# New Yankee Blanket Chest



## HungryTermite (Jan 19, 2010)

*Starting the chest*

I've been telling my girlfriend I would make her a blanket chest for quite a while. Now that I have a tablesaw I figured there was no time like the present to get the project started. I have owned a copy of "The New Yankee Workshop" book for a really long time so I thought I would make the blanket chest from that book. It's simple, has joinery that isn't too complicated, and presents what I think is a good first project to learn how to set up and use my saw.

I am sort of compulsive about modeling projects in CAD even though I had all the dimensions from the book. What I found was that some of the dimensions in the book were wrong. Also, it really helps me to visualize each piece when I can see them all come together like that. It also lets me get an idea of what the project will look like with the finish on it. I am using cheap pine 1x stock since we plan to paint it. I let my girlfriend pick out the color and currently she is thinking about a bright blue. The bottom is going to be lined with Cedar planks used for lining closets.

I have rough cut all the pieces for the body but ran out of straight wood before I could cut pieces for the top. I had enough wood, but a recent water problem in the garage (another blog post) cause a few of the pieces to warp too badly to use for this project. I think I am just going to get one of the laminated pine panels and save myself the trouble of having to glue one up. The cost isn't too different.

Tomorrow I plan to rip all the boards to width and see if I can start cross cutting them to length if I have the time.

Here is a video of my CAD model on a simulated turntable. I need to figure out the lighting so the colors don't change as the model rotates, but it didn't come out too bad.
http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid854.photobucket.com/albums/ab110/abelsm2/Woodworking/New%20Yankee%20Blanket%20Chest/NewYankeeBlanketChestBlue.flv


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *Starting the chest*
> 
> I've been telling my girlfriend I would make her a blanket chest for quite a while. Now that I have a tablesaw I figured there was no time like the present to get the project started. I have owned a copy of "The New Yankee Workshop" book for a really long time so I thought I would make the blanket chest from that book. It's simple, has joinery that isn't too complicated, and presents what I think is a good first project to learn how to set up and use my saw.
> 
> ...


Looks workable


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## pmayer (Jan 3, 2010)

HungryTermite said:


> *Starting the chest*
> 
> I've been telling my girlfriend I would make her a blanket chest for quite a while. Now that I have a tablesaw I figured there was no time like the present to get the project started. I have owned a copy of "The New Yankee Workshop" book for a really long time so I thought I would make the blanket chest from that book. It's simple, has joinery that isn't too complicated, and presents what I think is a good first project to learn how to set up and use my saw.
> 
> ...


Looks nice. I would consider plywood for the top since you are painting it, as this will provide more stability. Attach solid wood strips around the edges, and you can even do the breadboard edge for a nice appearance if you want. This will also be more durable than pine, which is pretty soft for the top if it will be subject to any abuse.


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## ChunkyC (Jun 28, 2009)

HungryTermite said:


> *Starting the chest*
> 
> I've been telling my girlfriend I would make her a blanket chest for quite a while. Now that I have a tablesaw I figured there was no time like the present to get the project started. I have owned a copy of "The New Yankee Workshop" book for a really long time so I thought I would make the blanket chest from that book. It's simple, has joinery that isn't too complicated, and presents what I think is a good first project to learn how to set up and use my saw.
> 
> ...


Hopefully you got to see the video of this episode. It was on the NYW website last week.


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## Uncle_Salty (Dec 26, 2009)

HungryTermite said:


> *Starting the chest*
> 
> I've been telling my girlfriend I would make her a blanket chest for quite a while. Now that I have a tablesaw I figured there was no time like the present to get the project started. I have owned a copy of "The New Yankee Workshop" book for a really long time so I thought I would make the blanket chest from that book. It's simple, has joinery that isn't too complicated, and presents what I think is a good first project to learn how to set up and use my saw.
> 
> ...


I have made about 10 of these blanket chests. After the first couple, I quit making the panels in the front, back and sides out of solid wood, and began substituting 1/4" ply. No sacrifice in strength, and it decreases the weight substantially. In addition, I also use the dado head to cut all the groves for the plywood panels, and use the dedicated mortiser for the longer mortises where the stiles and rails come together. Much stronger, faster, better, more accurate.

Oh yeah… I only make out of oak with aromatic cedar lining on the bottom.


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## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *Starting the chest*
> 
> I've been telling my girlfriend I would make her a blanket chest for quite a while. Now that I have a tablesaw I figured there was no time like the present to get the project started. I have owned a copy of "The New Yankee Workshop" book for a really long time so I thought I would make the blanket chest from that book. It's simple, has joinery that isn't too complicated, and presents what I think is a good first project to learn how to set up and use my saw.
> 
> ...


Your story sounds almost identical to mine. If you want to ask any questions about my experiences, feel free. here is the one i built. My first woodworking project.


