Together with Jinyun, I built a wood container this past week. I’ve never drilled one hole in a wall, and this is the first time we’ve learned how to drill, screw, sand, and stain a box starting from the very first batch of lumbers. We’re quite happy with our work and feel that we learned a lot using those practical tools and techniques.
We used pre-cut materials for our project, including 4*11′ long pieces of 2*2 timber, 6*12″ long pieces of 1*4 lumber, and 9*14.5″ long pieces of 1*4 lumber. First, we firmly aligned the ends of the box’s two sides in the corner clamp before drilling a pilot hole with a 1/8″ drill bit at the joint. We created a shadow hole on the surface of the pre-drilled position using a much larger drill bit to give it a smoother appearance. So that we can build a robust frame, we can evenly screw the wood screw into the hole.
After constructing the three layers, we used a sanding machine and 60- and 120-grit sand paper to smooth out any sharp edges, remove some splinters, and level off any uneven wood surfaces. They were soft but not quite smooth at this point.
After pre-sanding the box’s three exterior layers, we put them all together using four long pieces of lumber with a square cross section at each corner. to build the fundamental framework of a wooden box, continue drilling holes and driving wood screws. We discovered one of the layers was loose at this point, so we had to drive additional wood screws to attach them until the entire box was strong enough.
Before construction, we first smoothed off any rough edges and uneven surfaces using a coarse grit sandpaper. For a smoother finish, we would gradually use 400 grit, 800 grit, then 3000 grit sand paper. To produce a polished appearance, we did pay great attention to the corners and edges.
Apply a wood finish or oil to the wood to bring out its natural beauty and to protect it. Then we decided on teak oil since it resists water and has some UV protection to avoid fading. The fact that oil finishes can dry quickly and are non-toxic is crucial. We used paper towels to apply the oil to the box’s surface throughout, making sure that it was properly absorbed into the wood. We particularly enjoy the wood’s natural color.
Making a wooden box is a fun and creative project that teaches and exercises important woodworking techniques. Each stage, from drilling to assembly to finishing, is an opportunity to improve our craftsmanship. After finishing your wooden box, we are pleased with our work and eager to try more woodworking projects for your home, such as an accent wall.
| Cost Type | Cost | Price | Source | Quantity | Total |
| Materials | 1×4 Board | 3.32/8ft | Home Depot | 17 ft | $7.06 |
| Screws | 0.07/screws | Home Depot | 50 | $3.5 | |
| Sand Paper | $5.47/7pieces | Home Depot | 7 | $5.47 | |
| Teak oil | $16.97/quart | Home Depot | 1 | $16.97 | |
| Labor | Woodworking Operator | $15/h | Indeed.com | 8 hrs | $120 |
| Prototyping Engineer (You!) | $36.5/h | Bureau of Labor Statistics | 1 h | $36.5 | |
| Overhead | Facility Cost (Machine Time) | $4/h on drill
$4/h on orbital sander |
Home Depot | Total 6 hrs | $24 |
| Quality Control | $18/h | Bureau of Labor Statistic | 1h | $18 | |
| Design | Engineering and Development | $0 | N/A | N/A | $0 |
| Iterations | $18 | Bureau of labor statistics | N/A | $18 | |
| Misc. | Waste and Scrap | 0.42/ft | Home Depot | 6ft | $2.52 |
| TOTAL | $252.02 |
