This is a fun set of toy tools I made for the kids that come to play in my shop everyday. My shop has become a communal play area.

I am also getting some practice making tools. I haven’t made any for a while. Last year, all of my custom made hand tools were stolen (along with some new power tools). Within the next month or so I will make a complete set of real handtools.

If you like this PLEASE vote for me. I really would like to win a camera so I can stop borrowing one to post instructables.

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Step 1: Materials and Tools

Materials:

I made this primarily from scrap wood around the shop,

The entire set can be made from a 2X6 board.

Plus18” of 1”dowel & 8” of ½ inch dowel

Tools:

Drill

Router

Saw

Mallet

Step 2: Toolbox

Trace the end piece pattern onto a piece of wood and cut two stacked pieces at once, with a band saw.

Measure The thickness of your dowel. Then using a bit just a hair larger drill a hole in the stacked end pieces.

Round over the top edge of the sides with the router

Glue the bottom to the end pieces

Put glue on the edges of the side pieces, then clamp it all together

Push the dowel through the hole in one end piece, but stop just before the dowel goes into the second end piece. Spread wood glue on both ends of the dowel. Now push the dowel the rest of the way into the end piece. Clean up any glue squeeze out.

That is a nice looking box!

Step 3: Hand Saw

Trace the blade pattern on a ¼” thick wood scrap. Cut out the blade. Sand down the edges of the blade so that no one get hurts when the kids start to play doctor and cut off limbs.

Nextmake the saw handle. The first step is to cut a ¼” groove in the center of the edge of a¾” board (see pic.)

Then place the pattern on the board so that the groove is facing toward the blade side of the pattern. Cut out the pattern.

Drill two holes into the saw handle for the opening, then use a scroll saw or wonder saw to cut out the remainder of the opening.(Check out the photo)

Then round over the edges of the handle with a router and round over bit.

Glue the blade into the groove in the handle. Use wood glue or plain white glue.

Step 4: Pliers

Trace two copies of the pattern on a piece of wood¾ -1” thick, be sure to follow the grain direction.

Cut a groove approximately half the depth of the wood as shown in the photos. (Use a router, table saw or bandsaw for the groove)After the groove is cut redraw the pattern lines on the wood (it makes cutting easier).

Then cut out the two pieces with a bandsaw or scroll saw.

Round over the edges with a router.

Put the two pieces together as in the photo.

Measure the distance between opposite flats of your lock nut. Find a drill bit that is that size. Drill a hole about 3/16” deep as in the photos. Then use another bit that is just slightly larger than the shaft of the bolt you are using. Drill into the center of the first hole through both pieces of the pliers while holding the pliers together.

Place the locknut upside down in the hole that you drilled. Now tap the nut into the wood. Don’t get carried away with this. Remove the nut (if it is difficult to move just screw the bolt in a little bit and pull the nut out.) Turn the nut over and put it back in that nice hole that is now shaped like a locknut. Tap the nut until it is completely seated in the piece. Use some super glue around the outside of the nut. Let it soak in between the wood and the nut.

Now screw the pliers together and admire your good work.

Step 5: Hammer

Use a 1 5/8”X 1 5/8 X 4 1/2” scrap of wood for the hammer head.

Place the pattern over the edge of the board as in the photo.

With a band saw or scrollsaw cut the hammer in the following order as in the photos.

1.Cut out the two pieces on the bottom of the hammerhead.

2.Cut the two rounded prongs at the back of the hammerhead

3.Cut in the four indentations around the face of the hammerhead

4.Place the hammerhead on it side and cut the final curve of the hammer.

Now with the hammerhead roughed out drill a hole in the center of the hammer that is a hair larger than the handle of 1” dowel (measure first).

Round over the edges of the hammerhead with a router.

Use a dremel to smooth out the rough spot a shape the details of the hammer.

Cut two or three grooves into one end of the piece of dowel and round over the opposite end with a sander.

Coat the inside of the hole with glue and push the handle into the hammerhead. Tap it in with a hammer if necessary.

Step 6: Wrench

This is the easiest piece in this set to make.

The wrench doesn’t really go with the woodworking tools, but, kids like it, so we have one

Trace the pattern on ¾ to1”wood following the grain.

Cut the wrench out with a band saw, scroll saw or a wonder saw. Round over the edges with a router. All done. Wasn’t that easy?

Step 7: Screwdriver

This is my least favorite tool of the set. It would be nicer if I turned it on a lathe, but, I wanted to show a non-lathe version for folks that do not have access to a lathe.

I used 1” and ½” dowels.

Cut a small length of the larger dowel to about four inches.

Then drill a hole about 2” deep, with a bit just a hair larger than the thickness of dowel. Don’t assume that a half inch dowel is actually a half inch measure it.

Round over both ends of the handle piece with a sander.

Put some glue into the hole and spread it around with a straw or some other narrow bit.

Push the smaller dowel into the hole in the larger one.

Then sand down the working end of the screw driver make flats with a sander or dremel or whatever works for you. Round the edges over so that no one gets hurt.

You can use this same method to make a Phillips screwdriver or a Robertson,just use a dremel to change the shape of the working end.

Step 8:

I plan to add a try square and a hand plane (and possibly other items) to the tool box. Send me a pm if you would like me to notify you when additions are posted to this instructable.