Project Information
I frequently have to carry my hand tools and I'm tired of carrying several bags and tool boxes. For the longest time I've been wanting to build a chest big enough to carry everything I typically need. I conducted lots of research and considered many options: Mike Peckovic's chest from Fine Woodworking; Chris Swartz's Small Dutch Chest, as well as a plywood "gear box" from Shop Notes. All great options, but I wanted somthing that could take a beating without causing heart problems and I wanted somthing I could lift and carry on a shoulder. I should have started with Mafe's postings for inspirations. I ended up making a Japanese-style chest with a slide in top. The only hardware used were a few handfuls of cut nails. It's made of Eastern White Pine. Rather than a drawer, I added two sliding trays and added a divider in the bottom to separate saws from planes and other items. Right now the lower section contains a few hand saws, a jack plane, a smoothing plane, 2 shoulder planes, a block plane, a mallet, hammer, cutting gauge, and 2 tool rolls. The trays contain marking and measuring tools, cabinet scrapers, and a other misc. things. I've been taking a class at CT Valley School of Woodworking, we're building a Greene & Greene end table, and have been using the chest. I've been happy with the design so far, but I'm thinking of building a Small Dutch-style chest as a comparison.
Cheers
Cheers