# Tiny Trains



## Lee J (26 Sep 2011)

A new addition to my growing craft fair items, I made this prototype this weekend...

The engine is 3" long and each carriage is 2" long. 

Sorry about the blurry photos...

















The engine and carts are made from pine, as are the wheels. The wheels are attached with small split rivets and the coal in the coal cart is a dollop of glue with coarse sea salt sprinkled over, then when dry I painted it black. 

This is a goods train, I'm also doing passenger carriages too. 

Your opinions and suggestions are welcomed.


----------



## Racers (26 Sep 2011)

Hi, Lee

Looks very nice. Does fit Brio train track? My kids had loads and spent many hours playing with it.


Pete


----------



## Jensmith (26 Sep 2011)

Looks great. I like the coal - looks realistic. Maybe you also need some track?


----------



## gregmcateer (26 Sep 2011)

Lee,
That's lovely. Really appealing for the young un's
Greg


----------



## angelboy (27 Sep 2011)

If you can make them to fit the brio/ikea tracks then I think you might do pretty good.


----------



## Lee J (11 Oct 2011)

Me again with these little trains. I know this thread was way down the order now but I wanted to put some kind of work in progress pictures on and give some info about the making of these trains.

Engine

*Cut list*

Qty: 1 - 18mm x 20mm L: 75mm
Qty: 1 - 18mm x 20mm L: 25mm
Qty: 1 - 18mm dowel L: 50mm
Qty: 1 - 20mm x 5mm L: 75mm
Qty: 1 - 20mm x 5mm L: 25mm
Qty: 1 - 6mm dowel L: 10mm

I assembled the components like this... 






All glued together, then I drilled a 6mm hole in the top of the tank and popped the 6mm dowel into it as a funnel. 
I made a small jig for the wheel spacing out of a scrap bit of mahogany. But if I was doing it the long way I would measure 5mm up from the bottom then rule a line across then along this line mark off 11mm, 38mm & 64mm. Drill through at these marks with 5mm drill bit. 

After a tickle with a piece of sand paper to remove any fluffy edges or cut marks I started to paint the engines. First I painted the colour. This one is red but I have done green and blue too. 






Then I painted the black parts. 






Then fit a small eye into the back of the engine. I didn't have a set measurement for the location of the eye/hooks, I just kinda went for about 5mm up and central across the width. If you look in the background you can see my wheel spacing jig.






Using 9 guage (12mm shank length, 8mm cap diam) split rivets I located the rivet and wheel into the hole and tap down. I found when tapped down the wheels were stuck solid. So gently I put a small screwdriver blade under the rivet cap and lifted until the wheel could spin. 
















Thats about it for the engine.

Passenger Carriages

*Cut List*

Qty: 2 - 18mm x 20mm L: 50mm
Qty: 1 - 20mm x 5mm L: 50mm

Assemble like this... 






Painted like this...






Use the same method for the wheels as the engine. 

Coal Cart

*Cut List*

Qty: 1 - 18mm x 20mm L: 50mm
Qty: 1 - 18mm x 10mm L: 50mm
Qty: 1 - 20mm x 5mm L: 50mm

Assemble and paint like this...






The coal is made by putting a layer of pva glue on the top and sprinkle coarse sea salt onto it. Let it dry and then paint black. 






I also made flat bed carriages and a tanker carriage. You can make anything you want really.


----------



## Von Ryan (11 Oct 2011)

Excellent! Love the sea salt coal.


----------



## Jensmith (11 Oct 2011)

They look great. Do you use a child safe paint? I guess the sea salt is quite good as it's edible - not sure if that was the intention?


----------



## Lee J (12 Oct 2011)

Jensmith - water based paint used on these but I'm sourcing some child friendly paint at the moment, these are for ornamental purposes for adults. I will be making a load for a xmas craft fair in November. child friendly of course.


----------



## Harbo (12 Oct 2011)

Nice trains but be careful with the salt - it can kill young children?

Rod


----------



## Lee J (12 Oct 2011)

Harbo":2dimje94 said:


> Nice trains but be careful with the salt - it can kill young children?
> 
> Rod



:shock: point noted and back to the drawing board


----------



## gregmcateer (15 Oct 2011)

Lee J":3a69sj5i said:


> Harbo":3a69sj5i said:
> 
> 
> > Nice trains but be careful with the salt - it can kill young children?
> ...



Poss lumps of sand allowed to clump together in the PVA would do?
Or maybe some fine aggregate or the like from a builder yard, (or the neighbour's drive!)

PS Really like them and great WIP - Thanks,

Greg


----------



## MIGNAL (15 Oct 2011)

That's the problem with making items for small children. You have to be sooooo careful. Even fine aggregate might be a problem.


----------



## Harbo (15 Oct 2011)

Yes anything that can find itself into a young child's mouth (especially under 3's) are a danger.
And to be honest a child will not recognise that level of detail - it's us adults?
Perhaps just some child friendly black paint will suffice?

Rod


----------



## MIGNAL (15 Oct 2011)

Yes. I hate to be a killjoy but I would also check on those metal eyelets and the wheel fixings. 
Probably your best course of action is to go to one of the well known Toy shops and take a close look at what existing makers are using for things such as couplings and wheel fixings. I know that there is a limit to how far one can take the safety aspect but the bigger Toy manufacturers have probably thought this through extensively. If it means copying some of those aspects, then so be it.


----------



## Lee J (16 Oct 2011)

i think it's easier to stick to making 'non child' stuff.


----------

