Crane Project
A toy for girls as well as boys... from 18 months on up.
The next project will be a truck
for your child to load and unload.
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Directions:
1. Saw and sand these pieces of wood. Check them off as you cut them.
| Wood needed |
Length in inches |
Name of part |
Check off |
| Masonite |
12 x 12" |
Base |
_______ |
| 2 x 2 |
18" |
Tower |
_______ |
| Molding |
8" and 4" (2 pieces) |
Supports for tower |
_______ |
| 1 x 2 |
16" |
Crane arm |
_______ |
| 2 x 2 |
5" |
Control room |
_______ |
| 3/4" dowel |
4" and 1 3/4" |
Extension and Pivot |
_______ |
| 1/4" dowel |
1 ¼ |
String control |
_______ |
2. Mark lines and the square on the base piece as the picture shows.
3. Drill nine 1/4" holes, 2 inches apart and 1/2" deep, on the side of the
tower 2x2.
4. Drill two 1/4" holes all the way through the crane arm 1/2" from each end.
5. Drill a 3/4" hole In one end of the tower 2x2 about 1/2" deep.
6. Glue control tower piece to the crane arm 2 1/2 inches from one end.
7. Glue the tower and supports at the cross to the base piece. Use lots of
glue and let set.
You will be decorating your crane with markers. Look for a real crane to see what is written on them.
8. Secure the base piece, supports and tower with screws. Mark pencil points where you can drill through the support pieces into the tower. Also mark where you can drill through the base and into the supports.
9. Drill one hole through each support into the tower. Drive the screws.
10. Drill four holes for the screws through the bottom of the base and into the supports. Drive the four screws.
11. Drill a 3 /4" hole through the bottom of the 1 x2 crane arm and into the control room about 6" from the end. Drill about 1 1/2" deep.
12. Drill another 3/4" hole in the top of the control room about 2 1/2" from the end.
13. Glue the short 3/4" dowel into the tower end.
14. Glue the long 3/4" dowel into the top of the control room.
15. Glue a bead on the end of the 1/4" dowel.
16. Drill a small hole for the eyelet at the top of the extension. Screw in the eyelet.
17. Decorate the crane with markers. Sign your work and date it.
18. Cut a string 46" long. Thread it through the crane end, eyelet and
crane tip. Tie a hook to one end and the other to your bead. insert the dowel into the tower holes.
PLAY AT HOME:
At home, make some baskets and pallets to attach to the hook. Save a margarine tub, plastic lid, strawberry basket and some rubberbands to attach to the hook. Tie on some string so they will hook on the S.
ideas: wrecking ball, magnet, toilet paper rolls, hook on truck.
Use blocks, dried beans, or legos to load and unload.
Pretend play with your children. It helps their language skills, builds imagination and teaches them problem solving. What kind of trucks or cars does your child have at home?
Go to a library and pick out some books about construction. The librarian can help you find good picture books.
Crane Materials List
- See above for wood
- 6 1 1/4" x 6 wood screws
- 1/4" dowel
- Bead
- S hook
- Nylon or cotton cord
- Eyelet
- Wood glue
- Saw
- C clamp
- Sandpaper
- Drill, 1/4" bit, screw bit, 3/4" bit
This is a multi-step project that takes 4-5 hours. It got rave reviews from the children. Parents were proud of it. But do this project when parents have had lots of tool practice.
It is hard to set the screws to hold up the tower.
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