Safe finishes for kids' toys
Because small children are in the habit of getting their hands everywhere, including in their mouths, it's worth taking the time in the workshop to ensure the toys you make for your kids are safe and free of toxins that they might ingest or transfer to their tender skin.
While most workshop projects call for a fair amount of sanding, a thorough sanding job up to a fine-grit paper will ensure that you've removed potential splinters from the toys. You can also make toys safer by carefully rounding off all corners to remove the sharp edges that could cause bruises when toys are stepped on or swung at little brothers. A roundover bit used in your router can make short work of sharp edges.
If your child shows any signs of nut allergies, or if you have a lot of allergies in your family, consider using a basic non-toxic oil finish such as light mineral oil. This will protect the project, although it may not keep it clean. Mineral oil is available at drug stores.
If nut allergies aren't an issue in your family, you might want to apply 100 per cent tung oil or walnut oil to your shop-made toys. Tung oil, which comes from a Chinese nut, dries fully in three to four days, while walnut oil doesn't ever dry fully.
Danish oil is made with a small amount of varnish typically mixed with tung or linseed oil. Many Danish oils are labelled non-toxic, and they're finishes you can just wipe on, then wipe off a few minutes later. -Jessica Ross
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2 Comments
This plan used to include a drawing that could be enlarged for builing a jig for laminating the handle and the size/shape of the other pieces. Would be nice to have that back on the website.
I would luv to make this for my grandson but I would need a drawing... I know alot of little kids that would also luv it. maybe even donate 1 for a fund rasier