Saturday, January 5, 2019

Red Truck Ornament Saga

It should have been simple. All I needed to do was purchase a few 1 inch or 1 1/4 inch long red trucks; glue some Christmas trees in the back and put them in the ornaments. 

Red Truck Christmas Tree Ornament
This all started before Christmas last year, 2017, I usually give ornaments as gifts to a few of the people I work with. One co-worker hinted that she would like a red truck in her ornament.

She and I both remember the annual picnic trip to the forest to cut a Christmas tree, and if you're like us you feel a special nostalgia for the red truck bringing the December icon. Now-a-days I use artificial trees, but still enjoy setting up and decorating three trees with my wife. I hope that your family has a wonderful tradition of putting up and decorating a Christmas tree.

I explain how I make these ornaments back in August of 2016. Here is a link.

So I decided to make a few red truck ornaments last year, but could not find trucks the correct size.  Matchbox and Hot Wheels are too big! I searched the Christmas sections of every store; no suitable trucks were discovered. 
So last year I was unable deliver the red truck ornaments. 

This year I cut six trucks out of wood with $40 yard sale find scroll saw and a file. The wheels are sliced dowel rod. I used them with some success.

I figured I could find the correct truck on websites to print on my 3D printer, but I did not find the trucks I needed there either.

The 3D printer only cost $200 on Monoprice and the filament is affordable. 3D printing does require a little bit of technical learning, but I think it is worth it. 

I used Tinkercad.com to "draw" the red truck I thought would work. 

Red Truck designed on Tinkercad, 1954


3D print 60's truck






It turned out pretty good, and works great. Someone suggested what I already felt, there is an older model truck that is used also.

Here is a link to Thingiverse.com to gain the files, for free, to print for yourself.

Red Truck 1939 designed on Tinkercad

So I drew that truck also. 


3D print 1939 truck


I'm happy with the results.

Here is a link to Thingiverse.com to gain the files, for free, to print for yourself.

Link to download files to print.





Christmas Tree created with 3D pen

I used the 3D pen, a last year Christmas gift from my daughter, to create the trees.  Thank you, Andie.











Red Trucks with Christmas Trees 3D print




Once painted the trucks are ready for next year's ornaments. 




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