How to Make Cigar Box Shelves
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Cigar boxes are the perfect modular element to use in basic woodworking. Every few years I pickup a load of them from a smoke shop that is willing to give them away. (never pay more than a couple dollars)
Two other names I considered for this instructable:
- Cigar Boxes Everywhere - why I love them (step 1)
- How To Jazz Up an Airbnb w/ Cigar Boxes - easy way to add character (step 3)
---- Swiss Army Shelves Instructable is a more permanent version of these shelves from a previous apartment. Same approach and goals for adding 'working space' to the kitchen.
Materials // Why Cigar Boxes
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Why are cigar boxes SO perfect?
- Square - it's always a challenge when building to get things square, level, plumb... with the boxes you have a unit that is already giving you right angles
- Modular - easy to connect a series and have nice parallel planes (as accomplished with the horizontal shelves here)
- Hinged - cigar boxes come with a door. Super useful for organization projects.
- Pre-Finished - They typically have a stylized design. At minimum a protective coating. Often a fresh smell of hardwood.
- Backing - their back panel makes them easy to install to drywall
- Sizes - from the available selection at most smoke/cigar shops you can find a range of sizes to fit your project
- FREE - who doesn't like that! (never pay more than a couple dollars per box)
Assembly
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The process I follow is simple. Here I show a series of photos walking through how I framed up one side of my self. Overall photos show two installations: one at the kitchen another over the desk
- Locate - holding the boxes to the wall locate where they will be fixed and get a visual reference (plus dimension) for how long the lengths need to be to frame around boxes.
- Shelves - cut shelves to length. In this case I use a corner box that sits on shelves running perpendicular to each other.
- Pre-Drill Holes - Important for these thin boxes to pre-drill holes to avoid splitting the wood.
- Pre-Assemble - wherever possible it's easiest to assemble in advance.
- Mount - mounting with a couple screws through the back panel or a side of the box is simple. A level is necessary especially when your apartment slopes the way mine did:) The weight I planned to support didn't require any additional brackets but easy to get creative with added support (brackets)
- Finish - add wood to the mounted assembly.
Alt Title: How to Jazz Up an Airbnb
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Cigar Shelves were a perfect hack for adding function and personality to my last apartment. Timing was perfect for my first time renting a room in my place. A great way to differentiate on Airbnb is to help people see how you've made your place your own. (see the before/after in the photos)
New to Airbnb? Click here for my referral code... airbnb.com/c/jeffp440 (airbnb provides $40 off your first rental... they update the exact rates every 6mo or so --current as of july '18)
Reused From Previous Projects
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My building materials tend to look familiar because they show up in different ways at each apartment. The cigar boxes also showed up in my first instructable - Cedar Planked Platform Bed (step 9)
Hope you enjoyed!
Please consider voting in the Creative Misuse Contest.
Thank you - Jeff
More ReUse? Here are projects that used the same painted 2x4s and 2x6s.
- Cedar Planked Platform Bed
- Cedar Planked Platform Bed - Rebuilt/Modified
- Swiss Army Shelves - vertical support
- A-Frame Chicken Coop - horizontal support
- Current Platform Bed - coming soon