Build a Car Engine Toy

Materials

1/4″ thick piece of wood (pine, basswood, or similar)
1/2″ thick piece of wood (pine, basswood, or similar)
1/4″ dowel
1/2″ dowel
Two small finishing nails
Hammer
Saw
Drill
Sandpaper

Instructions

Cut two pieces of 1/4″ thick wood to be the size of the engine block. These will be the top and bottom of the engine.
Cut two pieces of 1/2″ thick wood to be the size of the engine cylinders. These will be glued to the top and bottom of the engine block.
Cut two pieces of 1/4″ dowel to be the length of the engine cylinders. These will be the pistons.
Cut two pieces of 1/2″ dowel to be the length of the engine block. These will be the crankshaft.
Drill a hole in the top of each engine cylinder. The hole should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the 1/4″ dowel.
Drill a hole in the bottom of each engine cylinder. The hole should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the 1/2″ dowel.
Insert the 1/4″ dowel into the hole in the top of each engine cylinder. The dowel should fit snugly in the hole.
Insert the 1/2″ dowel into the hole in the bottom of each engine cylinder. The dowel should fit snugly in the hole.
Glue the engine cylinders to the top and bottom of the engine block.
Glue the crankshaft to the inside of the engine block.
Insert the pistons into the engine cylinders.
Hammer the finishing nails into the crankshaft. This will hold the pistons in place.
Sand the engine toy to smooth out any rough edges.

Tips

You can use different types of wood to build your engine toy. Pine, basswood, and balsa wood are all good choices.
Make sure the holes you drill are the correct size. If the holes are too small, the dowels will not fit. If the holes are too large, the dowels will be loose.
Be careful not to hammer the finishing nails too far into the crankshaft. This could damage the engine toy.
You can paint or decorate your engine toy to make it more unique.

Conclusion

Building a car engine toy is a fun and easy way to learn about how engines work. This project is suitable for children of all ages. With a little help from an adult, even young children can build a working car engine toy.