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What You Need to Make a Miniature Car
The image at left shows what parts you'll need to make the miniature
toy craft car shown in the inset.
The parts you'll need are:
A wooden block 1" on a side.
Five thin wooden rectangles 1" by 1/2".
Four thin wooden squares 1/2" by 1/2".
A jumbo craft stick.
A 1/8" diameter wooden dowel.
Four washers (optional) that will slip over the dowel.
Four 3/4" diameter wheels.
Four 3/8" diameter pony beads.
An empty thread spool 1/2" in center diameter.
A 1/4" thick piece of balsa wood 1 1/2" by 2 1/2".
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In addition to the parts, you'll need some glue and paint, and a craft saw,
craft knife, or Dremel tool to do some minor wood cutting. If you decide to
use the washers, they're available at any hardware store. You can probably
find a suitable spool in your sewing supplies.
Some reliable and convenient online sources for the parts
and tools you'll need are:
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First, Add the Axles
The toy craft car axles are made by cutting two 2 3/4" lengths of 1/8" dowel.
Glue these axles to the bottom of the 1/4" thick rectangle as shown. Be
sure the axles are square to the rectangle side, and about 1/4" from the ends
of the rectangle.
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Building the Miniature Car Body
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Shown at left is a front and rear view of the partially assembled
miniature craft car.
Notice that the thread spool is the car's engine. Cut an end piece off
of the jumbo craft stick that is long enough to extend from the bottom of the
car base to about 1/4" above the thread spool. Glue the jumbo craft stick
centered to the front of the miniature craft toy car base.
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Glue the thread spool centered to the jumbo craft stick as shown.
Glue the wooden block to the miniature toy car base and the rear of the
thread spool.
Now glue the four thin wooden rectangles in a stack to the craft car base,
just behind the wooden block.
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Finishing the Miniature Craft Toy Car
The illustration at left shows the finished miniature craft car from both
a front and a rear view.
You can see the finishing touches. Two of the 1/2" thin squares of wood
are glued to the front of the block, and one on either side closest to the
front of the car. The remaining thin rectangle is glued to the back of the block, close to the top. These are all painted silver to like reflecting
windows.
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The wheels are painted black. Slip a washer over each axle, then slip the
wheels over the axles. Glue on the pony beads to keep the
wheels in place. Don't get glue on the wheels or they won't be able to freely
rotate.
In this case, the car itself is painted blue, with the engine
painted black. Of course, you may choose any colors you like.
A small silver door handle was painted on the sides of the block in this
example. You may want to paint on more decorations as well.
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Fantasy Art Gifts
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Since the wheels are designed to rotate, the little craft car is now
ready to transform into a fun toy for boy or girl.
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