How to make an activated turtle pull toy

 Hi everybody.  I feel like it is time to make something for the kiddies. This is fun for me too.   I love making toys.  This was an interesting  project and I think it came out pretty good.  Gave me a chance to use a bunch of different tools and skills.   We are going to make a turtle with head and tail movements 

Check out this little short video, just to see the movement we are after

Ok playtime is over, let's  get started

Equipment and supplies 

Rounded gourd piece (something that looks like a turtle shell shape)

1/4" plywood piece (big enough to cover the bottom of the turtle shell

thin scrap wood

2 x 2" pine  approx 6"

4 small wood wheels

Wood glue

Proxxon mini jigsaw

Proxxon OZIE delta sander

Proxxon mini bandsaw

Proxxon disc sander

(2) 1/4" dowels 12" long

Plaid paints

Proxxon angle grinder (optional)

drill and drill bits

here is a rough outline of what we are going to do.

First thing to do is to cut the bottom off a gourd.  This is done easily with the Proxxon mini jigsaw.

set this aside for now.

Next draw a rough picture of a turtle head on the 2x2

 piece.   Do the same for the turtle's tail. Cut it out on 

Note how it is drawn on 2 sides.  We are going to cut this out on the Proxxon's mini bandsaw  to give us a rough shape of our head and tail to start with.

Next take the two pieces to the Proxxon disc sander and shape them into your head and tail pieces.

Back to the turtle shell.   Lay it on top of your 1/4" plywood piece and trace an outline on the wood.  Extend your line about 1/2" larger than the gourd "shell"  Then cut it out on the Proxxon mini bandsaw.

Note where you are going to put the head and tail and cut out a semi rounded notch that will fit the turtle's neck and tail.    Do the same on the gourd shell.  Make sure the head and tail will fit and have room to move.

Now for the mechanical part.

Wheels first.  

Drill a hole about half way through the wheel off center  see above.   Hopefully there is already a center hole that goes all the way through.  Make sure your dowel rotates easily in the center hole but is held tight in the offset holes. Cut 2 dowel pieces into 4" pieces.     Drill a generous hole in the turtles neck through which the offset dowel will go through and glue the dowel in the wheel holes.  Make sure the wheels are lined up with the holes in the lowest position.  Do the same for the tail.

Lay your head and tail wheel assemblies on the bottom of the turtle base and mark a square to be cut out that will allow the mechanics to be partially submerged into the body.

Cut out the square using the Proxxon mini jigsaw.

  

Now take your small pieces of wood you cut out earlier and drill a 1/4" hole where the offset axle will go.  See picture below.  I used tape on the dowel to keep the tail in the middle but really it did not need it.  Note the centered axle is just a short piece of dowel glued into the hole and the wheel spins freely on it.

 

Glue the turtle shell onto the bottom of the turtle with mechanics inside. The raised piece we glued to the bottom goes inside the turtle shell.

Glue some feet on and paint your turtle.  On the picture above I used the proxxon angle grinder to carve a pattern on the turtle shell.  this step of course in optional but fun to try.

I used plaid paints to paint my turtle.  Then I attached a string to make him a pull-toy.  He works good.  His tail and head really get moving.   I think the kids will have some fun with him.👧👨

 

Honestly it wasn't that hard to make.  It took a little patience is all.   Thank you all for visiting.  Thanks to Proxxon, my favorite tool maker!, and Plaid my favorite paint maker  

Catch you next time....  Carol