How to Make Useful Steel Boxes - Simple Jig with No Folding Equipment Needed

Maker’s Mob Black Friday//Cyber Monday: go.themakersmob.com/black-friday-super-sale-neil/?… Some of you wanted to see how I made the steel boxes in my last video so here it is. The jig is pretty simple but works fantastic. As well as making boxes and trays I also plan on making drawers for a few projects using this jig.

Handy hint: If you don't own an old caliper to score the sheet with, simply use a new caliper. In only a few passes it will be an old caliper.

As an old maker, I can say your videos are excellent! No wasted blabbering, annoying music, or self - aggrandizing comments! Thank You!

I really like, that you always have an alternative way of doing your projects, if you haven't got the tools. It's super important knowing how to improvise around a problem and using alternative building methods.

If you're using an angle grinder, harbor freight has an attachment for them called a "Safety Guard for Angle Grinders" , it's a replacement guard for your angle grinder that has an adjustable flat plate so that it can be used like a saw. I used one quite often when I was doing metalwork, it made it real easy to do straight cuts.

You mentioned instead of welding the corners, one might do corner brackets. Another idea would be to not fully remove the corner pieces. Instead, just do one of the cuts and fold over the other. That way you have a bit of overlap at the corner, which yo could very easily drill through and rivet. No extra brackets needed.

Here is a tip... With metal, strip it and paint it first before you store it. You can see some of the sheet metal is already rusting, removing rust in corners is difficult. If you store any metal IT WILL RUST. Just wipe your metal clean of any oils, and spray it with some spray paint. When you do a project the paint wipes easily off with a bit of acetone, no time wasting removing messy rust.

Alternatively, you use a tiny diameter in a Dremel with a base. It has the advantage of being able to make stop cuts. The idea of using metal sheets to make drawers is absolutely brilliant! It's definitely faster to make and provides more interior space due to the thinner walls.

Excellent video, I looked up a dewalt cordless metal saw, and added to my wish list for Christmas. I did not know there was such a tool, but now I do, many thanks. As someone suggested, battery trays are a big thing, and I know a few bits of plant equipment that would benefit.

With lid bent at the same time is easy, in the 1980s I used to cut 2 blanks like you have done but in 0.7mm Zintec Steel and fold them both sandwiched together at the same time and that would give a tight fitting lid. Sometimes I did bend them with a sheet of cardboard as a spacer to give clearance while bending for a lose fitting lid. This was so much easier then working out a bending clearance and marking out ;-) I am still using my 4" x 6" small tin boxes, they now have a bit of gas welding just on the corners to stop them spreading.

Once again you show a deceptively simple design that's really elegant. I can see all kinds of uses for boxes like these. And yes please show the organizer. You are a treasure, Neil. Thanks for sharing this.

Not being an authentic craftsman, I think I'm going to get rid of the jig entirely, half ass the entire process and make me a couple of quite useful, if somewhat irregular steel boxes and trays. This is great. Didn't even know I needed them til now.

Love this video. No wasted time yet, shows everything necessary.

The offset strip that you use to set the position for the scoring lines could be piano hinged right onto the fence. When you want to set the offset, drop it into position, when you are done with it, flip it up out of the way for the saw to pass. You'll never lose it.

16ga is perfect! It’s thicker gauge than most toolboxes, harder to dent or bend under weight and nice and solid. Drop a bunch of sockets or fasteners on it and it doesn’t have a tin can sound

Reminds me of the old (and still used) Detroit pizza pans. They used the parts trays from the automotive manufacturing plant to make, in my opinion, the best pizza in the world. I absolutely love the blue hammer finish on that one!

Neat project. One of the things that stands out with your projects and videos are the jigs you create. For me, sometimes that is the take away from the video. For someone that doesn't weld, another idea to close the corners would be to only cut one side of the waste square and the fold that over and join with a rivet. Thanks for another video.

I had never thought of making these as I don't have a break. This is such a great idea. Thank you for posting this.

Perfect timing, Neil. Just got a great deal on a Mig welder and want to do many shop projects, including some steel drawers. With your method, I don't need a metal brake.

In aerospace this is known as ‘rout & fold’ method and is generally used on composite sandwich panels. It was also used on the original composite F1 car monocoque chassis such as what you’d see on early to mid 80’s Lotus’ and McLarens.