When given this assignment, I wanted to build a crate with somewhat of an outdoorsy and rugged aesthetic for my dad. Since I had several ideas of what I wanted to do for the design (lid, decals/engravings, locking mechanism, and handles), my partner, Sarvesh, and I opted to have our wood pre-cut in order to save time and energy. However, this initially led to some issues as several of our pieces weren’t in ideal conditions. Several pieces appeared to have edges that were poorly cut/routed and others had severe cracks/breakage. In order to address this, we used the planar, followed by the orbit sander with 60 grit in order to remove some of the imperfections. We then began assembling the individual frames of the crate using corner clamps, while making sure that imperfections were all in the same direction and inwards (so that we could hide them better). The frames were then given a round edge on all edges (top, bottom, inside, and outside) using the table router. However, we encountered two issues during this process: the exterior corner edges could not be routed due to how close our screws were to the edge; certain pieces of wood already had slanted edges to such an extreme that the blade would not make contact. In order to address the first issue, we simply used the belt sander to create a rounded edge (although I did accidentally sanded the edge of some screws). For the second issue, we simply agreed to place the more imperfect frame at the bottom, and the best frame at the top. We then used the table router on our bottom planks and columns; although, we used a coved shape bit for the columns. Afterwards, we sanded all pieces with the orbit sanded and by hand, going from 60 to 200 to 320 grit.

We then began assembling the bottom of the crate by ensuring which plank should be placed where since the frame wasn’t perfectly straight nor were the planks all equal in length. We then started with one of the side pieces. We pressed it against the inside wall of the frame and then clamped it, as well as the frame, to the table. We then put two screws on both ends to secure the plank. We then repeated these steps for the other side piece. Finally, we aligned the middle plank to be straight and equally spaced out from the two other planks. In order to ensure no movement, we opted to simply place a bunch of screw boxes on top since a clamp could not reach. We then repeated the previous steps for the middle plank.

Once the bottom was completed, we then placed and clamped all columns into the corners of the crate. We drilled only one screw into each column and then proceeded to use spare wood planks to prop up and hold the next frames as we clamped and screwed the columns. Afterwards, I chose the special walnut stain as I felt like it had a woodsmen feel to it. We applied it all around the crate, with the exception of the bottom. We did encounter some difficulty in reach between small gaps and crevices due to assembling the pieces together first. I then began working on the lid of the crate by finding a nice piece of scrap wood in the OEDK. I measured out my desired dimensions (16” x 12”) and used the miter saw to cut it. Afterwards, I used the table router with a chamfer bit to create slanted edges with the exception of the back edge. I then applied the same stain as before to the lid.

Once both pieces completely dried, we noticed that one of the columns of the crate was significantly higher than the others and extruded above the sides of the frame. In order to fix this issue, Sarvesh used the belt sander to remove the extra length, while I continued to work on the lid. I wanted to engrave two deer and the phrases “Which one do I shoot?” and “JUST SHOOT ONE” as this was a funny interaction between my dad and I when we were hunting once. However, after testing on the left over wood from earlier, I noticed the engravings were a little dark, and I was unsure if the engraving would then show on the darker, now stained wood. After talking with Hayden for advice, I proceeded to apply the same stain to the left over wood and then engrave once it dried. The result was like the Ravens against the Chiefs this past weekend (not great).

As a result, I decided to then grab a thin piece of scrap wood, cut it to 11” x 7” (this was determined by measuring the inside spaces between columns), sanded it with 320 grit, use the belt sander to round the edges, and then laser engrave on it. I then measured and aligned it in the middle of the lid. Once I clamped the lid to the table and the wood to the lid, I then screwed each corner to the lid. 

I then clamped the lid down to the crate and screwed two hinges I found. I place the hinges on the corner, back side of the lid and crate using 4 screws for each. I then used a drill bit located next to the Nomand CNC Mill to create two holes and hand screw a hook screw into each. In order to secure the lid as I drilled however, I placed the crate onto the ground and clamped the lid to a leg of the table.

Afterwards, I took a reel of fishing line and cut two pieces of equal length. I then tied a line to a hook and around a column to prevent the lid from falling/leaning too far back as the hinges are able to go almost 180 degrees from its rest position. Without the strings, I’m worried too much stress would be placed on the hinge as well as the screws in the lid. Finally, I applied stain to the bottom of the crate as well as the column that had been sanded.

Overall, I really enjoyed working on this project as it seemed less of an assignment and more of a hobby. Although I didn’t get to do everything I hoped, I’m still really proud and happy with the product my partner and I made.

Materials

• 9 pieces of 14.5” x 1” x 4” lumber
• 6 pieces of 12” x 1” x 4” lumber
• 4 pieces of 10” x 2” x 2” lumber
• 1 piece of  16” x 12” x 3/4” wood
• 1 piece of 11” x 7” x 0.21” wood
• 56 6 x 1-1/4-in screws
• Two small hook screws
• Two 1.5” x 1” hinges (dimensions are when laying flat)
• Four small screws; diameter similar to the other 56 screws
• Fishing Line
• BEHR Special Walnut stain

 

Cost Estimate

• Wood: After looking through Home Depot, I would estimate that the total wood would cost around $50
• Screws: A box of screws with desired dimensions would cost $6 
• Hinges: Found 2 hinges for roughly $3
• Fishing Line: A whole reel of fishing line can be bought for $3
• Wood Stain: The specific stain can be bought at Home Depot for $16
• Labor: Since most things are made in China, I based my hourly wage on Yinchun’s minimum wage, which is $1.83/hour. My partner and I spent 8 hours working on the crate. In addition to that, I spent 8.5 working on the lid. Therefore, the total labor cost would be roughly $44.84
• Total Cost Without Machinery: $122.84
• Machinery: $1000 (educated guess)
• Total Cost: $1122.84