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Chipman
10th September 2008, 09:33 PM
I have sort of been busy making sit-in rocking horses and I have decided to take a break from it for a while...

No I am not tired of it, just something else has come up!

The little girl I make toys for has just got a new sister...born last Friday. Her Mum and Dad have bought her a "Baby Born" doll (if I got that right...I am not really into dolls:rolleyes:). When I wen to see them on Saturday, we decided it would be good for her to have a bed/cot for her baby doll. So the last two nights after work, I have spent a few hours making one. First I was going to make a scale one out of silky oak to match the other real baby furniture I have made for her and her parents but decided, something simple and more robust would be more in order. I have sort of made it to be a bit like a cot and a bit like a bed with rails
.
To you purists, I didn't do much in the way of designing or measuring...just had to be two hand spans long (500mm approximately) I just picked up whatever off cuts I could find and put it together.

All the joints are dowelled... two dowels per joint. (I used dowel points to line it all up.)
Here is the finished product (radiata pine) ready for staining and then lacquering. It is already sanded down to 400 grit. (grain raised by wetting it down before the last sanding) Another thing I do differently with this sort of work is to stain before gluing. I only do this if I am using acrylic or water-based jell stain. I find I don,t get the patchiness from glue getting on the wood.


http://www.woodworkforums.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=83276&d=1221042732 (http://www.woodworkforums.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=83276&d=1221042732)

Cheers,
Chipman

AUSSIE
10th September 2008, 10:29 PM
You have got that CUTE factor built into that one Chipman ***** That is supposed to be 5 stars

Chipman
10th September 2008, 11:22 PM
Thanks Aussie...
It is for a very cute child so that is good. I am sort of an honorary great Uncle and I really enjoy doing stuff for her and her Mum and Dad, and now her new little sister.

Actually I just got in from the shed... it is all stained now so glue up is Tomorrow. With a bit of luck it should be ready for delivery on Saturday. One of the teachers I work with is going to make the pillow and blanket for it so that should really make it cute:2tsup:

Regards,

Chipman

wheelinround
11th September 2008, 10:01 PM
Nice work Chipman


Here is the finished product (radiata pine) ready for staining and then lacquering. It is already sanded down to 400 grit. (grain raised by wetting it down before the last sanding) Another thing I do differently with this sort of work is to stain before gluing. I only do this if I am using acrylic or water-based jell stain. I find I don,t get the patchiness from glue getting on the wood.


:roll: Yeh know what you mean glue marks on the horse I did but it has added character :no:

munruben
11th September 2008, 11:25 PM
Nice work, looks great.:2tsup::2tsup:

Chipman
11th September 2008, 11:36 PM
Thanks for the kind comments Wheel'n and Munruben. I got it glued up today (in the picture it was just a dry fit up... much easier to stain in bits!) and the first coat of varnish on. In the end I used Wattyl Western Jarrah gel stain (in a blue tube) and Estapol satin clear (water based - similar to Cabots Crystal Clear...it was just what I had left over from another job) and brushed it on. I will post pics of the finished bed tomorrow after I get another 2 or 3 coats on.

Regards,
Chipman

forunna
12th September 2008, 01:26 AM
That's a lovely little bed. If that is just whipped up on a whim you must be able to do some great stuff with some planning.

Chipman
12th September 2008, 01:37 AM
As woodwork is my hobby (obsession), that is what I like, getting an idea and then making it reality. And when it is toys for kids then there is a reason for doing it. (I guess you have to be prepared for some failures with this approach )

Yes, sometimes you do have to have plans or at least a design guide...I have a few ideas I am working on at the moment!

Thanks,

Chipman:)

keju
12th September 2008, 03:07 PM
What a cute little bed.... and you're right.... will be even better with bedding in it. My brother in law made a couple of cradles and the real girlish pink/flowery lacy stuff made the cradles look irrestibable to any little girl.

Juvy

AUSSIE
12th September 2008, 03:24 PM
Chipman any in progress shots.You should start selling plans on the net.
Rocking horse --- beds.

Chipman
12th September 2008, 08:15 PM
I put the last coat of Estapol Satin Clear on today so it is all finished at last (started Tuesday evening). The only bit that is not done is the bed linen but that is outside of my expertise:D One of my colleagues at work said she will make the furnishings for it but that will be later. I hope to deliver it to Eva tomorrow and I will take the opportunity to do a test run on one of my sit-in rocking horses then I will make hers.

Aussie, I am not really into selling things... I am just happy to share what little bit of knowledge or skill I have with other woodworkers. Maybe when I retire I might have to start selling something to fund my hobby but I will face that when the time comes.


http://www.woodworkforums.com.au/attachment.php?attachmentid=83397&d=1221210804



Cheers to all who have shown interest in this project

Chipman:)

(Borrowed LOML's teddy bear as model for the bed)

AUSSIE
12th September 2008, 08:45 PM
Sorry Chipman,It was a joke.You are producing so much stuff at the moment
Another joke.I hope!!!
That pale kid is a bit big for the bed isnt it

Chipman
12th September 2008, 09:03 PM
Sorry Chipman,It was a joke.You are producing so much stuff at the moment
Another joke.I hope!!!
That pale kid is a bit big for the bed isnt it


No worries.... if you can't have a laugh or share a joke it would be a sad world:doh:

Sorry Aussie...the white kid was the best I could do... No dolls around here to put in the bed. Even my daughter preferred lego to dolls when she was small. Only teddy bears here... (although the son wouldn't mind a real live doll if you get what I mean:D But I am keeping right out of that one)

Speaking of the daughter... she has got me lined up to do some metal sculpture:? This is going to be fun:D It will be really interesting to see the difference between what she wants and what it turns out like:oo: with me doing it. Oh well the fun is having a go and doing stuff with your family members is always a good time.

Chipman:)

Chipman
13th September 2008, 04:47 PM
I took the bed and delivered it to little Eva today and off she went and got her "baby" (baby born doll) to put in her little bed and it is a perfect fit (I am really pleased as when I saw the doll for the first time last Saturday, I had no ruler and had to do the hand-span thing to work out what length it had to be (the only measurement made). The other good thing is that is light enough for her to easily pick up the bed and carry it (she is 22 mths old)

No we have to wait for "Auntie" to make the bed linen and accessories.

Here is the picture to prove it!

Cheers,
Chipman:)

AUSSIE
13th September 2008, 05:46 PM
That brings tears to my eyes chipman,Truely.:2tsup: