A Change in Direction: Top Priorities and Challenges for My Wooden Elephant Rattle Project

Between my initial design preview and the current stage of development, I’ve taken a significant turn in my final design project. Originally, I intended to build a miniature bank safe, complete with a working gear mechanism. However, after thorough research and prototyping, the vision proved to be impractical—especially due to the high cost of components. With each spur gear priced at $12 and a total of 12 required, the gearing system alone would have cost $150. This didn’t even include the price of the main stock materials. So, I pivoted to a new, more feasible yet still meaningful idea: a wooden baby rattle in the shape of an elephant.

Top 5 Priorities: What I Want My Project to Look Like, Feel Like, and Do 

1. Clear Elephant Form – The visual identity of the piece is essential, it must clearly resemble an elephant. I want someone to immediately recognize the silhouette and feel a sense of warmth or delight.
2. Safe and Baby-Friendly – Since this is a rattle designed for infants, safety is a top priority. That means no sharp edges or small detachable pieces. Every surface must be smooth to the touch and sealed in a baby-safe way. I want parents to feel confident handing it to their child.
3. High-Quality Craftsmanship – The wood should feel solid and well-finished. I want to achieve a professional look with attention to grain direction, proportion, and balance. Success for me will be if someone assumes it’s store-bought or artisan crafted.
4. Tactile and Visually Engaging – The rattle inside needs to rotate and move freely. The motion and sound should be satisfying, adding to the sensory experience for a baby. The rattle should be functional but also gentle, offering a pleasant clinking noise when shaken.
5. Expressive Simplicity – I want the final product to embody simplicity in design while still feeling complete. This means minimalism with purpose—each curve intentional, each feature meaningful. It should do a lot with a little.

Top 5 Constraints I’m Facing 

1. Time – Time is always a looming factor in any creative endeavor, and this project is no different. Balancing design, shaping, sanding, and finishing within the available time window is a significant challenge considering that I am
2. Access to Quality Wood – Working with good hardwood stock is critical to achieving a beautiful, smooth, and consistent finish. Unfortunately, I’m limited in access to high quality wood stock, which will affect the visual outcome of the project.
3. My Woodworking Skill Level – While I’m confident in my design abilities, I’m still developing my hands-on skills. Shaping curves, joining parts securely, and applying a flawless finish are all tasks that require practice and finesse that I hope to develop and improve during this project.
4. Tools – To achieve a truly professional finish on the baby rattle, access to specialized tools would be ideal. For example, a jointer ensures perfectly flat faces when gluing boards together, and a router would make cutting the elephant shape more precise and efficient. However, due to limited tool access, I will use a bandsaw for shaping and rely on thorough sanding to correct any imperfections.
5. Baby Safe Wood Finishes – There are few wood finishes I consider safe for a baby toy, as many commercial finishes and stains contain potentially toxic chemicals. To ensure the rattle is non-toxic and baby-safe, I will use only food-grade mineral oil to finish and seal the wood.

In shifting to the wooden rattle, I’ve chosen a project that aligns better with my skills and resources. Success will be measured not just by how it looks, but by how it feels—both to hold and to create.

This post has been edited for clarity and conciseness using ChatGPT.