Several new gifts

I gotta make one of those helicopters and the tank thing you made in a previous project. Those things are too awesome in a cute toy kind of way.

-- Jason, Atlanta, GA

These are real nice and I can see the little ones really enjoying them.

-- If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. Henry David Thoreau

Nice looking set of toys. Thanks for posting.

God Bless
tom

-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa

These are so cool. I think the helicopter is my favorite, but I love them all. May I ask you what kind of paint you use on them? My partner made up some wooden animals and I am going to paint them very simply. Some of them such as the giraffe have a head that you can pose up and down. We are afraid that the paint may stick or rub off from the constant friction of moving the pieces. I am thinking I will use DecoArt Enamels, but I would just like to know what you are using and if you have encountered any problems with your paint and moving parts.

Thanks so much in advance. Sheila

-- Contributing Editor, Creative Woodworks and Crafts, Sheila Landry Designs http://www.sheilalandrydesigns.com "Knowledge is Power"

Thanks Jason, Charles and Tom! :)

Sheila, I’m really excited to see these little animals, I bet they’re so cute. I use latex interior house paint, some left over, some are those small sample bottles that you can get at HD. And the details and some cars (if I have the color I like) are craft paints similar to DecoArt enamels. Although I don’t think they are the particular brand. Any would work. I leave bare wood when there are moving parts contacting each other, because it does rub off, and will change the tolerance between parts which makes it difficult to keep parts snug fitting. If I could suggest anything, I would say give water-based wood dyes a chance ( have used Mixol personally, but I know there are others). You mix to your concentration desire, and they blend nicely. They will raise the grain, so count on light sanding (I just use 320grit even), and a second coating….. but they are well worth it for this. I have used them on tinker toy stick replacements, and they have held up VERY well with literally no removal of color. You could use these as a base color, and then detail with acrylics.

Hope that it turns out to your liking whatever you two end up using, and I can’t wait to see them.

-Dale

-- Dale, Oregon

Those are really nice. Lucky Kids.

-- Dan - Valparaiso, Indiana, "A smart man changes his mind, a fool never does."