What's a design for a quick, strong box?

[Todd Burch]

I've made yet another box for moving my crud. This one is for a Jet Mini Lathe and accessories.

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This one is nailed and glued pine, except for the top, which gets screwed on. I started with the ends (9.5" wide and 14.5" tall). Then, I took 1X8 pine (ripped down the middle to take out the majority of cupping) and other scrap, various widths, 28.5" long, and nailed to the 14.5" sides of the ends, adding glue to either end and edge as I went. Then, I glued and nailed the bottom on. I didn't pre-drill at first, but after my 2nd split, I did, and that solved that problem. I used 2" box nails. After the 5 sides were together, I wrapped the ends in metal strapping, nailing every so often with 1.25" nails, overlapping some at the top. I believe it will be sufficiently strong to carry a heavy load.

My previous boxes for moving used box joints and took a while to make. This one took about 90 minutes. I'm now looking for faster.

Got any ideas? I'm looking for quick to build and strong. I've already packed all the air tools, except for my 2.5" construction stapler. (I guess I could have used that on the above box - would have been quicker than pre-drilling and hammering! duh.) I have a lot of 1X pine to use. I'd rather not have to buy any sheet goods.

My next boxes will be (interior dimensions) 15 x 43 x 6 and 18 x 18 x 16.

Thanks, Todd

[Brian Kent]

It looks like you nailed it :D!

[Mike Cutler]

After trying to remove 1 1/2" coated staples out of a project once, I'd have no problem just stapling the sides and bottoms together. No glue at all. Ofd course you'd have to use staples sized to the wood.

I like the metal strapping. If I was making a shipping box, I'd do that in a heartbeat. Nice tip there Todd

[Thomas Hotchkin]

Todd
When I ship furniture out to one of my children, I line inside of box with 1/2 foam insulation on all sides. Gives a little more cushion. Tom

[Dave Zellers]

You should stencil 'Baileigh' on the side and submit it. :cool:

[Jeff Duncan]

Ninety minutes is a pretty time consuming box for that purpose. I'd go with the stapler and you should be able to leisurely slap it together in less than half an hour. The staples will hold so much better than nails it's not even comparable.

good luck,
JeffD

[Todd Burch]

Todd
When I ship furniture out to one of my children, I line inside of box with 1/2 foam insulation on all sides. Gives a little more cushion. Tom

Good idea. These won't be handled quite so much, and when it is handled, I know who's handling it. Good idea though!


You should stencil 'Baileigh' on the side and submit it. :cool:

Actually, for the big Emmert boxes I made, I was exactly going to do that. I emailed the jpg graphic to FedEx Office, went over to look at the sample, and the dithering sucked when it was going to be printed at 26" wide x 6" tall. And they were not able to produce the vinyl decal I was wanting to use either. He was wanting to produce a banner with the vinyl graphic already applied (sort of like an internally lined cloth-grid, anti-tear plastic tarp material). I asked him exactly how was I supposed to adhere this "tarp" to the wood, when I had given him all my specs that I needed over the phone for an adhesive backed decal. I just got a dumb look. I think the guy was too young to understand what I was wanting, and certainly didn't have a history in the printing business (thinking the 1/8" jagged dithering would have been acceptable). I have a very good friend in the printing business, and he's anal about stuff like this. Maybe me too.


Ninety minutes is a pretty time consuming box for that purpose. I'd go with the stapler and you should be able to leisurely slap it together in less than half an hour. The staples will hold so much better than nails it's not even comparable.

good luck,
JeffD

You are too kind. Just spent about 35 minutes slapping the big one together, and need about 15 more minutes to batten the lid and add rope handles. Construction stapler sure is fast!! Spend a lot of time working with sub-standard borg pine that was twisted, warped and cupped. Plywood for this application would be da bomb.

Pictures later.

Todd

[Jeff Duncan]

Plywood would be great, but pretty pricey for that purpose. You can sometimes find wafer board at the box stores for something like $15 a sheet! I'd go that route as it's plenty tough enough and will keep your wallet fatter;)

good luck,
JeffD

[Prashun Patel]

I don't know about faster, but if you want to make it a little stronger, then dado the long sides near the bottom and rest the bottom in that channel; butting up against the short sides. That's only if you're planning to haul a bucket o' chucks or something.

[Todd Burch]

The leg vise is now safely packed away. Pretty heavy. Box is 44.5" long, 19.5" wide and 8" tall - not counting the upper and lower battens.

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I had extra room in the case, so I bolted a small bench vise down inside it. Putting all 3 of my smaller bench vises in the box made it too heavy. I didn't really want to have to make more wood boxes for the small bench vises, so I came up with a hybrid design that was REALLY fast to put together. ;)

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The wood-filled box bottom really makes the cardboard box rigid and the vise won't be sliding around. 2 pieces of scrap wood were just cut to friction fit.

One more woody to go.

Todd

[Todd Burch]

Last wooden box is made - I think. Well, I know it's done, but I'm not 100% sure I won't be making another. ;)

Seeing as I will metaphorically, (well, I guess physically too), "pull the plug" this coming Wednesday morning, there just isn't any time left to make another with all the other moving steps and prep to do. Wednesday I rent the lift gate truck to move all the heavy machines. This last box is for the Power Feeder - and MAN - IT IS HEAVY!! (Felder, Variofeed 4 - just the feeder is 154 pounds, plus add the bracket and the box, so maybe 160 pounds total.)

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The box almost wasn't big enough - I didn't estimate the lengths of the columns (~28"), but since I was generous with the height, I was able to lay them in diagonally. Box (internal) dimensions are 24 1/8" x 25 1/8" x 12 3/4". Add +1.5" to get the external height (.5" below dado for bottom, .5" for bottom ply and .5" for surface mounted top.)

Why an ID of +1/8"? I started with wavy 3/4" pine, glued it up, and after it sanded out, it was at 11/16". Plenty thick.

Yesterday afternoon, before the box was finished, we had a bit of fun with the dog (Annie).

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Dog only weighs 70 pounds. Packing her was the lighter option! :p

The rope handles with the 3/4" PVC (I used CPVC - it's what I had on hand), is working great. I used the 1/2" rope on this one with figure 8 stop knots.

Todd