Rustic Noah's Ark

Went for the more "rustic" look in this ark.

Another Noah's Ark

Here is an example of an ark that I designed and constructed; that has removable cabins. Children can lift off the cabins and use them as barns with the animals. The cabin sits on pegs, that hold them in place on the ark deck. This ark is about 16 inches in length.

Fancy Noah's Ark

Here's kind of a fancy ark. Sorry for the photos, but I think you can get the idea of the ark design. This ark has lots of windows and doors, with trim. Notice the gang plank. The door hinges are leather.

First Noah's Ark for 2011

On January 11, 2011 I'll begin to design and build the first Noah's Ark for 2011. I have posted a number of photos of different arks that I have made. Since I do not use detailed plans to build the arks, I can do just about anything I like.

I have decided to let the readers of this blog help me in determining what this first ark of the year will be.

Should this first ark be a simple table top ark, or a triple decker with doors and windows? We can do nearly anything we want.

I'll be posting the step-by-step process of making the Noah's Ark.

So! In the COMMENTS, let me know what you would like to see.

Noah's Ark that Opens Like a Book

Here's a classic ark design. The doors open, and the whole ark is constructed like a book. The "book" opens too.

Once the ark is opened one can see that it contains stalls for the animals.

Table-top Ark

Some times just a small "table-top" ark can work fine too. This ark has a flat Hull, that just holds the cabin up and sits flat on a table. However, the water, clouds, lightening, and rainbow have been added. Actually the kids playing with the ark can add and remove these, as they wish. Don't know what happened to the sun....

Ark With Stalls

Children like to play with the ark animals. They like to open, close and latch various doors on the arks. This ark not only has a large fold down door, but once it's open there are stalls that will hold two animals each.

More Examples Of Toy Noah's Arks

Although the basic design has remained the same over hundreds of years (a boat with a house on it) toy arks have reflected the geographical location and historical era of the maker. Thus some toy arks may feature a cabin, or a barn and animals that were familar to the ark maker.

These two toy arks were patterned after barns and animals common to North America.

Examples of Previous Noah's Arks Made

This was a wheeled ark pull toy model, with wheeled animals. The ark was 14 inches tall.

I will be posting photos of toy arks that I have made, until the first of the year. After the first of the year, I'll be starting some new designs for 2011.

Thanks for looking....MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY NEW YEAR...

Noah's Ark - Bible Story and the Toy

I don't remember ever not knowing the story of Noah and the Ark. I don't remember when I was told the story. I was probably in Sunday school. I, like most others, have been fascinated by the story. The ark as a toy, became popular sometime in the past. It might have been the one toy that some children were permitted to play with on Sunday. I have heard of the ark and animals, referred to as a Sunday toy.

While the story of Noah and the Ark has been fascination to many, to me it became that and something more. It became an outlet to a creativity streak in me. I began to make Noah's Ark as a toy. Each phase of the ark building process became a labor of love. The ark design itself can go in endless directions. The building materials can include all sorts of woods. The selection and designs of the animals are as many as there are animals. The carving techniques to be used on the animals can vary from a pocket knife to power tools. The end result is always the same. A toy that young and old alike find fascinating to view and interact with.

First Post To New Blog

This is an example of a Noah's Ark that has been constructed from salvaged wood. The Ark's hull is crown molding from a newly constructed house. The hinges on the cabin roof are from an old leather belt. The animals are carved from salvaged Redwood decking boards. The paint on the Ark is from the "OPPS" shelf at Home Depot or Lowes.

This is another example of a hand made Noah's Ark. The wood in this Ark was salvaged from left over end cuts from library paneling, from a newly constructed house.

These Noah's Arks are but two that have been designed and constructed during the past year (2010). On this blog I will be sharing the steps that I go through, as I construct Noah's Arks, and carve the animals.

I will from time to time include interesting parts of the story of Noah and the great flood.