How to make a wooden semi truck

There isn’t a better DIY project than making toys like this wooden semi truck. Today you can buy all sorts of toys but you can’t buy hand crafted toys and you can’t buy toys which are made with love. This simple DIY project can be a great thing for both the parent and the kid, and you can learn your kid the basics of woodworking through this project. This wooden semi truck is the base for all sort of different trailers which you can make afterwards and attach it to the semi truck. The project is rather simple and with some basic woodworking skills you’ll be able to make even better wooden semi truck than this in the picture.

First of all we will examine the diagram with location of each part that needs to be made.

Wooden semi truck parts

In the table below you will find dimensions and quantity of parts according to the diagram above.

Procedure for making a wooden semi truck

The procedure for making this great toy is rather simple if you follow the instructions carefully and combine them with plans provided in the article. The schedule for making the parts is made according to the assembly stages and you should follow it.

Making the Chassis (Part number 10)

Use a block of wood, preferably hardwood, and cut it 1¼” thick – 2½2 wide – 12″ long. That block of wood will be the bottom section of the chassis. Then drill out the bottom of the hitch area (look at the section A-A in the drawings below). Cut another piece that is 3/16″ thick – 2½” wide – 12″ long and laminate it to the first piece. That will be the form of the finished chassis. Remove the stock on each side behind the cab section 1/2″ wide – 6½” long. Finish drilling the hitch area. Make the third part by cutting another block of wood 5½” long – 3¼” wide – 1½” high and shape it to form the engine hood and lower cab section. Glue that part on the top of the front of the chassis. At the end, cut the fourth part 1½” thick – 3¼” wide – 2½” long and shape it to match the profile of the rest of the cab section. Finish the cab with gluing this last piece into place.

Making the Hitch Coupling (Part number 7)

Make piece of wood 1/4″ thick – 1½” wide – 3¼” long and cut it to shape as shown in the drawings below. Glue this part on the back of the chassis.

Making the Sleeper (Part number 8)

Sleeper is only a block of wood 1½” thick – 3″ wide – 4½” long. Glue this piece directly behind the cab on the top of the chassis. Normally, make sure that the sleeper is centered.

Making the bumper (Part number 1)

Bumper is also a simple block of wood 3/8″ thick – 3/4″ wide – 4¼” long. Glue the bumper into place on the front of the hood of the chassis making sure that the bumper is flush with the bottom of the chassis.

Making the Axles (Part number 2) and Wheels (Part number 3)

The axles are dowels with 3/8″ diameter. The front axles are 4″ long and the back axles are 4¾” long. Depending on tools you have you can cut out the wheels on a band saw or jigsaw and then sand them to shape or you can cut them out with a hole saw if you have one. Mark the centers of the wheels and then make rims by using a 1″ spade bit drill and drill to a depth of 1/8″. Now make the 3/8″ diameter axle hole in the middle of the wheels and they are finished.

Now it’s time to assemble axles and wheels on the chassis. You must take care that you have enough clearance between the wheels and the body. Also, leave a small gap between the dual wheels but keep in mind that the axles shouldn’t protrude beyond the outside of the wheels.

Making the Fenders (Part number 4)

Use the 3/4″ stock and cut the fenders as shown in the drawings below. Use 1/4″ diameter dowel and make the headlights. Then glue the fenders on the sides of the chassis. You have to make sure that the fenders are flush with the bottom of the chassis allowing ample clearance for the wheels. You’ll know that they are properly centered if they align just shy of the front of the hood.

Making the Cab Steps (Part number 5) and the Fuel Tank (Part number 6)

Cut the cab steps and fuel tank according to the drawings above. The position of this parts is up to you, place them where you think they look the best. Be sure to always clamp the glued parts until the glue is dry.

Making the Exhaust (Part number 9)

We are at the very end and your new wooden semi truck is almost finished. Create two stacks (as in the drawings above) using a 3/8″ diameter dowel and 3/8″ outside diameter brass, copper or aluminum tubing. Then drill two 1/4″ diameter dowels and insert 1/4 inch diameter – 1″ long dowels into the side of each stack. Use the same spacing and drill holes in the corner of the cab and sleeper in order to attach the exhaust stacks. The location of the stacks is also up to you, but make sure that the stack come flush with the bottom of the sleeper and cab.

Your new wooden semi truck is now finished and you can now start with making all sort of accessories for it, like this box trailer in the picture. Try it out an you’ll find out that making wooden toys is an excellent hobby that you can share with your kid.