you will need
• A small block of wood about 1.5 inches wide, by 10 inches, and ¾ of an inch thick
• About 16 feet of string
• Scroll saw (band saw or coping saw will work)
• A drill and 1/8 inch bit (enough for the string to slide through easily)
• Silhouette an eagle (to trace)
 

Start by tracing the silhouette of the eagle, about 4 inches long (wing tip to wing tip), onto one side of the block.

Cut out the silhouette and a ½ inch by 4 inch block as a spreader bar

Drill two holes from the bottom of the eagles wings at about a 45 degree angle towards the head of the eagle. This is what will allow the eagle to move up the string, so make sure the holes are angled towards the head of the eagle.

Drill three holes into the spreader bar; one in the center, the others spaced evenly on either side

take 14 feet of string and thread it through each hole in the eagle’s wings and then through the two outside holes in the spreader bar, tie off each side securely. so that the string loops from one end of the spreader bar down through one wing up through the other and connects to the opposite side of the spreader bar.

Use the remaining string to thread through the center hole in the spreader bar and suspend the entire assembly.

To operate the toy alternate pulling on either side of the loop of string, and the eagle will “fly” up the string. Allow the string to go slack and the eagle will fall back down the string.