Hi guys, welcome to Ravi’s and Sid’s box-making process. I don’t know how to put it but this project felt a little more tangible and hands-on than making an apron. Maybe it was multiple steps where we had choices like routing type and stain that really made this process interesting.
We started off with our wood pre-cut to save time. This included nine 14.5” 1×4’s, six 12” 1×4’s, and four 2×2’s. A cost distribution is included at the end of this blog. We first intended to route each piece of wood using the table router but it was acting up a little so switched to the hand router. Here, we assembled the three outer frames. The process was pretty simple – just clamp the wood down, drill a 1/8” pilot hole, countersink a little using a 3/8” bit, and drive wood screws in. After assembling the frames, we used the hand router on both the inside and outside edges of each frame. The hand router was a little difficult to use because it’s meant to be operated one-handed and sometimes the router would get stuck on the wood’s surface or start flying. Nevertheless, we got the work done.
Next, we rigorously smoothed all our wood down. To be honest, it was smoother than a baby’s butt. Using a combination of 60, 100, 180, and 800 grit on the orbital sander, both of us really refined our course wood into an absolute beauty.
Now it was time for the assembly. We first installed three 14.5” 1x4s in the base of one frame. This part was a little tricky because the holes needed to be perfectly aligned or we’d risk screwing outside of the 1” margin available. We used a total of four screws for each plank – two on each side. Afterward, we installed the “pillars” – four 2×2’s. This was a little tricky because we didn’t know where to clamp. We used a spare 1×4 to set the distance between two frames and clamped each pillar vertically into place. After screwing opposite pillars, everything was very smooth sailing. The third frame was difficult to put on because it was a tight fit around the pillar but we used a rubber mallet to get it in. From here, the assembly of our box was complete with the exception of post-processing and staining.
Here, we spent an additional 10 minutes smoothing everything using the orbital sander. After wiping off the wood dust, we were ready to begin staining. We used a “dark walnut” wood stain and finished it with linseed oil. After the first application of wood stain, we let it sit for ~10 minutes before wiping it off. On a side note, me and Sid were so committed to this project that we stained at 11 PM on a Friday night. The next day, we applied a second stain around the evening. Here, we rushed the process a little, and applied linseed oil after 30 min of drying to give our box an additional “pop”. Our end product is shown below and we are very proud of it.
REFLECTION – THINGS TO IMPROVE
- Would love to try and see if processing and staining first is feasible.
- Not countersinking too shallow or deep, use Kreg jig?
- Make a more detailed plan of approach prior to starting
- Add handles via using a bandsaw for free cutting and then sanding
Cost Breakdown
| Cost | Price | Source | Quantity | Total |
| 1×4 wood | $3.5 / 8 ft | Home Depot (link) | ~17 ft | $7.5 |
| 2×2 wood | $3.5 / 8 ft | Home Depot (link) | ~3 ft | $1.30 |
| Wood screws | $10 / #200 | Home Depot (link) | ~50 | $2.5 |
| Dark walnut stain | $9/ 8 oz | Home Depot (link) | ~ 4 oz? | $4.5 |
| Operator | $15 / hr | Me, the operator | 6 hrs | $90 |
| Overhead | Estimate | $25 | ||
| TOTAL: | $131 |
