| Blog series by RandyMorter | updated 04-22-2011 09:04 PM | 6 parts | 47782 reads | 27 comments total |
Part 1: Saddle / Tack Caddy Design
My wife sent me an email at work on 3/25/2011, asking if I didn’t think I should build her a saddle / tack caddy. Even though she’s had a couple of horses in the almost 25 years we’ve been together, I had no idea what she was talking about. Knowing that, the email contained a picture of an example of what she was talking about from “for the barn”. I found another one or two examples online to compare. This looked like a good project for me – it’...
Part 2: Prototype of the Tote Box
Progress as of 4/3/2011 I got a Woodhaven 4555 Box Joint Jig a 2 days ago. I got it set up yesterday to where it makes good 3/8” fingers on a box joint. Today I got to work on the prototype of the tote box – the separate box on the lower left of the original drawing. First I created a copy of the SketchUp for just the tote box and printed it out. Note that my drawing does NOT incude the finger joints. In the original drawing the length is 20-1/2”. I decided to keep...
Part 3: Some lessons learned, 4/9/2011
I was able to spend a good amount of time working on this project on 4/9/2011. I’d even got off work early the afternoon before and hoped to make some progress but ended up breaking a router bit so had to change my plans. I’ve never broken a router bit before and it was strange. I probably lucked out. I was trying out a cut, just to get the measurements. I was cutting in pine with a 1/2” shank 1/4” straight cut, 2 flute, MLCS Carbide tipped bit. I don’t know w...
Part 4: Drawers & Drawer Case
I worked on the drawers and drawer case on 4/9/2011. The drawer case has to be the same width as the rest of the main frame boxes, which is 15”, and the same length. I’d originally planned to do 24” but after getting the drawer slide hardware I decided to add a bit of a gap between the backs of the drawers so added another 1/4”. The frame boxes will all be 24-1/4”. I chose some full extension 12” drawer slides (Shop Fox D3028, 100 lb. capacity side mo...
Part 5: Caddy / Top
I made some progress on the actual caddy portion, including it’s base box, on 4/9/2011 (and on Sunday, 4/10/2011 I rested lol – my back and feet are needing some aspirin!). This portion wasn’t terribly difficult. For the actuall caddy portion I used a bit more of the 7” wide pine I had. I cut a couple of lenghts to the 15” width I needed. I used spray adhesive to stick them together, being mindful of orienting the cupping the same way. I have NOT milled...
Part 6: Prototype Assembly - 4/17/2011
On 4/17/2011 I got the prototype put together about as much as I’m going to. It has served me well, pointing out some joinery and other design issues. As I mentioned in my previous blog, my wife wants deeper drawers so that will change the design a bit. Basically the drawer and the tray above the drawer may have to be separated in some respect or another. It’s either that or the drawers just hang below the side pieces, which would be okay structurally if not asthetically. ...
