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This is kind of a low tech feature,
but this has to be one of my most important tools. I use it as a chair, an
assembly platform, I clamp copper pipe to it when I solder assemblies, it
functions as a carryall, saw horse, ladder, and has so many other duties I
couldn’t even begin to list them. I’m talking about my box.
While on the job, and in a small
room, I needed something to stand on to tear out drywall because the ladder was
in the way. I hate ladders anyway – scared of heights. I hit upon this idea
of building a little box to stand on, but it had to be sturdy enough to hold my
weight and more and take abuse. The box had to be made of readily available
building materials and I needed it in a half an hour. Tall order? Not really.
As I rummaged through the materials
at hand, I decided on using 2 x 4 framing lumber and 1 x 4 strapping. In
sizing my box, I started with the top. The box had to be comfortable to stand
on and have room for my big feet, spaced a relaxed distance apart, therefore, I
decided on 23 ½ inches by 15 ½ inches. Don’t ask me why I decided on 23 ½
inches – I don’t remember how that came to pass. A little longer would have
been nicer because I can’t get a handsaw in the box without putting it in
diagonally. The 15 ½ width is easier to explain. It was patterned off an old
garden bench I found on site that I was using as a saw horse, and was
incredibly comfortable to kneel on, holding a wall stud for sawing.
After sizing the top, I had to
determine the height. My box had to be reasonably easy to step up on but not
so comfortable as to keep me from easily reaching up to an 8’ ceiling to work. I
also wanted the box finished quickly. I arranged some 1 x 4 scraps to mock up
the box side and choose an arrangement 3 boards high, butted together, which
would make the height 11 3/8 inches (with the ¾ top).
For strength, I built my box with a
2 x 4 skeleton. I made two frames in the shape of an upside down ‘U’ where the
top rested on the uprights, like a top plate rests on wall studs. I sized each
U-shaped frame 1 ½ inches narrower and ¾ inch shorter than the finished
dimension of the box – to allow for the thickness of the 1 x 4 outer skin. Once
the U-shaped frames were complete, I planked them with the 1 x 4 strapping and
moved on.
I then cut six pieces the finished
length of 23 ½ inches and screwed them to the frames starting from the bottom
up. Four more pieces the same length were cut for the top. The four pieces
were not enough to cover the entire top so, rather than make a filler strip, I
left the centre open to use as a handhold. This turned out to be great for
clamping things to the box, but allowed smaller items to fall through when
using it as a carryall. Finally, I drilled two holes in either end and I
fashioned rope handles out of some polypropylene rope I found laying about.
Although I only planned on spending
a half hour building the thing, the box actually took most of a day to complete
– the best day I invested on that job. My box proved itself so well that I was
able to leave the ladder at home.
As a platform, it is the perfect
height for standing on to work on interior projects, and most tasks out of
doors. Up on edge, my box is the perfect saw horse and serves well if I need
to stand on something a bit higher. It is also a comfy bench upon which to
enjoy my noon-time comestibles. On end, it is the perfect height to serve as a
third hand, holding tools for whatever task I perform but I did have to cut
those rope handles off eventually. More recently, I have found my box is a
convenient stool upon which to park my posterior as I work at the bench in my
shop. I will have to outfit it with some form of pad to protect the old rump
roast. Of course, upside down the box is a convenient way to carry those items
that don’t fit in my tool bags to the job – if there is one (I am once again
retired from selling my tool hand all over the place).
For over three years, my box has
seen daily use and everyone who sees it wants one. I have built a pile of
them. It has become one of my most highly prized tools and I never go anywhere
without it. A project like this is strongly recommended to anyone who does any
of their own work at home.
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