Mother's Workshop: Easier Log Cutting and Storing
(Page 2 of 4)
October/November 1996
By David Mukamal Camp
Unfold the assembly and stand it up so that the mitered ends of the legs sit flat on the floor. Cut two 18" lengths of chain, and attach them to the legs with washers and screws driven just above the bottom crosspieces. This will stop them in place when you set up to cut wood but still allow the sawbuck to fold flat so you can hang it out of the way on the garage wall during the months when you're not making firewood.
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A Rolling Rustic Firewood Box
With your arms loaded up with logs from the wood pile, you struggle to open the door. The receptacle for your burden is in view just across the room. The biggest question you have as you balance your heavy, tottering armful of stove fuel is, "How do I get it there without tracking the snow in?" My firewood box has casters neatly hidden underneath so I can roll it to the door and fill it from the threshold. It also features a cleanout hole in the bottom that empties into a debris tray, which slides out like a drawer from the end. I just push the bark, dirt, and chips into the hole and then dump the tray in the yard. If there weren't snow on the ground, it would make a good mulch.
Gathering Wood
I bought eight 1 x 6 rough cedar fence boards to give my firewood box a rustic look and a couple of 2 x 4s for the frame members. The bottom is made from a pair of 1/2" plywood panels separated by frame pieces that create a space for the debris tray. You'll also need a couple of interesting hinges and four 1 1/2" casters (buy sturdier casters than those shown in my photo—and if your floor is carpeted, get some that will roll on the rug).
Begin the project by making the 2 x 4s into 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" frame members (A, B, C, and D) cut to the different lengths given in the cutting list. The next step is to construct the sandwich that comprises the bottom. Cut the bottom panels (E) to size, and notch the corners to fit around the uprights. Use a saber saw to cut out the cleaning hole in one of the bottom panels as indicated in the plans. Now glue and screw two of the long rails (A) and two of the short rails (B) in place between the panels as shown. You'll build the sides of your box around this base assembly.
Ship Shaping the Sides
I think sawers have "the new kid" cut fence boards after lunch on a bad day; the planks just don't come out very straight and true. But I like the rugged look they lend to projects like this, so I've figured out how to work with their inconsistent dimensions: Don't care. Wing it. It helps to go through the stack and select boards that are fairly straight with tight knots and no cracks. Avoid cupped planks at all costs, because they'll just break when you try to screw them down to a fiat surface. As always, it's a good idea to have a couple extras on hand.