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## Jason34 (Oct 17, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *Starting the chest*
> 
> I've been telling my girlfriend I would make her a blanket chest for quite a while. Now that I have a tablesaw I figured there was no time like the present to get the project started. I have owned a copy of "The New Yankee Workshop" book for a really long time so I thought I would make the blanket chest from that book. It's simple, has joinery that isn't too complicated, and presents what I think is a good first project to learn how to set up and use my saw.
> 
> ...


My wife wants a hope chest and I have a copy of the New Yankee Workshop book. For practice I made a toy box for my oldest. I modified a few dimensions, but followed the book since I didn't know what I was doing.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *Starting the chest*
> 
> I've been telling my girlfriend I would make her a blanket chest for quite a while. Now that I have a tablesaw I figured there was no time like the present to get the project started. I have owned a copy of "The New Yankee Workshop" book for a really long time so I thought I would make the blanket chest from that book. It's simple, has joinery that isn't too complicated, and presents what I think is a good first project to learn how to set up and use my saw.
> 
> ...


Looks good!


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## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *Starting the chest*
> 
> I've been telling my girlfriend I would make her a blanket chest for quite a while. Now that I have a tablesaw I figured there was no time like the present to get the project started. I have owned a copy of "The New Yankee Workshop" book for a really long time so I thought I would make the blanket chest from that book. It's simple, has joinery that isn't too complicated, and presents what I think is a good first project to learn how to set up and use my saw.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the comments on my project. I did the breadboard edges that run the full length by accident. I don't think I really understood how I was supposed to do it (I glued the entire length and I guess you are only supposed to glue a part of it to allow for the crossgrain joint movement). I do worry that it will self destruct due to wood movement someday, but oh well.

Like I said, I learned a lot as I went through the process. If you have questions, let me know and I'll try to help. I looked at your other project that you posted and you are certainly more than capable of doing this one.


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## ScienceNerd (Feb 12, 2010)

HungryTermite said:


> *Starting the chest*
> 
> I've been telling my girlfriend I would make her a blanket chest for quite a while. Now that I have a tablesaw I figured there was no time like the present to get the project started. I have owned a copy of "The New Yankee Workshop" book for a really long time so I thought I would make the blanket chest from that book. It's simple, has joinery that isn't too complicated, and presents what I think is a good first project to learn how to set up and use my saw.
> 
> ...


Hi, HungryTermite… Looks good! I'm planning a similar piece for my wife's upcoming birthday. I'm curious about some details of the panels, though. Are they 1/4"? Do they sit in grooves like a standard cabinet panel? And are you gluing them up like any other edge-glued panel (seems tough if 1/4"), or are you just using plywood? Thanks!


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## HungryTermite (Jan 19, 2010)

HungryTermite said:


> *Starting the chest*
> 
> I've been telling my girlfriend I would make her a blanket chest for quite a while. Now that I have a tablesaw I figured there was no time like the present to get the project started. I have owned a copy of "The New Yankee Workshop" book for a really long time so I thought I would make the blanket chest from that book. It's simple, has joinery that isn't too complicated, and presents what I think is a good first project to learn how to set up and use my saw.
> 
> ...


I am hopefully going to cut the panels this weekend and will get some pictures posted up in the next sequence of this blog which will show the details of the panels and how they look when cut. I am making the panels out of a 1×12 cut to size and then rabbeting the edges down to 1/4 inch. Then they sit in 1/4" grooves like a standard cabinet. I dont need to glue anything up since they are from one piece. This is the way Norm designed it so I am sticking to the plans to learn how to do it but if I ever make another one I am just going to go with a piece of 1/4" plywood and call it a day to make it easier. It would look the same from the outside since I am painting it. If you are not painting it I guess it would depend on what kind of veneer I could get on the plywood.


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## Uncle_Salty (Dec 26, 2009)

HungryTermite said:


> *Starting the chest*
> 
> I've been telling my girlfriend I would make her a blanket chest for quite a while. Now that I have a tablesaw I figured there was no time like the present to get the project started. I have owned a copy of "The New Yankee Workshop" book for a really long time so I thought I would make the blanket chest from that book. It's simple, has joinery that isn't too complicated, and presents what I think is a good first project to learn how to set up and use my saw.
> 
> ...


HungryTermite: Don't sweat the tongue and groove thing too much. If you get it finished (with several coats) pretty quickly, it won't absorb nearly as much moisture and you should be okay. In addition, if it is placed in a relatively climate controlled area, you may not have enough movement to 1) destroy the joint 2)warp/cup/bow the top.


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## HungryTermite (Jan 19, 2010)

*Rough cutting*

I spent some time rough cutting all the stock for the blanket chest and then laying it all out to acclimate for a little while. I still can't get over how much easier it is with the tablesaw. All the pieces are the exact same width and length! I know it's not that big a deal but I've never tried a project which required ripping stock before so I was pretty giddy.

