Toybox... not fine wordworking project

[Rick Gifford]

I kept saying I was going to build my granddaughter a toybox. I wanted to do something nice but the projects keep piling up and I am behind on all of them.

I decided to go ahead and build a box from plywood (this is the same build I found a basketball skin inbedded in the layers of the chinese plywood from the BORG... but that was another thread).

It is a basic design, 3/4" plywood with biscuits at the corners. The bottom freefloats in a dado cut.

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I ripped up some pine 2X4's to create the molding.

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Routered out the hinge pockets.

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Cont:

[Rick Gifford]

This is the box pre-paint. The hinges are the Lid Stay Torsion Hinges (60in lbs) from Rockler.

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[Rick Gifford]

After sanding, prime and painting:

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[Rick Gifford]

My granddaughter said she "likes it alot poppy".

That's all I need to hear. lol

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Of course she's a goofball. This kid likes to act silly. Dunno where she gets it from :rolleyes: ... probably me

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[Larry Charlot]

excellent piece of work

[Mark Godlesky]

Not every piece has to be fine furniture. Your grand daughter appears to love it and it should provide her years of service. Well done.

[George Sanders]

That is really nice. It's even nicer when when what you built makes your grandchild smile.

[Mike Cutler]

Rick

Fine wood working has a very broad definition, and that toy box meets it in my opinion.;)


A Simple well executed design, rugged, functional, clean lines, and done from the heart.
Fine wood working in my book any day.

[Ron Bontz]

Those are the things great memories are made of. Looks like a nice toy box to me.:)

[James Manning]

Rick

Fine wood working has a very broad definition, and that toy box meets it in my opinion.;)


A Simple well executed design, rugged, functional, clean lines, and done from the heart.
Fine wood working in my book any day.

What Rick said...........

Excellent in my book as well, can't be any better than seeing that smile on your grandchilds face, you can't put a price on that........;)

How did you cut the letters out? scroll/bandsaw? And what font did you use?

[Lee Mitchell]

Fine woodworking is in the eye of the beholder. From the smiles, I see, yours is of the highest caliber. Congratulations on what I'm sure will be a family treasure. Be sure to sign and date it. Even better, write her a little note and decopage (sp) it to the back of the chest.

Lee in NC

[Brian D Anderson]

Ok . . . 4 things:

1. Was she named after Trinity from the Matrix?
2. Aren't those torsion hinges great? I used them on a piano bench. Can't wait until they come out with different finishes.
3. Mark Godlesky - Go Lions!
4. I like the whole thing . . . great toy box!

-Brian

[Prashun Patel]

Yr box is wonderful. I respect that you made the trim out of 2x4's. I appreciate your precision with the miters, face frame work, and the painting. I'd buy it.

For future reference, you might've saved a little time and blade by using stock BORG 1x2's for the trim. I mention that not to detract from yr final product, but bkz I personally find ripping 2x4's to be the scariest operation on my table saw...

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Cute box. Adorable grand daughter.

Did you install anything to prevent the lid from coming down hard?

[Brian D Anderson]

Cute box. Adorable grand daughter.

Did you install anything to prevent the lid from coming down hard?

I can answer that one. He used torsion hinges. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21288&filter=torsion%20hinge

It's a hinge and lid stay in one. As they say . . . it's like a laptop hinge.

-Brian

[Augusto Orosco]

What everyone said. Beautiful box!



For future reference, you might've saved a little time and blade by using stock BORG 1x2's for the trim. I mention that not to detract from yr final product, but bkz I personally find ripping 2x4's to be the scariest operation on my table saw...

I don't mean to highjack the thread, by Shawn's comment prompted my curiosity. Why would you say that? I ask because last week I was ripping some 2x4's my Bosch contractor saw after jointing and planing them down to 1.25", because I wanted 1.25x2.5 boards.

The saw had a very hard time (I was using a good Freud blade, so not a probably cause there) ripping the stock and I noticed that as soon as the board went by splitter it would spring right back. I am thinking now that if it weren't for the paws and the splitter I would have experienced some nasty kickback. Knowing that 2x4s are always on the moist side I should have anticipated that, though. But would that also cause the saw to stall? I thought the splitter would prevent that...

[Jim Rimmer]

The hinges are the Lid Stay Torsion Hinges (60in lbs) from Rockler.

I used some of those on a blanket chest for my daughter. Aren't they great!:D

[Mike Langford]

Mighty FINE toy box Rick.....And a beautiful granddaughter too! ;)

Thanks for sharing!

