How to Build a Bread Box Kit
Bread boxes add design appeal to a kitchen, and keep your bread fresh. Hand-crafting a traditional bread box requires familiarity with the industrial arts. The right tools can make a lift-type lid or roll-top, air holes and detailed lettering. Start by finding a building plan that gives bread box dimensions and assembly instructions. Carpentry is not the only alternative for this project; you can paint a container with a lid and decorate it with design adhesives from a craft store. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Bread box diagram
- Nail gun
- Glue
- Dowels
- 1-inch-by-11 1/2-inch-by-76-inch wood or oak board
- 220 grit sandpaper
- Clear finish coat
- Plywood
- Jigsaw
- Drill
- Sander
- Router
- Pencil
- Plastic wood dough
Instructions
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There are free breadbox building plans that provide diagrams, step-by-step instructions and exact measurements of the base, sides, top, door, back, hinge and handles. Design plans range from simple to complex craftsmanship.
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Pine or oak are suitable woods for this project. You'll cut every piece required for the bread box from one board, which should measure 1 inch by 11 1/2 inches by 76 inches. Use a jointer to flatten and smooth out warped parts of the wood; this makes fitting pieces of the box together much easier. A planer will smooth the wood to an even thickness, which for the purposes of a breadbox is around 3/4 inch thick. For cutting pieces to the appropriate length, a radial arm works well. Use a table saw to rip pieces to appropriate widths and a band saw to cut angles for the sides of your bread box.
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If you are cutting lengths of wood, sheets or boards, use a combination blade. Circular saws work great for cutting timber and plywood, and make accurate, straight-line cuts in seconds. If the space is restricted when cutting is required, a jigsaw is a quick and easy tool for straight or curved cutting.
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For your breadbox, you need to safely cut at an angle, as well as cut two side pieces to the correct shape, rounding off the top with a smooth curve. Making grooves in the wood is also essential to the breadbox project; this is where a router comes in. You will need a drill to make holes for the hinge dowel holes. The simple use of a pencil can mark which sides of wood are inner facing.
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Hand sand your bread box with 220 grit sandpaper. If stain is desired, apply with a brush and allow penetration into the wood for 10 minutes; polish away the excess with a clean rag, and let dry for six hours. Repeat with a second coat. Apply a clear finish coat such as Varathane or Polyurethane, using a clean paintbrush. Let it dry for 24 hours before using your new bread box.
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Tips & Warnings
If you decide to paint an existing structure and use that as a bread box, choose acrylic paint for the job.
Accidents with power tools occur when the wrong one is chosen for the task. Make sure you're using the most ideal tool for the job at hand, and that all power tools are plugged in correctly. Wear personal protective equipment when it's appropriate.
