Utility Wagon

**Karl_H** · Jan 8, 2020, 09:31 AM

While most of us would consider this a “Toy,” my grand daughter sees it as a very handy “Tool” to carry her stuff around the house.

I made this for her for Christmas.

I did a Google search for “Toddler Walker Wagon” for ideas, then drew up my own sketches and headed to the shop.

I started with a glued up panel from the big box store. The floor is 12” x 15” and the sides started out as 8” x 18” before the rake was cut and the corners rounded. The front and rear panels are 12” x 5.” The wheels are 2 pieces of ¾” plywood glued together, then cut on the table saw to 4” diameter. The handle is 1” dowel and stands about 22” from the floor.

All the pieces are glued with biscuits except the fixed part of the handle latch, which is screwed in with 2 #8 wood screws.

The handle can be disengaged from the upright “pushing” position and become a traditional wagon tongue. You can see the mechanism on the first picture.

The axles are ¼” drill rod with shop made brass washers and lug nuts tapped ¼ - 20. The shaft collars holding the handle in place on the axle are also brass with 10-32 set screws.

I like the rake of the back edge – it gives a sense of speed as it sits there.

The wheels actually spin too well, and the vehicle had to be impounded for an afternoon after she started giving it wild pushes across the entire living room and dining room!