Here are some progress shots:


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *Rough cutting*
> 
> I spent some time rough cutting all the stock for the blanket chest and then laying it all out to acclimate for a little while. I still can't get over how much easier it is with the tablesaw. All the pieces are the exact same width and length! I know it's not that big a deal but I've never tried a project which required ripping stock before so I was pretty giddy.
> 
> Here are some progress shots:


Nice progress.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *Rough cutting*
> 
> I spent some time rough cutting all the stock for the blanket chest and then laying it all out to acclimate for a little while. I still can't get over how much easier it is with the tablesaw. All the pieces are the exact same width and length! I know it's not that big a deal but I've never tried a project which required ripping stock before so I was pretty giddy.
> 
> Here are some progress shots:


A good start. Hey Hungry I hope you don't wear the respirator to bed LOL


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## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *Rough cutting*
> 
> I spent some time rough cutting all the stock for the blanket chest and then laying it all out to acclimate for a little while. I still can't get over how much easier it is with the tablesaw. All the pieces are the exact same width and length! I know it's not that big a deal but I've never tried a project which required ripping stock before so I was pretty giddy.
> 
> Here are some progress shots:


you are well on your way!


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## HungryTermite (Jan 19, 2010)

*My first Mortise & Tenon!*

Well, after taking all my rough cut boards and ripping them to final width and crosscutting them to final length on the tablesaw, and spending what seemed like hours (because it probably was) laying out all the cuts on all the pieces …









I fired up my new mortising router jig …









And cut my first mortises in all the stiles of the chest!









I then went over to the tablesaw with a Dado head and started to mill my 1st tenons and all the grooves for the solid panels:









Things went well although not as well as I was hoping, but that's one of the reasons I picked this project. It was a chance to learn some new joinery in cheaper material. I managed to leave all the tenons a little thick so all I had to do was sand them down a touch to get a nice tight fit into the mortises. I also used a chamfer on the cheeks of the tenons to help control the fit into the mortises since the mortises had rounded ends from the router bit.

Here is a funny aside: I just finished reading "Hand Tool Essentials" and learned I had been trying to use my chisel upside down! I got a cheap buck bros 1 inch wide chisel years ago but never got very far with it even though it was sharp. I got it out even though it is now covered in rust and chipped and turned it over and it was so easy to use I think I will have to clean it up and regrind it. Who knew!??

Anyway, my main problem with the mortise & tenons and the tounge & groove joints for this project was poor tablesaw technique. From the results I am pretty sure several things were happening. First, I havent built a crosscut sled for my saw yet so I was just using the miter gauge to make the tenons. I am pretty sure the pieces slid along the miter gauge as I made the cuts because the shoulders on some tenons were angled and on some they were at different heights (so it is nice and tight on one side but a gap on the other). I did use a stop block on the rip fence to line up the cuts but I suspect movement. The "angled" shoulders were stepped, not really angled, so I think the piece was slipping as opposed to the miter gauge not being at 90° to the blade.

Second, I had inconsistent groove depth and tenon thickness. I am pretty sure that was a result of uneven pressure applied above the dado as I made the cuts. I guess it's time to make the auxilliary fence that I purchased wood for but never bothered to make so I can mount a featherboard or other hold down above the cut for next time.

Third, my wood was not a consistent thickness. So I have nice even coplanar faces on one side and a step on the other. I have started aquiring/asking for hand planes in an effort to learn how to fix this before I do the joinery on my next project. I quite like the idea of using hand planes and hand tools in general, so I hope it doesnt take me too long to figure out. I've used low angle block planes before but there is not much to them. I am enamored with the idea of learning hand cut dovetails.

So next step is to get everything test fit and then measure and cut the panels and start the glue up…


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *My first Mortise & Tenon!*
> 
> Well, after taking all my rough cut boards and ripping them to final width and crosscutting them to final length on the tablesaw, and spending what seemed like hours (because it probably was) laying out all the cuts on all the pieces …
> 
> ...


Good progross.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

HungryTermite said:


> *My first Mortise & Tenon!*
> 
> Well, after taking all my rough cut boards and ripping them to final width and crosscutting them to final length on the tablesaw, and spending what seemed like hours (because it probably was) laying out all the cuts on all the pieces …
> 
> ...


It's coming along very well. Be grateful for the imperfections, they lead to even better work in the future. I do wonder if you are spending too much time laying out your stock. One of the main advantages of a jig is that you only have to lay out the first piece of multiples and the jig positions the rest of them correctly after that. Not a criticism, just a thought. It is the result that counts and not how we get there. I hope you will blog through to the finish with this project. Thanks for posting.


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## Jason34 (Oct 17, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *My first Mortise & Tenon!*
> 
> Well, after taking all my rough cut boards and ripping them to final width and crosscutting them to final length on the tablesaw, and spending what seemed like hours (because it probably was) laying out all the cuts on all the pieces …
> 
> ...


