What are the finished dimensions?

13" (330 mm) long, 6 3/4" (171 mm) wide, 5" (127 mm) high; the base is 10" (254 mm) long. The drawings are dimensioned in feet and inches; the materials list, cut list and steps give metric sizes alongside.

What skill level do I need, and how long does it take?

It's rated intermediate. Expected build time: One weekend. It suits someone who has built a simple piece of furniture or cut a mortise and tenon before; each step still names the tools it uses.

How much does it cost to build?

Roughly US$55–110 in materials at typical US lumber-yard prices. Prices vary a lot by region, so price the materials list at your local yard before you start.

What tools do I need?

Steel rule; Pencil; Try square; Marking knife; Awl; Scissors; Printer (patterns at 100%); Painter's tape; Hanging scale to 25 lb (11 kg); Padded hand-screw (for the wheel tests); Backsaw; Handsaw; Coping saw; Block plane; Rasp; Bench vise; Sanding block; Sandpaper 120, 180 and 220 grit; Lint-free rags; Finish brush; Drill press, 10" (254 mm) under the chuck; 7/16" (11 mm) brad-point bit, 6" (150 mm) long; Hand drill with 9/32" and 1/4" (7, 6 mm) bits; 4 F-clamps, 6" (150 mm) opening or more; 3 bar clamps, 8" (200 mm) opening or more; Glue brush; Scrap risers, pads and spacers; plus a tape, pencil, safety glasses, hearing protection and gloves. The interactive checklist on this page lets you tick off what you already own.

Where does this plan come from?

It is restored from "Motor Wagon", Toy Making (Cassell, 1915), chapter X, pp. 67-69, with Figs. 88-91, an unsigned how-to article from 1915 that is now in the public domain. We redrew it as a modern build guide with a materials list, metric sizes, a cut list and clear illustrated step-by-step assembly drawings, every part drawn. Every dimension follows the original article, and the article is reproduced inside. This edition is our own; it is not affiliated with or endorsed by the original publisher.

Can a beginner follow it?

It's rated intermediate, so it helps to have built something framed before, or to have a handy friend on the bigger lifts. Each step is a single job with its own drawing: the parts that step adds are shaded, the nails, screws and bolts it drives are marked where they go, and the hardware for that step is listed beside it. An exploded drawing at the front shows how the whole build goes together before you cut anything.

A 17-page print-ready PDF (US Letter) to download after purchase. It prints well at home or at a copy shop, and reads fine on a tablet in the workshop.

Wooden Dump Truck Plans · 1915 Plan PDF

Name: Toy Tipping Wagon
Brand: Square & Furrow
SKU: SF-WS-24
Price: 12.00 EUR
Availability: InStock

Toy Tipping Wagon

€12,00

"Fig. 88 shows a toy tipping motor wagon", says the old book: "an under-carriage to which is hinged the wagon body". We call it a dump truck: lift the front of the body and the load slides out of its open back. Ours is all maple: the body tips on two wooden pins and every edge is rounded: a gift to push from age 3.

At a glance

Size: 13" (330 mm) long, 6 3/4" (171 mm) wide, 5" (127 mm) high; the base is 10" (254 mm) long
Skill: Intermediate
Build time: One weekend
Materials: approx. US$55–110
In the plan: 17-page PDF, US Letter, 13 illustrated steps, imperial, with metric in the lists and steps

Inside the 17-page plan

The original 1915 article and its drawings, restored and reproduced in full
An exploded drawing that shows how every part goes together
Dimensioned views of the finished build, in feet and inches
Materials list and hardware schedule, with today's actual lumber sizes and metric equivalents
Cut list, so you can cut everything before you start assembling
Clear illustrated step-by-step assembly drawings: one job per step, every part drawn, fastener positions marked

Safety: Not for children under 3. Not a ride-on: do not sit, stand or press on the tail; about 1 1/4 lb (560 g) on the tail end tips the truck. Not for pulling: no cord. The body weighs 11 1/2 oz (330 g) and drops shut by itself; near the pivot it can pinch a fingertip with about 11 oz (0.3 kg), 1 1/4 lb loaded, and several pounds if it falls. At full tip the tail end is 5/8" (15 mm) above the floor. Lift and lower it with one hand on the front; keep every finger out from under the body and the tail.

The PDF plan is a digital download; nothing ships. Adapted from "Motor Wagon", Toy Making (Cassell, 1915), chapter X, pp. 67-69, with Figs. 88-91, an unsigned public-domain article. Restored, redrawn and edited by Square & Furrow, produced with AI-assisted tools and checked against the original article. Not affiliated with the original publisher.

Illustrated step by step

Imperial + metric

Cut list & checklist

Instant PDF download

Toy Tipping Wagon build plan illustration

Built to work

Toy Tipping Wagon

Built in home workshops more than a century ago, and redrawn for the way you build today.

Rendering

From the workshop archive

Restored from the original article

From the archive “Motor Wagon” · 1915 Public domain · restored by Square & Furrow

This is the public-domain how-to article home craftsmen built from more than a century ago. We restore its drawings and reproduce the article in full inside your plan, then rebuild it as a modern edition: today's lumber sizes, metric measurements, a cut list and illustrated steps. Every dimension is checked against the original.

The original article from 1915 for the toy tipping wagon, public domain, restored — The original article, restored

Inside the toy tipping wagon plan: original sheet, exploded drawing and assembly steps — Inside your plan

Step by step

Every part drawn. Every fastener marked.

Each step is one job with its own clear drawing: the parts it adds are shaded, every nail and screw position is marked, and the hardware and tools sit right beside it. An exploded view shows how the whole build goes together before you make a single cut.