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How To Make A Toy Box - Part 1

Courtesy of Lowe's

Part 2

A toy box is a treasure chest for a child. Opening the the lid opens the door to a new world of possibilities, limited only by the imagination. If your treasured person isn’t a child, this piece also makes an attractive storage bench. A moderately skilled woodworker should be able to build the toy box shown in Figure 1 with typical shop tools in two weekends for under $75.

toy box
Figure 1 - Toy Box

Recommended Tools:

Materials Required:

  • Six 2x4x96" boards
  • Two #2 1x6x96″boards
  • One #3 1x12x96″board
  • Five 1/2×48″dowel rods
  • One 3/8×24″dowel rod
  • Two hinges
  • One friction lid support
  • 2″wood screws
  • 8d finish nails
  • Wood glue

Cut List:

A: 5 – 2x4x40" Rails for front frame, back frame and top rail for backrest.

B: 1 – 2x4x35" Cross rail for backrest.

C: 4 – 2x4x14" Rails for side frames.

D: 8 – 2x4x13" Stiles for front, back and side frames.

E: 2 – 2x4x29" Stiles for backrest.

F: 2 – 33 3/4×11 3/4" Lauan for front and back panels.

G: 2 – 7 3/4×11 3/4" Lauan for side panels.

H: 2 – 40" Pieces of #3 1×12 for floor panel.

I: 4 – 42" Pieces of #2 1×6 for lid.

J: 1 – 2x4x38" Support rail for lid.

Prepare the Lid and Floor:

Boards prepared for gluing
Figure 2 - Boards prepared for gluing
  1. Edge glue and clamp three of the #2 1x6x42" pieces (I) together for the lid. Use dowels in the edges of the boards to strengthen the joints, as shown in Figure 2.
  2. Edge glue and clamp the #3 1x12x40" pieces (H) together for the floor. Use dowels in the edges of the boards to strengthen the joints.
  3. Note: Biscuits can be used in place of dowels.

Build the box
Figure 3 - Build the box

Build the Box:

  1. Cut blind, 1" long by 1/2" thick tenons in both ends of each front, back and side frame stiles (D) and both ends of the backrest cross rail (B), as shown in Figure 3.
  2. Cut blind, 1" long by 1/2" thick tenons in one end of each backrest stile (E).

Continued.......