In this tutorial, I will show you how to make a wooden train coin bank. I am making it as a gift for my cousin. Coin banks are much easier to make than you would expect. They make great gifts for young children.

Materials Needed:
Wood
1 short screw
Tools Needed:
Bandsaw
Drill or Drill press
Sander

Step 1: Prep Your Wood

First, you will need four pieces of wood that are roughly the same size as your template. You now need to glue two of them together. Make sure that one edge is pefectly even.

Step 2: Cut Out the Coin Compartment.

The coin slot is in the smoke stack of the train. The compartment is just a shape that will fit inside the train outline. I put the train template over the hole so you can see how it will be positioned. Mark where the edges of the paper are on the wood.

Step 3: Cut Out the Train

First, glue the two remaining pieces of wood to each side of the coin compartment. Attach the train template on to the block of wood. Make sure that the edges of the paper line up with the lines on the side of the block. Then, cut it out and sand it.

Step 4: Drill Hole for Coins

With a 1.5 inch hole saw, drill through the back of the train into the coin space. Use a drum sander to smooth the hole.

Step 5: Make a Cover

I didn't want to buy a plug for the hole so so I decided to make a cover. Start with some thin plywood and draw a circle that is bigger than a half inch. Draw a tab on the circle that is about .5 inches buy .5 inches. Now cut it out on your bandsaw and sand it.

Step 6: Attach the Cover

Start by taping the cover piece over the hole where you want it. Drill a hole slightly smaller than your screw through the tab into the bank. Take the cover off and drill the hole bigger so the screw can barely slide through. Screw the cover on just tight enough so it can't open on its own.