Tag: vector

art Toy

Crane Ship

Some of the world’s largest ships are those which lift other ships, rigs and cargo, the largest of these is the Thailf, a Norwegian monster used to build and dismantle oil rigs. Working on the rather smaller scale of 20 or so centimeters I have made a model kit Crane Ship which will soon be sale at Miller Toys and Models. My kits should be challenging for a six or seven year old – they might need a little help – have great play value and provide a sense of achievement when complete. Using 3mm laser grade birch ply means that the models can be robust enough to stand up to repeated play.

The simple mechanisms help demonstrate how mechanical systems work and provide pleasurable toys. The kit is supplied with a grab bucket (not shown) as well as a hook. All my kits may be painted with acrylic paints, not supplied but widely available.

Tags Affinity Designer, Basically Wooden, Bristol, children, construction, craft, crane ship, design, drawing, laser-cut, Miller Toys and Models, model, model ship, plywood, vector

Toy

Dredger

I’m still looking for varities of ships and boats to make into model kits. The dredger seemed interesting so I started with a basic hull, a shape I’ve now used many times and then added the dredger structure. The rotation was simply and the winch I’ve used before seemed to work but getting the bucket and the bucket arm to stay in place proved more difficult.

Above all I want the kit to be easy to assemble for a six year old and so any mechanism has to be as simple as possible. The kit also needs to fit onto four A5 sheets of 3mm plywood. Play value is also essential, my young testers check out this and other aspects of the design, especially it’s durability!

After some false starts I have used a living hinge and a cog arrangement on the bucket arm to rotate the bucket. The arm itself is also rotated with a similar cog winch but is held by a gravity pawl, giving just enough resistance.

This model will soon be available from Miller Toys and Models for just £18, 42 parts of press-out 3mm plywood, pva glue and string included.

Tags Affinity Designer, Basically Wooden, Bristol, children, construction, craft, design, dredger, laser-cut, mechanism, Miller Toys and Models, model, plywood, self-assembly, ship, Toy, vector, winch

art Laser-cut plywood

30cm Greek Ship construction toy

Post author By Chris Miller
Post date June 23, 2020
No Comments on 30cm Greek Ship construction toy

This construction toy is the largest I currently make and the only one I design and make that isn’t entirely 3mm plywood, in this case the sides are 1.5mm thick.

High grade birch plywood gets more expensive as it gets thinner, a reflection of the manufacturing costs and the much smaller demand. This model has a working winch/anchor and is supplied with pva glue although this is not essential. I try to design models which are a good introduction to model-making and have some play value. All the models can be painted, acrylic is best and available from many low-cost shops.

Suitable for girls and boys over 3 years. On sale at Miller Toys and Models. There are 10 models to choose from and as the Corvid lockdown eases I’m hoping to add at least six more, manufacturing is not possible at the moment.

Tags Basically Wooden, Bristol, children, construction, craft, design, laser-cut, Miller Toys and Models, model, plywood, Toy, vector

Laser-cut plywood

Miller Toys and Models

My new website – Miller Toys and Models – is up and running – thank you Bristol Web Design – and during the lockdown I have designed a further seven plywood models plus two variations and two steampunk(ish) models. But I haven’t been able to cut any of these because if my cutters at Basically Wooden are working they are working on protective equipment, not toys.

Part of the instructions for assembly of the dredger model

Of course until I cut and assemble the prototypes I can’t go any further. There are always some errors in the design, no matter how much I check them on screen or make them in construction board. Construction board is soft and bends easily of course and so model parts can appear to fit when in fact they don’t.

On a positive note CATO Press in Easton, Bristol is reopening soon and I will be able to do some print making. Time to get some collagraph plates ready.

Tags Affinity Designer, affinity photo, Basically Wooden, Bristol, Cato Press, children, construction, design, drawing, helicopter, laser-cut, MixPLy, model, plywood, sketch, steampunk, Toy, vector

Models and printing

Dredger, try-out using 3mm construction board

I’ve been working on several new models and now that we have lockdown for the foreseable future – in the UK anyway – I’m spending even more time on these. I’m lucky enough to have a (dry) studio at home. But the laser cutting at Basically Wooden in lovely Devon has stopped for now.

Cato Press (of which I am a member) is closed but some plate making can be done at home, especially for collagraph which only needs card and paste, at it’s most basic. Great examples at the Collagraph World Wide Facebook page.

Tags Affinity Designer, Basically Wooden, Bristol, Cato Press, children, collagraph, construction, design, laser-cut, model, plywood, print, self-assembly, sketch, Toy, vector

Doll

Almost finished the owl doll, her costume is mainly silk embellished from scraps. The embellishing machine is great for using up even the tiniest of remnants and bits of thread. Embellishing needles get used up (broken) fairly quickly so I always keep a stock. Just a few final touches needed, her limbs and neck and around her face need to be darker .

Tags costume, craft, Doll, embellish, embroidery, fabric, sketch, stitch, vector

Toy

MixPly Self-Assembly Toys

Post author By Chris Miller
Post date October 27, 2019
No Comments on MixPly Self-Assembly Toys

Tags Affinity, Affinity Designer, affinity photo, Affinity Publisher, Basically Wooden, Bristol, children, construction, craft, design, gift, helicopter, laser-cut, MixPLy, model, plywood, self-assembly, Toy, vector

Laser-cut plywood

Narrowboat

Another addition to the fleet, soon to be on sale with the rest at Basically Wooden – MixPly.

Tags Affinity Designer, Bristol, children, construction, craft, design, laser-cut, MixPLy, model, narrowboat, plywood, self-assembly, Toy, vector

Software

Trace

Post author By Chris Miller
Post date May 9, 2019
No Comments on Trace

I have enjoyed using Affinity Designer and it’s sister products Affinity Photo and the beta Affinity Publisher, but the lack of a trace function in Designer is a serious drawback. Compared to CorelDraw (£599) or the endless cost (and irritation) of Adobe Illustrator, Affinity Designer (£50) is fantastic value for money and there are no extras or pressure to use on-line ‘services’. So, why is it taking the developers at Serif EU such a long time to add trace?

Designer was launched almost five years ago and whilst Serif have never specifically promised to have a trace function users have always wanted it, and eventually gone elsewhere – Illustrator or CorelDraw. Inkscape (freeware) manages a trace function but Inkscape can be clunky and it’s interface a little daunting. The power of current computers is such that the trace function should be straightforward. Come on Serif!