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This build has one genuinely fun detail: the wheels are cut from scrap 1x stock with a jigsaw rather than bought, using something round (a paint can works well) as a tracing template. Bolting them on with stainless hex bolts through washers, rather than nailing or gluing, means they can actually spin a little and roll — a nice step up from purely decorative wheels.
The divider frame is built "from inside out," meaning you work the joinery from the interior corners outward so there's always room for your drill or nailer to reach — building it the other direction leaves you trying to fasten into a corner you can no longer get a tool into. The acrylic sheet on top is just set in place, not fixed down, so supplies stay visible and dust-free but are still easy to access from the sides.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Pine, 1x4, 3 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x3, 8 ft | 2 each |
| Plywood, 1/4" or 1/2", 18" x 24-1/2" | 1 each |
| Acrylic sheet, 18" x 24" | 1 each |
| Pine scrap, 1x5 or largerFor cutting the four wheels. | 1 each |
| Stainless steel hex bolts, 2", with nuts and washers | 4 each |
| Brad nails or staples, 3/4" | 1 box |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Divider frame piecesPine | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 18" |
| Divider frame pieces, longPine | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 24 1/2" |
| Divider frame pieces, mediumPine | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 16 1/2" |
| Divider frame piecePine | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 23" |
| Divider frame piece, smallPine | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 9" |
| Outer framePine | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 18" |
| BottomPlywood | 1 | 1/2" × 18" × 24 1/2" |
| WheelsPine scrapCut round, traced from a paint can or similar template. | 4 | 3/4" × 5" × 5" |
Buy 5 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
1 board
2 boards
1 board
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Attach the 1x3 divider pieces together to build the internal frame shape, working from the inside corners outward so there's always room for your fastening tool to reach. Use glue and 2" fasteners.
Attach the plywood bottom to the frame with 3/4" brad nails or staples and glue.
Attach the 1x4 pieces to the outside of the 1x3 divider frame with glue and 1-1/4" brad nails.
Trace a round template (a quart paint can works well) onto scrap 1x stock and cut out four wheels with a jigsaw. Sand until smooth, then drill a hole in the center of each.
Set the tray up on scrap 1x material to elevate it off the floor, then mark the wheel centers on the sides of the tray. Drill matching holes and install the wheels with the hex bolts, nuts, and washers, leaving them loose enough to spin freely.
Set the acrylic sheet on top of the finished tray — it simply rests in place, keeping supplies visible and dust-free while staying easy to lift off.
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