I have been wanting to make another box for a while now. I am a bit worried about all the weight on my record bins and hutch. I estimate that the two actual pieces of furniture are 250lbs at least and the 600 records and 100+ 45s has to be at least 750lbs. Besides, I really wanted to drag my CTI 3000 series out of there and put them in their own bin.
I have been wanting to try and build a different kind of bin for a while, one that does not use plywood and just uses ‘rails’. The records don’t need to be fully enclosed, so why use all that excess lumber? Also a solid 1″x___ will be infinitely more drillable and can take screws better.
Even more fun is the fact that I recently got a beautiful new chop saw at work. We needed it for cutting something at work but I instantly knew I could use it for a project. It came with a grinding disc for cutting metal which had to be replaced anyways. So I got a nice wood blade which is perfect for what we are doing with it and of course it’s great for lumber. I have been using it for a few weeks at work and I was blown away at how well it cut the 1×6 and 1x8s I bought today! The finish on the ends is better than if you sanded it and of course – finally – I know that my cuts are perfectly square because there is a mechanism that locks it down. And I can cut very precise lengths because I can see exactly where the blade comes down and I know how much I will lose in sawdust.
So I of course screwed up a few things, one of the biggest is that I miscut the side rails. I could shorten them of course but I had already tapped them for my pocket holes and I wasn’t going to cut the whole area off. So I lined things up the best I could and besides being a little ugly (and its largely hidden), it did not effect anything. But I did finally build something with all my pocket holes hidden! I just barely got the drill in there for the last couple but it fit. So all the holes are on the inside or on the bottom.
It only took me about 90 minutes to do the whole project, I was designing on the fly. I can’t draw in 3D so I have to just go by my brain. When it was done it looked boring and too square. So I cut the ‘V’ and the point by hand with a finishing saw. Then I nailed the cut away piece on the front. I sanded the hell out of everything which of course did not need much since again, for once my cuts are all very square. But I should have just cut a quick 2×4 brace before I nailed that piece on the front, I very marginally knocked something just a touch out of alignment from whacking at it. I couldn’t figure out how I missed sanding a few joints then realized I did – but there were knocked just 1-2mm out of square by my hammer swings. It is very minimal and as you can see, the box is not bent or warped. But I do have a pile of 2x4s and 2x6s and should have cut one. Live and learn.
Again, I used a basic stain because I really like the look and of course the application and use is exceedingly simple. And I spent $9 on that can and everything I build will get that finish until the can is gone! I am already planning another crate, to be built in as soon as a week, as I already have some design elements banging around in my brain and I need to get them out.
Best of all is that I just made another trip down to Bel-Aire in Bridgeview, one of my favorite places in the world. They DID have the record I needed to match the sleeve I already have. I also picked up both of the albums by The Tones – I’ve played through both already, a few times and I am very pleased. Glad they could be modeled in my finished work below.