When I built this project I assumed the wood was 3/4" thick because that is what the label said at Home Depot. After cutting the tenons I noticed that they weren't the proper size and the mortises weren't exactly centered. I measured the wood and it was closer to 11/16".

Needless to say there was a lot of sanding where the rails and stiles met.

Keep up the good work.


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## HungryTermite (Jan 19, 2010)

HungryTermite said:


> *My first Mortise & Tenon!*
> 
> Well, after taking all my rough cut boards and ripping them to final width and crosscutting them to final length on the tablesaw, and spending what seemed like hours (because it probably was) laying out all the cuts on all the pieces …
> 
> ...


The mortise jig was more or less only designed to hold the router centered on the wood. It doesnt really automate the legth of the cuts at all. The main reason I spent so much time laying out all the parts is that I am notorious for getting confused between left/right/top/bottom/front/back when parts are duplicates and mirrors of each other. Even with a jig, I still need to know which direction to feed the stock. So I spent a little more time laying out dimensions for this project than I typically do. For the 1st time, I had no problem telling which groove went where and which tenons had all 4 shoulders cut and which had 3.

My only problem was that I still managed to get the layout on one of the stiles backwards and put the groove for the mating stile on the wrong side so I had to remake that one stile. I did cut where I told myself to cut I just told myself to cut in the wrong spot


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

HungryTermite said:


> *My first Mortise & Tenon!*
> 
> Well, after taking all my rough cut boards and ripping them to final width and crosscutting them to final length on the tablesaw, and spending what seemed like hours (because it probably was) laying out all the cuts on all the pieces …
> 
> ...


I hear you HT. I've done the same myself countless times. A good compromise I've found through the years is to mark the stock with orientation and side symbols instead of laying out over and over. I understand your problem with the mortise lengths not being controlled by stops in this case. Like I said before it doesn't matter how you get there as long as you are comfortable with the process and enjoying yourself. I guess I just don't like repetitive layout work probably because for me it's just another opportunity to make more mistakes lol.


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## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *My first Mortise & Tenon!*
> 
> Well, after taking all my rough cut boards and ripping them to final width and crosscutting them to final length on the tablesaw, and spending what seemed like hours (because it probably was) laying out all the cuts on all the pieces …
> 
> ...


so far your process is very similar to mine. I cut my mortises on a $30 craftsman router table instead of using a router jig. It worked ok, but I couldn't tell where my layout lines were so I'd just creep up on my lines by 1/8th of an inch at a time knowing that if it wasn't perfect, it wouldn't be visible. Looking back, I should have built a jig like you did.

My tenons were cut using a router table too and I used a miter gauge to do it. Mine DEFINITELY didn't stay perpendicular during the cut. I had quite a headache trying to fix what I could and then trying to hid what I couldn't on the inside of the chest.

Finally, I know what you mean about needing to carefully layout your cuts. I didn't and I made a mistake when routing my grooves for panels on the legs. I basically cut some of the slots going all the way to the ground. not sure if this makes sense, but it was a costly mistake because I did waste about 5 board feet of material. I've used it on other things since, but still….

You picked a great starter project. I learned tons and it sounds like you are too. keep up the great work blogging away!


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## gagewestern (Mar 24, 2009)

HungryTermite said:


> *My first Mortise & Tenon!*
> 
> Well, after taking all my rough cut boards and ripping them to final width and crosscutting them to final length on the tablesaw, and spending what seemed like hours (because it probably was) laying out all the cuts on all the pieces …
> 
> ...


got to love that router set up


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *My first Mortise & Tenon!*
> 
> Well, after taking all my rough cut boards and ripping them to final width and crosscutting them to final length on the tablesaw, and spending what seemed like hours (because it probably was) laying out all the cuts on all the pieces …
> 
> ...


Good progress.


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## HungryTermite (Jan 19, 2010)

*It all comes together for a test fit*

It's cold and rainy out and work and grad school are getting in the way so no wood working today. However, I couldn't take it anymore and I had to at least assemble one side with no glue just to see how it was coming along. Then since the joints held together with just friction I figured I would stick the whole thing together. The side rails are a little loose in their mortises but other than that everything is nice and tight. It needs a bit of work to clean up some of the joints before I break out the glue but hopefully this weekend I can get the panels cut and glue some pieces together.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *It all comes together for a test fit*
> 
> It's cold and rainy out and work and grad school are getting in the way so no wood working today. However, I couldn't take it anymore and I had to at least assemble one side with no glue just to see how it was coming along. Then since the joints held together with just friction I figured I would stick the whole thing together. The side rails are a little loose in their mortises but other than that everything is nice and tight. It needs a bit of work to clean up some of the joints before I break out the glue but hopefully this weekend I can get the panels cut and glue some pieces together.


