Young couple next door just had a baby.  I like to give a rattle for newborns and noticed I was out.  Spent a couple days making these three out of Hard Maple.  My niece recently showed me a video of her baby playing with his.  She said it is his favorite because it is the loudest.  Never thought I would hear that as they don't sound very loud to me.

 

Edited September 26, 20223 yr by HandyDan

Really nice little rattles. 

Nice! On several levels.

Cool Dan.  What do you use inside for the noise maker?  And what sort of finish do you apply?

I've never made one of these.  I suspect it's kind of like a box glued shut with beads inside....right?

 

.40

Edited September 27, 20223 yr by forty_caliber

2 hours ago, Cal said:

Cool Dan.  What do you use inside for the noise maker?  And what sort of finish do you apply?

 

Thanks Cal.  I've got plenty of BB gun ammo which works well.  I'm a believer in a cured finish is safe.  I have found that Shellac doesn't hold up well to moisture and then mom's sanitizing.  Alcohol softens Shellac.  I have gone to using wipe on poly since it gets deep into the wood I feel it seals it up well and is long lasting.

1 hour ago, forty_caliber said:

I've never made one of these.  I suspect it's kind of like a box glued shut with beads inside....right?

 

.40

 

You are correct.  Doing the hollowing in halves is much easier and then the burn lines hide the glue joint.  I use a large washer to gauge the inside shape and strive for a round outer shape once it is glued together.

So Dan, the glue joint is an end grain glue joint? Does that hold up well on a piece like this? Silly question, of course it does or you wouldn't use it.

1 hour ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

So Dan, the glue joint is an end grain glue joint? Does that hold up well on a piece like this? Silly question, of course it does or you wouldn't use it.

 

It is and over lap joint.  It is turned like the reference picture below and then the other end fits over it and is glued.  I turn the other end first and turn the handle end exactly as shown below to fit.  I have no reports of any that broke.

 

You can tell I'm not a turner, otherwise I would have surmised that's what you did.

Edited September 27, 20223 yr by Fred W. Hargis Jr

Very nice Dan.