First project from learning lurker

[Scottlefley]

Hi All,

I have been lurking around on this excellent website since last october, eager to get involved in the varied world of wood working. As an IT consultant i was looking for something that couldn't be further form my day job, so i have spent the last few months picking up tips on tools and techniques and getting my garage (workshop) up together.

Well now i feel its time to step out of the darkness and share with you all my first 'proper' project, a toy box for my 1 year old son.

So Here is my first (hopefully of many) WIP, although technically its finished now so not really a WIP!

Well the missus said she wanted a toy box for the boy and was all up for buying one, but no i said, i can make a box...what fool can't! so when i said that, she showed me the one she wanted making...well i thought i had bitten off more than i could chew when i agreed to it! Never one to back away from a challenge i made a start...bought a load of redwood pine from wickes, i know its awful wood, but all i could get my hands on at the time and was anxious not to spend a fortune on materials for what could amount to a disaster!

So started by gluing up my boards...

They turned out pretty decent, although they were waving all over the place so much sanding and planing to get them reasonably flat...also means i can work on the missus to let me buy a P/T!

Next printed out my boys name and stuck it to the front panel ready to be cut out...

Cut out the letters with a combination of my trusted hegner and a jigsaw...

Cut out handle holes and dowelled the edges of the boxes...this was my first mistake as its nigh on impossible to dowel a wavy board against another wavy board!

I rounded over the edges with the router and did the handle holes and the arc that was cutout and backed the arc with a piece of ply and the same for the base, which is slotted in. here it is clamped up.

Next rounded over the letters on the router table and glued them to the ply in the arc, notice too that there are now some screw holes...the doweling didn't work so i clamped/glued and screwed, squeezing the boards to get them as 'flat' as possible!

Added a plinth and a lid and some slow close bracket/hinges...

Finally after much sanding and then staining and waxing have a finished toy box...plugged the acres with some dowel plugs...hardly know they were there now!

The boy on first seeing his new box...

as you can see he is please, the missus is pleased and i am quite chuffed that after much time spent thinking and reading i have finally managed to make something!

So a big thank you to all the posters on this great forum, without whom i could never have down what i have done...keep up the good work guys and girls

 

[Spindle]

Hi

That's a great first project =D> =D>

Please assure me that those stays lock the lid in the open position so as it can't inadvertently fall on the lad.

Regards Mick

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Well I think that's absolutely marvellous. A good job, well thought through, nice design, bumped into a few of the classics like rubbish wood from the sheds and overcame the mistakes without letting it blow you off course. Very well done indeed. Thanks for posting and a very big welcome to the forum with a proper WIP. Good work fella

 

[Racers]

Very nice first project.

Pete

 

[Scottlefley]

Hi

That's a great first project =D> =D>

Please assure me that those stays lock the lid in the open position so as it can't inadvertently fall on the lad.

Regards Mick

Yep don't worry i got some of those slow close lid stays, so it stays upright and even when you close the lid it drops nice and slow...very impressed with them, £12 a pair off fleabay!

thanks for the kind words guys...i admit there were a few stressed moments, but thats all part of the challenge, thinking around the problem...just need to get my hands on some decent wood now so i can start a new project...not sure what that will be as yet, or when i will find the time as the little man keeps me very very busy as i am sure you can imagine!!

 

[Grahamshed]

Thats a very impressive toy box, first, second or twentieth.

 

[nev]

=D>

 

[rspsteve]

Well done ...like it .

 

[gasman]

lovely he will treaure that
Mark

 

[wellywood]

Very nice first project =D>
Just be careful, as box making can become an obsession They combine many of the elements of cabinet making into something that is (hopefully) not only good to look at but functional and in a small space.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Well done that looks great, especially for a first attempt, you must be well chuffed.

 

[Mike.S]

Hi

That's a great first project =D> =D>

Please assure me that those stays lock the lid in the open position so as it can't inadvertently fall on the lad.

Regards Mick

Yep don't worry i got some of those slow close lid stays, so it stays upright and even when you close the lid it drops nice and slow...very impressed with them, £12 a pair off fleabay!

As the father of two, please assure me that you can also lock your son in the box once he hits the 'terrible twos' :twisted:

More seriously, that's mighty impressive.

 

[n0legs]

As the father of two, please assure me that you can also lock your son in the box once he hits the 'terrible twos' :twisted:

Brilliant line :lol: :lol:

Welcome, great job =D>
Much more satisfying than buying one any day.

 

[brianhabby]

Nice toy box - and for a first project, excellent.

Interesting (to me anyway) you chose a toybox as your first woodworking project to take you away from IT. My son who is in the same line of work made a toybox as his first project too! link

Must be something about working with computers

regards

Brian

 

[custard]

Great job, you should be well proud of yourself. For a first attempt at woodworking that really is very, very special. Don't stop here, you have quite a talent.

 

[Noggsy]

Excellent work mate, but now I'm going to have to make one for my daughter. (hammer) #-o

 

[Benchwayze]

Great job, you should be well proud of yourself. For a first attempt at woodworking that really is very, very special. Don't stop here, you have quite a talent.

+1 and welcome aboard.
Regards

 

[Sawyer]

Good start - well done!

 

[devonwoody]

Looks good.

BTW you need never be worried about doing dovetails at the corners, just cut and chisel out they always work. As you found out dowelling is very difficult even after a lifetime imo.

 

[Scottlefley]

Thank you for all the encouraging replies...

One question, i have a table saw, bandsaw and mitre saw, scroll saw, router table and a couple of sanding machines (bobbin and disc/belt) sander. What would you suggest would be the next workshop machine to save up for to enable me to more easily make furniture...I was thinking along the lines of a planer/thicknesser as they seem very very useful, taking a lot of hard work out of prepping stock. What would be the experts view?

One day i hope to be able achieve the standards that this forum sets, there are some truly inspirational pieces begin made by the members...all excellent work =D>