The following steps were taken to build the box:
- Draw four 6 in. squares on a spare sheet of .5 cm pressed wood found in the OEDK
- Draw one square of length 6 + .5 cm
- Cut out all squares using the table saw in the wood shop
- Select smallest wood screw size available in OEDK
- Glue all sides in place on the larger base using wood glue
- Reinforce each side connection with 2 wood screws
- Using 3 drills for time efficiency…
- Drill small diameter pilot (1/16″)
- Drill large diameter countersink (1/4″)
- Torque in screw
- Sand overlapping edges
- Route fillets on all edges, taking care to avoid screws
The main challenge of building this box was the small thickness of wood used. The thickness made it very difficult to achieve 90 degree corners and cuts, as well as to set screws in the exact location to avoid splitting but keep the screw head from protruding beyond the surface of the orthogonal wall. Because of this, some fillets had to be hand-routed to avoid router contact with screw heads. Despite these challenges, however, a decently smooth and uniform surface was achieved all along the exterior of the box.
The cost breakdown for the project is as follows:
.196″ plywood, 1.25 sq. ft. @ $0.44/sq. ft. = $0.55
12 x wood screws @ $0.04/screw = $0.48
time, 2.5 hrs @ $14.45/hr (avg. construction worker wage in Texas) = $36.13
Total cost: $37.16
