I've wanted to make a better toolbox to store my eighteenth
century tools in, but I couldn't decide on the design until the other day when
I saw the one Christopher Schwarz posted on his blog. It’s a Dutch style chest
that I've seen before in Jim Tolpin’s Toolbox Book.
I wanted a design that looked like it belonged in the time
period I’m interested in and could hold all the tools that theoretically a
person would need to build a house with in the eighteenth century, less of
course my larger timber framing tools like axes and other odds and ends. I also wanted it to be a little different and
have its own unique character. I think the Dutch style chest fits the bill. A
big plus is the lids steep slope which will prevent junk from accumulating on it like a
traditional flat top tool chest.
My chest is going to be larger than Schwarz as he stated his
is for travel. My toolbox is 42 inches high by 16 inches deep and it will measure
40 inches long. I can still move it when I go to events I will just need to
take some of the tools out which I normally do anyway with my small traveling
toolbox that I use now. The box will contain saws on the inside lid, a tool
well, a drawer for my slick and framing chisels, two shelves for planes and a
shelf for my bow saw and panel gauge. My long planes will fit in front of the
molding planes lengthwise.
Here are a few pictures of the sides as well as my dovetail
guide (it came in real handy with this build). Notice the benefits of the
long vise of my bench. I really like being able to put pieces in it when I
dovetail. I will post more as I progress.
By the way happy New Year!!