Good start


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## woodworm (Jul 27, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *It all comes together for a test fit*
> 
> It's cold and rainy out and work and grad school are getting in the way so no wood working today. However, I couldn't take it anymore and I had to at least assemble one side with no glue just to see how it was coming along. Then since the joints held together with just friction I figured I would stick the whole thing together. The side rails are a little loose in their mortises but other than that everything is nice and tight. It needs a bit of work to clean up some of the joints before I break out the glue but hopefully this weekend I can get the panels cut and glue some pieces together.


Very nice fit, looking forward to seeing the panels mounted.
Great work, HT.


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## bigike (May 25, 2009)

HungryTermite said:


> *It all comes together for a test fit*
> 
> It's cold and rainy out and work and grad school are getting in the way so no wood working today. However, I couldn't take it anymore and I had to at least assemble one side with no glue just to see how it was coming along. Then since the joints held together with just friction I figured I would stick the whole thing together. The side rails are a little loose in their mortises but other than that everything is nice and tight. It needs a bit of work to clean up some of the joints before I break out the glue but hopefully this weekend I can get the panels cut and glue some pieces together.


nice start can't wait to see the finnish


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## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *It all comes together for a test fit*
> 
> It's cold and rainy out and work and grad school are getting in the way so no wood working today. However, I couldn't take it anymore and I had to at least assemble one side with no glue just to see how it was coming along. Then since the joints held together with just friction I figured I would stick the whole thing together. The side rails are a little loose in their mortises but other than that everything is nice and tight. It needs a bit of work to clean up some of the joints before I break out the glue but hopefully this weekend I can get the panels cut and glue some pieces together.


moving right along


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *It all comes together for a test fit*
> 
> It's cold and rainy out and work and grad school are getting in the way so no wood working today. However, I couldn't take it anymore and I had to at least assemble one side with no glue just to see how it was coming along. Then since the joints held together with just friction I figured I would stick the whole thing together. The side rails are a little loose in their mortises but other than that everything is nice and tight. It needs a bit of work to clean up some of the joints before I break out the glue but hopefully this weekend I can get the panels cut and glue some pieces together.


Good start.


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## HungryTermite (Jan 19, 2010)

*Measure Twice, Hand Plane Once!*

Today was a fun day with several new lessons learned. I finally got through the crunch of midterms at school and craziness at work to have a day where I could make some sawdust. The next step on the blanket chest was to clean up some of the joints a little bit and then cut the wood for the panels. Well, over the last couple months we have had a lot of rain and the garage has flooded a bit. I dug out the 1×12s that I bought to make the panels and they were all cupped and twisted to the point where I wouldn't be able to cut the rabbets and fillisters on them. In fact, they wouldn't be useful for anything so I thought about tossing them. They are only construction pine so they are not expensive but it still seemed like a waste. Then I realized that as part of my workbench project I am going to have to do a bit of hand planing so I have been aquiring some planes and trying to learn how to use them. I don't have a jointer or a thickness planer and even if I did, they would not be practical for some of the joints on my workbench.

Since I thought the wood was garbage anyway I figured it presented a good opportunity to mess around with a plane to really try to use it to flatten the boards. I have a Type 4 Stanley Bedrock 605 Jack plane that I got on ebay and I added a Hock blade and chipper to it. I really need to file open the mouth a little bit to fit the thicker replacement blade but otherwise I think I am finally getting the hang of this hand plane stuff. I must admit, it does take some practice. I don't know why I thought it would be easy to teach myself how to do it but everyone else I see in videos makes it look easy. I crosscut and ripped the boards for the panels to about 10.625×10.250 inches (or so I thought). The boards were very straight along the grain but very cupped. I wasn't sure what thickness I would be left with even if I did manage to flatten it.

So I present now, my 1st ever hand planed board:









I did this for both the left and right sides. I got one a lot flatter than the other one using only a jack plane. I have a bailey #4 but I dont have the blade sharpened on it yet. So I set the jack plane for an agressive cut to go across the grain and take down the board thickness then set it for a very fine cut to go with the grain to try to smooth it out a bit. I had problems with plane tracks being left but that's because I am still using the hock blade as it came rather than cambering it. I will camber it but it was so amazingly sharp I didn't want to mess with it until I had to since I still am learning to sharpen blades.

Boy is hand planing tiring. Especially as high as my table saw is. I really can't wait until I get my workbench going so I can have actual planing stops and a top at a working height that would let me get some leverage on some of these tasks. Also, I think I need to learn how to plane left handed as well as right handed or I am going to end up looking like Freddy Rodriguez's character in "The Lady in the Water".

I got the boards pretty flat and smooth. Not perfect but to the point where I was happy with them and I would be able to cut the joints and install the panels. So, I cut the rabbets and fillisters all the way around. I did this on the tablesaw with a dado blade and a sacrificial fence. This was the 1st time I have used this setup and I loved it. The boards planed to different thicknesses so I had to reset the blade for each board but this really was a fast way to make this type of cut. I can see how this would really be super fast for multiple pieces.

