Disclaimer: This is just one of many ways you can build a plyo box, it may not be "the best" or the "the most sturdy" but it will be sufficient. This is not a copy of the Rogue Games Box, but it is similar (whomever is building the Rogue boxes has far more carpentry skills and tools than I do).
Plyo boxes are essential for CrossFit and I highly recommend having them in any garage gym. Similar boxes retail for upwards of $200 plus shipping. You can build your own for under $100!
The box shown here is 20" x 24" x 30".
Step 1: Get Some Wood!
The easiest way to get some wood is to go to your local Home Depot or Home Hardware. They will usually even make the cuts for you. I used a 3/4" select plywood. If you don't care much about looks, you can go with the cheaper plywood.
There are different ways you can piece together the box, so the things I considered were:
- Which side will see the most action?
- Do I really trust these Home Hardware guys to make exact and straight cuts
- How sturdy should it be?
For myself, the 20" and 24" side will see the most action, so I wanted it to be secured by more than just the screws on the ends and I also considered those surface areas were larger.
I didn't trust the Home Hardware guys to make exact cuts so I wanted to keep the pieces to sizes that would be hard to screw up (although, keep in mind they still will screw it up).
Given the sizes, I wanted to add some extra support inside the box. The extra bracing also adds extra weight which is important when the box is standing tall. You don't want it to move.
So, here's the dimensions I used:
2 - 30" x 24" (Sides)
2 - 30" x 18.5" (Top and bottom)
3 - 22.5" x 18.5" (Two ends to have handles added, one cross brace)
1 - 28.5" x 18.5" (Cross brace)
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This is how it fits together. This is a couple steps ahead but it gives you the idea. |
Step 2: Cut the Handles and Cross Bracing
The handles should be placed in 2 of the 22.5" x 18.5" pieces.
Don't own a jig saw and a drill? No worries, call up a friend! Typically the wood store people don't do these cuts, unfortunately (but you can ask, maybe they will!)
The handles are really optional but I highly recommend them. Mine are 1" x 5" and you can place them 3-4" from the top. If your friend also owns a router, it's nice to have smooth edges!
You can also drill holes and place rope handles if you fancy that.
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A routered handle |
For the cross-bracing I just simply cut a 3/4" slot into the middle of the two pieces and slid them together. This can be done with a jig saw.
Step 3: Screw the M F Together!
I went with a 2" drywall screw. The drywall threads were a little smaller than normal screws. I was just hoping it wouldn't cause any splitting. Apparently the Rogue boxes use pocket screws and all that jazz (which I would probably recommend if you know what you are doing, which I didn't).
No really easy way to do this. My advice would be to build the 20" x 24" frame, then place the cross bracing in and screw the large pieces on last. It would also help if you have a friend to help hold stuff, but not necessary.
I pre-drilled the holes first. I laid out my screws about 5" - 6" apart. I also glued the pieces with carpenters glue for some added assurance. I used a total of 60 screws, buy them in bulk, they're cheap.
Step 4: Fill the Holes
It's not necessary, but if you want a more aesthetically pleasing box it would be good to fill the holes with a natural color wood filler. After the filler is cured, you can go ahead and sand it smooth.
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The screw holes are filled here, but not sanded |
Step 5: Add a Logo!
No box is complete without a logo. Make up something unique and meaningful to you. This is mine:
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I like to call it a Badger Box. The silhouette is of myself doing a snatch. |
To make the silhouette I just printed a picture and the letters and then cut it out with a knife. If you want to spend a couple dollars you can buy the letters. I just spray painted over the cut out. If you do this, be gentle with the spray paint, it's easy to go overboard!
Step 6: Try it Out!
If it doesn't fall apart, then proceed to step 7.
Step 7: Brag to Your Friends
Go tell your friends how much money you saved building your own box and how badass your carpentry skills are.
The total weight of the finished box should be around 55lbs.
The total weight of the finished box should be around 55lbs.
