Wooden Soldier

A simple wooden soldier is an object that instantly reminds us of Christmas. I set out to make something that could be customized with an interesting finishing and looks fantastic in its natural wood finish.

The models started as a very basic vector drawing in Aspire and then edited until I was happy. At that point I added vectors for pins and pockets, so I had a good idea what I needed to model. The 3D components were created with a combination of simple 2 rail sweeps and turn with the pins modelled in place. Because of where the modelling plane is located I also had to use a technique I call a “plane adjustment” to move the legs and arms to a better location in the material.

The soldier will be cut in parts so that it looks like a real 3D object when assembled. The body and head are cut in 2 parts with location pins so that they can be glued together easily and line up perfectly. There will be the need for a bit of hand fitting but once you have trimmed and sanded the parts it will fit together without too much hassle.

In the end, this project is the perfect starting point in making a working nutcracker. Something to think about for next year! I hope you enjoy this project as much as I did making it. Have a very merry and safe Holiday Season!