Fill out this form to email this article to a friend
How to
Build a dump truck with pedal power
By DON AND DAVE RUNYAN
Published May 12, 2007
There's something about big, noisy construction equipment that's irresistible to kids. If you have a child (or grandchild) who loves big machines, then this dump truck pedal car project is the perfect way to deliver an oversized load of fun with your next do-it-yourself project. The dump truck combines smooth pedal power and a sturdy frame with a working steering mechanism and dump box. It was designed with children ages 3 to 6 in mind. It requires two full sheets of plywood, a few pieces of dimensional lumber, two steel rods and two pieces of flat steel stock. Six wheels, screws and nails, a few assorted pieces of hardware and some paint round out the shopping list. Construction is simple. Cut out the pieces (most are traced from full-size patterns) and glue and nail them together. Next, install the steering mechanism, pedals and crankshaft. Finally, attach the dump box. Details like simulated headlights (cut from plywood) and a realistic yellow-and-black paint job complete the project. The dump truck measures 45 inches long by 20 inches wide by 28 inches tall. The Dump Truck Pedal Car plan, No. 682, is $9.95 and includes complete step-by-step directions with photos, full-size traceable patterns, construction diagrams, a shopping list and a toll-free help line for project questions. A package of three pedal cars, No. C143, is $22.95 and includes plans for the dump truck plus a pedal-powered police car and a fire truck pedal car. A catalog picturing hundreds of do-it-yourself projects is $2. Please include $4 for postage and handling (except catalog-only orders) and allow about two weeks for delivery. To order by mail, clip this article and send it with a check or money order to U-Bild Features, c/o St. Petersburg Times, 3800 Oceanic Drive, Suite 107, Oceanside, CA 92056. To order by credit card, call 1-800-828-2453. Visit U-Bild on the Web at u-bild.com.
[Last modified May 11, 2007, 12:37:57]
Share your thoughts on this story
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
|
News
Fifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.
Print
Email story
Comment
Letter to the editor