Simple open toolbox - PEP BB dimensional.sand.toolbox

This is the wood I started with. I built the toolbox using scrap wood from the Shop at Basecamp.

These are the pieces of wood that I started with.







This is a progress picture of my toolbox build.



This is my finished toolbox that is at least sixteen inches long.



This is my finished toolbox fulfilling the function I intended for it- holding hatchets. It also bugged me a bunch that hatchets were just laying around in the Shop.

So i made this toolbox to house a few tools for when i go and work on various projects. I used to always try and carry 6 or way to many items and was always fumbling with them. Now it all fits in this tool box.
I made it from cedar bolts which i split into shakes and than i cut them to size, the handle is yellow cedar from the beach. Built using hot dipped 2 1/4 nails.
It is roughly 11 inch wide by 12 inches tall by 19 inches long.

For years, a small plastic bin has served as my "toolbox." It's ok.

The new toolbox I'm building to fit on the same closet shelf as the old toolbox. So it's 16" long, by 8" wide by 10" tall.

I really want the handle to stay put, so I'm not nailing into the end grain of the handle wood.

The handle and posts are deliberately offset to try to make a good one-handed hold. We'll see how that works in reality.

I upcycled a very old pantry shelf that I had already disassembled into my toolbox. I needed a tool tote anyway, so this badge bit was good motivation to make one. I have also been wanting to try making dovetails. It was a very educational project. I learned a lot of the challenges involved with dovetails, but they came together in the end. I've come to realize, if you can find a way to mark up your project accurately, then it's really just a matter of cutting to the lines. The real trick is figuring out how to lay it out and mark it up, and not only regarding dovetails, but woodworking in general.

The box is a bit heavy, but it's definitely functional and it fits my ryoba saw at full length!

I typically use screws in my projects but I decided to practice some of my nailing skills this time.

I built this tool box out of some 1x6 fir, some rough cut pine, and an scrap piece of dowel. It's assembled with just some nails.

Built a toolbox to fit a hatchet or multiple hatchets.

Used available materials.

Since I am fortunate to already have a nice bag for tools, the initial purpose of this tool box will be for carrying things out to the garden.  Mostly dirty things like small pots and transplants and my compost gloves: things that I don't want in my pocket or shoulder bag.

My design requirements:

Meet the BB requirements: at least 16" long, a handle, and no stains or paint

Useful -- For me that means hands-free over the shoulder, rather than a traditional wooden dowel, which limits the height of objects that can be put into the box  (I am happy to alter the design to a traditional dowel if needed)

Hand tools only

Materials

Board and other leftover wood scraps from my sifting crate project

12 Screws left-over from pre-school shed project

Surplus rope from cleaning a community basement

Temporarily unavailable: Washers to provide a wider contact surface for the natural rope attachment points (perhaps I'll take a bit of scrap soda can or snip bit of a can lid and fashion one later if I need to carry heavier loads with this box)

Some BB’s are far more than the task, they set you thinking about the harder BB’s. When I made this tool box I learnt a lot even though it was pretty straight forward and didn’t take long.

1) Home Depot sells construction lumber, not wood working lumber. It’s relatively cheap, often warped and damaged, mostly pine, perfectly adequate for construction work. I’ll need to find a better source for Straw and beyond.
2) I have a construction saw, not a wood working saw. The teeth are chunky and it makes a mess of pine.
3) Not using glue really makes you think
4) There’s a deep satisfaction in using hand tools even though power tools would finish the job much quicker. I used:
- hand saw
- brace and 3/4 inch bit / screw driver bit
- hand drill with 1/16 inch bit
- counter sinker bit
- chisel
- clamps
- metal file

To complete this BB, the minimum requirements are:
 - At least 16" long
 - A carrying handle
 - No paint, stain or oil

To document your completion of the BB, provide pics or video (<2 min) of the following:
 - Wood you're starting with
 - Construction partially underway
 - Finished toolbox

 

Starting materials



Cut to size



Ready for assembly



Dowel chamfered - this is my no glue solution for securing the handle



Finished toolbox



20 inches long

Here is my simple open toolbox made from upcycled wood

I made a toolbox using scrap lumber at Wheaton Labs. I cut the lumber to size using a miter saw. After attaching the four walls, I realized that I hadn't accounted for the width of the tall walls when attaching the short walls, so I took it apart and cut the base down a bit to prevent there being gaps in the corners. Then I put it all together again,  and attached the handle.

Thanks for the tip, L. I wanted to add another screw to help secure the handle, but I put the first one dead center and I think it would split if I added another.

Here is my submission for the Dimensional Lumber Woodworking Aspect - Sand for Straw - Make an Open Toolbox BB.

BB20 2022: Wednesday Afternoon and I'm in the shop making a toolbox.  I used a section of junkpole for the handle and wood I found in the shop.  The ends and bottom are 1"x6" and the sides are tongue and groove siding which I modified the groove so it was more like a half-lap joint with the base.  I used my skills with making the compound mallet to modify the ends fo the handle and put it in place before attaching the sides to the toolbox.


To show I've completed this Badge Bit, I have provided the following:
  - Wood you're starting with
  - Construction partially underway
  - Finished toolbox

Beginning to feel more confident with woodworking, since no real experience prior to SKIP. Still making some basic mistakes, but pleased with the outcome generally.

Will do a bit more work on this tidying it up, but it meets the specifications!

Here's the toolbox I made today from scrap wood at Wheaton Labs.

I have two photos of materials, as I added to them after I began. Here's the first snapshot of materials. I ended up not using several of the thin lengths of wood.



Here's the second image of materials. They were tongue-and-groove scraps that connected together and formed a suitable bottom for the toolbox.



Here's the toolbox mid-way through construction.



It was at this point I was dissatisfied with the height/depth of the toolbox, so I developed a solution to help hold more stuff. I had drawknife-trimmed the handle, and then drilled a hole into it, perpendicular to its length. I then fashioned a peg from scrap wood which fit through the hole.

Here's an image of the finished toolbox. It's in excess of 16 inches in length.



I'm pleased with the mechanics of the handle. It's removable. This way, the user can remove the handle, fill the toolbox, then return the handle and lock it in place with the peg. A bit of paracord connects the peg to the toolbox to prevent misplacing it over time.





Thanks for reviewing, volunteer reviewers...!

Hello! I just finished crafting my wooden toolbox! The tools I were using were being finicky so it's defiantly not perfect. but it still works!