Few weeks ago my Dad brings me this dilapidated looking wooden box.  Cracked sides, falling apart and has that musty stale air smell.  Tells me he needs this fixed up and make sure it will be able to handle rough use, use screws he tells me.  He is in a K-9 Search and Rescue Unit so they are on the move and have to set up, then move out again.  Have no idea what goes in it.

 

Took it apart, pieces broke, a real mess.  The top, useless, nothing salvaged.  Hinges and hardware, a disaster just chunked them.  Replaced the bottom and ends with some 3/4 ish plywood scrap I had as well as the lid.  Used some of the old broken pieces to make the frame for the lid and glued it up.  Same with the box part.  Since Dad mentioned screws I added them as well, ya know just to be sure.  Then looked at it and decided to have some fun and proceeded to use the entire box of 2 inch screws, 50 in all.

 

The plywood was scrap so I used the nice looking sides on the inside and clear coated them with 3 coats of Helmsman Urethane.  Not a furniture finish but I use it on stuff that goes outside like shovel handles and such.  The outside I got creative.  He had mentioned to make it visible and something he would notice at a glance.  Looking through my collection I found this smoke gray, perfect for bottom, oil based and durable.  Check.  The top, hey purple is cool people!!!  To finish it off I added his initials in bright white, he said be noticeable!!

 

The handles are webbing for a weed eater long since retired.  To make the holes for the 1/4 bolts I used to attach them I took a piece of 1/4 round stock and made a sharp point. Heated it up with a torch and then slid the webbing over it.  Makes a perfect hole and will not rip.  Should last a lifetime.

 

All in all a fun project.  I can imagine the looks it will get when he breaks this out next search.

 

Cool! Too bad dogs are color blind 😂

Nicely done. Should withstand the environment it will be used in. Plated screws enhance the colors and actually the visibility.

Tell him thanks for the work he does too. Tough job.

Ready for rough use - check

Use screws - check & double check

Visible - check

Noticeable - check

 

Seems like it fits the bill perfectly

A seriously cool tip on putting the hole through the webbing also, I will remember that one.

14 hours ago, Cal said:

A seriously cool tip on putting the hole through the webbing also, I will remember that one.

Thanks!!

 

Dad came by tonight and picked his box up.  Very pleased!!!!  Bragging rights for the next month

looks nice.

 

i might have taken a lesson from long ago, and looked at steamer trunk designs.

 

the joints and corners were reinforced, but the panels were not 3/4" ply.  those areas were typically 1/4" material.  it saved weight.

 

something to think about next time.  i'm guessing that that box, empty, weighs about 35 lb.

 

you could also look at the box design for stuff the military does, like ammo crates.  typically 1x2 for the edges and corners, and 1/4" or 1/2" sheet material for the panels.

 

 

This was not my design, Dad bought this crate of wood and after he got it home realized it was falling apart.  

 

Gave him the speech about if you want something ask, we have plenty of scrap materials to build stuff like this.

 

I checked before I gave it to him, came in at 25 lbs, now what he fills it up with, who knows.

Looks like a fun project to do. Also looks rugged enough to be used as a step stool/bench in the field. The only problem I see, is it’s so nice you may get some requests for additional ones from Dad’s co-workers.