Today’s task went much more quickly and easily. Today’s task was to wrap the cabinet and its Styrofoam padding in crate board and apply a wooden frame around the outside.
So I started right in by laying out a sheet of crate board. I went and got two of these from International Paper in Morristown the other day. Each sheet is 5 feet x 16 feet, and it just happens that the height of the crate needs to be… 5 feet! So that will ease this task considerably. What I’m referring to here as crate board is triple wall corrugated cardboard. Yes, cardboard. But this cardboard is a half inch thick, has the same puncture resistance as ¼ luan plywood, more vertical crush resistance, is much easier to cut and work with than plywood, and it’s lighter in weight. Every pound I shave off the shipping weight saves you, our customers, money in shipping costs.
Man do I love having all this space to work in!! We couldn’t do anything like this in the old shop, we’d have to drag it out into the driveway and then it’d get all dirty and dinged up from the gravel. Beside, it’s hot out there today: 97° currently with a heat index of 112°. The new shop is air conditioned. A dream come true!
So I lay out where the folds will need to go. I *could* cut a separate panel for each side and the top of the crate, but then I’d have to fasten the panels back together. So why not just fold the sheet of cardboard and wrap it around the cabinet in one piece? There will be a joint at one corner only, therefore the whole crate will be stronger. Once I have the box formed, I move it into the assembly room and begin to wrap it around the cabinet.
This task is about as easy as wrestling a large python – or so I would guess as I have never actually wrestled a large python. I have handled a few, so I have an inkling of how difficult they are to get hold of and control, but not wrestled. I’m guessing about that.
But I digress.
The lower edge of the crate board slips down between the bottom of the cabinet and the lip on the crate base and sits on the plywood platform of the base. I missed my mark on one corner and had to re-fold it on the fly, but it worked out OK.
Next I apply band boards around the perimeter of the crate sides. The top banding is glued to the crate board, everything else is held in place with just screws. After cutting the top plate and banding that as well, the crate is ready to go. 
All taht is left is to apply a liberal number of FRAGILE stickers and run the shipping labels. The completed crate weighs 425 pounds. It will be a bear to move out to the dock and into the truck. I’ll need help for that. I’m not as young as I once was!
So I’ll spend what’s left of the afternoon cleaning the shop, putting things away and hauling the left-over lumber back out to the lumber shed. If we hear from Blake & Marilyn pretty seen, we could take the crate over to Old Dominion’s dock in White Pine this evening. If not, it can sit here until we do. I can work around it; I have plenty of space!
So I started right in by laying out a sheet of crate board. I went and got two of these from International Paper in Morristown the other day. Each sheet is 5 feet x 16 feet, and it just happens that the height of the crate needs to be… 5 feet! So that will ease this task considerably. What I’m referring to here as crate board is triple wall corrugated cardboard. Yes, cardboard. But this cardboard is a half inch thick, has the same puncture resistance as ¼ luan plywood, more vertical crush resistance, is much easier to cut and work with than plywood, and it’s lighter in weight. Every pound I shave off the shipping weight saves you, our customers, money in shipping costs.Man do I love having all this space to work in!! We couldn’t do anything like this in the old shop, we’d have to drag it out into the driveway and then it’d get all dirty and dinged up from the gravel. Beside, it’s hot out there today: 97° currently with a heat index of 112°. The new shop is air conditioned. A dream come true!
So I lay out where the folds will need to go. I *could* cut a separate panel for each side and the top of the crate, but then I’d have to fasten the panels back together. So why not just fold the sheet of cardboard and wrap it around the cabinet in one piece? There will be a joint at one corner only, therefore the whole crate will be stronger. Once I have the box formed, I move it into the assembly room and begin to wrap it around the cabinet.This task is about as easy as wrestling a large python – or so I would guess as I have never actually wrestled a large python. I have handled a few, so I have an inkling of how difficult they are to get hold of and control, but not wrestled. I’m guessing about that.
But I digress.
The lower edge of the crate board slips down between the bottom of the cabinet and the lip on the crate base and sits on the plywood platform of the base. I missed my mark on one corner and had to re-fold it on the fly, but it worked out OK.
Next I apply band boards around the perimeter of the crate sides. The top banding is glued to the crate board, everything else is held in place with just screws. After cutting the top plate and banding that as well, the crate is ready to go. 
All taht is left is to apply a liberal number of FRAGILE stickers and run the shipping labels. The completed crate weighs 425 pounds. It will be a bear to move out to the dock and into the truck. I’ll need help for that. I’m not as young as I once was!So I’ll spend what’s left of the afternoon cleaning the shop, putting things away and hauling the left-over lumber back out to the lumber shed. If we hear from Blake & Marilyn pretty seen, we could take the crate over to Old Dominion’s dock in White Pine this evening. If not, it can sit here until we do. I can work around it; I have plenty of space!
Doug
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