Today, Jason Bradford and I built the frame of the toolbox that we will use to store our tools at Brookside School. In an attempt to save money that might otherwise be used for drilling an onsite well or purchasing a specialized well pump, the frame of the box has been made from scrap materials gathered from the neighborhood. The box is 6ft long, 4ft wide, and 3ft tall-allowing us plenty of room to store a variety of tools and equipment. The frame is bulky and tough. Additional, vertical sections were added to the frame to give the plywood extra support and make it less vulnerable to strong impact.

Now that we have built the frame, the next step is to purchase plywood for the siding, two hinges, a lock, and a latch. We are also planning on giving the box some type of protective coating against the rain and the sun. Without the plywood the box is already very heavy, and although we will install a chain to secure it to a large pole, we are not worried about it being carried away.

For more information about the Toolbox Project refer to the December blog: Infrastructure Considerations: Toolbox . This blog will reintroduce the project and explains why we chose a box in place of a storage shed. You can also read about the earlier steps of scavenging and processing the frame materials in the blog titled: Preparing Toolbox Frame.

Pre-drilling the Frame 

Jason Adding Wood-screws 

Sturdy Frame Awaiting Plywood