Hey everyone! I'm looking for creative ideas for baby toys that I can hand carve. A friend of mine is due soon and I'd love to make something special for her little one. The catch is that I live in an apartment and don't have access to power tools—just hand tools like a carving knife, chisels, and gouges. I've carved walnut before, but it was tricky, so I'm considering using poplar instead of maple due to possible allergies.
I have some food-safe Danish oil and beeswax mix for finishing, which I usually use for my wooden spoons, so I think it'll be safe for babies. I initially thought about making a whale or turtle-shaped rattle, but my workspace is limited to a folding table, making it hard to use my coping saw.
I'm really open to suggestions for toys that are feasible to carve by hand. Also, I could use some guidance on how big or small these toys should be. Thanks in advance for your help!
2 Answers
Hey! I totally get your situation—working in an apartment can be tough. I’ve made loads of baby rattles using just a coping saw, and for the center holes, I use a hole saw bit, but I’ve also managed with the coping saw for those too. I think you could still pull off some cute rattles without needing a full setup! It might be worth investing in a small drill to help with the process. It really makes a difference when you’re carving.
You can definitely make rattles without a coping saw! I saw some great tutorials on YouTube where people used hand tools. Plus, juniper wood is great for baby toys—it's safe, smells nice, and you don’t even need to finish it if it's robust enough. Best of luck with your project! I'd love to see what you come up with.
I’ll definitely check out juniper wood! And I’ll share my progress once I get everything sorted out, thanks for the encouragement!
Yeah, I think a drill could really help! I struggle with the coping saw on my own, especially trying to clamp things down without a proper workbench.