This Marble Slide game was build by Mark from plans supplied by member Gene West. It is made from various woods and finished in gel stain.
7/4/2008 Click on image to see closeup.
Master Gene made this Dog Barking at a Screeching Cat from Mahogany and Walnut. The finish is water based Acrylic. When the handle is cranked, the tails wag and the dog barks.
4/4/2008 Click on image to see closeup.
On the left, Gene made a height gage. On the right is a table saw push jig to keep the hands away from the blade when pushing small pieces.
1/4/2008 Click on image to see closeup.
Gene made these two toys this month. The left one is a Mechanical Model demonstrating conversion of rotary motion to linear motion. It is made from Baltic Birch and finished in water based Acrylic. The Spinning Toy on the right is made from various woods. It represents a Ballet Folklorico Dance. It is finished in water based Acrylic.
1/4/2008 Click on image to see closeup.
Boy on a Swing. This toy is made from various woods and is finished in water based Acrylic.
11/3/2007 Click on image to see closeup.
Gene's Trapeze Acrobat is made from various woods and is also finished in water based Acrylic.
11/3/2007 Click on image to see closeup.
Gene made this basketball toy as a prototype for the toy workshop.
9/7/2007 Click on image to see closeup.
Cube in a Cube. How is it done? Hint: large Forsner Bit!
Marble Coordination Game. Wood: Red Oak, Cherry, Mahogany, and Baltic Birch Plywood. Finish: Watco Danish Oil and topped with Deft Satin spray Lacquer.
Pencil in a Board. How is this done? There are no cut or glue lines and no glue is used.
8/3/2007 Click on image to see closeup.
Gene made this Ball activated Rabbit Drummer and Crank Operated Canoe Ride. The rabbit is made from Sugar Pine, the Canoe ride from Alder and Baltic Birch. The finish is water based acrylic.
4/7/2007 Click on image to see closeup.
These goodies from Gene are first, a Valentine Toy. The Valentine Toy is a man and a woman who catch a kiss when the crank is turned. It is made from Baltic Birch.
The second is a Push-pull Toy depicting two robins feeding worms to the chicks. It is made from Baltic Birch and is finished with acrylic paint and gloss.
3/1/2007 Click on image to see closeup.
This project of Gene's is a Carved Fish Toy. It is made from Bass wood and Swamp Ash. The finish is water based acrylic. The fish moves when one turns the crank.
2/2/2007 Click on image to see closeup.
This Bird Toy has a Blue Bird an Goldfinch on a log. It is made from Bass wood and a log which Gene found. The finish is also water based acrylic. The birds peck when the crank is turned.
2/2/2007 Click on image to see closeup.
Gene Made this Dinosaur Toy from Alder and finished it in Water Based Acrylic. The legs move and the mouth opens.
1/6/2007 Click on image to see closeup.
This "Little Piggy" made by Gene Made this from Alder and finished in Water Based Acrylic is also an action toy. The hands clap, the head turns, and the mouth opens by turning the crank.
1/6/2007 Click on image to see closeup.
Gentlemen Admirers -- Gene made this new mechanical toy from a Walnut base and the figures are carved from
Basswood. The finish is Polycrylic. Both men doff their hats to the lady.
11/3/2006 Click on image to see closeup.
Egg Mill or Egg Beater This is a spinning toy popular in the 15th Century. It was made from
Birch and is finished in Polycrylic. The toy rotates like a top when the string is pulled.
11/3/2006 Click on image to see closeup.
Carousel by Gene. It is mounted on a lazy susan so it spins freely. It is made from Baltic Birch plywood and finished in Water Based Acrylic paints. There are eight different animals, not just horses.
9/8/2006 Click on image to see closeup.
The first is a Tic Tac Toe game made from Walnut and finished in Lacquer. The gate on the end exposes holes for the marbles used to play.
7/7/2006 Click on image to see closeup.
The Toy Tractor is made from Pine and is also finished in Lacquer.
7/7/2006 Click on image to see closeup.
Bob made this Miniature Marshmallow Long Rifle from Red Oak, Brass, and PVC. It is actually a blow gun. The finish is Mahogany Rub and it really shoots!
7/7/2006 Click on image to see closeup.
This project is an Alpine Ride made from Pine and Laminate. It is finished in water based polyurethane. It is an action toy with a race car which navigates the alpine slopes.
7/7/2006 Click on image to see closeup.
Gene carved these Kangaroo Toys. The one on the left is made from Mahogany and finished in Polycrylic. It jumps when you pull the boomerang. The one on the right is made from Baltic Birch and is finished in water based paint. Here you turn the crank to make him jump.
5/4/2006 Click on image to see closeup.
Gene built this Mechanical Model to demonstrate rotary motion to reciprocal for the children's museum. It is made from Walnut, Mahogany, and Birch. It is finished in Polycrylic.
