The first wooden crate we designed for Mr. Tibbs' Trading Company was a little large. We're giving it another try with a 2-plank design.
Again, we used pieces of pallet which is a great, inexpensive material to work with. Since we're upcycling, it's also good for the environment.
The dimensions of the crate are 14 inches by 10 inches by 6 inches.
For the height of the crate, we needed (2) three-inch wide boards on all four sides. So Bryan began by ripping the planks down on the table saw.
Next, Bryan also used the table saw to joint the boards for the lid and cut them to five inches in width.
For the bottom of the crate, we used three planks. Two boards were cut to four and one-quarter inches and the third board was cut to four and a half inches. This gave us a total length of 13 inches.
Bryan also cut some pieces to use for framing.
Once all the boards were jointed and cut to width, we began cleaning up the end of each plank on the miter saw. This helped us discard portions that were cracked or damaged and also gave us a clean edge from which to measure.
For our side planks, we set up a stop block on the miter saw at nine inches to ensure uniform results. The bottom planks also needed to be nine inches, so we cut those while the stop block was still in place.
After fitting the pieces together, we began to get an idea of what the box was going to look like. We took a measurement for the front and back planks of the crate which came to 14 inches. Again, we used a stop block on the miter saw to ensure an accurate cut. We also cut the lengths for the lid at 14 inches.
After we finished all of our cuts, we finally had all the pieces needed for our crate:
(4) 3"x9" planks
(4) 3" x 14" planks
(2) 4.25"x9" planks
(1) 4.5"x9" plank
(2) 5"x14" planks
Assorted framing strips
Before assembling the box, I did a light sanding of the pieces with 80-grit sandpaper just to knock off some of the roughness.
To assemble the crate, we used wood glue and brad nails.
We started by gluing together the bottom panel and nailing a framing strip to each side. We repeated this type of construction for the side panels. Then we attached each side panel to the bottom. Once the initial frame was complete, we attached two long planks to both the front and the back of the box.
To assemble the lid, we glued the boards together and attached framing strips to the inside.
Before attaching hardware, we applied a coat of spray lacquer for a light finish.
We used four small hinges along the back of the crate and two simple draw latches on the front. The actual hardware we purchased from the store began as a couple of different colors originally - silver and brass. To get the desired look, we laid the hardware on some craft paper and applied a couple coats of spray paint in oil-rubbed bronze.
This crate was our second attempt at a prototype for Mr. Tibbs' Trading Company. Soon, we will show you the third and final attempt which actually made the cut for their 2020 Christmas Heritage Box.
Be sure to check back soon to see how we did it!