I struggled with this project at first, but eventually got the hang of it. I spent a good amount of time reading through the instructions, and honestly had a hard time wrapping my head around what I needed to do. This was mostly because the measurements of the wood that was available were different from what was given in the instructions. Because of this, it took me a long time to get started on the project since I was dreading starting. Once I got started though, it went pretty well and I enjoyed working on it. I realized that for a project like this, where the end result is pretty obvious, I work better following my own process vs. a clear set of instructions. My box ended up being slightly taller than the given dimensions, but I am still happy with how it turned out, especially since I don’t have much woodworking experience. I am also proud that I was able to make a functioning box without precisely following the instructions, and that I got to be a little creative with the assignment.
Steps
1. Deciding (Some) Cuts
I first decided on the pieces I was going to cut for the sides. I wanted to have all 4 sides end up the same, and for a 16×16 box this meant cutting side pieces that were 15 ¼ inches. I decided to cut 12 of these pieces, planning to use 3 for each side. I am including a photo of my initial plans, which ended up changing.
2. Cutting!
After I made the initial cutting decision, I went to the woodshop and cut the 12 pieces. I put the pieces together to see what I would need for the bottom, and I realized that 4 times the width of the plank I was using would perfectly fit the bottom. I used my side pieces to mark where I needed to cut, so I don’t know exactly how long my bottom pieces are. I cut the 4 bottom pieces, then started to think about the frame. I cut 4 ~11 inch pieces for the upright part of the frame. I used the space between these uprights to measure how long the bottom pieces of the frame, and cut 4 of those.
3. Putting it Together
I wasn’t really sure how I wanted to approach putting the box together at first. Eventually, I decided to combine 4 of the sides as shown in the following photo.
I used clamps and drilled my pilot holes, then added the screws. Once I had this square, I put the bottom pieces in and fastened each one with two screws on each of the ends. Since I now had a really solid bottom of my box, I decided I didn’t need the entire frame, so I decided to only add the upright pieces. I added the posts to each corner using two screws. The screws I had been using until this point were too long and went through the other side of the post, so I had to use a different type of screw. The only screws that I could find in the OEDK had a rounded head, which I didn’t like but I had no other choice.
Once the upright posts were in place, I had to add the rest of the sides. I wanted the sides to fit together perfectly, so I decided to fasten 4 sides together first, then place and screw onto the posts. I was nervous that this wouldn’t fit, but the squares ended up sliding on really tightly and well. I used some of my extra pieces of wood to place in between my squares to ensure even spacing between them. I did this for both of the remaining squares, which finished up the body of my box.
4. Sanding
Once the body was done, I used the orbital sander to smooth out all of the sides. I used 80 grit sandpaper for this. I used some sandpaper sheets for the spots that were hard to reach as well.
5. Using the Router
Once I did my first round of sanding, I decided to round the edges of the top of my box using the router. I was happy with the bit that was on the router, so I simply ran the box along the router 4 times. The rounded screws that I described earlier ended up getting in the way, so unfortunately I had to take them out and replace the ones on the top for each side that I routed.
6. Sanding Part 2
After using the router, I did 2 final rounds of sandpaper – using 60 grit then 120 grit. I smoothed down the edges and sides until I was happy with how it felt
7. Future Step: Stain + Clear Coat
I ran out of time to complete this step before the deadline (should have started earlier), but for my own enjoyment of the box I plan to later add a stain and a clear coat to the box.
Challenges
As I mentioned earlier, I had a bit of a hard time getting started but was able to get into a flow once I took the first few steps. In the future, I want to start earlier even if I don’t feel completely ready. Starting this project earlier would have solved a lot of the issues that I ran into, and given me more time to post process. Even if I don’t have time before the assignment is due, I eventually want to go back and stain my wood and add a clear coat, just to make my box nicer for myself.
I also wish I planned my process a bit more, or at least wrote down my tentative plan. I had a pretty good idea of how I would tackle this project, but keeping a log in my head led to me being more overwhelmed than I should have been.
Cost Estimate
I will estimate that I used the equivalent of 2 long planks of 1×4’s. Based on online prices, I will estimate this to cost around $14. I used approximately the equivalent of 5 sheets of sandpaper, which I will estimate at $10 total. I used a handful of screws (maybe 30?) which I will estimate, probably on the high end, to be $10 total. I will estimate that I spent around 5 hours working on this project, which I will estimate as $75 (at $15/hour). I am also going to assume no cost for shared tools. That brings the total cost to $109. Most of this cost is from labor, and I think if I did this project again I would be able to do it significantly quicker, resulting in a cheaper box.
