How to Build a Toy Kangaroo

This instructable is to help you learn how to make a toy kangaroo from wood.

Tools you

will need include:

1. Band saw for cutting out your template and actual toy.

2. Drill press to drill axel holes for wheels.

3. Drill bits. (Size will depend on axel size)

4. 1” belt sander for sanding toy.

5. Router table with ¼”roundover bit.

6. Palm sander as well as some scrap sandpaper for hand sanding.

7. Safety glasses.

Supplies you will need include:

1. Axels and wheels. I used 1.25” wheels and axels from the hobby store.

2. Wood glue.

3. Paint.

4. 2”x6” stock to cut your animal out of.

5. 1/8” ply or MDF for cutting template. (You can also use cardstock or even cardboard)

·Make sure to select an animal that is easily recognizable from the side. I choose a kangaroo because it was unique and fairly recognizable.

· Make sure your image is one from the side of the animal it will make your life much easier.

· Size the image to the size you want your toy to be.

· Next step is to print your image and then use a pen or pencil to blow it up or resize and make it cartoonier. Don’t forget to combine the legs

· After that cut out the cartoony image mark where you will drill your axel holes and trace it onto the 1/8” ply

Now that you have chosen an image it’s time to make your

template.

1. Trace your image onto the wood.

2. Using the band saw cut out the image you traced onto the ply

3. Sand the edges to smooth everything out

· First to cut out your toy take your 2”x6” stock and trace your template that you made in the last step onto the stock.

· Next take the stock and use the band saw to cut out the pre drawn shape on the stock.

· Remember to use as much of the wood as possible.

• Finally after you have cut out your toy on the band saw take your paper template and poke holes through it onto the stock with a pencil to mark where you want to drill the holes for your axels.

1.To drill your axle holes you will need to size the drill bit.

2. In order to size take your axle and put it in a bit gauge holes till it fits snug this will be the size bit you need.

3. Find a piece of scrap wood preferably something flat so that you can place your toy on it.

4. Next use a punch to indent the wood where you want your axel holes this keeps the bit from walking when you start to drill

5. Finally using the drill press drill all the way through your toy into the scrap wood to make your axel holes.

They should look like this.

1. Make sure you put the round over bit into the router table as well as make sure the bit edge is level with the table.

2. Test the bit on a scrape piece to make sure everything is level and adjust accordingly.

3. Router both side of you toy all the way around and spots too small to get the router bit will need to be hand sanded later.

4. When finished the edge of your toy will be rounded.

• For the edges use the belt sander to take the tool marks off of the back of the animal.
• Next I used a different sander to speed up the process and sanded both faces of the toy.
• Finally take pieces of sandpaper ranging in grit and hand sand the portions of the toy that were not routered and still need to be sanded.

For this portion of the project you can do just about whatever you want. But you should have some idea of how you’re going to do it. I choose to only paint certain areas of my toy so that I could still see the wood.

· Check to make sure your axles fit snugly into the toy.

· Place a small dollop of glue into the hole NOT THE AXLE

· Put your axle through the wheel

· Put assembled piece into glued hole make sure to leave some room for the wheel to spin

· Repeat for the rest of the wheels.

Enjoy your toy