Box #2:
For this assignment, I was tasked with creating a box and was given the freedom to take it in a variety of directions. After a lot of back and forth, I decided to go for a challenging design. Although there were many errors in making the box, I am very happy with how it turned out.
Box Design
The box I designed is a 14.5” x 14.5” x 12” crate-like box, which used one piece of 14.5” x 14.5” x 0.75” plywood, two 12” x 2.75” x 0.75” planks, two 12” x 3.5” x 0.75” planks, and twelve 14.5” x 3.5” x 0.75” planks. It was a very ambitious design for me, but I felt that if I executed it well, it would look really good.
I first cut the plywood, which was used as a base, and cut each of the corners with a jigsaw in order to be able to fit the four 12” planks vertically. This left me with a frame on which I was able to place the remaining twelve planks (3 on each side). Each piece of wood was stained and sanded, and each of the side planks were routed on the edge to give a bit of a more professional look.
Finished Box
Finished Box
Top-down view of the box
Side view of the box
Bottom view of the box
Things To Improve On
Although I am very happy with the finished product, I am aware of a few mistakes that I made when creating my box. The first of these was incorrect measurements/not accounting for kerf. In order to cut the corners of the plywood, I needed to use a jigsaw, but I was not able to cut the correct amount of material off. This left a bit of a gap when putting the pieces together. In addition to this, I made a few incorrect measurements when cutting the planks, which were noticeable in my final design.
Differing heights in my planks showing incorrect cuts
Also, when screwing the pieces together, I sometimes went too deep which caused the wood to crack slightly. This is something that could’ve been avoided had I been more careful or had I chosen a different spot to insert the screws.
Crack caused by screw
Finally, I noticed that I did not wipe all the stain off when staining. This left noticeable marks where stain dripped and accumulated, which could’ve been avoided had I checked more thoroughly.
Stain excess noted on sides of planks
Cost Analysis
1.208 sq. ft. of plywood ~ $1.50
222 in. of cedar planks ~ $22.29
4 oz Walnut Stain ~ $1.04
34 1.5 in. wood screws ~ $3.25
7 hours of labor = $52.50
Total: $80.58
Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed having the freedom of creating the box and being able to take it in any direction I wanted to. I learned quite a few things and made a few mistakes, but I have definitely learned as a result and can’t wait to produce higher quality products in the future.
