25 Comments

  1. Hi Paul
    Thanks for a very ‘different’ project – I have a 5yr Old who will love this.

    I have a question though – If left out all year in the Irish (British) weather, I wonder how long it would last?
    Sand would obviously quite quickly abrade the surface treatment. I might have the time and inclination to empty out the sand. clean, reapply a good finish (floor varnish or Spar varnish) then cover for the winter.
    I fear though that if this was an inter-generational gift then ‘Little Tommy’s’ parent/s might well not have the same dedication to its care.
    Have you heard of the new wood product ACCOYA??
    – soft wood that is processed “Acetylated” (Acetic acid – vinegar) smells of vinegar
    https://www.accoya.com/uk/
    From the website
    (It is) “Supported by a 50 year above ground and 25 year in-ground warranty”

    it is substantially more expensive than soft wood.

    I have used it to make the slats of one of those benches that use cast iron Endpieces. it takes finish really well
    (BTW I have no affiliation to the product)
    Steve

    1. Hi Steve,

      Paul says:
      My perspective on this is that the sandbox should last at least 5 years and probably 10 if left untreated. It’s a matter of personal preference, if you want it to last longer than that or indeed if you want to apply any finish at all. There are too many finished out there for me to give anything but a cursory glance at them. Outdoors, on a project like this, with a child that will outgrow the box in a year or two is my primary concern. I know it will last for several years.

      Kind Regards,
      Izzy

  2. Thank You Paul!
    Seems like a great project that teaches how to make a very stable sandbox that any youngster would have hours of enjoyment using. I enjoyed watching your attention to the details when you are making it. I like the ventilation the slats provide to this and the lightweight aspect also. I seem to get great tips with each video you present… there never seems to be an end to learning from you.

    Gary.

  3. In this Video you use a countersink that you discribed and gave the brand name of in an earlier series. I’ve been looking through them and haven’t been able to find the video I’m looking for. Can you give us that brand name again. Also, my wife thought it was funny you called me an apprentice 🙂 Thank You!
    KevinF

    1. Hi,
      There are plenty of low price examples on flebay —
      search “Countersink and Deburring Tool Set”
      Maybe not up to a metal machinist’s quality, but plenty good on wood.
      I’ve always called them ‘snails’ – they have the advantage that at even at a slow speed, they don’t produce a ragged finish like the ‘Rose’ type countersinks tend to do (especially in Soft Wood)
      Steve

  4. Not sure where you are based, but if you search for deburring cutter on the interweb, you should find what you are looking for. In the UK (and probably through mail to EUrope), look at BuckAndHickman.com
    https://www.buckandhickman.com/en/shop/products/results?page=1&query=Deburring

    In the US, I know that Harbor Freight sell them, as I bought mine there last time I was in the US on business. They come in a pack of 3. Elsewhere, I am not sure, but I guess you will be able to find them if you look. They are for metalworking rather than woodworking, but they do work well in wood.

  5. Very nice little add-on for a future garden to be found 😉
    Would you consider a no-metal version, where screws would be replace by… say, dowels ? Or other wooden-only joints ? I’m a bit concerned about cohabitation of metal and wood (the place it is likely to be used is at the sea shore, where if you forget a fork in the garden, it is just a mound of rust the next season 😉
    Anyway, I’m sure it’s going to be a great fun to copy/modify/adapt this design (no grand-children to build it for, alas, but other ideas around gardening-helpers…)

  6. Paul,
    “I would just grab it near the center and find the pivot point and drill there” is such a sublime way of passing on your experience in ways that go beyond the technical aspects of woodworking. Nothing fancy, just a practical method to get the work done.

    Thank you for the many lessons imparted and i look forward to many more.

    Steve

    P.S. If you aren’t already an honorary Texan, we need to correct that.

  7. I’m building one, now, looking forward to adding my photo to the gallery … and to my friend’s granddaughter’s face when she sees it at Christmas.

    @1:53:23, when you are talking about measuring for the notch, I would use a trysquare resting on the top surface to measure the depth to one side, and transfer that measurement to the other side. It isn’t a gauge but doesn’t really need to be that accurate. and it seems a lot easier.

    This project has raised a question in my mind … using big-box SPF (spruce-pine-fir, the anonymous wood) with rounded corners, how do you precisely transfer a measurement around a rounded corner, especially if it is an angle measurement?

  8. 02:02:30
    I would just glue a strip to the last board, cut to length so it fits between the leg. (marking the position on the last board first)
    That way the thin strip can’t distort and you don’t have to saw the notches.

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