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Thread: What wood for kids building blocks?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    What wood for kids building blocks?

    Been a long time since I've poste anything...been busy. Unfortunately work, not Woodworking.

    My question: my parents have an old set of wood building blocks. Very nice block! About twice the size of what you find at places like Toys 'R Us. Of course can't find them anywhere.

    So figured it can't be to hard to make my own. Pulled the general dimensions, colored stains easy to find. The only question is what kind of wood to use?? I can't tell what the type of wood is from my 'patterns'.

    It's got a grain very much like Oak, but it's not Oak. Not maple...to soft. Not pine...to hard.

    What's a good wood for kids blocks??

    Thx,

    Perry

  2. #2
    Perry,

    Though I've not made any, my guess is that ANY wood would work so long as you sanded them smooth.

    My 2 cents.

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  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Sounds like Beech to me. Looks like Oak (kind a) good for projects like this because it is hard, sands well, relatively inexpensive, etc.


  4. #4
    If it's got a grain like oak I might guess ash. When it comes to making, I would also consider hickory, it's hard and can handle the abuse it might get.
    Tony

  5. #5
    Maple would be my choice - although beech (as mentioned) would also be good. I would stay away from ash and oak as they tend to splinter a bit. Lars

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Gilroy, CA
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    Ash

    I made some a few years ago and used a combination of Red Oak and Ash.

    I had two big concerns, which you've probably already taken care of.

    1. Size. I found that 1.25" cubes was a nice size. Too big to go in your mouth (if you're 3 and were so inclined).

    2. Finish. You need to find a safe water-soluble finish. I can't remember what I used but there are stains out there made for toys, and hence relatively less toxic than your average poly. Although I suppose you could use something like mineral oil as well. If it is safe enough for a cutting board it is probably safe enough for a toy, especially one that doesn't easily get into a kid's mouth.

    ap

  7. #7
    perry, lotsa kid toys where made of maple.....02 tod

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  8. #8
    Perry,
    Les Neufeld's book Toys That Teach has a wonderful set of of blocks. Maybe your library has a copy

  9. #9
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    The first wood I would think of is poplar. Finishes well, sands well, easy to work, very cheap.

  10. #10
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    I would use maple (hard or soft) for blocks, possibly poplar. Cherry or walnut would also work but would be a bit pricey unless you have a lot of short scraps around. Here's a set of blocks I made with a nice case. Actually the case was a drawer that was the wrong size, that was recycled into a block box.

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  11. #11
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    Mar 2006
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    Pocono Mts, PA
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    I have used white and red oad, cherry and maple scraps to make quite a few blocks. My grandsons don't seem to care what wood it is. They all stack and fall over with the required amount of noise.

    Chet Parks

  12. #12
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    (In your best Scottish Brougue) Aauch, your coddling them kids. Rough sawn cedar, fir or thistles make fine toys.

    A set of Beech blocks with an oiled finish would be a sharp set of blocks. just remember to break the corners so there are no sharp edges.
    Chuck

  13. #13
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    West Chester, PA
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    Last Christmas our local group made about 30 charity sets from Ash butcher block cutoffs, unfinished. Boxes were from resawn cutoffs, also - some ash and some maple. See some of them here:

    Moderator removed direct link to another public forum -- TOS Violation

    One of the guys found that 1½" cubes are the recommended minimum size.
    Last edited by Ken Salisbury; 07-19-2006 at 10:27 AM.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andy Pedler
    I made some a few years ago and used a combination of Red Oak and Ash.

    Finish. You need to find a safe water-soluble finish. I can't remember what I used but there are stains out there made for toys, and hence relatively less toxic than your average poly.
    ap
    I don't think there is any particular reason to suppose waterborne finishes to be any safer when cured than oil based finishes when cured.

    Bob Flexner is pretty adamant that there are no clear finishes on the market today in the US that would be toxic when fully cured (a month) even on toys or for food contact.

  15. #15
    Any nonsplintery tough hard wood. Maple leaps to mind,
    Spruce is awful, cedar also. I'd not use oak or teak.

    Maple and beech are the likely best candidates - I think. Some may argue that Beech is listed as a carcinogen. I don't give that any credit though because the levels are substantially less than BBQ hamburgers.

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