Workshop Beetle

How to make a Beetle look a like or something else!

First of all you'll need an exact picture of the sidevieuw of the car. It doesn't matter what kind of car youwant to make but you'll get the best result when you make a car with visual wingplates. I found this picture and the PTCruiser on the manufacturerssite. I truned the picture into a B&W picture. If you can't find one, feel free to use mine!

Secondly make the selection for the outer parts. (sorry for the poor picture. I'm a woodworker not a DTP'er!) The maddelpart is the hole car except the side windows. Bear in mind te leaf some wood inder the wings to drill the holes for the axles! See next pictures.

Picture's coming! Now it's time to make models. I use 4mm MDF for them. There are two reasons for doing this. First you will be able to drill the holes for the dowels spot on and secondly you will be able to sand the wings to the same size as the main part. Your car will be much nicer now!

Picture's coming!
When de models are ready you can start drilling the holes for the dowels. Drill the holes in the sides only half because, when routing the edges, the holes don't look nice. After this you can use the model also for drawing the outer lines of the parts. Don't forget to make a left an da right side! Agter this you can start scrolling or routing.

Picture's coming! For the routing I use a copier-flange and an extra model for the outside. This helps the router to stay straight. The advantage of routing is that if your model is straight your left and right part are exactly the same! Sanding won't be neccesary and the cut is deadstraight. A disadvantiage is the time it takes to make a car and the large amount of dust and noise!

Picture's coming! Because I still use a lot of MDF, 22 and 28mm, I use scrollsaws with very wide teeth. Those blades are quite expensive and wear down quite rapidly. Idears are welcome! An advantage is the time. Scrolling goes much faster

Picture's coming! After scrolling or routing, a little bit of sanding maybe neccesary. Cut some dowel the right size. I use 6mm dowels, normally four a car. This wil make the construction the most accurate. Most of the times the dowels makes it so snug glue is hardly neccesary but to be sure I use some simple PVA to glue the three parts together.

Picture's coming! Now it is time to make some wheels. I use a drillsaw (what's the proper word for it?) like this one. It;s important to place the outer sawside on the edge of the wood. The sawdust can escape now. Otherwise it will burn the wood and damage the sawblade.

Picture's coming! If you want to make a rim there are two methods I use. The first is to drillsaw just a few mm deep with a saw one size smaller and use a chisel to cut the access wood away. With the MDF I use the oldtime router again! I made a model for the rim and use the copier-flange again for cutting a few mm away. Making a proper model is very accurate job. It takes a lot of time but the wheels will become very nice!

Picture's coming!
Last job is to drill the two holes for the axles. I use 6mm dowel again so I drill 6.5mm holes. I put a nylon washer between the wheels and the body so the car will roll much better! The dowel will hold the wheels on place. I never glue them. Now it is time to finish the car with paint or varnish the way you like it!
Happy playtime!

I hope you'll enjoy making this car. If you're not able to do so please sponsor my hobby and you will get it for free! If there are still questions you can mail me anytime. Also if my english spelling is incorrect!

	First of all you'll need an exact picture of the sidevieuw of the car. It doesn't matter what kind of car youwant to make but you'll get the best result when you make a car with visual wingplates. I found this picture and the PTCruiser on the manufacturerssite. I truned the picture into a B&W picture. If you can't find one, feel free to use mine!
	Secondly make the selection for the outer parts. (sorry for the poor picture. I'm a woodworker not a DTP'er!) The maddelpart is the hole car except the side windows. Bear in mind te leaf some wood inder the wings to drill the holes for the axles! See next pictures.

Picture's coming!	Now it's time to make models. I use 4mm MDF for them. There are two reasons for doing this. First you will be able to drill the holes for the dowels spot on and secondly you will be able to sand the wings to the same size as the main part. Your car will be much nicer now!
Picture's coming!	When de models are ready you can start drilling the holes for the dowels. Drill the holes in the sides only half because, when routing the edges, the holes don't look nice. After this you can use the model also for drawing the outer lines of the parts. Don't forget to make a left an da right side! Agter this you can start scrolling or routing.
Picture's coming!	For the routing I use a copier-flange and an extra model for the outside. This helps the router to stay straight. The advantage of routing is that if your model is straight your left and right part are exactly the same! Sanding won't be neccesary and the cut is deadstraight. A disadvantiage is the time it takes to make a car and the large amount of dust and noise!
Picture's coming!	Because I still use a lot of MDF, 22 and 28mm, I use scrollsaws with very wide teeth. Those blades are quite expensive and wear down quite rapidly. Idears are welcome! An advantage is the time. Scrolling goes much faster
Picture's coming!	After scrolling or routing, a little bit of sanding maybe neccesary. Cut some dowel the right size. I use 6mm dowels, normally four a car. This wil make the construction the most accurate. Most of the times the dowels makes it so snug glue is hardly neccesary but to be sure I use some simple PVA to glue the three parts together.
Picture's coming!	Now it is time to make some wheels. I use a drillsaw (what's the proper word for it?) like this one. It;s important to place the outer sawside on the edge of the wood. The sawdust can escape now. Otherwise it will burn the wood and damage the sawblade.
Picture's coming!	If you want to make a rim there are two methods I use. The first is to drillsaw just a few mm deep with a saw one size smaller and use a chisel to cut the access wood away. With the MDF I use the oldtime router again! I made a model for the rim and use the copier-flange again for cutting a few mm away. Making a proper model is very accurate job. It takes a lot of time but the wheels will become very nice!
Picture's coming!	Last job is to drill the two holes for the axles. I use 6mm dowel again so I drill 6.5mm holes. I put a nylon washer between the wheels and the body so the car will roll much better! The dowel will hold the wheels on place. I never glue them. Now it is time to finish the car with paint or varnish the way you like it! Happy playtime!