Sandbox: Lessons Learned (long)

[Noah Alkinburgh]

Well here is the completed sandbox. Well it still needs shingles and sand but those are minor details. If you would like to see more pics of the process you can view them at www.alkinburgh.com/gallery/wworking/

Here are the lessons I learned:
warped lumber sucksno matter how straight the lumber is when you buy it, if you leave it sitting around poorly stacked it will warp

when in the lumber store a 4x8 piece of plywood will be plenty for a gable roof on a 25 sq ft sandbox with enough left over to do another major project.
when you get home you realize no matter how you do the math a 4x8 sheet of plywood wont even come close
just b/c the DIY channel says if you miss a step visit our site and the process will be layed out doesn't mean you will be able to understand the process they layed out.
pilot holes for screws are a good thing, pilot holes one size bigger then they should be are a bad thing
quick grips clamps are wonderful things
did I mention warped lumber sucks
just b/c it was square when you drove the first screw doesn't mean it is when you drive the fifth screw
don't get excited when something works correctly 5 more things are about to go wrong
you should be glad I didn't build your house...I am glad I didn't build mine
when you leave your drill case open around a 2 year old girl, you can expect everything that you think belongs in it will be scattered around the yard, but in their place you will find some nice hair clips, a doll, some gravel, and some dirt
the thickness of a speed square adds up to cutting a rafter 1/2" short, that is a lot to dry and draw in with a screw.
working on sloped ground sucks
warped lumber sucks (really it does)
working with your wife can be alot of fun, but don't ask "how come dinner isn't ready?"
when your wife is taller than you don't say, "I can't quite reach to make that cut. I will go get the step ladder." in the 1 minute it takes you to retreive the step ladder she and you daughter will have the cuts all made.
it is very satisfying to look out your window and see something you made for your children.

Well I think that is about all of them...if I think of any more I will add them. Hope you enjoyed it. Oh, I don't know how they build these things in 15 minutes on tv :D

Noah

[Byron Trantham]

Noah, I think you have a gold mine here for sayings on Tee Shirts! We've all been there and certainly done that.

I'm sure the little one is absolutely in love with her "new house."

[Rusty Hughes, Indy]

Way to go, Noah. Nice work. My wife helps me too. :) By the way, it looks like you got away with working without warped lumber. How'd you do that? :)

Rusty

[Rob Russell]

Noah,

Nice pictures, nice sandbox.

From what I can see - something rather important is missing from your sandbox. That is a cover to keep the local cats out of it. Believe me - cats will find it, will use the sandbox as a litter box and you will have to deal with that problem.

Been there, done that.

A cover is a must.

Rob

[Noah Alkinburgh]

Noah,

Nice pictures, nice sandbox.

From what I can see - something rather important is missing from your sandbox. That is a cover to keep the local cats out of it. Believe me - cats will find it, will use the sandbox as a litter box and you will have to deal with that problem.

Been there, done that.

A cover is a must.

Rob

Rob, I thought you were going to say sand :D Actually there will be a canvas cover that will roll up on a pvc crank. At least that is what I plan on it being. In the meantime, I will be using some plywoood, if I get sand in it before I get the canvas installed. I still need to move it again to put a bit more fill in for leveling.

Noah

[Ron McNeil]

Noah.

Nice work, I'm sure your daughter will be very happy with her sandbox. I would like to take this time to tell you what happen to me about 24 years ago. We had a sandbox about the size of yours and my two daughters and two neighbor kids were in the back yard playing when my oldest daughter came into the house screaming.

It turned out that the kids were running around the sandbox and there was a lot of dew on the ground. The young boy who was about 6 or 7 slipped and hit his knee on the sharp mitre corner and had to have 17 stiches. I only mention this because it's something you don't forget.

You did a great job I just wanted to share my experience for what ever it's worth.

Ron

[Mike Evertsen]

nice sandbox,,,,,my favarite when I was a kid was a big tractor tire from the farmer down the road my dad filled it with sand I took most of the sand out and filled with dirt it was better for building roads for my matchbox cars he wasn't happy after the yelling was done he left me alone to play in the dirt ,,,,,,

[Marc Hills]

Noah:

Congratulations on your project, and thank you for your lesson's learned list. My daughter just turned four and I really chuckled when I read:

"when you leave your drill case open around a 2 year old girl, you can expect everything that you think belongs in it will be scattered around the yard, but in their place you will find some nice hair clips, a doll, some gravel, and some dirt"

So true, right down to the hair clips.

The sandbox looks great and in the eyes of your daughter and her little friends, you are a super hero. Your last lessoned learned (it is very satisfying to look out your window and see something you made for your children) is the most important. It makes everything worthwhile.

One thing that wasn't quite clear from your pictures and descriptions though, how did you feel about working with warped lumber?

[Tom Sweeney]

I especially enjoyed the pics of your little girl helping - she's probably telling all her friends how she built her new sandbox :D

It's the little things in life that make us smile - especially when they're as cute as your little one!

I'm thinking about building a small storage shed to get some of the stuff out of my shop - do you think I should avoid warped lumber? ;)

[David LaRue]

Noah,

Great job on the sand box! I built one several years ago, and buried more than half of it in the ground. Here are a couple of thoughts:

* Use white play sand - yes the expensive stuff. My wife insisted on it. I thought sand it sand. But - The white bleached sand comes off the kids much easier than the course sand, vacuums up well when it doesn't. It also does not stain their clothes. :)

* You can buy the cover on-line from Cedar Works. I have one on mine and it works great. I don't have roll-up device. We just hang it over the fence when the sand box is in use.

Dave

[Dave Smith]

Hi Noah,

The sandbox is a great success. Couldn't make it to Grumbine's this year but a birdy told me you got the turning bug. Is there any truth to the rumor that you are getting a lathe? I was over 2,000 miles away so you can't blame me.

Dave Smith

Relaxing in Longview, WA.

[Noah Alkinburgh]

Hi Noah,

The sandbox is a great success. Couldn't make it to Grumbine's this year but a birdy told me you got the turning bug. Is there any truth to the rumor that you are getting a lathe? I was over 2,000 miles away so you can't blame me.

Dave Smith

Relaxing in Longview, WA.

Dave Smith? Now where do I know that name from.... :) Hey it is great to hear from you. This birrdy you speak of, would he be an ex-navy bird?

Why indeed it is true. I took delivery of my very own Jet Mini last week. As to whether you had anything to do with it.....well the first thing I turned on it was a cherry confetti lamp. Missed you at Grumbines and I really wanted to try Sophies this year but the little ones make that kind of travel difficult money wise and sanity wise.

I hope to hear some more from you on the Creek. Its a nice place.

Noah