Turning rattles

[tony]

Is Tulipwood (American i think) suitable for making a babies rattle

 

[Bodrighy]

Should be, are you talking about the type with captive rings or the more traditional hollow ones? It might be a bit soft but I think you'll find it is safe. Often used for rocking horses which I am guessing get a fair bit of stick from children.

Pete

 

[Jonzjob]

I've been making these for about 12 or more years now out of beech, sycamore, box and several other woods and if your tulip wood is not too soft then I can't see a problem.

Mind you, if this is anything to go by then most of the woods we use seem to be dangerous!

http://www.organicjewelry.com/woodhazards.html?

 

[xc-mtbr]

Hi just looking at the pic and i think these are brilliant, how on earth do you make the rings that are encapsulated ??

 

[Jonzjob]

The rings are not too difficult to do. You can buy ring tools and when I started to make these I saw the price, about £15 for each of the left and right hand tools and said stuff that. I had a think and came up with this

Not too pretty, but very effective. It started out as a 1 1/4" chisel. I'm not worried about it not being the correct metal because it doesn't have a lot of pressure on it.

This explains it better than I can and it goes to show just how expensive it could get too. With mine I can turn any size I want with the one tool. I also do the undercutting before I turn the bead, but each to their own I suppose.

 

[tony]

Pete, i was thinking of doing a hollow rattle and wondered if tulipwood was safe for babies. Thanks for all replies so far

 

[Jonzjob]

Sorry for the senior moment there. I had meant to post this site for the method for captive rings http://www.woodturningonline.com/Turnin ... rings.html

I would think that tulip wood would be OK Tony. What were you thinking of putting in the rattle? A glass marble would be a good noise maker.

 

[Bodrighy]

I know someone who uses an old pair of secateurs, well ione side of them, that he has ground down to do these. If you are going to do a lot, especially on more delicate things like goblets it is probably worth investing in the £15 though as it makes it a lot quicker and easier,

pete

 

[tony]

I was thinking of putting a small bell or bells in the rattle, what do you reckon

 

[Jonzjob]

It has to be worth a try? I'm not sure just how well they will sound through the wood, but?? If you don't glue it up then you can always try something else.

Putting small holes n the rattle may work, but I think that they would let baby spittle in and not very hygienic?

 

[Alf]

Some years ago I made a sycamore rattle with a bell in for a friend's first, and it went on to sprog no.2 as well - it was very popular and hyper-sensitive friend had no issues with hygiene. Of course the area for the bell was larger, whereas the the handle was deliberately slender so that's where the bulk of the teething and slobbering went on.

 

[duncanh]

I've made several with bells in and they work just fine as long as the walls aren't too thick.
I drill small holes though the end which helps some of the sound escape and, according to my brother who's kids I gave my first ones to, they give visual interest and help with some developmental thing or other (I can't exactly remember how he phrased it!).
When creating the hollow area don't make it too thin and ensure that all joints are over engineered - the rattle will probably get dropped on all sorts of surfaces.

The first couple I made had traditional style long thin handles but when I posted images on a US site there was some comments stating that they wouldn't pass US health and safety laws regarding rattles. Apparently the handle over there has to be over a certain diameter to stop the baby putting it down it's mouth and choking. As far as I could find out there are no such laws over here but it alarmed me somewhat so now I put a flared trumpet shape on the handle end. This is also useful as it allows the rattle to be stood up as well as led down when placed on something narrow like a mantle piece where it could roll off.

I've been told that every child that's received one of my rattles prefers it to the plastic ones that they've been given

 

[Jonzjob]

I agree Alf. I have always gone by the old saying about " a peck of dirt". I'm under the impression that all of this super hygiene is one of the causes of a lot of the health problems of today. But I also realise what a lot of people are like..

Amongst the rattles that I have made are several yew ones. I haven't been informed of any problems with them. At the time I had no idea that they were supposed to be 'no too good for yer 'elf'.

When I was making to sell I kept in fairly close touch with Gloucester 'elf & safety for the toys. I phoned them one day to ask about the rattles and ask if sunflower oil was OK for the covering. The reply was that sunflower oil burns and I should do a test by holding a match under on to see if it caught fire :shock: :shock: . I did and it didn't, so all was well. I felt like informing him that almost all wood burns very well and that's why it is used in fires, but I thought better of it?

"I've been told that every child that's received one of my rattles prefers it to the plastic ones that they've been given."

I have had the same feedback too. Lovely to hear init!

 

[frugal]

Our daughter had a woodwn darning mushroom as a teething toy. It also had a piece of raw amber hanging from the handle on a short leather thong to give a variety of textures.