Maker Crate

[scottp55]

Video of TJ and Bill making our "Maker Crate" for the Desktop. Awesome work on their part for a Gimp from Maine. First crate arrived in Limestone,Maine yesterday with the Desktop. Second being shipped flat to me here next week.:)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fuh4rkmoaQw&feature=youtu.be

[scottp55]

Kirk stained "Maker Crate" minwax "Provincial". Pretty functional "furniture":)

[bill.young]

I've never seen one that wasn't just raw plywood...it really turned out nice!

[scottp55]

It certainly exceeded MY expectations-looks nice finished. Thanks you two!:)

[scottp55]

Let's see if I can get Radiata pine box rightside up:)

[universaldenial]

Also my father painted the shopbot design blue before I stained it.

[scottp55]

Bill and TJ, Just thought you might like to see how the first Maker Crate you "rejected" because the veneer was so thin you went through it on the dovetail corners. After looking at the wood I decided that if you two could freeze your buns of at 5F in Virginia to make it, I could take the time to oil it. Made a Tung oil stain for the corners to match the darkest streak in panels(wanted dark to contrast and make dovetails and bolt heads blend more). Will assemble tomorrow. Only 1 coat 50/50 Hope Tung/thinner but figure I know where to wipe foam brushes for a couple of years and it will eventually build:) I cheated on most of the pics and took them during the flooding phase. Will let you know how it works out with wheelchair. Did NOT oil Original S--t Board pallet risers!!! There IS a limit:) But dovetail corners were sanded down to 320G and not "Baby" soft but close.
If you ever get any more "REJECTS" give me a call!!:)

[scottp55]

One more. THANKS!!!

[scottp55]

Getting there. Have to mod caster set up for wheelchair height. Thinking about adding shelf in rear for UPS power source and CPU to make it into a unit that can be moved almost anywhere. How does vibration affect computers though:confused: Have "Dirt Bags" so dust won't be an issue. Thanks TJ and Bill, all those screws and was able to finger tighten almost ALL of them! VERY solid-almost no flex at all in the wheelchair opening side, which I was worried about. Should NOT have used new belt sander on corner mitres until I had gotten used to it though:)

[bill.young]

hey Scott,

Very nice...it looks great!

Which way does the crate have to go to fit the wheelchair...taller or shorter?

Bill

[scottp55]

Thanks Bill. If I had gone with the bigger casters that you sent with the fully assembled and shipped one for Kirk, Then I would only have had to remove the OSB skids and T-nutted directly to the 1/2" on the crate. But I told TJ I didn't need the casters :( as I had I thought some that were perfect. Turns out I can't use the Rockler retractable workbench casters(unless I pocket out the bottom corner pieces-and they stick out too much). So going with 3".......................Long story short. I'm 5'11" 150lbs. My wheeelchair is a "Sport chair" and from floor to top of my knees(Plus an inch for clearance) is 26". If a person were taller or heavier they would need more. I wouldn't change anything except maybe make the cut out on the bottom panel for my foot clearance not quite as deep, as I don't need all of it, and am going to put a wider shelf back there for UPS and CPU. Probably a swivel arm for monitor/keyboard attached to box also, then I'll be very mobile and only be restricted by the Desktops power cord. Great job!!!
Cool idea to make shipping crate fully functional workbench and handicapped acceptable:) Took original shipping crate apart yesterday, and removing the base and one side made it so flimsy I have to beef it up and raise it 3" to make my sanding station, would never have trusted it as a Desktop bench.

[scottp55]

This was shot just before I moved Desktop. Now has CPU and UPS installed underneath on existing shelf (no need to add shelf as the newer components are only 4" wide). All cables bundled and ran air cut last night to make sure there was no cable crosstalk. Only have to "Dirtbag" electronics and run shockcord to keep things from shifting. Cantilevered shelf at 0,0 corner for monitor/keyboard still in the works. Still need to Unitize DC so it moves as box does. Wheelchair cut out is perfect height! SOOO nice to access all sides. Thank you TJ and Bill and Shopbot.
"Happy Camper"

[scottp55]

I told someone I'd be cutting by 9am. Murphy was an optimist! But I'm done (for now).:)

[scottp55]

Still need to make swivel arm for monitor/keyboard/mouse on left corner. Rockler Snakearm light IS stiff enough to hold a 50W Halogen without bending when doing rapid cuts and vibration, so will screw to top right corner. Mobile and only limited by 12' UPS cord and 18' Fein power cord. Lost power Monday for 1.75 hours- I wasn't cutting, but everything was powered up--Did NOT lose coms, and cut as soon as power came on with no problems.:)

[Kyle Stapleton]

Do you have the crv. files for the maker crate you could post, or is it a trade secrete?:)

[bill.young]

All the files are available on Github.

https://github.com/wlyoung/Maker_Crate

[scottp55]

Wow Bill, You're quick :) I was going to tell him it was your baby and dovetails were trade secret.
Maybe his students can build them as TJ doesn't appear to be in love with making them:)

[TJ]

Wow Bill, You're quick :) I was going to tell him it was your baby and dovetails were trade secret.
Maybe his students can build them as TJ doesn't appear to be in love with making them:)
Scott, I cut Maker Crates in my sleep that is how excited I am for building them!! :)

[bill.young]

Wow Bill, You're quick :) I was going to tell him it was your baby and dovetails were trade secret.


It's not really a trade secret. The program to create the toolpaths for those kind of flatcut dovetails is included in the Github download, along with some rudimentary instructions and the VCarve files that show you how they're laid out.

The Vectric guys are working on a gadget for laying them out and toolpathing them that will make it a lot easier..my way is certainly particularly easy!

Bill

[Kyle Stapleton]

Thanks for the quick response, I'm looking into getting a desktop for the school. Seeing after about a week of class the kids told me that this is taking to long and I need to buy a second one to speed things up.

[scottp55]

The crate work great Kyle and if computer is in box like ours, you can wheel around shop and go to anyplace that has a plug easily. With a UPS you don't even need to shut down. For quick passing thunderstorms I just turn spindle off and unplug power cord until storm passes unless storm lasts longer than an hour and a half. Great time saver.
TJ, I hate it when that happens:) Your brain goes "BUT I Already cut those!"
Bill, That will be nice! :) (Thanks again for adaptable "Crate"! forever doing stuff now I couldn't before)