Here is my setup. The far push block is from Rockler and the near one is a grout trowel from Home Depot that cost about $3. I like the HD one much better because it's larger and has a better grip but it doesnt have an angled handle so it is difficult to get my hands close enough to the fence:









The next step was to test fit the panels into their sides and DOH! One of them was too small. Somehow I measured to the 1/16th on the wrong side of 1/2" so instead of 10-9/16 it was 10-7/16. It was just too narrow to really stay put correctly. So that was a good lesson in double checking my measurements. Even if I didn't check before I made my cuts I certainly should have checked before I spent the effort to flatten the board.

Anyway, at least one of the two came out the correct size, so I cleaned it up with some 150 then 220 sand paper to get rid of the plane marks and glued up the 1st assembly on this project. The miter slot on my table saw is proving to be very versatile. So far I have used it as a planing stop and now a support to hold up 3/4" thick pieces.

Finally some glue!









I'm not sure how much time I will have in the near future but I need to cut 5 more panels and flatten them and then glue up the other 3 sides so I can assemble this guy. I also need to break out the jig saw or my coping saw and cut out the feet.

I think a pair of gloves would be nice too. I wasn't really paying attention to what I was doing and I have a nice sized blister right in the middle of the palm of my hand where it was rubbing on the front knob. Apparently the brass screw stands proud ever so slightly as to be a nuisance.


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## Ecocandle (Jan 2, 2010)

HungryTermite said:


> *Measure Twice, Hand Plane Once!*
> 
> Today was a fun day with several new lessons learned. I finally got through the crunch of midterms at school and craziness at work to have a day where I could make some sawdust. The next step on the blanket chest was to clean up some of the joints a little bit and then cut the wood for the panels. Well, over the last couple months we have had a lot of rain and the garage has flooded a bit. I dug out the 1×12s that I bought to make the panels and they were all cupped and twisted to the point where I wouldn't be able to cut the rabbets and fillisters on them. In fact, they wouldn't be useful for anything so I thought about tossing them. They are only construction pine so they are not expensive but it still seemed like a waste. Then I realized that as part of my workbench project I am going to have to do a bit of hand planing so I have been aquiring some planes and trying to learn how to use them. I don't have a jointer or a thickness planer and even if I did, they would not be practical for some of the joints on my workbench.
> 
> ...


Well done. I don't have a hand plane yet, but they are high on my priority list. I can't wait.


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## Beginningwoodworker (May 5, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *Measure Twice, Hand Plane Once!*
> 
> Today was a fun day with several new lessons learned. I finally got through the crunch of midterms at school and craziness at work to have a day where I could make some sawdust. The next step on the blanket chest was to clean up some of the joints a little bit and then cut the wood for the panels. Well, over the last couple months we have had a lot of rain and the garage has flooded a bit. I dug out the 1×12s that I bought to make the panels and they were all cupped and twisted to the point where I wouldn't be able to cut the rabbets and fillisters on them. In fact, they wouldn't be useful for anything so I thought about tossing them. They are only construction pine so they are not expensive but it still seemed like a waste. Then I realized that as part of my workbench project I am going to have to do a bit of hand planing so I have been aquiring some planes and trying to learn how to use them. I don't have a jointer or a thickness planer and even if I did, they would not be practical for some of the joints on my workbench.
> 
> ...


Nice work!


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## HungryTermite (Jan 19, 2010)

*Back to work*

My resolution this new year was to finally finish this project so here we go…

After getting my new planer I finally finished planing down the final two panels and glued up the 4th side. I figured this was a good time to sand the inside so I used a random orbit sander to sand the inside to 150 grit. Then it was time to glue the 4 sides together! The diagonal clamp is to pull everything into square.




























Next step will be to cut the shape of the feet and start adding the bottom.


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## Eagle1 (Jan 4, 2010)

HungryTermite said:


> *Back to work*
> 
> My resolution this new year was to finally finish this project so here we go…
> 
> ...


Looking good so far. Be sure to post the finished project so we all can see it.


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## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *Back to work*
> 
> My resolution this new year was to finally finish this project so here we go…
> 
> ...


Mine took 2 years. I think you are still on pace to beat me by a mile. It is looking very good!


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## HungryTermite (Jan 19, 2010)

*Got Leg?*

I've learned a lot during this build. For some reason, I decided that it would be easier to form the feet after I had glued all 4 sides together. I don't know why I thought that but it turns out not to be true and in hindsight I realize that if I had done something to screw up a foot it would have been a pain to fix the problem.

