How to Make an Articulated Wooden Snake
Articulated toy snakes have been around for generations and are still enjoyed by children today. Even though rubber snakes tend to be more realistic, the serpentine movement of articulated wooden snakes cannot be replicated by their fancier rubber counterparts. Luckily, wooden snakes are both easy and fun to make -- all you need are a few tools and a little bit of time.
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Things You'll Need
- Wooden dowel rod (1-inch diameter)
- Handsaw
- Sandpaper
- Knife
- Drill with 1/16-inch bit
- Eyehooks
- Strong craft adhesive
- Fishing line
- Ribbon
- Paint
- Paintbrush
- Clear varnish
- 2 Black buttons (1/8 inch diameter)
- Rubber band (pink or red)
Instructions
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1
Cut two three-inch pieces off the dowel rod with the saw. Cut the rest of the wooden dowel rod into one-inch pieces. For a more articulated snake with more joints, cut into 1/2-inch pieces; for a less articulated snake with fewer joints, cut into two-inch pieces. These pieces will form the body of the snake. Sand the edges of each piece with the sandpaper until smooth.
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2
Carve one end of a three-inch piece of wood into a soft-rounded shape so that it resembles a snake's head. Take the other three-inch piece and carve to a tapered point; this will be the tail. Sand both pieces until smooth.
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3
Arrange the pieces of your snake in order -- head first, body pieces next, and tail last. It may be helpful to place them in something that will keep them in the order that you want, such as a groove in a folded towel. Paint the pieces of your snake. Look at pictures of real snakes for inspiration: consider adding stripes, rings, diamonds and dots. Glue two black buttons on for eyes with strong craft adhesive. Finish by applying a clear layer of varnish.
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4
Take a body segment and lay it flat on the table. Drill a small 1/4-inch hole in the center of the circle, about 1/4-inch deep. Brush away the sawdust. Put a drop of strong craft adhesive in the hole. Insert the small eyehook firmly and hold in place for 10 seconds. Repeat on other side until both sides of the segment have an eyehook glued in place.
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5
Repeat this process for the remainder of the body pieces. There should be an eyehook in the front and back of each body segment.
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6
Drill a 1/4-inch hole in the back of the head, 1/2-inch deep. Brush away the sawdust and put a drop of glue inside. Press an eyehook firmly into the hole and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat this for the front of the tail.
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7
Cut eight-inch segments of fishline from the spool. Tie each segment together with the fishline, being sure to triple-knot each time. Clip excess fishline as close to the knot as possible. Use a new piece of line for every point of articulation on your snake.
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8
Cut a forked tongue from a thick pink or red rubber band. Glue on the front of the snake's head. Accentuate your snake with a ribbon around its neck; use the ribbon as a leash to lead it around.
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References
- "The Great All-American Wooden Toy Book"; Norman Marshall; 1986
- Mother Earth News: Woodworking Basics
Resources
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
