Anaheim Hills, CA
It was a nice cloudy day for a Toy Workshop outside in sunny Anaheim Hills, CA. The Orange County Woodworking Association (OCWA) has been making toys since 1982. I attended their meetings from 2000 thru 2007. Several people from that time frame are still making toys. But there are many new members attending as well.
OCWA
After moving to SD in 2007, I have visited there workshops periodically. But I had not attended any of their workshops since May 2015. A lot can change in that time. But people still really enjoy this activity and continue to attend. Many new people (to me) are attending and many new kinds of toys are being made. I visited with as many people as I could during this visit, and checked out all the toymaking projects in work.
Heart boxes
Jewelry box assembly/ glue ups
Lacquer for spraying toys
Building Walking Ducks
Building Long Dachshunds
Illustration of the hinges used on Jewelry Box
Spraying egg roller type toys
Bus with passengers and Driver
Like many toymakers, you build with donated supplies. These were all donated to the group. Busses were the result of this donation.
This bus was designed using a donation of a large number of wood parts.
Hippo with moving jaws
Simple Helicopter
Grasshopper
Ducks with moving wings
Display of wooden items
The Shop – A Carriage House converted to a shop
Helicopter Rotors (Simple)
Sanding Station (Manual/Hand Sanding)
Long Dachshunds
Simple helicopter
Newer style Cradle and Vintage Basketball Game
Grasshopper Assembly
Clamp used to assemble jewelry boxes
This is a Luthier tool used to clamp frets etc.
Jewelry boxes are sprayed inside and out
Ed Smet at age 91 still makes 40 per month
Blank maple scraps from stair building are used for the jewelry boxes
Jewelry Box assembly
Tow truck
Airplanes in display case
Another work station for grasshopper build
OCWA
Ed Smet makes Jewelry boxes of all kinds and sizes for his grandchildren, friends, and charity events. He also continues to makes 40 Jewelry boxes for the toy program each month. Ed is happy to be 91.
Rapid City Woodworkers Association 