Here is one side of the foot formed









And now the other









I also put in the supports for the bottom 









and installed some 1/2" ply for the bottom









Another idea I had was that it wouldnt matter if my joints looked good on the ends and it didnt matter if the wood wasn't smooth, I would just fix it later. Well, that turned out to be more difficult than I was expecting as I am not that good with my low angle block plane yet. Also, since it was the 1st time I tried a tongue and groove the joints look bad when exposed on the ends, as they are when the top is open. I also still had to make the mortise for the piano hinge. So I called an audible and added some edging that I ripped on the tablesaw and then planed to the thickness of my hinge. The corners are mitered. I am pretty happy with how it came out:

Here is a mitered corner









And here you can see the mortise for the hinge









Up next is making the top and then installing some cedar planks…


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## sawblade1 (Feb 11, 2010)

HungryTermite said:


> *Got Leg?*
> 
> I've learned a lot during this build. For some reason, I decided that it would be easier to form the feet after I had glued all 4 sides together. I don't know why I thought that but it turns out not to be true and in hindsight I realize that if I had done something to screw up a foot it would have been a pain to fix the problem.
> 
> ...


Looks good, Keep up the good work


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## DrPain (Sep 2, 2009)

HungryTermite said:


> *Got Leg?*
> 
> I've learned a lot during this build. For some reason, I decided that it would be easier to form the feet after I had glued all 4 sides together. I don't know why I thought that but it turns out not to be true and in hindsight I realize that if I had done something to screw up a foot it would have been a pain to fix the problem.
> 
> ...


I'm enjoying the project so far. I had to laugh at the edging, because I just screwed up some drawers and am adding some "decorative edging" to cover up my mistake.


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## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *Got Leg?*
> 
> I've learned a lot during this build. For some reason, I decided that it would be easier to form the feet after I had glued all 4 sides together. I don't know why I thought that but it turns out not to be true and in hindsight I realize that if I had done something to screw up a foot it would have been a pain to fix the problem.
> 
> ...


Nice! I can almost hear the NYW theme. Don't you just love "design opportunities"?


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## HungryTermite (Jan 19, 2010)

HungryTermite said:


> *Got Leg?*
> 
> I've learned a lot during this build. For some reason, I decided that it would be easier to form the feet after I had glued all 4 sides together. I don't know why I thought that but it turns out not to be true and in hindsight I realize that if I had done something to screw up a foot it would have been a pain to fix the problem.
> 
> ...


Oooh… I like that phrase "Design Opportunities". I have those opportunities a lot.


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## HungryTermite (Jan 19, 2010)

*Put a lid on it*

I had to purchase additional wood for the top because after 8 months in my garage the construction pine I purchased was warped too badly to use. So I got it all planed and jointed and then I decided I needed more practice with tongue and groove joints so I cut them on the table saw for the long edges as well as the breadboard ends. They were the best ones yet! I have a tough time getting the tongues the right length so there is no gap so this time I left the tongues a hair longer and used my low angle block plane to trim them down until they were just right. It seems to work out pretty well and I wish I had done that for the rest of the project.

Here is the top clamped for gluing on the breadboard ends. I eventually added a few more clamps after this photo. 









Once this dries I will trim it to size and see what it looks like sitting on top!


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## ShopTinker (Oct 27, 2010)

HungryTermite said:


> *Put a lid on it*
> 
> I had to purchase additional wood for the top because after 8 months in my garage the construction pine I purchased was warped too badly to use. So I got it all planed and jointed and then I decided I needed more practice with tongue and groove joints so I cut them on the table saw for the long edges as well as the breadboard ends. They were the best ones yet! I have a tough time getting the tongues the right length so there is no gap so this time I left the tongues a hair longer and used my low angle block plane to trim them down until they were just right. It seems to work out pretty well and I wish I had done that for the rest of the project.
> 
> ...


Nice choice of grain patterns, looks nice.


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## HungryTermite (Jan 19, 2010)

*Almost Finished*

After the top dried I trimmed it to final length and width and set it on the chest.

I can't seem to get the camera set right to get a representative photo. It doesn't really look right if I used a flash and turning the flash off doesn't seem to help much. I need to practice more.



















I put 3 coats of wipe-on poly on the inside of the chest and on the bottom of the lid. I also cut and fit some cedar panels for the bottom. All that is left to do is paint the outside with a few coats of flat paint and add a stencil. Painting is not my 1st choice for a finish but that's what the customer (my fiance) wants.


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## vcooney (Jan 4, 2009)

HungryTermite said:


> *Almost Finished*
> 
> After the top dried I trimmed it to final length and width and set it on the chest.
> 
> ...


Looking great, I'm looking forward to the seeing the finished product.


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## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

HungryTermite said:


> *Almost Finished*
> 
> After the top dried I trimmed it to final length and width and set it on the chest.
> 
> ...


Almost done! Progress is looking good.


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## RonPeters (Jul 7, 2010)

HungryTermite said:


> *Almost Finished*
> 
> After the top dried I trimmed it to final length and width and set it on the chest.
> 
> ...


Sweet!

As for the flash, have you tried reflecting? Tape (or hold?) a piece of white card at 45 degrees from the bottom of the flash so it reflects off the ceiling. Another is to put something like a white handkerchief in front to subdue the washout - which works really well for baby shots - don't want to blind the tyke….


