| Project by Dan Pleska | posted 324 days ago | 733 views | 1 time favorited | 23 comments | ![]() |
Every year the woodworking club I belong to, Valley Woodworkers, makes about 300 toys and donates them to the local Salvation Army. These toys are then distributed to families that can’t afford them so that the kids will have something under the tree at Christmas. Part of that are these 108 doll cradles that were made in my shop. Other toys include child sized puzzle rocking chairs, small cars and trucks, pull toys and rocking horses. The Salvation Army puts a doll or bear in each cradle.
The kiln dried rough lumber for these toys is donated to us by several sawmills through the state Forestry Association. One of the pictures above shows about 200 bf of the 450 bf of Ash that it took for the cradles. After dimensioning the stock to 5/8” thick we use a host of templates and jigs to not only make the parts, but also assemble the cradles. Most all of the machinery is my shop was used, but the rounded over edges were done with pattern jigs on the shaper. It took two club members and myself about five weeks, working three days a week, to go from rough lumber to the 108 cradles in the above picture. It then took two days in another members shop that has a spray booth to give them two coats of pre-catalyzed lacquer, with a light sanding between coats. The finish is also donated by a local cabinet supply house. The blanket and pillow sets seen in the picture of the finished cradle are made and donated by spouses and others that want to contribute.
The club has been making and donating toys to the Salvation Army since the club was formed in 1991.
-- Dan, West Virginia, http://www.danpleskaCreations.com
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23 comments so far
DAN
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3211 posts in 467 days
posted 324 days ago
awesome !!
-- ..... art for lifes sake
Harold
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287 posts in 332 days
posted 324 days ago
I can imadgine no greater gift, Wonderful work.
-- If knowledge is not shared, it is forgotten.
Karson
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12901 posts in 885 days
posted 324 days ago
Dan Here are our Mason-Dixon Woodworking Clubs toys.
Great job. Nice looking cradles.
-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com
RonH
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31 posts in 409 days
posted 324 days ago
Being the father of 2 daughters and 2 granddaughters, I can say the little girls will absolutely love those. What a great job.
chamoruboy
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113 posts in 493 days
posted 324 days ago
My hat is off to you!
God Bless.
-- Greatness is not found in possessions, power, position, or prestige. It is discovered in goodness, humility, service, and love.
gene
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2132 posts in 368 days
posted 324 days ago
Outstanding club project. This is a true endeavor of love, from all who were involved. I’d love to see the faces of the children.
God bless each and every one of you!
God bless
-- Gene, a Christian in Virginia
Thos. Angle
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3236 posts in 447 days
posted 324 days ago
wonderful gifts and great community spirit.
-- Thos. Angle, Owyhee Design, Oregon
MsDebbieP
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11918 posts in 645 days
posted 324 days ago
“it takes a village”—and your village has truly come together to help children.
Bless you.
-- "Functional WoodArt" by Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Dick, & Barb Cain
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5066 posts in 784 days
posted 324 days ago
What great gift for those under underprivileged children.
And they won’t have to worry about Lead poisoning.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
miles125
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920 posts in 490 days
posted 324 days ago
You go Dude!
-- miles125, Alabama.."Architecture is frozen music""
Max
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5892 posts in 757 days
posted 324 days ago
What a great thing to do. I applaud yours and your clubs community envolvment. Nice looking cradles.
-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT
Dan Pleska
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73 posts in 445 days
posted 324 days ago
Thanks for all of your gracious comments. This project is truly a labor of love for those of us that participate.
-- Dan, West Virginia, http://www.danpleskaCreations.com
woodgrain411
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119 posts in 337 days
posted 324 days ago
This is truely an awesome great job my hat is off , I’m going to be doing the holiday shop (santa’s work shop) for a few of the local schools in my area ! I’m looking for ideas for fast , easy projects with little cost to make , so I can donate them for the under privileged childeren to give to their parents for the holidays (x-mas & such) . Childern of all walks of life also find joy in giving to their parents on the holidays , It gives them a sense of pride,and happyness! The school asks that I make sure that it would be something of a non-religious background for all cultures! Thank you !
-- I love this site !
Buckskin
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483 posts in 472 days
posted 323 days ago
Excellent community service project. Glad to see that volunteerism is still alive.
jerryw
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61 posts in 400 days
posted 323 days ago
What an awesome project! You make me proud to be a West Virginian!
-- jerryw-wva.
TomFran
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2360 posts in 478 days
posted 323 days ago
Wow! What a project and collective effort. That is a wonderful deed.
-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28
DAN
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3211 posts in 467 days
posted 322 days ago
another one for the christmas list !!
-- ..... art for lifes sake
ozzy
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16 posts in 322 days
posted 315 days ago
THIS IS GREAT!!! It may be too late for me to find something around here but you just planted a great seed for next year. Good luck to all of your crew. God Bless you all. You just made somebody’s Christmas.
-- Eddie -
mot
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4837 posts in 521 days
posted 312 days ago
Holy Moly, Dan! Awesome stuff!
-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)
mgradwohl
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110 posts in 298 days
posted 294 days ago
Dan this is what it’s all about nice job on the cradles! Someday in the future I bet you overhear someone telling a story about Christmas and receiving a nice handmade cradle, complete with blanket, pillow, and bear.
You’re an Elf!
Bruce
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61 posts in 259 days
posted 254 days ago
Great job, Dan. If you need help next year, just let me know.
Paul D
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2129 posts in 233 days
posted 204 days ago
Dan, this is very cool and I know it makes a huge difference to those kids. Awesome work!
-- Paul D, Atlanta GA
jjohn
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393 posts in 198 days
posted 172 days ago
I bet you could make one of those in your sleep when you got finished with them. And I know you were happy to see the last piece go on the last cradle. Great job. Well done.
-- JJohn