DIY Projects: Tin Toys

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Tin toys are often made of recycled materials like coke cans or other tin cans. There are some safety measures to take when working with tin. Most of these projects are appropriate for adults or kids that are at least 10 years old.

Learn more about tin toys here.

The Pop Pop Pages

Here's some more general information and on these pop pop boats. There is history, explanation of how they work and links to making instructions.

See yourself.

Make a Ponyo Pop Pop Boat

Pop Pop Boat
This is a really good page explaining several ways to make a pop-pop boat, including ones from recycled materials as foam. It seems that originally this toy has been a tin toy (sorry, haven't seen that Ponyo movie).

Go to the page

Make a Giant Tin Toy

Making Giant Tin Toy
This is a gallery of photos from a studio making giant tin toys. Looks like lots of fun although it won't show you how to make the toys yourself.

Have a look here

Altoids Tin Crazy Car

A rubber band powered tin car. This is a fun and fairly simple project.

See it at Instructables

Coke Can Shark

Coke cans shark
Free PDF plans plus textual description and some photos.

Visit the page.

Randy's Toy Shop

I found this link interesting although it doesn't contain guides to make any toys.

Randy's Toy Shop restores and sells very old-fashioned toys, mostly made of tin. If nothing else, have a look at the pics on the site.

Making Tin Can Toys

Tin Army Truck
This is a lovely book of with tin can projects. It explains in great details how to make such toys, the tools required etc.

The book is quite old (1919) so it's not the easiest to read neither is short and quick read. But the details and information is really good.

Read the book here.