Welcome to the wonderful world of whirligigs! Whirligigs are small, wind-driven toylike objects — often called "wind toys" — that whirl and twirl on a pivot. Who made the first whirligig? Nobody knows — their origins are lost in the distant past. Some people think they may have come to Europe with the windmill, which was introduced from the East in the twelfth century. We do known that American crafters were making whirligigs as early as the eighteenth century.This delightful guide contains complete patterns and easy-to-follow instructions for making 30 whirligigs of your the Signaling Trainman, Flying Puffin, Colonial Dame, Indian in Canoe, Halley's Comet, Santa, Flying Witch, and many others. All are designed to work outdoors in the wind.One of the best parts about whirligigs is that they are inexpensive to make. A few scraps of wood, a couple of tools, and a nail or two are all you need. What's more, there's no limit to the designs you can construct. Once you have mastered the simple technical aspects of whirligig construction, you can use your imagination and ingenuity to make any number of new models. Creating new whirligigs is fun, and seeing them spin and twirl in the wind is very exciting and rewarding.
Anders S. Lunde Books



The handcrafted, wind-powered toys known as whirligigs have enchanted observers for centuries with their whimsical images: birds with spinning wings, people waving their arms, and countless other fanciful figures. In this volume, an expert at designing and making whirligigs shows both novices and experienced woodcrafters how to create more than two dozen large-scale animated models.The author's easy-to-follow discussions of design and construction covers key elements such as the propeller and driving mechanism and features step-by-step instructions and detailed illustrations. Best of all, these projects require no elaborate tools and only the most inexpensive materials.Choose from both traditional and original models, including the functional variety (weather-vane whirligigs, a mole chaser, a bird scarer, and more) as well as purely decorative types: the Gooney Bird, Tony and His Wheelbarrow, Eleanor at the Tub, Pete Sawing Wood, the Moon Ship, and others. Assembling these imaginative creations will provide you with hours of satisfaction and will delight viewers.
Whirligigs — those charming little wind-driven toys — make excellent introductory woodworking projects because they are easy to do, inexpensive and — most of all — great fun! Hobbyists at all levels of ability will love creating the 25 delightful projects described in this book, from the simple Baking a Pie whirligig to the double-armed Woman at the Computer. Other figures include a Man/Woman Fishing, Oil Well Pump, Saluting the Flag, See-Saw, and Bucking Bronco. Easy-to-follow instructions and measured drawings explain everything from selecting and using proper tools and creating the driving mechanism to finishing and displaying the completed project.