TUTORIAL: DIY Apple Boxes

Apple boxes are a staple on film and video sets, and for good reason. They are indispensable pieces of grip equipment - from adjusting the height of gear and actors to providing a seat for crew - they are one of the more versatile and useful pieces of equipment you can have in your kit. A set consists of 4 different sizes - a full, a half, a quarter, and a pancake - and usually retails for over $100 - but today we’re making an entire set of our own, for around $30. (Spoiler: you will actually have enough wood to make 6 boxes.)


This tutorial is based around 1 4’ x 8’ ½” sheet of plywood, but to make it manageable you'll want to cut it in into two 4' x '4 pieces. You can download our cut lists below.
Board 01 cut list: https://bit.ly/board01cutlist
Board 02 cut list: https://bit.ly/board02cutlist


MATERIALS (you should be able to get everything from your local big box home improvement store):
4’ x 8’ ½” sheet of plywood
Wood glue
Saw (circular, jig)
Drill (small drill bit, spade bits)
Coarse thread screws
All the clamps ever


CUT LIST:
8 - 20" x 12" (tops and bottoms for all apple boxes)
2 - 20" x 7" (sides for full apple box)
2 - 20" x 3" (sides for half apple box)
2 - 20" x 1" (sides for quarter apple box)
3 - 11" x 7" (ends and middle support for full apple box)
2 - 11" x 3" (ends for half apple box)
2 - 11" x 1" (ends for quarter apple box)
(you should have enough leftover wood to make 2 more half, quarter, or pancake size apple boxes)


This is a great introductory DIY filmmaking project and one that is certainly worth the time it will take you to make these - it took me just under 6 hours over the course of two days to make 4 apple boxes (while filming the entire process too). You could easily make them quicker if you're not documenting the process, and since you'll have enough to make 6 boxes, the cost and time requirements of the whole project boils down to like $5 / box / hour. This is seriously one of the easier and more worthwhile DIY projects you can do.


Don't want to build? Buy instead:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Bs6rZ6
B&H: https://bhpho.to/2V213mv


Let me know if you have any questions about this project in the comments section below, and if you make any of your own apple boxes be sure to share with us via email or on social media!

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