With the arrival of the wood from Home Depot, construction of the enclosure could begin. Cuts were planned out for the outer frame, with much wood left over for the lid or as emergency extra. There were many defects with the wood (warping, twisting, and splitting to name a few), but due to the project timeline, concessions had to be made.
After initial cuts, pilot holes were drilled to prevent the pieces from splitting and the 4 main panels were assembled using #6 x 2” wood screws. Kwik seal was then applied to the seams as a water prevention measure.
With the frame completed, the lid was then constructed with some of the electronic components, particularly the solenoid lock and the keypad. Using a sheet of plastic, the keypad was protected from water exposure. Using 2 pieces of scrap wood, the lock was positioned such that it engaged properly when closed.
The next steps after electrical integration and verification are removal of screw tips and final waterproofing using rubber sheet material and additional sealant.