Handles ideas for a heavy wood box

[Todd Burch]

I just made two sliding lid boxes for my two Emmert Vises. All pine. Side thickness is a scant 3/4" thick. Box bottom is 1/2" pine. Size of box is 29 long, 19 1/2" wide and 11 3/16" tall. Box joint construction (1/2" fingers). Solid bottom is let in a groove, floating, captured in the box. Top will be 1/4" ply.

I considered drilling 2 holes in each end and stringing a 7/16" or 1/2" cotton braided rope handle through, held in by knots, but I'm wondering if there's a better idea. I'm thinking if the rope handle loops are long enough to allow the hand to be above the top of the box by a few inches, the loaded box will be fairly stable when carrying. I would probably drill the holes either midway up the box sides, or, just below midway.

What would you use for handles on these good sized, heavy boxes?

Todd

(Why did I make boxes? I'm moving and these things are pretty heavy, and in boxes, I feel they will fair better (less likely to be dropped), and they will now stack on top each other in the storage unit.)

[Jamie Buxton]

I'd put hand-sized holes through the ends. You'd certainly get stability with your hands directly on the box.

[Todd Burch]

Thanks Jamie. Yes, that would give stability, and I had not considered that.

However, I think the the vise itself would interfere with where hands would go. The vise's front "T" handle casting and the column at the back end would be right where the handgrips would need to go - there's no clearance inside the box on the end to be able to wrap your fingers around.

[Todd Burch]

I ended up using a 1/2" braided cotton rope.

(Error in above dimensions - boxes are 20" x 29" x 11 3/16")

I drilled the 5/8" holes 4" from the sides and 6" from the bottom. 1/2" holes were too tight to get the 1/2" rope through.

To complete the project, I just need to make the lids and add some interior blocking to keep the vises secure.

Todd

[Pat Barry]

Hey Todd, how much weight you planing to carry in those boxes?

[Todd Burch]

87 lbs, or roundabouts - whatever the Emmert weighs.

Are you thinking I under or over engineered?

[pat warner]

Whacked into the side of my tool box (http://patwarner.com/images/box_grip.jpg). Weighs About 20 lbs, loaded. But as shallow as these grips are, I never dropped the box.
No hardware or pigtails, clean look anyway.

[Todd Burch]

Good idea Pat. My box is too heavy and unwieldy for that option.

[Thomas Canfield]

You might want to add some 6" long PVC or similar over the rope to make it easier on your hands. I know that the little plastic handles on a bucket sure ease the hand pain.

[Todd Burch]

Ah!!! Thomas, that's a GREAT idea. I was thinking boring out a dowel, but (DUH) PVC pipe is a no-brainer. I'll be doing that!! Thanks!

[Pat Barry]

I like the PVC pipe - that will really help.

[Matt Mohrman]

I'm a newb woodworker and had a question on the box construction, specifically the bottom. I always end up having to make "plugs" to fill in the gaps in the fingers on two sides where the grooves show. I didn't notice any plugs -- could you share your technique.

Thank you --

[Dave Richards]

http://www.hardwaretree.com/prodimages/ohiolug/obL1153np.gif
http://www.hardwaretree.com/proddetail.php?prod=OBL-1153NP

Through bolted, fender washers on the inside.

[Todd Burch]

Hi Matt. They are plugged.

I have gone the route of using a router table with a straight bit and cut stopped dados for a floating bottom to avoid the end plug, but it takes too long and the router table is not my friend, but merely a necessary evil used only when the pain of not using it exceeds using it.

For most of the boxes I make, as in drawer boxes, I orient the "rabbet hole" (I think I just invented a new term!!?? (© Todd Burch, 2013... :D ) ) so the drawer fronts hide them.

I decided I needed two more boxes for a couple mongo bench vises. :p

Todd

[Mike Henderson]

I'm a newb woodworker and had a question on the box construction, specifically the bottom. I always end up having to make "plugs" to fill in the gaps in the fingers on two sides where the grooves show. I didn't notice any plugs -- could you share your technique.

Thank you --
One way to avoid the holes is to make your sides, then put them together before you cut the slots. You can use packing tape to hold the sides together if the joinery is not tight enough. Then set up a slot cutting bit on your router table with a bearing that gives you the depth you want. Drop your box over the bit and route the groove in all four sides. If you need to make the slot wider than your bit, just adjust the height of the slot cutting bit and cut again.

The corners will be "round" because the slot cutter can't cut square corners. After you take the sides apart, you can chisel out the last little bit to make them square.

The other advantage of this technique is that the groove lines up all around. Sometime when you use finger joints or dovetails to attach the sides, one side will stick down just a bit. If you cut slots in the normal way and register off the edge of the side, when you put the sides together, the slots won't line up. Doing it assembled guarantees the slots will line up.

Mike

[Matt Mohrman]

Thanks for the replies -- "rabbet holes" that's great :). Not sure I'm up for the slot cutter route yet but an excellent idea down the road maybe.

Also just wanted to say how much I've learned from this site, I really appreciate the friendly atmosphere and all the knowledge shared here -- Thank you!

[Todd Burch]

Box construction is done - lids are made. One Emmert packed up. I went to pack the other Emmert and look what I found in the box! woo-hoo!!

[Todd Burch]

Oh, and no, I don't quite fit. See the machinist vise off to the right? That's what the other 2 boxes I made are for. Pictures forthwith later.

Todd

[Jim Neeley]

I think you hit the jackpot on that one! :)

[Jerry Miner]

One of the nicest-looking vices I've ever seen! (The first one, not the second)

[Todd Burch]

LOL

Here are the boxes with their intended contents! All packed up and ready to store. Note PVC handles on the smaller boxes. The knots are tighter than I want to mess with on the bigger boxes, to untie and add PVC grips.

When I have some time, the smaller box lids (1/4" cherry ply) and the larger box lids (1/4" QS red oak ply) will be oiled, and the boxes will be painted marigold yellow milk paint, and then everything varnished.

Did I say I like nice looking boxes?

Not sure what I'll use them for after the move, but I'm sure I'll think of something.

Todd