SawDustB Posted September 4, 2016 Report Share Posted September 4, 2016 My youngest daughter's birthday is on Friday, and I wanted to make something for her so I decided on Marc's grasshopper toy. http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/videos/grasshopper-pull-toy/ Her older sister saw the video and decided she wanted one too, and I've also got a nephew... So 3 grasshoppers are now under construction. The materials I'm using are a piece of spalted maple that my dad's had for about 40 years for the body, along with walnut for accents and cherry wheels. My older daughter wants to paint hers, so she's getting birch instead of the spalted maple. I milled everything up after a trip to the hardwood store yesterday, leaving me with this pile of potential parts this morning. First order of business was making wheels. This is why I was in Lee valley the other day, to pick up a wheel cutter. This seemed to work best when I went in from both sides with my tiny drill press. I made templates for all parts, and got the pieces for the bodies cut out and flush trimmed. I liked the results. And I got the other parts cut up as much as I could on the table saw. I need to get them all made tomorrow. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wdwerker Posted September 4, 2016 Popular Post Report Share Posted September 4, 2016 Just get some really green poplar and skip painting. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted September 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2016 Just get some really green poplar and skip painting. I would, but she wants it to be purple. And sparkly. Grasshopper sandwich anyone? The bodies are glued up and done for tonight. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted September 5, 2016 Report Share Posted September 5, 2016 Use purpleheart and finish w clear then add glitter to the wet finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted September 5, 2016 Report Share Posted September 5, 2016 I built one of these when Marc first came out with it, and to my surprise, it's still going down the road. Good idea about the wheel cutter, especially batching out that many. Looking good! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted September 5, 2016 Report Share Posted September 5, 2016 This is a great idea, Brian ! Your little girl will love it im sure. She wants it purple and sparkly, LOL, little girl alright ! How old is she turning? Btw, the project is looking good ! Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted September 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2016 This is a great idea, Brian ! Your little girl will love it im sure. She wants it purple and sparkly, LOL, little girl alright ! How old is she turning? Btw, the project is looking good ! Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk Thanks Shane. My little girls are both turning 1 and 3 this week. It's the 3 year old that's voicing an opinion on it . Now I've got a rough pile of parts. Time to sand them all. I had a minor mishap with template routing a leg, but it's repairable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted September 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 5, 2016 And rounded over, sanded, and ready for finish. I might just manage to get them done by the weekend (when I need 2 of them for birthdays). The third isn't needed until Christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted September 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Not looking too shabby with a coat of finish on them. I thought I might have to resort to spray lacquer for these, but I found enough enduro var to handle it. I love how the maple looks with the finish on it. Now I just have to go track down some of the axle pegs... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Not sure where my OP is, but I have the specs for the best sized vinyl washers somewhere in the forum. I've repaired two so far that I gave out as gifts. The plans for the legs seem to have them a bit thin in comparison to the drilled out holes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterDrow Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Very cool! These look awesome! Can't wait to see the end result. I've been considering making some of these for my nephew and two nieces for Christmas. They look like they're pretty easy/quick to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prov163 Posted September 6, 2016 Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Should have made them out of Locust wood - LOL! Looking good so far. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted September 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2016 Not sure where my OP is, but I have the specs for the best sized vinyl washers somewhere in the forum. I've repaired two so far that I gave out as gifts. The plans for the legs seem to have them a bit thin in comparison to the drilled out holes. Yeah, thanks, I saw your comment on the wood whisperer site. I had the same thought about the legs after I had cut them up and drilled the holes already. Hopefully they'll be OK. At this point they're almost done except assembly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted September 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 I'm on the home stretch now, just really have to do assembly and I'm done. I mocked one up to see how it works and looks. After playing with it, I think I'll take the advice from@vinnyjojo and go in search of nylon washers before gluing in the pegs. The motion wasn't quite as smooth as I'd like. I also had to drill 15/64 holes for the pegs to move smoothly, and 10 mm holes for the axles to turn (0.5 mm bigger than 3/8). No amount of drilling with a 3/8 but was going to work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted September 8, 2016 Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 Looks great, Brian ! Did you turn the antennae ? Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted September 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2016 Looks great, Brian ! Did you turn the antennae ? Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk Thanks Shane. No, that's outside my talents. Those are some shaker pegs that I picked up on my third trip to Lee valley this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post SawDustB Posted September 9, 2016 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 So these two are glued up to this point. The recipients aren't going to decorate them so I'm completely assembling them first. The third one in birch for my older daughter will be painted or embellished first. I decided that the glue up was best done in a couple of rounds, since getting the motion just right had been tricky on the dry fit. After this, i just need to install the rear wheels and attach the legs to them. Good thing, since my younger daughter's birthday is today, although we're doing most presents at a family party tomorrow. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaneymack Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 They turned out great, Brian, I'm sure your girls will love them! Following this thread has made me feel like I need to make some of these for my kids. So much work so little time ! lol Sent from my SM-N910W8 using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted September 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 And we have 4 wheels. That was fiddly getting them to run smoothly. I put paste wax on the moving parts, and used washers. I had to use steel for the wheels because I didn't have time to mail order, and my local stores have very little. All that's left is flush trimming the axles and installing the pull string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeslayer Posted September 9, 2016 Report Share Posted September 9, 2016 thanks a lot SawDustB, my wife just saw those and said "those are darling you have to make some for the grandkids" so now guess what i'm going to be working on after the current project? those are cool, nice work and treasures for sure 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted September 13, 2016 Report Share Posted September 13, 2016 Love the eyelids! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SawDustB Posted September 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2016 My youngest really liked her grasshopper. Mostly she tries to eat the ball, but she's quite protective of it My older daughter's birthday was yesterday, so she spent a couple of hours painting it just the way she wanted it. At the moment it has a coat of shellac over the paint, and it'll be getting a couple of coats of polycrylic tonight, then assembly later this week. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted September 13, 2016 Report Share Posted September 13, 2016 That's awesome! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted September 13, 2016 Report Share Posted September 13, 2016 Best 'hoppers ever! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wouldwurker Posted September 15, 2016 Report Share Posted September 15, 2016 Love it!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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