Process. This tote was first digitally assembled in Fusion360. The blueprints, which included the dimensions of the tote, were then printed to serve as a guide for construction. I measured, marked, and cut out each piece of the tote. I re-measured several of my pieces after discovering how much material the miter saw cuts off. After I had all of the pieces, I hand-sanded the rough, splintered edges. I paid careful attention the the smoothness of the tote handle. I glued my front and side pieces to the base or the tote, then used clamps to hold them in place while they dried. I then screwed these walls together, and to the tote base. I assembled the handle and its supporting side pieces separately (again by gluing and screwing). I glued this component into my tote, and screwed it in from the sides of the tote to reinforce the bond. I lightly sanded the tote again, by hand, to make sure it was smooth to the touch.
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| Ryan showing me how to use the woodworking machines |
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| Cutting out the handle |
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| Sanding the handle |
Result. My tool tote (in my opinion) is sturdy, and durable. It might benefit from a little more sanding, but I think the surface is user-friendly. There is not much of a personal touch, but I hope to add this as I become more familiar with the machines in the Maker Space.
Reflection. I very much enjoyed crafting this tote. As someone who is very concerned with detail, this project same along slowly for me. I measured my pieces many times to be certain the tote would fit perfectly together like a piece of IKEA furniture. I found that despite diligent efforts, some degree of human error still showed in the end product. Hopefully, this will decrease with practice, but these "errors" did not effect the usefulness of the product (and only slightly affected its aesthetic value).
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| Gluing the pieces together |
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| Finished tool tote |
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