# Sons 1st Birthday Present - Oak Wagon



## OH_Varmntr (May 26, 2017)

My wife wanted to get a wagon for our son for his 1st birthday and it was the perfect opportunity to delve a bit deeper into my woodworking hobby. 

The further I read into things I got bit by the hand tool bug. Watching Paul Sellers videos didn't hurt!

Anywho, I kinda just built this in my head as I went along. 
























Laminated the bottom. 








I just dry fit the bottom to get an idea of where to mount the axles. The front axle will pivot on a heavy duty marine seat swivel and I'll build a handle that will attach to it. 








I had every intention of fitting the bottom into dados cut into the lower rails but I got ahead of myself and had my box joints all glued up before I realized I forgot to.


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## woodchux (Jul 6, 2014)

Great design and build! Be sure to "mark" your initials & the date somewhere on that special gift to your little guy, and for all those future generations. Thanks for sharing, & be safe.


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## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

I like it..So much in fact that I'm tempted to steal the idea, scale it up a bunch and replace the bed on the pickup with a much larger version..

Nahhh.. I don't have the money for the lumber required for the job, but it's tempting nonetheless..

You are gonna leave those nice crisp edges so the kid learns early how to remove splinters from his keester,...right?


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## OH_Varmntr (May 26, 2017)

Thanks guys! I need to figure out a way to mark it. I'm probably going to get a stamp set and a brass plate and inlay the plate in the bottom. Something that won't easily come off that way. There are custom branding options online but they aren't cheap. 

As far as removing the sharp edges, I've got a round over bit for my router but I'm thinking this project would be a great way to learn how to use my spokeshave. 




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## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

OH_Varmntr said:


> Thanks guys! I need to figure out a way to mark it. I'm probably going to get a stamp set and a brass plate and inlay the plate in the bottom. Something that won't easily come off that way. There are custom branding options online but they aren't cheap.
> 
> As far as removing the sharp edges, I've got a round over bit for my router but I'm thinking this project would be a great way to learn how to use my spokeshave.
> 
> ...


Just use some 220 grit and sand the edges if the router won't fit in the corners or perhaps a small thumb plane.. I use mine quite a bit for such purposes..








I saw one at HD the other day for about $6.. It'll get within an inch of the corner if whatever you want to plane is already assembled..

You know..I can't tell if my hands are shrinking or my tools are growing.. My hands always look smaller in images for some reason..odd..


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## OH_Varmntr (May 26, 2017)

Thanks I think the router will give it a cool look too since it won't go all the way in to the corners. The transition from the half round to the sharp edges just in the corners should look neat and still be mostly out of the way. 


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## Catpower (Jan 11, 2016)

OH_Varmntr said:


> Thanks guys! I need to figure out a way to mark it. I'm probably going to get a stamp set and a brass plate and inlay the plate in the bottom. Something that won't easily come off that way. There are custom branding options online but they aren't cheap.
> 
> As far as removing the sharp edges, I've got a round over bit for my router but I'm thinking this project would be a great way to learn how to use my spokeshave.
> 
> ...


Nice looking rig for the young man 

You might do what I used to do to mark stuff I made,buy a wood burning set, they are pretty cheap, and you could customize your logo

I keep thinking of how much better I would have been if the internet was around 50 years ago, but I had to learn form the school of hard knocks, but i was able to heat the school with all the firewood I was making LOL


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## Pineknot_86 (Feb 19, 2016)

What Catpower said. And use your full name or at least first initial and last name plus the month and year.


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## WhoWoodHaveThought (May 21, 2017)

OH_Varmntr said:


> Thanks guys! I need to figure out a way to mark it. I'm probably going to get a stamp set and a brass plate and inlay the plate in the bottom.


You can print out a piece of paper with your name and date on it (and a design if you want), and then use acetone to transfer the ink from the paper into the wood. *Just remember, however, that you must have a laser printer for this to work properly, because the "toner" is actually a fine plastic powder that melts to paper while printing. Acetone semi-melts the pre-melted toner just enough for it to seep into the wood.
*
Here's a video of how to do it that I found online:


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## Kenbo (Sep 16, 2008)

That wagon is awesome. Nicely done.


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## WhoWoodHaveThought (May 21, 2017)

Are you going to put a stain or use wood oil on it? Even if you don't, it look beautiful anyways. Nicely done!


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## OH_Varmntr (May 26, 2017)

Thank you all very much. This is the first real project I've done with anything other than pocket holes. 

As an electrician, I have a few spare soldiering irons laying around. I can't believe I didn't think of burning wood before. I still like the brass plate idea though. I guess I'll try a few different ideas and go from there. 

As far as finishing goes, I was going to do some testing on that as well. I'm leaning more towards an oil finish like boiled linseed. 


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## OH_Varmntr (May 26, 2017)




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## OH_Varmntr (May 26, 2017)

Linseed oil applied to wagon with bottom placed in for picture. 
























