In this guide, we’ll walk you through creating a stylish and functional grill caddy designed by Tyler from DIYTyler. This project is perfect for organizing all your grilling essentials in one convenient location.
Materials:
- Maple wood (spalted maple preferred)
- Walnut wood
- Wood glue
- 23-gauge pin nails
- Spline material (can be made from scrap wood)
- Dowels
- Finish (General Finishes Arm R Seal)
Tools:
- Miter saw
- Bandsaw
- Table saw
- Jointer and planer
- Random orbit sander
- Drill with Forstner bit
- Jigsaw
- Spindle sander
Step 1: Gather Your Materials
Start by climbing up to your DIY pallet racking to find some sections of walnut and maple that will work for your caddy. Once you have everything, use a tape measure and pencil to mark where you need to cut the wood.
Step 2: Cut Your Wood to Size
Use the miter saw to cut everything down to a manageable length. After that, head over to the bandsaw to resaw the wood down to a more suitable thickness. This will help minimize waste and make it easier to work with later.
Step 3: Square Up the Edges
Once you have your boards cut, it’s time to joint and plane them to ensure you have nice square surfaces. Start by jointing one of the wide surfaces, then continue to joint the other edges as needed.
Step 4: Assemble the Bottom Portion
Using the maple wood, glue the bottom portion together with a few clamps. Make sure not to tighten the clamps too much to avoid bowing the wood. After that, square up the bottom portions on the table saw.
Step 5: Cut the Side Portions and Handles
Next, cut the sections of walnut for the sides and handles of your grill caddy. After cutting the side portions, start laying out the handles and cut those out as well.
Step 6: Create the Handle Template
To create the handles, cut a paper template and transfer that to a sturdier piece of wood. Once you have your template, trace it onto the walnut sections and cut them out using the bandsaw.
Step 7: Drill Finger Holds
Mark where you want to drill for the finger holds in the handles and use a Forstner bit to create those holes. Follow up with a jigsaw for a nice straight handle line.
Step 8: Sand and Assemble
Sand all edges to a smooth finish using a random orbit sander, and then begin assembling your pieces together using wood glue and pin nails. Make sure everything is aligned well.
Step 9: Add Splines for Reinforcement
To reinforce the joints, cut splines using the table saw and glue them into place. This will ensure that your caddy is sturdy and durable.
Step 10: Install Dowels
Drill holes for the dowels on both sides of the grill caddy for extra support. Use wood glue to secure them in place and clean up any excess glue.
Step 11: Final Touches and Finishing
Once everything is assembled, use sandpaper to smooth out any rough edges. Finally, apply three coats of General Finishes Arm R Seal for a beautiful finish.
Step 12: Enjoy Your New Grill Caddy!
With your grill caddy complete, it’s time to test it out! Load it up with grilling essentials and enjoy the summer grilling season!