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## HungryTermite (Jan 19, 2010)

*Painted and Finished*

I put 4 coats of flat dove white paint on the outside and 4 coats of satin wipe-on poly on the inside, except for the cedar on the bottom which is unfinished. I think the flat paint was a bad idea. It seems to get dirty if I even look at it funny. Some day I will probably use this chest as a test run for doing some stencil work so maybe that will cover up or blend in some of the dirt.

Overall view:









View with the lid open:









View showing the cedar lining:









I also used two of these brass lid stays to keep the lid open at any angle and keep fingers from getting smushed:


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## spunwood (Aug 20, 2010)

HungryTermite said:


> *Painted and Finished*
> 
> I put 4 coats of flat dove white paint on the outside and 4 coats of satin wipe-on poly on the inside, except for the cedar on the bottom which is unfinished. I think the flat paint was a bad idea. It seems to get dirty if I even look at it funny. Some day I will probably use this chest as a test run for doing some stencil work so maybe that will cover up or blend in some of the dirt.
> 
> ...


It's a beaut. Can't wait to do my first blanket chest in the next few weeks. Love the unfinished cedar interior.


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## Dchip (Jun 30, 2009)

HungryTermite said:


> *Painted and Finished*
> 
> I put 4 coats of flat dove white paint on the outside and 4 coats of satin wipe-on poly on the inside, except for the cedar on the bottom which is unfinished. I think the flat paint was a bad idea. It seems to get dirty if I even look at it funny. Some day I will probably use this chest as a test run for doing some stencil work so maybe that will cover up or blend in some of the dirt.
> 
> ...


Looks Great.

Could you not put a clear coat over the flat paint to give a bit more protection?


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## dub560 (Jun 4, 2010)

HungryTermite said:


> *Painted and Finished*
> 
> I put 4 coats of flat dove white paint on the outside and 4 coats of satin wipe-on poly on the inside, except for the cedar on the bottom which is unfinished. I think the flat paint was a bad idea. It seems to get dirty if I even look at it funny. Some day I will probably use this chest as a test run for doing some stencil work so maybe that will cover up or blend in some of the dirt.
> 
> ...


Very nice


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## jockmike2 (Oct 10, 2006)

HungryTermite said:


> *Painted and Finished*
> 
> I put 4 coats of flat dove white paint on the outside and 4 coats of satin wipe-on poly on the inside, except for the cedar on the bottom which is unfinished. I think the flat paint was a bad idea. It seems to get dirty if I even look at it funny. Some day I will probably use this chest as a test run for doing some stencil work so maybe that will cover up or blend in some of the dirt.
> 
> ...


Looks beautiful to me, really like the design.


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## makedust (May 31, 2010)

HungryTermite said:


> *Painted and Finished*
> 
> I put 4 coats of flat dove white paint on the outside and 4 coats of satin wipe-on poly on the inside, except for the cedar on the bottom which is unfinished. I think the flat paint was a bad idea. It seems to get dirty if I even look at it funny. Some day I will probably use this chest as a test run for doing some stencil work so maybe that will cover up or blend in some of the dirt.
> 
> ...


Boy, that came out just great…I made the very same chest about 15 years ago and it is still perfect today…Good Luck with yours…Ron


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## sawblade1 (Feb 11, 2010)

HungryTermite said:


> *Painted and Finished*
> 
> I put 4 coats of flat dove white paint on the outside and 4 coats of satin wipe-on poly on the inside, except for the cedar on the bottom which is unfinished. I think the flat paint was a bad idea. It seems to get dirty if I even look at it funny. Some day I will probably use this chest as a test run for doing some stencil work so maybe that will cover up or blend in some of the dirt.
> 
> ...


Nice Job


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## HokieMojo (Mar 11, 2008)

HungryTermite said:


> *Painted and Finished*
> 
> I put 4 coats of flat dove white paint on the outside and 4 coats of satin wipe-on poly on the inside, except for the cedar on the bottom which is unfinished. I think the flat paint was a bad idea. It seems to get dirty if I even look at it funny. Some day I will probably use this chest as a test run for doing some stencil work so maybe that will cover up or blend in some of the dirt.
> 
> ...


That came out great and I really enjoyed the blog along the way. This looks more like mine SHOULD have turned out. I'll be trying again in the future, so we'll see.


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## HungryTermite (Jan 19, 2010)

HungryTermite said:


> *Painted and Finished*
> 
> I put 4 coats of flat dove white paint on the outside and 4 coats of satin wipe-on poly on the inside, except for the cedar on the bottom which is unfinished. I think the flat paint was a bad idea. It seems to get dirty if I even look at it funny. Some day I will probably use this chest as a test run for doing some stencil work so maybe that will cover up or blend in some of the dirt.
> 
> ...


Thanks all. There were some goofs along the way but overall I am happy with it. Can't wait to figure out what to do for my next project!


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