Toy Box: A Place For Everything

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Cut the lid to come level at the hinge side, but overhang 1/4" at the ends and front (Fig. F). Round all edges and corners, except the hinged edge. Use three hinges, which may be 2" long. If the hinges are thin, it should be satisfactory to fit them without set ting them in, but thick ones will be neater and cause less gap if the bottom leaf is set in.

Plywood 1/2" thick does not provide much grip for screws, so it would be better to rivet the hinges to the lid. If you do not have suitable soft metal rivets, use copper nails. Drill and drive through each nail, then cut off its end (Fig. G), leaving enough to hammer into the countersunk hole of the hinge (Fig. H).

Drill a hole in the lid for the cord to match the position of the hole in the division. Countersink it slightly on both sides. Colored braided cord, about 3/16" in diameter, would be suitable. Screw the hinges to the rear edge of the box.

Although softwood will be satisfactory for other parts of the box, the blocks for the rope loops are better made of a close-grained hardwood. Cut them to shape (Fig. J) 1 1/2" thick and drill a hole for the rope, which may be about 3/8" in diameter. Attach the blocks with glue and three or four screws from inside.

The sliding tray is a box, which may be of solid wood or cutoffs of 1/2" plywood. Nail or screw corners and add a 1/4" plywood bottom. The division may have two finger holes for lifting and sliding (Fig. K).

A painted finish would be appropriate. A light color inside adds visibility. The outside could be darker, or you may choose pink for a girl or blue for a boy. You could add the child's name and other painted or decal decorations. Screw on furniture-type casters under the corners.

Reprinted from Percy W. Blandford's One-Weekend Country Furniture Projects ( TAB Books). December/January 1992

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