Money Maker
Article

Hands On

MAR/APR 2002
Volume 45/Issue 2

IN THIS ISSUE
Contest Winners
• First, Second and Third Place Winner Projects
Project Articles
• The Garden Bench
• Wren and Blue Jay Bird Houses
• Tapered Planter Box

DEPARTMENTS
• Ask Smitty
• Owner’s Gallery
• Letters from Owners
 
Academy Notes
Finishing Touches - Pt.4 Applying a Synthetic Finish
 
Service Pointers
Disc Sander
 
Safety Tips
Ladder Safety

What's New
Hands-On Timeless Classics Now Available on CD ROM

EDUCATION
• Find A Shopsmith Woodworking Academy Near You
• National Woodworking Academy in Dayton, OH

ONLINE CATALOGS
• Online Accessory Catalog
• Request Printed Accessory Catalog
• Online Replacement Parts Catalog

MARK V INFORMATION
• Find A Shopsmith
MARK V Demo Near You
• Request MARK V Information Package

LINKS
• Links Worth Visiting
• Free Woodworking Tips

FEEDBACK
Contacting Shopsmith

Copyright 2002.
Shopsmith, Inc.
All Rights Reserved

The Tapered Planter Box

Planter

Indoor or outdoor--large or small -- this Planter Box can be modified to fit a wide range of applications

As Springtime moves in on us, wooden garden Planters and Containers quickly become some of the most sought-after items on many “want lists”. Some folks use them indoors to bring a more “outdoorsy” feel to the home...while others prefer to position them around driveways, walkways, decks and patios.

This design is slightly more challenging than many because it uses compound miter cuts to create a tall, tapered look that's unique and unlike most Planter Boxes you'll find at retail. Our design measurements were based around a standard-sized, plastic kitchen trash can, which would serve as a leak-proof liner so the Planter could be used both indoors and outdoors. Here are four options for building these Planter Boxes:

  1. Find plastic kitchen or bathroom trash cans to serve as liners and build your Planter Boxes to accommodate the liners.
  2. Forget all about plastic liners altogether and recommend their use strictly as outdoor Planters with no liners.
  3. Alter the measurements and offer a variety of different sized Planters...perhaps even rectangular models.
  4. Make square tops from solid pieces of wood with round cut-outs to accept drop-in clay pot inserts of different sizes.

No matter what you choose to do, remember that it's always important to made adequate provisions for drainage so plant roots won't rot and cause the plants to die. Also, if you're proposing their use outdoors, be sure to use weather-resistant woods such as Western red cedar, white cedar, cypress, redwood, etc. in their construction. Also, use waterproof glue (such as Franklin Titebond® II) and stainless steel, aluminum or galvanized hardware for assembly, on all Planter Boxes designed for outdoor use.

Our Planter Box was designed to have relative straight sides...tapered just 5 degrees off vertical (85 degree sides). If you'd rather make 4-sided Planters with slightly more taper, here are three additional choices:
10 degrees off vertical (80 degree sides) --
Table Tilt: 44-1/4 degrees -- Miter Gauge: 80-1/4 degrees

15 degrees off vertical (75 degree sides) --
Table Tilt: 43-1/4 degrees -- Miter Gauge: 75-1/2 degrees

20 degrees off vertical (70 degree sides) -- Table Tilt: 41-3/4 degrees -- Miter Gauge 71-1/4 degrees
Let's get started.
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