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Step 3Build or Prepare the Project Box
You can use any type of box here. Since it's for a toddler, I suggest something heavy, otherwise they will try to pull it away and throw it in the toilet. If you go for a plastic box, stuff it with some metal or stone ballasts.
I made a box with some MDF I had left over from a previous project.
I decided that 15 x 15 cm x 10 would be a good size and used a hacksaw to saw the boards. After sawing them I used sanding paper to flatten the sides get rid of the sharp edges. Pay extra attention to this. You can be sure the box will be shoved, pulled pushed thrown, kicked, stand on and laid under, sharp edges and corners should be avoided.
Then I measured and drew the locations of the holes and drilled them.
Knowing the dimensions and the locations of the buttons, I used Adobe Photoshop to create a template that I used to spray paint the symbols on them.
I had already decided on the sizes of the symbols based on the size of the box itself and used the grid in Photoshop to make the symbols the size I needed them. Making the symbols is easy. Simply draw a black square and rotate it, then cut it in halve. Since most symbols consists of this halve square, copy and paste it to different layers and resize where needed.
I printed on thick paper and used a box cutter to cut out the symbols.
Then I used photo glue to attach the template to the top and tape to mask the sides (don't skip the photo glue if you spray the symbols on - if you don't you will end up with fuzzy edges on the symbols).
Next I applied a layer of gloss clear coat to prevent all kinds of stains on the box (MDF isn't really toddler proof without it). I then glued the four sides to the top and drilled holes in the bottom so I could screw that in.
I made a box with some MDF I had left over from a previous project.
I decided that 15 x 15 cm x 10 would be a good size and used a hacksaw to saw the boards. After sawing them I used sanding paper to flatten the sides get rid of the sharp edges. Pay extra attention to this. You can be sure the box will be shoved, pulled pushed thrown, kicked, stand on and laid under, sharp edges and corners should be avoided.
Then I measured and drew the locations of the holes and drilled them.
Knowing the dimensions and the locations of the buttons, I used Adobe Photoshop to create a template that I used to spray paint the symbols on them.
I had already decided on the sizes of the symbols based on the size of the box itself and used the grid in Photoshop to make the symbols the size I needed them. Making the symbols is easy. Simply draw a black square and rotate it, then cut it in halve. Since most symbols consists of this halve square, copy and paste it to different layers and resize where needed.
I printed on thick paper and used a box cutter to cut out the symbols.
Then I used photo glue to attach the template to the top and tape to mask the sides (don't skip the photo glue if you spray the symbols on - if you don't you will end up with fuzzy edges on the symbols).
Next I applied a layer of gloss clear coat to prevent all kinds of stains on the box (MDF isn't really toddler proof without it). I then glued the four sides to the top and drilled holes in the bottom so I could screw that in.
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Apr 7, 2009. 9:28 AMka1axy
says:
Box looks like it has pointy corners and sharp edges...might want to round those over a bit so nobody falls on them.
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Apr 7, 2009. 9:51 PMkillerdark (author)
says:
I'll update the instructions to specifically include sanding down any rough or sharp edges.
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Apr 7, 2009. 9:49 PMkillerdark (author)
says:
The picture you are looking at here in step 3 is before sanding, applying gloss and assembly (I just stacked it up for the picture basically). I haven't included a close up of the finished box, but the finished box has the sides and corners sanded down, although not completely round, more like 45 degrees If I had an electric sander I would have gone for big round edges as you suggest, I would have preferred that, if only for aesthetics.
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