tiny cars and planes

My idea for making tiny wheels came from a desire the kids have had for making airplanes. The large wheels we make ourselves are too big to fit under the wing of a small plane, so tiny wheels seemed to be a next step. The tiny wheels allow the making of tiny cars and trucks that fit the pocket.

The image shows the device we use with the drill press to hold the wheels centered under the drill bit. You can see in the photo how small these wheels can be. A 1/8 in. drill forms a perfect hole to fit a bamboo skewer as axle. The pen drilling vise applies pressure on the outside of the wheel blank that keeps it from splitting.

The students were pleased with the toy cars carried off in their pockets.

Yesterday was "cyber-Monday" in the US and shoppers in the US are busy buying stuff online and in stores. What you buy new this year will be trash in barely a few more. The excitement of stuff quickly wears off as it wears and as shiny new replacement stuff is acquired.

Let's turn our attention toward making things instead of owning them. We would be transformed by the process and if we are making things from wood, the wast can be composted and return to the forests from which our lumber comes.

We have 28 Making days left before the Christmas holiday.

Make, fix and create...