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This is a little wooden suitcase I made to carry my R/C transmitter. I could have purchased a case to carry my radio gear, but I wanted something different than what everyone else has, pretty cool, and of course, homemade.
The design and building process is fairly straight-forward, and could be used to make any size of wooden suitcase or trunk. My finished case is rock-solid, yet still lightweight. I like the idea of custom-made wooden cases to store my things, and I think I'll be making a couple more of these in different sizes.
One of the best parts about this project is that I was able to make it almost entirely by re-using scrap materials.
I used 1/4" plywood for the outer skin of the case, and strips of 3/4" plywood for the inner supporting framework. The 1/4" plywood was flooring underlayment scraps that I got out of a dumpster of a flooring business. The hinges and catches came from an old dining table that I refinished a while ago that had a broken butterfly-style leaf. The foam that holds the radio was packing material used to protect a large gymnasium scoreboard that was shipped to my work. Most of this stuff could have been purchased . . . but I enjoy finding, holding onto, and eventually re-suing materials like this. It adds another level of character to the finished product.
Aside from the 3/4" plywood that was left over from another project, the only things I had to purchase were the suitcase handle and the plastic feet (along with basic materials like glue, nails, paint, etc.).
This was a fun project and I am very pleased with the results. Take a look, and let me know what you think. Thanks!
The design and building process is fairly straight-forward, and could be used to make any size of wooden suitcase or trunk. My finished case is rock-solid, yet still lightweight. I like the idea of custom-made wooden cases to store my things, and I think I'll be making a couple more of these in different sizes.
One of the best parts about this project is that I was able to make it almost entirely by re-using scrap materials.
I used 1/4" plywood for the outer skin of the case, and strips of 3/4" plywood for the inner supporting framework. The 1/4" plywood was flooring underlayment scraps that I got out of a dumpster of a flooring business. The hinges and catches came from an old dining table that I refinished a while ago that had a broken butterfly-style leaf. The foam that holds the radio was packing material used to protect a large gymnasium scoreboard that was shipped to my work. Most of this stuff could have been purchased . . . but I enjoy finding, holding onto, and eventually re-suing materials like this. It adds another level of character to the finished product.
Aside from the 3/4" plywood that was left over from another project, the only things I had to purchase were the suitcase handle and the plastic feet (along with basic materials like glue, nails, paint, etc.).
This was a fun project and I am very pleased with the results. Take a look, and let me know what you think. Thanks!
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Signing UpStep 1Cut out pieces
My finished case is 11" by 16" by 6.5".
The two large side pieces are 11" by 16". The smaller side pieces for each half of the case were 4" and 2" wide, respectively, and were cut to length to fit as needed.
A handful of 11/16" wide strips were cut from 3/4" plywood to use for the inner support framework. (11/16" is the actual thickness of 3/4" plywood, so the resulting strips were square.)
A note on tools: The essential tool for this project is a nail gun. I used 5/8" brads for everything. If you're patient and have a lot of clamps, you could do this without nails, but it might take forever. A table saw would be handy, but I get by with a circular saw and a straight edge, and a power miter saw. An orbital sander was also used, along with a few small clamps, and some other basic hand tools.
The two large side pieces are 11" by 16". The smaller side pieces for each half of the case were 4" and 2" wide, respectively, and were cut to length to fit as needed.
A handful of 11/16" wide strips were cut from 3/4" plywood to use for the inner support framework. (11/16" is the actual thickness of 3/4" plywood, so the resulting strips were square.)
A note on tools: The essential tool for this project is a nail gun. I used 5/8" brads for everything. If you're patient and have a lot of clamps, you could do this without nails, but it might take forever. A table saw would be handy, but I get by with a circular saw and a straight edge, and a power miter saw. An orbital sander was also used, along with a few small clamps, and some other basic hand tools.
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Great job!
http://www-woodworking.us/woodshop-projects
If you make some, be sure to post a picture or two.
Whats the name of the foam that you use? expanded poliuretane?
*bows*