The four-story, step-back construction of this pressed-wood or plywood dollhouse gives it more room than the average dollhouse, without taking as much floor space. One side of each room is open and only one wall of each room is provided with windows. The elevator shaft is incorporated with the chimney and has a door on each floor. A crank projecting from the basement wall operates the elevator by the braking action of a clothespin on the axle. A balustrade around the terrace and a tin awning add to the appearance.
The construction of my log-truck is very similar to the motor-lorry plans below.
Sometimes, you just get lucky! I found a wonderful wooden log truck at my local resale shop this week for only a dollar; I felt quite excited about it. It didn't have any logs however. My husband was happy to oblige me in solving this little problem. He cut up a few tree branches that had fallen in a spring storm and finished the ceder truck's load within in minutes.
Here I have included some old-fashioned plans for a toy fire-engine, motor-lorry and a steam-roller. The plans are made with cardboard, thin sheets of wood, corks and glue. These make great projects for ten to twelve year old children on a rainy days and their younger siblings are sure to get hours of play from their older siblings achievements, perfect or not.
A Fire-engine (Fig. 216). For this toy two cardboard boxes are required, one about 6" X 2" x 2", A in Fig. 216, and the other, B, 8" x 2" x 2". The cardboard case that contains Le Page's glue is a suitable size for B. Make holes through both sides of A, about 1 inch from one end, for the axle of the large wheels, and holes through B at K and j for the pieces of cane that support the ladders. Gum B to A and cover both with red paper. D is part of a round mantle-box, and the funnel, E, a roll of paper. Both are colored yellow. F is a piece of stripwood, J inch by J inch, cut the right length and glued to B and to two supports, H. A similar piece is fastened on the other side. These are for the firemen to stand on.
A very vintage fire-engine.
They may be left their natural color or colored grey. The seat, c, is a piece of strip wood, 1\2 inch by 1\2 inch, with a paper back, and L M are match sticks glued to the sides. G, the foot-rest, is made of cardboard and fastened to box, B, by two wedge-shaped pieces of wood. The ladders are made of strips of cardboard, with half matches as rungs. N is a piece of cardboard gummed underneath A and projecting from it 1\2 inch for the fireman's stand. This stand, seat, foot-rest, ladders, etc., should be colored red. The small wheel is about 2 inches in diameter. The diameter of the large wheel can be measured when the smaller wheels are in position.
A vintage motor-lorry that looks similar to the log truck now
added to my wooden truck collection.
A Motor-lorry (Fig. 217). The foundation is a piece of stout cardboard or wood. A is an open box gummed to this, and covered with paper, suitably colored. B is part of a box cut as in figure and gummed to A. Inside B a wooden seat, D, is fixed, c is a smaller box, gummed upside down. The size of the lorry will depend upon the boxes procurable. It can also be made of wood, in which case the windows, D and E, and the curved portion of B can be cut out with a fret-saw (see Part II). Both this toy and the fire-engine look very effective made of wood.
A vintage steam-roller would make up quite nicely in wood if a
more experienced craftsman decided to interpret the pattern!
A Steam-roller (Fig. 218). Fig. 219 shows the foundation of the steam-roller. A B, c D, etc., are pieces of stripwood, 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch. The front roller is made of a small mantle-box about 2 5/8 inches in length. The cover is glued on, holes are made at each end and a round, wooden axle passed through. The ends of the axle should be filed flat as in Fig. 220, so that A and C (Fig. 219) can be glued to them. The roller may be painted black. Cut a piece of cardboard, 6 1/2 inches by 4 1/4 inches. Bend this round so that it fits between A B and C D (Fig. 219); place the roller in position, mark with pencil the portions of cardboard that cover the roller and cut these off (see the shaded parts in Fig. 221).
Detailed measurements for the steam-roller.
Fig. 222 shows the construction from cardboard of the part of the cab marked G in Fig. 218. Half cuts are made along the dotted lines; the axle of the side wheels passes through the openings X and Y.
Fig. 223 shows the part of the cab marked H in Fig. 218.
Next cut a strip of wood, 4 1/4" x 1/4" X 1/4", for an axle for the side wheels, and round the ends; the wheels are 8 inches in diameter. Fasten these to the axle. Now glue the ends of the axle for the front roller to A and C. While this is drying color the cardboard parts of the engine dark green. Bend J (Fig. 221) and glue this part to the inner sides of A B and C D. Cover the part marked K (Fig. 218) with paper; the part underneath K may remain uncovered. Glue the axle of the side wheels in position behind J, with just sufficient space for G to slip in between the engine and the axle. When the axle is secure glue G and H in position; G is glued to the inner sides of D C and B A, H is glued to the innersides of blocks E and F
The supports, O and N (Fig. 218), are 4 1/2 1/4" X 1/4".
M and L are 4 1/4" x 1/4" 1/4". These supports are 1/4" inch shorter, as they stand on the axle of the side wheels. The roof is of cardboard colored green. Q is a cardboard wheel glued to L, and joined to the dome by a strip of cardboard, T, bent as in Fig. 223. a is inserted into a slit in the cork, and b is gummed to the wheel. The steps, R, are made of stiff paper. The funnel and the dome are made of corks.
You can visit West Cork Woodworks at YouTube to
see more projects. Above is a little wooden log truck