And here's the copper plate I stamped. When my Stanley router plane comes in I'll remove some face grain and epoxy this in so it won't ever come out. Tomorrow I'm going to start building the axle carriages.


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## WhoWoodHaveThought (May 21, 2017)

Wow the copper plate looks nice!


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## OH_Varmntr (May 26, 2017)

Thanks! My Stanley No 71 Router Plane came in yesterday and after flattening the sole of the plane and sharpening the iron I began cutting the dados in the bottom of the frame and began building the carriage.

Man, these old hand tools are amazing. Slow is fast in this regard. I'l have more pics tomorrow I hope.


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## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

If it gets left out in the rain, not that I personally ever left anything out in the rain as a kid except for everything I ever owned boiled linseed oil might not be the best option..


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## OH_Varmntr (May 26, 2017)

Haha I'm in the same boat as you and every other kid out there. I've thought about that and figured we will just have to do the best we can not to forget it outside.

Does anyone know how compatible other finishes are to cured BLO?


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## WoodAddict (Jun 7, 2017)

Very nice of you to make something for your child, but one tip: make sure you remove all the splitters. A friend of mine did the same but didn't scrub the surface enough. So the child came back with some splitters in it's hand.


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## OH_Varmntr (May 26, 2017)

Thanks woodaddict. My wife had the final say of when it was all smooth enough to her liking. All of the corners have been rounded over with a 1/8" round over bit and the tight corners where the bit didn't get got hit with 220 sandpaper.

The flat surfaces were smoothed with a hand plane and they're like glass. We're just going to have to periodically check it. 


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## Project510 (Sep 27, 2014)

Looking good. Looking forward to seeing the final product.


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## WoodAddict (Jun 7, 2017)

Very good, glad to help. I don't want to see any kid having unnecessary pain from a present from their parents. They should always have much joy and pleasure from it, and you are going to make him something to achieve that. Good job !


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## OH_Varmntr (May 26, 2017)

I laid out the plans for the axle pivot carriage today. I'll describe it without pictures for now because there's really no good way to show it in pics until it's done.

The framework for the carriage is 1x3 oak stock that I've recessed into the bottom of the frame via stopped dados that end flush with the bottom of the wagon. I wanted to distribute the load of the wagon and through both the frame and the bottom of the wagon, not just one or the other.

The axle pivot is a marine seat swivel that will be held in place through the 1/3 oak stock via 1/4" carriage bolts that I'll run through the bottom, the vertically oriented 1/3 oak stock and through the fixed seat swivel plate. The moving seat swivel plate will have a 3/16" steel plate with a 5/8" ID tube welded to it that will house the axle shaft. This plate will have an extension on the front of it that I will make a pivot system for the handle to attach to. I'm trying to make the extension stick out far enough to be able to rest the handle on the front face of the wagon but not too far that it will be a shin buster.

I've got a fairly nice oak 4x4 that I'll make the handle out of. I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to make some sort of simple handle latch that will hold the handle in the upright position when not being used. I just don't want something that looks out of place.


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## OH_Varmntr (May 26, 2017)

I flipped the picture upside down since the wagon is on it's top right now. This is a 3/16" plate of steel that I sheared and broke to hold the axles. The nuts welded to the front are for the handle pivot. 

I still need to remove some of the 1x3 stock for tire clearance.


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## OH_Varmntr (May 26, 2017)

The front axle carriage is done minus applying the finish. All of the tire clearance material was removed by hand tools. I never gave hand tools a chance but that's been because I have always lacked the patience. This build has taught me great patience.


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## blackpearl (Jul 20, 2012)

It's a great present! Beautifully made. Your son will cherish it for years.


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## Dan Gal (Sep 17, 2013)

*Great Job*

I'm sure your son will have many years of enjoyment and hand it down generations after generations. For my projects for my children and grand child,I went with a engraved brass plaque, "Handcrafted by Dad/Pa Pa with Love for (Child's name), (Date)".


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## OH_Varmntr (May 26, 2017)

Thanks guys. I've been super busy lately so I haven't been able to finish it yet. I have to have it finished by July 15th. 


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## OH_Varmntr (May 26, 2017)

I managed to sneak away for a bit tonight to finish the handle assembly. All that is left is to make the rear axle plates that will bolt to the vertical axle supports and apply the spar urethane. I already applied BLO a ways back but it just didn't seal the wood like I hoped it would. 

So here's what I have now.


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## TreadwayJohnA (Jun 23, 2017)

Very nice, he is going to love growing up and playing with this wagon.


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## OH_Varmntr (May 26, 2017)

Well here's the end result. He loves it so much he wouldn't come out of it to come inside for lunch.


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## Terry Q (Jul 28, 2016)

Looks like he needs somebody to pull it


In woodworking there is always more then one way to accomplish something.


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## RickestRick (Aug 1, 2017)

Great job man. Putting your name, or Dad on the stuff you make your kids is something I do. They will appreciate it when they're older.


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