3/3/2006 Click on image to see closeup.
This Marble Slide Game was made by Mark from various woods and finished in polyurethane. He gives his thanks to Gene West.
1/6/2006 Click on image to see closeup.
Gene took more than two months to construct this 1/4 size Carousel Horse from Sugar Pine and Bass Wood. The finish is Acrylic.
11/4/2005 Click on image to see closeup.
These are Gene's latest additions: First is a Sailer up the Mast action toy. It is made from Baltic Birch and Mahogany and finished in Acrylic. The figure climbs up when the buoy is spun.
The second is a Spinning Dolphin. It is made from Birch and Poplar. It is finished in Acrylic. See the Dolphin spin!
7/8/2005 Click on image to see closeup.
Arlen built this Airplane Rocker for his granddaughter. It is made from scrap oak and finished in Urethane. The plan was from the Cherry Tree.
6/3/2005 Click on image to see closeup.
Gene's first toy is a Spinning Parrot which is made from plywood and is finished in water based acrylic. This is a unique way of hanging a bird to free wheel.
Gene's second toy this month is a Marionette. It is made from Birch and Bass wood. It is unfinished now. The special joints make movement movement more realistic.
6/3/2005 Click on image to see closeup.
Bill make this Master Lock from Mahogany, Oak, Maple and Alder. The finish is Minwax Poly Acrylic. The lock does work.
5/5/2005 Click on image to see closeup.
Mark build this Marble Tower as a toy from various woods. It is finished in Tung Oil.
5/5/2005 Click on image to see closeup.
A Marble Cascade is built to entertain by having marbles roll down the six cups. It is made from Alder and uses a scroll sawn Walnut label. The finish is various color water based Acrylics.
5/5/2005 Click on image to see closeup.
These three are Gene specialty animated toys. They are Clown on a two wheeler, Feed the Dog, and Ice Skaters. They are all made from Baltic Birch and finished in Water Based Acrylic.
5/5/2005 Click on image to see closeup.
This Rocking Horse is made from clear Pine and finished in spar urethane.
4/8/2005 Click on image to see closeup.
Here is another series of toys from Gene West. The first is a Baltic Birch Bucking Bronco finished in water based polyurethane. The second is a farmer driving his pig also made from Baltic Birch. It is finished in polyurethane. The third is a Woodworker Sawing a Log made from Baltic Birch and finished in polyurethane. All are crank operated with cranks made from clothes hangers.
4/8/2005 Click on image to see closeup.
This Farmer and his Mule is an articulated toy. It is made from Mahogany and finished in polyurethane. It is fully animated!
3/3/2005 Click on image to see closeup.
This Tumble Box is made to let children watch the marbles fall through the lattice. It is made from Pine, Wenge, and Alder. The finish is water based polyurethane. The sound is neat too.
3/3/2005 Click on image to see closeup.
This Tic Tac Toe is an extra large game board. It is made from plywood, Mahogany and Alder and finished in polyurethane. The playing pieces are made from 2"x2" wood.
3/3/2005 Click on image to see closeup.
Bill Waters made this Snake Puzzle from Doit Center #2 Pine and finished it with Acrylic Paints. It can be put together by kids of any age!
2/4/2005 Click on image to see closeup.
Gene made the rolling ant articulated rolling toy from Alder, for the body, and Birch, for the legs. The finish is Polyurethane.
The Giraffe Bank is made from MDF and Baltic Birch plywood. The finish is Polyurethane and paint. The coins feed through the mouth.
2/5/2005 Click on image to see closeup.
This Merry Go Round Music Box is made from pine and finished in acrylic. It plays the Carousel Waltz.
1/7/2005 Click on image to see closeup.
Smiling Crab Gene's latest mechanical toy is a smiling crab. It is made from Mahogany and Birch and finished in Polyurethane. The pincers, legs and eyes all move.
11/4/2004 Click on image to see closeup.
Puppet is made from Walnut, Ash, Ebony, Vermilion, Purple Heart, Oak and Plum and finished in Tung Oil. The pieces are lathe turned.
9/2/2004 Click on image to see closeup.
These are Don Anderson's toys for Christmas. They are trucks, puzzles, and plaques made from a mix of woods. They are finished in Deft.
8/6/2004 Click on image to see closeup.
This Rolling Spider Toy won first prize at the Ventura County Fair. It is made from Walnut and Birch and finished in water based polyurethane. The legs move, pincers open, and the eyes roll as the toy is pulled along the floor.
9/2/2004 Click on image to see closeup.
Toy Turtle: Gene's entry this month is this toy turtle made from Adler, Cherry and Walnut. It is finished in Acrylic. The head, tail and legs all move when pushed or pulled along a table or the floor.
