This week, my project was to build a box – I was so excited, I couldn’t contain myself!
The final product was a chamfered wooden box measuring 12″ x 8″ x 6″ on the outside and 11″ x 7″ x 5.5″ from the inside (Figure 1).
Figure 1: My box
THE PROCESS
Making this box was no quick task. Rather, this was a five step process:
1. PLAN (5 min)
Given the constraints of the assignments, I drew a sketch of my box based on my desired outer dimensions and determined appropriate locations for fasteners. Then, I determined the exact sizes of each face that would allow me to make this box.
2. CUT (20 min)
Using the table saw, I cut 5 pieces of wood from 1/2″ birch plywood to the following dimensions (Figure 2):
- 12″ x 8″ (1 Piece)
- 11.5″ x 5.5″ (2)
- 7.5″ x 5.5″ (2)
Figure 2: Used a table saw to cut wood
3. FASTEN (30 min)
Using 90 degree clamps as well and C-clamps, I secured sides together and fastened them using Phillips head No. 8 1-1/4 wood screws (Figure 3). The process for inserting wood screws was (1) use a punch to mark the spot of the screw, (2) use a 1/8″ drill bit to drill a pilot hole, (3) use a 3/8″ drill bit to countersink the hole, and (4) insert the screw.
I used 12 screws on the bottom of the box and two on each side for a total of 20 screws.
Figure 3: Fasten box
4. CHAMFER (1 hr)
Using the router, I used a 45 degree router bit to chamfer the top of my box for aesthetic purposes (Figure 4). This process was especially length because I wanted to lower the bit to create a fuller cut, but I didn’t know how to do this (neither did the OEDK staff). Once everything was in place, the chamfering went quickly.
Figure 4: Chamfering the box
5. SAND (10 min)
Using the orbital sander to sand the box (Figure 5) had two purposes. First, the sander removed any unwanted overhangs from misaligning the wood when fastening the box. Second, the sander removed splinters, making the box safe to use.
Figure 5: Sanding the box
Step 6: Enjoy using this well crafted box!
COST
The cost of this project can be broken down into three components: labor, tools, and materials. The total cost can be estimated by summing the estimated individual costs of these three components.
1. LABOR
The entire process took a total of 2 hours and 5 minutes. The minimum wage in Texas is $7.25, but my time is worth more because I put love and care into my work. Let’s say that I work at about $12/hour, so the total labor for this box was about $25.
2. TOOLS
Although all of these tools are “free” at the OEDK, the cost of using these tools is not really free. Any usage puts wear on the machine that eventually leads to breakdowns. However, using a table saw to cut five pieces of wood and a router to chamfer 40″ of wood is not significant at all. I probably caused less than $1 worth of wear on these machines, so we can say that this component of the cost was negligible.
3. MATERIALS
The bill of materials was
- A 4′ x 8′ sheet of 1/2″ birch plywood (this is the size they sell at Home Depot). A plywood sheet of this size is about $20 (source: Home Depot).
- 20 Phillips head No. 8 1-1/4 wood screws. A pack of 100 screws is only $3.76, so we can approximate 20 screws at about $1 (source: McMaster-Carr)
By adding up these three components, we arrive at the overall cost of this project
TOTAL COST: $48.76
