Toy box- take 2.

[racsan]

I built the original 7 years ago, from scratch with materials I happened to have on hand. Only things I bought were the name letters, hardware and stain/polyurethane. Oct 1st my daughter had a fire, started in her sons room,IN the toybox somehow. So Im trying to duplicate it as best as I can. Don’t remember dimensions but had to draw up rough plans so Id know how much wood Id need. I wish I had took measurements and drew up plans after the fact on the original, I was really pleased with how it turned out. Was reluctant to do it again but Im about halfway into it now and feeling better about it. Will have to do the stain/polyurethane in the house so it will cure right but Im a good week away from that. Spent most of this nice day in the garage. It smells like a wood shop now, which is a nice change from the gas/oil smell that’s normally in there. Glad I have safety glasses with bifocal readers, those 1/16th lines are hard to read when the whole tape measure is blurry.

 

[racsan]

Todays progress; not much. Finished the trim pieces around the sides, made a lid and cut a 1/2” sheet for the bottom. The rest of the sheeting is 3/8 so now the bottom is overkill thick. May be a good idea if caster wheels get put on it. Not sure on that but the option is there now. Wish I had the letters, coulda got that done today too. Its in the house & stuff is put away. Have cardboard to put down when I go to stain it. Only other hardware I need is the side brackets that keep the lid up, Im undecided on side handles. I bought a couple meant for a screen door but not liking them. Piano hinge I have , its a 4’ and needs cut down to 36”. Glad I could get the outside stuff done while there was a warm spell. Its back to work tomorrow so wont get anything done until the weekend. Im off to a good start.

 

[racsan]

About to put some color on, glued the name letters on last night.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I have my first grandchild coming in Feburary. My daughter asked me to build something opposed to buying. I'm good with that. She really likes my desk I built using pipe and fittings for frame work. A bit industrial for a babies room I suppose.

I think I'm going to start with a toy/storage bench with pull out bins. I plan to make it so I can add a desk with shelves in the future.

 

[racsan]

That sounds good, im hoping this toy box can end up being a storage footlocker/end of bed bench.

 

[racsan]

and color:
Still need the polyurethane, but that will be next weekend, just cant do anything through the week. Once thats done its time for hardware (hinge, latches, side handles) I did have to move it back to the garage, too much fumes from the stain.

 

[racsan]

Just put the polyurethane on, cold & damp conditions gave me little choice but to move it back into the house to a small extra room. I dont think it would cure right in the garage. Next is all the hardware, cutting down a 4’ piano hinge , mounting the side handles, lid supports and the latches. Couldn’t hardly get the lid off the polyurethane, just kept peeling the lip of the lid back. If the table looks the same its not surprising, I made it over 10 years ago and used the same brand of golden oak stain.

 

[racsan]

Well its done and ready for christmas day. I ended up using only 1 lid support, seems to be enough and the tension is adjustable. The only thing I dont like is that the lid doesn’t fully open 90 degrees. I tried that and the lid wouldnt close by about 3/4”. The first picture is the original, biggest “tell” is that triangle peice on the top of the lid, I had tried a single center lid support and it didn’t work, went with supports on both sides, very different from what the newest box has.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Looks good, if you moved both lid support mounting positions 1/2" closer to the hinge it should open all the way and still close the same I would imagine but get you closer to 90 degrees...

 

[racsan]

Looks good, if you moved both lid support mounting positions 1/2" closer to the hinge it should open all the way and still close the same I would imagine but get you closer to 90 degrees...

I just played with that idea and it worked! Thanks! Its at a full 90 open and still closes like it should.

 

[scotts90ranger]

Nice, looks like you moved the lower one in more and down which works too, there's math you could do to figure out where it would need to be but success is success Looks good

 

[racsan]

well today is the day, he loves it!
first pic was the first one, around his first christmas (was made for his 1st b-day in aug)