He Has Fun Building "Spike Toys"

He Has Fun Building "Spike Toys" AG WORLD 31-2-24 "My grandchildren really enjoy them," says Richard Heimberger, Lucas, Ohio, about the railroad "spike animals" he makes for fun. About three years ago, a logging railroad was torn out in the area where Heimberger's grandchildren live in Matlock, Washington. "I was out from Ohio visiting when Ian, my 4-year-old grandson, and I went for a walk and he started picking up spikes that had been left behind. I took a few spikes back home to Ohio with the idea of making something out of them," says Heimberger. "I use a torch to bend the spikes. They're really old and rusty which gives the finished piece a rather rustic look." His first project was "Spike the dog" for Ian, and since then he has made 27 other items including a polar bear, penguin, "Spikeasaurus", and "Spikerman". To make the dog's eyes, nose and mouth he drilled holes in the face, screwed in flathead screws, and then filed them down. He also welded on small spots. To make the backbone on Spikeasaurus he welded on additional flat metal and ground it down. Inverted spike heads were used to form the feet. "The spike animals shown in the photos are the only ones that got painted," says Heimberger. "The rest have a natural finish attained by heavy wire brushing." Some other spike toys Heimberger has made include a giraffe, baseball player, soccer player, cheerleader, lumberjack holding an axe, kangaroo, kangaroo with baby, two alligators, frog, three turtles, and a girl with a ponytail under a baseball hat leading a dog on a leash. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Richard Heimberger, 2707 St. Rt. 39, Lucas, Ohio 44843 (ph 419 892-2098; rheimberger @yahoo.com).

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.