Make a Bear or Two....

Outside it’s raining. The restaurants and shops are closed due Covid-19 so I decided to clean my little shop, gather some wood and making some wooden toys. These bears where absolutely the most funniest to make so I thought I will share it with you to give you inspiration during the lockdown and even after that.

Good luck I had lots of fun during making these and I hope you will have it too.

For the drawings:

- paper, pencil, circle template, ruler and an Eraser

The woodturning:

- various kinds of wood (birch, teak and oak), bee wax, fabric, Sanding paper (400-600 grid), sanding drum

For the eyes:

- messing nails, black paint and a dowel (Birch)

- Nails and paint, wood glue.

- elastic cord (2mm thickness) to assemble the monkey

These are the tools which I used:

- an adjustable jewelry saw, band saw, crappy scroll saw this one will be better

https://www.amazon.com/Dremel-MS20-01-Moto-Saw-Var...

- a planer

- sanding disk,

- wood glue and wood clamps

- mallet (chisel)

- a lathe and turning tools (I used roughing gouge, spindle gouge, parting tool)

- calipers

- pillar Drill, hand drill and an awl

I always make a sketch/drawing before I start, and in this project I followed my drawings precisely.

Tip: Draw all the pieces you have to turn on your blank if you are short of material to avoid the disappointment of missing out on material for the final part of your project.

Tip 2: If you have short of material you can glue waste material in the beginning and the end of your blank. This will also help you to see where to end and start turning on the body and the others parts of your bear. (But it will take longer time though)

I cut the three different kinds of wood with my band saw. For the first body I choose Plywood and walnut. The second body is in walnut and birch. I sanded the surfaces of the individual pieces and glued them together with wood glue. Clamp them in the work bench or with a wood clamps. Let it dry for at least two hours.

Before turning I drilled whole (2mm) through the body att the spot to mound the arms and the legs. At this time the body is straight and you will drill perfectley straight. This will be more difficult when you have turned the parts.

All woodturning in this instructables starts the same way by marking the middle of the blanks on each end and make an indentation. Mark the center on both ends by drawing two diagonal lines corner to corner. Make an indentation to fit the blank on the drive spur. Place the drive spur (even better if you use a worn out drive spur) on top and hammer with a mallet so you get an indentation on one side.

I started to rough down the blank till it was round. If your blank is 50 mm or less you can start your lath at 1500 rpm (revolutions per minute). I used my roughing tool. When the blank was round (Measure with your calipers and check if it has the desired circumference) I marked the body with a pencil and made two deep marks with the parting tool. I then took my spindle gouge and shaped the body (2500-3000 rpm). I turned the body between these marks, so I got the exact dimensions that I wanted. Turn the body in the right shape and sand if needed.

I love my parting tool. With this tool you have the opportunity to mark the exact spot of the beginning and the end of the body. I will use it with all the parts of the bear.

After turning I sanded the body and then polished it with beewax. Att the end I sanded the sholders and the hips in a45 angle.

I cut the three different kinds of wood with my band saw. For measurements see the drawings in step 1. For the face I choose Oak and Walnut. I sanded the surfaces of the individual pieces and glued them together with wood glue. Clamp them in the work bench or with a wood clamps. Let it dry for at least two hours. If you have short of material you can gleu waste material in the beginning and the end of your blank. This will also help you to see where to end turning on the head or the others parts of your bear. (But it will take longer time though)

You can see that I used the same procedure as for the body. Follow the steps as shown in the pictures.

After turning I sanded the head and polished it with beewax.

I glued Oak and Walnut and let it dry, same same as with the head and the body and later on the arms.

Do not forget to drill a whole through the legs att the spot to mound the legs to the body. At this time the leg is straight and you will drill perfectley straight. This will be more difficult when you have turned the parts.

Measure with your calipers and check if it has the desired circumference. Make marks, use the parting tools and round the legs and the feed with the spindle gouge. To get a flat surface at the hands and the feeds I use the parting tool again.

Make the second leg in the same size: measure, make marks, check and double check :-)

Well you now know how you can turn the same sizes. I love my parting tool and my calipers. With these tools you have the opportunity to turn two exact copies.

Do not forget to drill a hole in the arms......

After turning the arms and the legs I sanded them and then polished it with beewax. Att the end I sanded these parts in a45 angle.

I turned four ears from the same blank.The thickness of this blank was only 16 mm which meant that I could turn at a high speed. This gives a glossy surface and you don’t need to sand or wax.

I turned a dowel to the ears so I can easily mount the ears to the head.

The placement of the ears, eyes and so one on the right spot is difficult. I always use a paper template, or in this case a paper strip, so that I can mark the right spots on the turning project. I placed the paper strip on the face and marked the spots with an awl.

Drill a hole at the bottom of the head for mounting to the body. Make sure that the drilling is slightly tilted so that the head is positions somewhat face down (nicer and less stiff). If you are not sure about the tilt of the head start to drill with a little drill (2mm) and increase with bigger drills. In that way you can easily adjust the tilt and get it right. I drilled a 6 mm hole to mound the head to the body. 3 mm hole for the ears and glues the ears with wood glue.

If you want a lighter spot on the ears you can drill a hole in the center of the ears and fill it with a dowel in birch.

I used nails for the eyes.

Turn some dowels in the different kind of wood you use on your bear. You will need them to mount the arms, legs and the head.

Mine are 3,5 for the legs and the arms (See the next step) and 6 mm for the head.

Drill with a 3-3.5mm drill 3mm depth in the 2 mm holes in the legs and the arms in order to create a shoulder so that your knot will stay in place. You also create space for the dowels which hide the gap afterwards.

Make a knot in the round elastic cord on one and, mount the legs and stretch the cord elastic. Put a little bit of glue in the hole and place a dowel. Repeat with the arms.

Glue a dowel on the other side to cover the hole. When the glue has set, cut the dowels and sand. Mount the head and pffff you’re done.

Tip: In case the elastic cord breaks you will only have to drill out the dowels and replace it.

Strech the elastic cord to the back while mounting the dowel, so you won't see a black spot on the front of the legs and arms.

I didn t glue the head so you can move it in the direction you wanted it.