Gaily colored clown makes sliding twice as much fun. You can vary design to suit the children.

Even the smallest toddler is safe in this gently sloped and splinter-free slide. And it's unique as a lawn decoration.

This unusual, decorative slide will prove itself useful either indoors or out, and—unlike most ready-made slides—is safe for the little tots of four and under.

Built from 3/4-inch Duraply, the sensational material developed by the plywood industry, this slide is waterproof and fireproof. You can leave it outdoors without any worries of its being damaged by heat, rain, snow or frost.

The clown slide measures 8 feet at its longest part and 4 feet at its highest. Two 4x8-foot sheets of 3/4-inch Duraply (for both sides) plus a 16-inch wide by 7-foot long slice of 3/8-inch Dura­ply (for main slide) will cover the major part of the materials.

Photos by Edward DeLong and Warren Bender

Clamp both sheets oi Duraply together, mark off 4-inch squares on top and lay out clown outline.

To save time and have a perfect match, cut out both sides at once; move the clamps as necessary.

Both clown sides are still clamped together and edges are sanded thoroughly; then unclamp sides.

To successfully and evenly cut out both clowns, place the two 3/4-inch' sheets of Duraply on top of each other and hold them together with three or four clamps. Now, because you are working with a big sur­face, make the layouts right on the plywood surface. Use a soft pencil in order not to scratch the material. Mark 4-inch squares on the entire surface of the top sheet. Next, mark the clown, following the graph lay­out. Then cut out the clown as shown. Be­fore taking the clowns apart, sand all edges well.

From leftover pieces of the 3/4-inch Duraply, make the four steps, the top plat­form, and the 8-inch wide reinforcing block. Each of these parts is to be 16 inches long.

From 3/4x3/4-inch solid wood, cut about a 6-foot length for cleats. From this length, cut eight pieces 51/2 inches long and two pieces 9 inches long. Round off one end of each cleat as shown in the drawing. Place the cleats together and mark them for drilling as shown in the drawing. Bore 3/16—inch holes on the marks. Countersink for flathead screws on one side, after hold­ing the cleats in pairs for this operation.

Mount the cleats on the bottom surface of the four lower steps and the top "plat­form" step, flush with the ends (short edges). Use waterproof Weldwood glue and l1/4-inch No. 10 flathead screws.

Attach the steps and platform to the in­side surface of one clown side. Start the first step 9 inches from bottom and 11/2. inches from back, parallel with the straight edge of the clown's shoe. Do not use glue. Next, use a template made from scrap (see drawing), to place the other steps and the platform in the right positions. This is done by holding the 51/2-inch wide end of the template flush to the already mounted step, with the cut-out corner on the top of the template facing in. Fit the corner of the next step to be mounted into this cut-out, attach the step to the clown side, and con­tinue like this all the way up.

Cut from solid wood two 3/4xl1/2-inch cleats, each 7 feet long. Fit one of them to the top platform, 5/8 inch below the top surface of the platform, letting the cleat run down to a point 85/8 inches from the bottom and about 2 inches from the front. Draw a line along it. Now, cut the cleat to a 76-inch length and round off the end nearest the bottom, in the same manner as the step cleats. Trace the outline of this cleat onto the other cleat. Keeping both cleats together, bore 3/16-inch holes along the wider side, about 5 inches apart and starting 1 inch from the end. Countersink on opposite sides for flathead screws. Mount the first cleat in place, using water­proof glue and No. 10 screws. Outline the steps and platform on the sides.

Three-quarter-inch square mounting cleats that go under steps are rounded off on one end only.

To maintain uniform holes, cleats are marked to­gether prior to boring pilot holes In the sides.

Two or three 3/16-inch holes are drilled in the cleats for attaching to steps (see detail drawing).

Mount cleats onto bottom of steps, holding round end of cleat toward front and flush with edges.

Top edges of steps (including lop platform) are rounded and sanded, to about 1/4inch round.

Take all the steps and the platform off again. Round off the top edges of the plat­form and steps to 1/4inch round. Then, mount the steps and platform to the inside of the other clown side, repeating the pro­cedure already described. Mount the other long 3/4x11/2-inch cleat in place, as done previously. NOTE: If you do not intend ever to disassemble the slide, use Weld-wood glue, starting with the assembly de­scribed in this paragraph.

With the first clown side on the ground, place the completed side-and-step assem­bly over it, setting the steps and platform in place. Brace the bottom parts (the clown's face) with a 16-inch long wood strip between the sides. Put the screws back in their original holes and tighten. On the 7-foot, 3/8xl6-inch Duraply main-slide piece, bore 3/16-inch holes 5 inches apart, 3/8 inch in from and parallel with the long edges, and countersink for flat-head screws. Fit one end of this slide to the top platform, using a bevel square to check for correct angle. Round off the edge of the other (bottom) end. Mount the ply­wood strip in place, using l1/4-inch No. 10 flathead screws.

While the slide is still lying to one side, mount the 8-inch wide reinforcing block on a right angle, 9 inches from the finger­tip of the clown's hand, between both clowns' sides. Use three 11/2-inch No. 8 flathead screws through the outside.

Stand the clown slide right side up and finish assembling. Round all edges. •

Starting 9 inches from bottom of clown profile, steps are mounted to side with help of wood jig.

Mount the slide cleat in place, with the top end cut to fit snugly against platform: use glue, screws.

When steps and cleats are in place, second clown Main Duiaply slide, with holes already drilled, side is attached; brace block is used near face. is screwed down; fit carefully at top platform.

Place 8-inch wide brace on right angle and flush Fasten brace block in place with three 1/2-inch with bottom edge, 9 inches from clown's fingertip. No. 8 flathead screws through side of the clown.

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