Bill Satko
Member
- Messages
- 3,207
- Location
- Methow Valley
I promised Rob Keeble that I would send him an email with photos of the tool chest that I am trying to complete. You know, life keeps getting in the way, yada yada. Instead I decided to post what I have here, as it is easier.
Actual this whole tool chest was a reaction to the realization a week before I was to attend a Garrett Hack class in July that my current travelling toolbox was too small. Not true, but that has nothing to do with my perception at the time. I think I just like to panic and see if I can move mountains in the shortest time possible. I tend to work better under stress. In the week before the class, I went though several plans of actions as my thinking (or lack of) evolved. Long story short it was like this: smaller travelling chest made of big leaf maple >> to large chest made of big leaf maple (I know this does not make sense!) >> to small chest made out of plywood >> to large chest made out of plywood (notice a trend here) >> to old tool chest will work just fine.
What I accomplished in that weeks was: buy 8 each 5/4 x 8(+)" x 12' big leaf quartered sawn maple; cut & glue the box (plywood); cut out all the tray components (plywood); cut out and glue the tray supports (plywood); and finally, work every hour available to me until I threw in the towel and realized my old box was making the trip with me.
The forced decision to make this out of plywood was hard for me, but when I got back from the class, I decided that I needed to finish it. So in my mind, it is a prototype until I decide I like working out of a tool chest vs a tool cabinet and perform experiments as to the best layout. If I decide to build another out of "real" wood, I will probable still replace the plywood trays and tray supports in this one. I dislike the look of them. The only truly enjoyable part of this build so far, was making the moldings which were scribed and dovetailed to the box. I aged the hardware by torching off the clear finish and dunking them in gun bluing. I think they turned out nice. I still have to finish the partitions (plane & saw till), a sliding shelf, add chisel rack and probably mounts for attaching items to the lid.
I used the plans out of Bernard Jones' "The Practical Woodworker".
Here is the wood I bought but did not use....yet. I got for a steal from a local source. 6 sticks out of 8 were quarter sawn. Very strange to see and I should have bought more.
The bottom molding, but the same was done for the lid and the dust cover. All made out of poplar.
The box. Actually pretty nice once it is painted. The clamps are because I have not attached the tray supports yet, as I have to add a partition and a sliding shelf that sit under it.
Actual this whole tool chest was a reaction to the realization a week before I was to attend a Garrett Hack class in July that my current travelling toolbox was too small. Not true, but that has nothing to do with my perception at the time. I think I just like to panic and see if I can move mountains in the shortest time possible. I tend to work better under stress. In the week before the class, I went though several plans of actions as my thinking (or lack of) evolved. Long story short it was like this: smaller travelling chest made of big leaf maple >> to large chest made of big leaf maple (I know this does not make sense!) >> to small chest made out of plywood >> to large chest made out of plywood (notice a trend here) >> to old tool chest will work just fine.
What I accomplished in that weeks was: buy 8 each 5/4 x 8(+)" x 12' big leaf quartered sawn maple; cut & glue the box (plywood); cut out all the tray components (plywood); cut out and glue the tray supports (plywood); and finally, work every hour available to me until I threw in the towel and realized my old box was making the trip with me.
The forced decision to make this out of plywood was hard for me, but when I got back from the class, I decided that I needed to finish it. So in my mind, it is a prototype until I decide I like working out of a tool chest vs a tool cabinet and perform experiments as to the best layout. If I decide to build another out of "real" wood, I will probable still replace the plywood trays and tray supports in this one. I dislike the look of them. The only truly enjoyable part of this build so far, was making the moldings which were scribed and dovetailed to the box. I aged the hardware by torching off the clear finish and dunking them in gun bluing. I think they turned out nice. I still have to finish the partitions (plane & saw till), a sliding shelf, add chisel rack and probably mounts for attaching items to the lid.
I used the plans out of Bernard Jones' "The Practical Woodworker".
Here is the wood I bought but did not use....yet. I got for a steal from a local source. 6 sticks out of 8 were quarter sawn. Very strange to see and I should have bought more.
The bottom molding, but the same was done for the lid and the dust cover. All made out of poplar.
The box. Actually pretty nice once it is painted. The clamps are because I have not attached the tray supports yet, as I have to add a partition and a sliding shelf that sit under it.
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