(4) Wheels can be made with the brace and centre-bit. The way for the centre-bit must be prepared by using a small-sized pin-bit. The wood must be laid perfectly flat, the brace and bit held perfectly perpendicular, only a little pressure applied upon the knob and the crank turned slowly. The boring must be done half way through from each side of the wood, and this will liberate a disc of wood 1 inch in diameter, or 1¼ inch, according to the size of the centre-bit.
(5) There is a little instrument sold called a circle-cutter (price, 2s.), designed for cutting small circular pieces of wood from satin walnut board. It is so constructed that it will cut circles of any size up to 5 inches in diameter. This, however, is difficult for children to use.
(6) For large wheels or table-tops a circle can be drawn in a square, the corners sawn off, the obtuse corners sawn off again and then filed perfectly round. This is rather a laborious method, but quite successful. Holes can be made in the centre with a bradawl and enlarged with a round file.
(7) Cardboard Wheels. Wheels can be cut out of cardboard with scissors and pen-knife (the latter is necessary only if the spokes are to be cut out). If several cardboard wheels of the same size are gummed together, a wheel strong enough for any toy in this book can be made. The edges can be filed to make them perfectly even. Cardboard washers prevent the wheels from wobbling.
(8) The fret-saw (see Part II) is very useful for making wheels.
(9) The wooden tops of gloy bottles make very good wheels indeed (especially for motor-cars). They are ready for use at once, as they have a hole in the centre. Also the tin tops of Le Page's liquid glue make excellent small wheels; a hole can easily be made in the centre by means of a hammer and a long nail or the pin stopper of a tube of seccotine.
(10) Wheels can be bought. A sheet of four wheels costs a penny. This is the least satisfactory course.
Of the various ways of making wheels described above, the methods best suited to little ones are (1), (3), (6), (7), and (9). The axles should be narrow strips of wood, with the ends rounded. Round rods do not make good axles, because they cannot be fastened securely to the bottom of the vehicle, the nailing being a difficult matter for the children. In fastening the axles to vans, carts, etc., there is no need for block A (Fig. 197); the latter is only introduced when the wheels have to be under the vehicle; in other cases the axle can be glued and nailed directly to the bottom.
Colouring the Finished Toy. A well-made toy is beautiful without paint, which is often used merely to hide bad work and give a false appearance of finish. Children generally like the wooden toys, which they have made, uncoloured, until the grown-up person suggests paint.
However, some toys should be coloured; for example, the swinging animals described in Chapter XX. If the wood has been well sand-papered water-colour paints can be used. Older children can use oil paints or penny tins of enamel. But let the children realise the beauty of plain wood; the drawbridge in Part II is far more effective in white wood, with the stones marked out in pencil or crayon, than if painted.