Idea 36: Car Wash

14.21.dp.CarWash.CraftyTime

Crafty Time

By Dave Pierik, Shelton-Mason County Journal

Car Wash

Previously we made a gas and service station. Our Happy Tree village could also use a car wash!

Tools: ruler, scissors, paint brushes, rubber band

Materials: Cardboard, white glue, masking tape, paint, craft sticks, straws, pipe cleaners, newspaper

Difficulty: moderate

Cost: less than $1 including paint and glue   Time: two to four hours or more of fun!

1. Base

Measure and mark cardboard. Base: 3” wide x 7” long with guide lines ¾” apart in middle and ¼” from outside edge. Roof: 3 ½” x 3”. Walls (2) 3” x 2 7/8”. Cut pieces. Work grooves along the ¾” middle lines. Measure 2 bamboo skewer sticks to 6” lengths and cut at angles for car wheel ramp conveyer-guides.  Glue in.

2. Top

For roof frame, work upside-down. Glue walls to roof. Cut 3 craft sticks to 2 ½” lengths and glue about ½” from roof, brace with rubber band until dry. Test fit height and width with a car to make sure it will fit through.

3. Apparatus

Cut and glue pipe cleaners for washers, bendy straws for blow-dryers and other elements to the sticks, allowing room for 1” wide vehicles to pass through the car wash. Use masking tape to hold parts in place until glue dries, and then carefully remove the tape. Paint the roof and asphalt black.

4. Details

Paint walls white. Cut straws to fit, cut along long edges and glue on. A milk pull and a short row of staples make roof vents. Create fun signs! Paper clips work great for pipes, beads for wash nozzles. Cut newspaper for wash drapes, paint. Flip and paint a small container for the water tank/pay station.

5. Car Wash

Imagine. Drive up, pay and go through. “Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh FFFFF!” Presto! Clean, dry car!

What fresh ideas would you like to see next in Crafty Time? Visit www.craftytimewithdave.com for more photos and project ideas.  Please email your photos and feedback to dave@masoncounty.com or call 360-426-4412. Visit our office to see the display!