[Mike Gager]

well i think its a nice toybox, in fact yours is built a lot better then the one i got when i was a kid and i still have it today, some 32 or so years after i got it, yours should last even longer!

[Prashun Patel]

If you've taken the time to joint and plane your 2x4's then my comment doesn't really apply (although I still hate working softwoods on my table saw because it's about as bad on the blade as MDF, IMHO).

I'm talking about rough ripping 2x4's into trim stock and THEN jointing and planing. Almost every 2x4 I've had has enough twist in 2 dimensions to threaten kickback. Once it gets past the blade, it can rub and bind on the splitter, requiring dangerously more push force. If you remove the guard and splitter, you're really asking for the wood to contact the back of the blade and burn, scream, and kick back.

Add to that the fact that yr probably working with 8ft long, narrow and unwieldy pieces.



I've been lucky not to have a kick back yet, but like they say with motorcycles: it's not IF you'll have an accident, it's WHEN.

I've only ever ripped down 2x4's to "save money". BORG 1x stock is usually cleaner, about as cheap, easier to sift through, and comes in many widths.

[Mike Gager]

never had a problem ripping 2x4s with my ridgid 3660 using the stock splitter. i always pick the straightest 2x4s i can find though so maybe that helps

the 1x stock doesnt solve the problem of needing 1.5x1.5 stock

[Prashun Patel]

Power to ya if it works for you! :)


the 1x stock doesnt solve the problem of needing 1.5x1.5 stock.

Glue up 2 pcs or 1x2. A lot of 2x4 rips warp off the saw with a little time. A glueup has less chance of this.

[Philip Johnson]

Very nice Rick. I have a new grandson so I can see the need for a toy box in my near future. I really like the way you did the name that makes it special.
Now tell us where did you find the letters for the name or did you cut them out.

[David Keller NC]

Rick - I made one of these for my nephews Christmas before last. Mine was natural wood finish, and it did use maple veneer plywood because of that, but neither what I made nor yours would be considered "not fine woodworking" - or at least not "inexpensive woodworking". I got a similar reaction from the boys - the loved it (and I don't think they'd know wat plywood is, anyway).

One comment about construction of these, though - I can't tell from pictures, but I would very carefully examine the joint between the top and the case. Kids like to play hide and seek, and I had uncomfortable visions of a kid getting held inside the box for a while by a playmate, so in addition to a soft-close lid, I was really careful that the joint at the back had 1/8" of clearance - for air circulation.

It's our habit as woodworkers to make fine, tight joints, but this is one application where that's not what you want.

[Jerome Hanby]

I think I'm going to shamelessly appropriate your design and paint it gold and hot rod red (Iron Man Movie) for our little boy. Great job!

[Jerome Hanby]

After sanding, prime and painting:

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What paint did you use?

[Rick Gifford]

Thanks for all the comments. Its good to be able to sare a project after having so much down time lately I was wondering if I would ever get back out in the shop.

Yesterday I made a dozen oak plaques for deer mounts for a friend at work. It was mundane repetitive work, but I was thinking how much I was enjoying just being in my shop doing what I liked so it didnt matter.

To answer a couple questions:

The lid does have a gap between the box rim. The Stay Torsion hinges raise the lid about 1/8" or so. So that is a good thing. Those hinges are real nice and do a great job. To look at it you wonder if its safe, but the lid stays in any position you put it. Very safe for little ones.

The lettering on the front was bought at Craft Supplies here in town. I was going to bandsaw them but my wife said for 50 cent a piece they have piles of them... so that's what I did. I still think I would have rather just made them because I like personal touches but these are fine.

Trinity's name... well when my daughter first gave me her suggestion I asked " you mean Trinity from the movie Matrix?" lol Hey you never know with the younger generation. But actually it comes from the Holy Trinity.

I used to be concerned my woodworking wasnt good enough. Still feel that way, but we are our own worse critics arent we? But I have found people enjoy the things you make them regardless. Kids even more. I made my wife a music box out of Holly this Christmas and she really likes it. I thought I could have done better...

Tomorrow I am getting the box lid laser engraved for my daughter. One more project that is 90% complete but not yet there.

Oh I also cleaned up my shop and got my clamps stored on the Woodpeckers clamp racks. Kinda nice not to have them all piled up in the corner. I can also see the workbench now. You wouldnt believe how messy I can be :D