DIY Beer Crate [24 - Sierra Nevada Bottles] Sketchup Plans

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Neilyboy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2012
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Location
Metamora
I had been wanting to get away from the cardboard boxes for some time now. I drew up some plans in sketchup for a crate (stackable) which would hold 24 Sierra Nevada bottles perfectly. First off I have to say Menards around here anyways has the worst lumber around so if available pickup your material at lowes. (Item #: 1407 - 1" x 2") (Item #: 935 - 1" x 3") (Item #: 940 - 1" x 4") cheapest I could find and best material. I have made 3 of these now (one floor and two stackable). I used a kreg jig to assemble the boxes. Pictures are self explanatory download the sketchup files from:

http://http://neilyboy.mtco.com/sketchup/BeerCrates/GoogleSketchup/

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The plans do not show you how to make the stackable crates but you simply replace the bottom 1"x3"x18" with a 1"x4" which allows the bottom to overhang an inch on either side and locks in quite nicely.

Also there are two designs for the dividers the easy fit ones should slide in nicely I made them at full length and they took a bit of patience to get them in there (they are however a snug but very nice fit).

Feel free to ask any questions you may have but they work perfectly and are quite simple to build. I will take some photos tonight with a decent camera and post a better picture below.

Neil
 
Wow! I like the design a lot. I was thinking about making some for 22oz. bombers, and this gives me some good ideas. Thanks for sharing.
 
I love my Kreg jig. I just sketched out some plans for something like this myself. Thanks for the write up. It'll help me refine my own design!
 
For as cheap as the R3 ($40) kit is its worth every penny. If you have the $$ grab the master system but the R3 worked great for this project. I am no carpenter but the joints the kreg system makes are amazing. I can flip a crate upside down and stand on it without issue. I know the post is somewhat a mess but if you have sketchup installed you should be able to find your way through the plans.

Neil
 
Yeah, I have the R3 and the next model up. One short of the Master system. It was about $100, but I've saved 3x that just building shelves !
 
I tried making one... I cut the board twice and it was still too short.

That crate looks awesome! you should market them.
 
I tried making one... I cut the board twice and it was still too short.

That crate looks awesome! you should market them.

Still too short?
you need a board stretcher! :mug:

I am just wondering if you see an issue with the design. I have made three and they all turned out lol.. only thing I have not done is created the 'easy fit' dividers I used my first design which was off a bit but fits. those dividers are here..

http://neilyboy.mtco.com/sketchup/BeerCrates/forweb/divider-short.jpg
http://neilyboy.mtco.com/sketchup/BeerCrates/forweb/divider-long.jpg

The easy-fit should still work as they are only an 1/8" of an inch shorter yet divided out evenly.
hope that helps
neil
 
Let me dig up the files.. i have no idea what happened to them.. i dont remove much from the server that often lol... must have been drinking with filezilla open ;)

Neil
 
Hey thanks so much for posting this. Just what I was looking for. Already made two. I used the Kreg jig for the joins on the sides, finishing nails for everything else. Turned out great.

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This is really a great blot and thanks for all the awesome details....one think in addition to beer crates is the fact that I need something similar for wine that could be stackable and on a slight tilt and place then in from the side rather that the top.....not much of a carpenter here but anyone seen anything like that around....would love a link or a bit of advise also appreciated.....thanks a bunch
 
I made some similar over the Christmas break last year. I wanted half cases that would fit grolsch bottles and bombers. I went ahead and made 10 - 1/2 cases and I'm glad I did because all are full now.

Built them in sketchup first.
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I had an assembly line going to make all of the cuts.
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Stenciled my home brewery name on the sides and aged with tea, steel wool, and vinegar.

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OK, I know I'm not the only person who makes beer and bottle conditions it and/or makes wine....so that means being able to lay the bottles on their side..... so how do you design these awesome crates to lay on their side and keep the bottles from falling out and at the same time save my back so I don't have to unstack them all to get at the bottom crate's contents...All of you are better at this than me so help me out here....regards
 
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