7/2/2004 Click on image to see closeup.
This wonderful depiction of Noah's Ark is made by our Gene West and populated by
the members of the Channel Islands Carvers. It will be part of a raffle benefiting Raul Castro
who was recently disabled doing volunteer work.
6/5/2004 Click on image to see closeup.
Gene made this butterfly from plywood and lots of paint!
6/5/2004 Click on image to see closeup.
Gene added to his collection of wooden locks with these two beauties. The barrel lock works with an internal wooden screw. The other works with the external push buttons. The wood is assorted and finished in polyurethane.
5/6/2004 Click on image to see closeup.
This is a photo of 100 cedar boxes made at Marshall Nathanson's Christmas toys workshop last year as part of the overall club toy project. These are aromatic red cedar keepsake boxes, made by 9 club members in assembly line fashion for the 2003 Christmas toys project. Made from cedar closet lining stock, finished in tung oil, rubbed out with steel wool and waxed.
2/24/2004 Click on image to see closeup.
Gene West this 'Drinking Cats' ball activated toy from alder, walnut and mahogany. The finish
is water based acrylic.
4/1/2004 Click on image to see closeup.
Miniature Piano and Player with action
3/25/2003 Click on image to see closeup.
Bill made these coin banks from poplar and painted them with acrylics. They consist of a Frog, a Ladybug and twin
Beagles for his twin grandsons. Plans for the Beagles and Ladybug were obtained from the Meisel Hardware Specialties
catalog. Bill designed the Frog bank.
2/24/2003 Click on image to see closeup.
Bill designed and built these doll cradles for two neighborhood sisters.
2/24/2003 Click on image to see closeup.
Bill learned how to make these heart bandsaw boxes at CVWA. He has made and painted several for neighborhood
children.
2/24/2003 Click on image to see closeup.
Bill made this solid ash rocking horse from plans obtained from the Cherry Tree catalog. It was created originally for his
first two grandchildren. Bill attaches 1" x 3" brass plaques to the crosspieces with the full names and
birth dates of each grandchild who rides the horse. The family tradition is that the rocking horse custody remains with the parents of the
last grandchild born until he/she outgrows it. It is then passed on to the parents of the next child in line. As of 01/01/03,
there were 5 brass plaques on the rocker. The intent is to keep this heirloom rocker moving down the family tree and it's
sturdy enough to last hundreds of years.
2/24/2003 Click on image to see closeup.
Bill made this marble game, primarily from poplar, using plans obtained from the Meisel Hardware Specialties catalog. This project took two months to build, as several parts had to be re-made before they were acceptable. For example, the
troughs at the top had to be custom cut to fit various angles on the tower, which continually increases in diameter from
top to bottom. A key feature of this project is that, once primed, marbles are automatically fed, one at a time, into the
trough. Ten marbles rolling over the course make plenty of noise and fascinate the grandchildren and neighborhood
kids.
2/24/2003 Click on image to see closeup.
Bill built this toy from plans provided by our own Gene West, who had earlier brought one to Show & Tell. As it rocks
back and forth, the arms and legs swing freely. A heavy oak counterweight is key to its functionality.
2/24/2003 Click on image to see closeup.
Bill made this toy dog for his granddaughter. It's a simple bandsaw project. Plans for 84 different "layered animals" can
be found in The Winfield Collection catalog.
2/24/2003 Click on image to see closeup.
(Thanks to the people who took these
many pictures of the Christmas toys. Bill Aurand took most of them.)
Conejo Valley Woodworkers' Association
out did themselves in 2002. Bill Aurand was chairman of the Christmas
Toy Project, "Thanks Bill." The wooden toys were made by
various members and few were donated by the Glendale Woodturner's Guild.
There were cars, trucks, helicopters and boats by the dozen. The total
count for all the toys was over 1000.
Some toys were designed especially for girls. The doll cribs were
fantastic. The Scroll Saw Heart Boxes were individually paint. Thanks to
some none members as well as members who did an excellent job of
painting. There were also some heart shaped wanes that were decorated.
The bears are the result of one lady who gave up her long time
collection of stuff bears for children's Christmas presents.
The toys were given to the Interface organization who distributed
them. In most cases the parents of children picked out the toy/toys for
their children. This allowed the parents to have some pride in
giving a Christmas present to their children who might not have
anything to give without these toys.
Thanks to Bill Aurand for taking these pictures. Here are
more of the 1000 Christmas toys made by the Conejo Valley Woodworkers'
Association for Christmas 2002.
1/13/2003 Click on image to see closeup.
Bandsaw boxes, air dried 4x4 redwood,
finished natural (no stain or varnish). Boxes built for Christmas toys project in club workshops by various members.
9/21/2002 Click on image to see closeup.