Recycling toy parts

[Patty, Linus and Co.]

I have been making toys for my birds for a while now. I cut 2X4s in 1" peices, drill a 1/2" hole in each and dye the wood with VitaCritter. It's fast and surprisingly easy. Then I reuse old toy parts.
In this picture I have reused the yellow rawhide ring from an old toy, removed the existing empty 3/8" chains by prying off one of the O rings at one end, reloading the chain with wood and reattaching it using a quick link (to replace the removed O ring). Then I took some dyed sisal from another toy and tied it around the chains. Often I add peices of leather with a hole drilled in it and string them on as well. You would easily pay $50 for this toy.
Note: Be sure to keep reloading the chain to keep it full to avoid dangers of hanging or feet getting caught.

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff203/linusandmom/wounds214.jpg

[too&me]

Very good work, it looks great and Linus looks so proud of his new toy.

[Julie]

What a beautiful toy, and how cute is Linus. I think that flash is a bit bright mom!!!!

[FoxersArtist]

Wow!!! Your remade toys look WAY nicer than mine. Mine look...well...ummm, remade! I love it when they play with a leather toy and then leave the leather strings in tact so you can string them up again. It doesn't look like Linus is too interested in the rawhide wheel as it looks untouched from last time, but just be careful that he doesn't chew it because rawhide can easily become impacted, especially since it swells when it gets wet.
-Anna

[Larry, Baby and Me]

Awww - Linus is smiling proudly.

Yep - Patty is our resident toy making arteeest. Great job!!!

Patty - try cutting some blocks half that width to something about a half inch or a little less. What I have found with 1 inch blocks... they are a bit too thick for Baby to comfortably get her beak around and bite. But if I cut them thinner - then she chews them up quickly. And that's what it is all about... them chewing up the blocks.

Lar

[Larry, Baby and Me]

Almost forgot - never use rawhide... only use naturally tanned leather (vegetable dye).

Rawhide is dangerous to dogs as well.

Lar

[birdie]

wow mom! you do good work!

[Patty, Linus and Co.]

Almost forgot - never use rawhide... only use naturally tanned leather (vegetable dye).

Rawhide is dangerous to dogs as well.

Lar

Actually it is vegetable tanned leather that I use. I assume the yellow ring is rawhide because that is what it feels like - I will be careful about that and also for the reasons Anna mentioned. He doesn't bother with the ring much.

Linus has no trouble with the wood being 1" thick. He makes it much smaller in no time. For Theo, I try to bring it down to about 1/4-1/3", but my saw doesn't seem to appreciate these smaller cuts. I succeeded in overheating the motor during the last use.

Oh yeah, Lar, see the cylindrical toy to the side? This is the ONLY plastic toy that Linus uses regularly that he can't chew up. The white cylinder is too thick for him to get a hold onto and the rings are close enough to the cylinder that he can't get his beak around them enough to chew them through.

[Larry, Baby and Me]

Linus has no trouble with the wood being 1" thick. He makes it much smaller in no time.

Good bird Linus... take those blocks down to size.

Patty - your toy looks wonderful... full of imagination. Toys do take a woman's touch.

Lar

[Dot]

Awesome job. Just a thought, you need to be careful about reusing sisal and leather. Once they get food or water on them, little boogers can grow. LOl

[Diane, Clouds assignment]

Recycling toy parts . . .

Here's how recycling goes at my house . . .

Watch for studs on sale at Home Depot or Lowes.

Leave perfectly straight studs and collect (for a discounted price) bent or chipped rejects that are being sent back to supplier.

Cut up, drill and dye several 8 footers and string together for feather butts to make toothpicks out of.

After a few days, empty bucket of multi-colored toothpicks into multi-colored compost pile.

After turning several times over the next few months, spread rainbow mulch around trees in yard to make them grow big and strong, so one day maybe they can make a parrot very, very happy.

[Dot]

Watch for studs on sale at Home Depot or Lowes.



Great. I'll be 60 next month and now you tell me where all the cheap studs are!

Sorry, I just could not pass that one.

[Diane, Clouds assignment]

Great. I'll be 60 next month and now you tell me where all the cheap studs are!

Sorry, I just could not pass that one.

Hummmm, cheap studs . . . isn't that an oxymoron?

[Dot]

Hummmm, cheap studs . . . isn't that an oxymoron?

I don't know. Let's ask Larry.

[CrystalinNC]

Great. I'll be 60 next month and now you tell me where all the cheap studs are!

Sorry, I just could not pass that one.


I thought it was common knowledge that there are an overwhelming number of cheap studs at Home Depot. :rofl:

[Patty, Linus and Co.]

Wow. I've got to start buying my studs THERE!:saythat:

[Larry, Baby and Me]

Uhhh - you ladies won't get any comments from me in this thread...

:bouncing::bouncing::exct::exct:

Lar