Thread: Shaving Box (w/ bad pics)

I spent some time today finishing up my shaving box. We have a little one at home who just started walking, and we also have VERY limited bathroom storage space, so this was a no-brainer. It keeps the stuff out of harm's way and out of the bathroom.

I bought a Lipper Bamboo tea box online for about $20 with shipping and taxes and all that. I knew nothing about bamboo, which was a bad thing because I had no idea how HARD it is. I broke about 20 heavy-duty tacks, 4 screws and a brass clasp. I had also originally planned to use felt and foam rubber in the lid, but that fell to the wayside as the felt REFUSED to take any glue and the bamboo provided a very poor gluing surface for the felt. It was fine for other woods though. I think part of the issue with the felt is the extreme high humidity we're experiencing here in the Philly area. Everything in our tiny apartment is damp.

So here's the outside:



That's my second clasp and it's slightly off-center because I had to saw off a screw that became stuck in the wood and the drill stripped the head. It was absurd. But the clasp works fine, even though it's a little flimsy.

and the inside:



I had to build a framework to hold the elastic because I couldn't press the tacks into the wood. I used basswood glued directly to the inside of the lid. I had to drill tiny holes into the bamboo to tack on the elastic, and used glue to hold them in. The thin drill bit got stuck repeatedly. Seriously, I think this box is made of concrete. It holds five razors, but as you can see I currently have just one. It's a snug fit and it doesn't move at all. The tacks aren't straight, which drives my OCD side a little nuts, but it was the best I could do. The drill bit skipped all over the place so my holes weren't where they were supposed to be.

The compartments came with the box, but I trimmed them down with a X-acto razor saw and installed small squared dowels to hold them in. It's crude but it works. It's not totally full yet: my lather bowl has a big handle on it that wouldn't fit. That's ok with me, because I really didn't like that handle and it's an excuse to buy a new one. It'll fit in that big compartment with the cream. In the other one I've got some aftershave (the brush will go there when it's dry) and the other holds my SWATY, baby oil, styptic and neosporin.

I still need to get some silica packets, but no one seems to sell them. Any alternative suggestions would be nice, especially things I could buy at a store.

If anyone has any ideas of things missing from the box, please let me know! I'd like to be fully stocked.

I also like that if need be, I can loosely coil my poor man's strop and fit it around the bowl and take it with me.

I'm generally pretty happy with the outcome. It's rough, but it's simple and practical. I really wish I could have gotten that felt to stick, but what are you going to do?

It's a pretty affordable design for those who want a storage box on the cheap. Materials other than the box ran me about $6. What do you all think?

Thoughtful project. It's amazing what kids will get into. Plus you now have everything in one place. Nice job.

It looks great and I do like the bamboo, though it may be difficult to work with.
A temporary fix to moisture control; would be to get a pair of panty hose ($1.25) , cut the toe section out, fill with rice(it will absorb moisture in the closed box), tie the open end.
Go to Bass Pro or another gun shop and buy some silica to put in the box.
or go down to the local shoe store and ask for a few extra silica packs lying around, most get swept away. Cut them open, place them in the panty hose, you're good to go. You can microwave the silica(without the panty hose) for a few minutes to re-activate.

good idea with the rice. for the interim, I put some rice in a single ply of facial tissue, rolled it like a cigarette and stuck it in one of the crevices in the lid. It's light enough that it won't budge.

Here's an alternative for travel, although you would need to have some sort of method to organize the interior:
Classic Travel Case
I have a few of their products, and really like their work...

Originally Posted by U2Bono269

I spent some time today finishing up my shaving box. We have a little one at home who just started walking, and we also have VERY limited bathroom storage space, so this was a no-brainer. It keeps the stuff out of harm's way and out of the bathroom.

I bought a Lipper Bamboo tea box online for about $20 with shipping and taxes and all that. I knew nothing about bamboo, which was a bad thing because I had no idea how HARD it is. I broke about 20 heavy-duty tacks, 4 screws and a brass clasp. I had also originally planned to use felt and foam rubber in the lid, but that fell to the wayside as the felt REFUSED to take any glue and the bamboo provided a very poor gluing surface for the felt. It was fine for other woods though. I think part of the issue with the felt is the extreme high humidity we're experiencing here in the Philly area. Everything in our tiny apartment is damp.

So here's the outside:



That's my second clasp and it's slightly off-center because I had to saw off a screw that became stuck in the wood and the drill stripped the head. It was absurd. But the clasp works fine, even though it's a little flimsy.

and the inside:



I had to build a framework to hold the elastic because I couldn't press the tacks into the wood. I used basswood glued directly to the inside of the lid. I had to drill tiny holes into the bamboo to tack on the elastic, and used glue to hold them in. The thin drill bit got stuck repeatedly. Seriously, I think this box is made of concrete. It holds five razors, but as you can see I currently have just one. It's a snug fit and it doesn't move at all. The tacks aren't straight, which drives my OCD side a little nuts, but it was the best I could do. The drill bit skipped all over the place so my holes weren't where they were supposed to be.

The compartments came with the box, but I trimmed them down with a X-acto razor saw and installed small squared dowels to hold them in. It's crude but it works. It's not totally full yet: my lather bowl has a big handle on it that wouldn't fit. That's ok with me, because I really didn't like that handle and it's an excuse to buy a new one. It'll fit in that big compartment with the cream. In the other one I've got some aftershave (the brush will go there when it's dry) and the other holds my SWATY, baby oil, styptic and neosporin.

I still need to get some silica packets, but no one seems to sell them. Any alternative suggestions would be nice, especially things I could buy at a store.

If anyone has any ideas of things missing from the box, please let me know! I'd like to be fully stocked.

I also like that if need be, I can loosely coil my poor man's strop and fit it around the bowl and take it with me.

I'm generally pretty happy with the outcome. It's rough, but it's simple and practical. I really wish I could have gotten that felt to stick, but what are you going to do?

It's a pretty affordable design for those who want a storage box on the cheap. Materials other than the box ran me about $6. What do you all think?

If you are still looking for silica packets, ask around at your favorite department store particularly jewelry. My wife works in a jewelry department and she gets quite a few and most of them she pitches out. I'm sure they'll gladly give them to you.