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A classic rocking horse constructed with Plywood and dressed Pine designed to last.
The project
I made this cute rocking horse for my niece's third birthday. I wanted to make something durable that would last years and be able to pass down to future generations. In the end, I was able to create a rocking horse that was strong enough to hold most adults but also spark the imagination of my niece and nephew.
Steps
Step 1
Use cardboard to cut out your own template to ensure all pieces work together and maintain the same scale.
Step 2
Select your timber. I used a mixture of dressed Pine and Plywood. Mark each piece using your template and cut with a jigsaw.
Step 3
Start by joining the main pieces of the horse together. For this, I used indoor wood glue with 50mm 10G timber screws. I countersunk each screw and patched each hole with filler.
Step 4
Add the feet to your horse. Using level planks, ensure the horse sits even in the middle before attaching the rocking legs. This is very important in ensuring the horse does not too unevenly when someone gets on it.
Step 5
Add some additional flooring as a base for the rider. Time to attach your seat! Make sure you reinforce the seat with additional supports.
Step 6
Patch any additional imperfections. Sand the full project until the wood has a smooth finish.
Step 7
Apply your paint. I chose British Paints wall paint as this always comes up nicely and has proven to be very durable. Once you’ve painted your horse, apply spray varnish to the bottom legs to preserve the wood look.
Step 8
Time to add the details! I used foam and leather to create my own comfy seat. I then hand painted the details on the horse using acrylic paints.
Step 9
Once all the details are done, tape up the leather seat for protection and apply two coats of clear coat spray paint. This will add an extra layer of protection to keep it looking brand new for years to come!
Tools and materials
Materials used in the project:
Tools used in the project:
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