New Cement Mixer Toy

My new cement mixer is now for sale on etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/230570554/cement-mixer. The cement mixer really gets mixed in this truck–the mixing drum turns while the truck is driving.

This truck has been in the works for over a month. First I had to come up with a prototype, then I had to find a woodturner to make the mixing drums for me. I contacted a few Etsy artists, and settled on Hysun Woodturning.

First we tried using fir fence post wood, but it was too soft and had too many cracks in it. Finally he found solid maple pieces that were sold a baseball bat blanks, and those became our mixing drums.

It’s the first time I’ve outsourced a part of my toys, and it worked out quite well, since I don’t have lathe or woodturning skills.

New Police Car and Ambulance plus a coupon code for this week

I had an etsy message this morning from a loyal customer who wanted me to make an ambulance for her daughter. I’m pretty sure this customer has asked me before to work on an ambulance, though it could have been someone else. At any rate, I decided there was no time like the present, and I got right to work on it.

While I was thinking about how to make it, I thought that I really wanted to have a police car too. I’ve been contemplating these two vehicles for years, to be honest.

For the police car, I wanted it to have a back seat for the bad guy, but there had to be some kind of barrier to protect the policeman. It also needed to have siren lights. So after some consideration, this is what I came up with:

My customer suggested that I make the ambulance just like my mail truck, just with the back open. Years ago, I actually did make one like that, and I wasn’t happy with it. There needed to be something in the back, so the patient wouldn’t just slide out. It also needed to look a little more comfortable than just an empty truck bed. This is what I came up with:

                                                  The pillow just makes it seem homier, doesn’t it?

To celebrate my new toys, I’m going to be doing a coupon code for 10% off anything the shop. APRIL15 is the code.