The cost of this project can be broken down into several components: the cost of wood, the cost of equipment, the cost of paint, the cost of optional decorations, and the cost of labor.

The wood used for the body and supports of the crate was a combination of 3″ x 1″ pine planks and 2″ x 2″ pine planks, using approximately 156″ of 3″x 1″s and 44″ of 2″x 2″s. According to the links used, that would cost approximately $4.25 for the 3″x1″s and $1.50 in 2″x2″s, equalling $5.75 total.

The equipment was all borrowed from the OEDK, but the cost of the drill, 24 screws, sandpaper, 4 clamps, planer, miter saw, and band saw should be negligable, as the amount of use from this equipment is difficult to measure, yet high enough when spread across all OEDK users over the course of years.

We used three spray paint cans: black primer ($7), black enamel spray paint ($7), and blue primer + paint ($7), equalling $21. The decorative wooden dowels were $10 for 4 1/2″ square dowels and $20 for 10 1/4″ square dowels, which adds up to $30. If we consider the cost of labor, it took 2 people approximately 10 hours each to construct the crate, however half of that time was improvising and expirimenting with the construction of the crate and its decorations, indicating this was DEFINITELY not skilled labor. 10 hrs x 2 workers x $18.38 as a living wage in Houston, Texas according to MIT living wage calculator = $367.60 in labor; or if one uses the true Texas minimum wage, $145 in labor, due to our lack of efficiency.

In total, the combined cost of all materials (wood, paint, dowels, etc.) and labor would be $424.35 at a living wage in Houston, TX, or $201.75 at the true minimum wage in Houston, TX.

Decorative wooden dowels

Completed Crate

Completed Crate

Cleaned space (planer)

2D sketch of Crate

crate cutting progress

Painting Progess

In-progress crate

Cleaned space (planer)

Measurements

2D sketch

cleaned work space