I decided that I wanted to make my box in the shape of a trapezoid. The pieces I cut were
- 9 x 14.5” long pieces of 1×4 lumber
- 6 x 12” long pieces of 1×4 lumber
I was also given 4 x 10-11” long pieces of 2×2 lumber as they had all been cut already. Lastly, for the floor of the box, I took 3 of the 14.5” and made 2 of them 3 inches wide, and one of them 2 inches wide.
I would not be able to assemble the squares first because they would all be at an angle, so I decided to make the box one side at a time instead. I started with the long side as I did not plan to have it trapezoid shaped, so it was just attaching the 14.5” panels to the 2×2 supports. I routed the long edges on both sides of the panels. I only put the first two 14.5” panels on each because I needed to make the angle on the bottom first.
I did the first one with a file, but eventually decided on using a handsaw and then sanding it flat. I was then able to add the third 14.5” panel and the 3″ floorboards.
Using a clamp to hold up the sides, I then installed the 12” side panels. I did not shape them before hand, but instead made them extend a bit beyond the edges of the box. This part showed the disadvantages of not make the box squares first, as while I did line up the boards with each other, they were slanted and the gaps were a bit uneven. Additionally, when I attempted to attach the panels to each other, the screw widened the drill hole and became loose. I believe this was because it was into the side of a 14.5″ panel and I could not use a corner clamp to keep it compressed while attaching.
I found out that my 12” panels were not wide enough for the top, so I had to grab some left over 14.5″ pieces and attach them on top. I then used a hand saw again to cut off the edges, and then an orbital sander to smooth it out.
After routing the edges, I finished the box with a black stain. Here’s the final product. Overall I could have been a bit more precise with measurements to make the process easier, but I believe the box was constructed well. However, it is a bit wobbly because the bottom is not flat, and I do think I could have done better with the stain by doing it on the individual parts first.
Cost Estimate:
Wood: 11 14.5″ 1×4 pieces, 4 12″ 1×4 pieces 4, and 10″ 2×2 pieces:
207.5″ 1×4: $3.48 for 8′ – (17.29’/8′) * $3.48 = $7.52
40″ 2×2: $3.35 for 8′ – (3.33’/8′) * $3.35 = $1.39
37 Screws: $5.50 for 100 – (37/100) * $5.50 = $2.04
Behr True Black Stain: $20 for 1 quart – (1/16) * $20 = $1.25
Labor: 10 hours * $18 = $180
Machine Time:
Orbital Sander: $0.02 per hour – 30 minutes – $.01
Router: $0.02 per hour – 15 minutes – $.005
Total: $192.22
