Pallet Bottle Cap Collector

This was one of the first projects I ever did, and it's a great hit, especially down at the lake.  It's a bottle cap catcher, which is great for those afternoons spent on the deck with the cooler at your side!

Materials:

• 2 pallet boards
• Bottle opener (Rockler has a really cool brass one that will fade to an antique look, but I found the one in the picture for $.25 at a flea market)
• Picture hanger
• Stain (optional)
• Paint (optional) / paint pens
• Wood glue
• Small wood nails or brads (like you find in a picture hanging kit)
• Small screws for the bottle opening, hinge and picture hanger
• Small hinge (not shown, but very  handy for opening the box)

Tools:

• ​Saw (I used a mitre saw)
• Sander
• Drill
• Screwdriver
• Hammer or brad nail gun

Optional:

• Clock mechanism
• Bottle caps
• Stencil(s)

To Do:
Cut one pallet board into 4 equal pieces.  Make sure the bottom piece is as wide as the uncut pallet board.
Stain or paint the uncut and the 4 cut pieces of pallet board

• Once paint / stain are dry, decorate the front panel of the 4 smaller panels.  This will be the front of the box
  • If needed, attach the clock mechanism and hands to the panel using the directions for the mechanism
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  • If wanted, use bottle caps for the front of the box  Affix them using either ceramic glue or screw them in using a small screw.
  • Use your imagination!  
• Glue the bottom and the two sides of the box together.  Leavet he back side of the box open.  
• Attach the front of the box using a small hinge of the left side of the front.  This will allow you to open the "door" to easily clean the caps. 
• Screw the bottle cap opener near the top of the uncut pallet board.
• Work on the design for the uncut pallet (for this one, I scripted, "It's Beer o'Clock at the Lake"). Be creative!
• Once the box is dry, nail the box together using wire brads like these: affix it to the uncut pallet board with wood glue.  Set aside to dry.
• Once dry, use small nails to attach the box to the pallet.  I turned it upside down so the nails came in from the back.
• Attach the picture hanger on the back of the catcher.

Have fun and be creative with this project!  I did this behind my husband's
back, and he loved it when he saw it.  Here is a list of the products I used that can be purchased through our affiliate, Rockler.  I have highlighted the items you can find at Rockler, and I have the links listed below.