# Viking Chest



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

*Prototype in recycled pine*

I found a stack of wood on the side of the road, a futon frame (I think) and some pine. A Viking chest (inspired by the Mastermyr chest) has been in the plans for awhile and since I tend to make most mistakes on my first one of anything, I decided to make the first one from recycled pine.

Here is the basic construction of the original. 








image from: http://www.angelfire.com/wy/svenskildbiter/Viking/vikchest.html

Differences: 
Mine has dadoes/grooves for the bottom instead of rabbets & tenon. 
Mine is not tapered (but the next one will be).
Front and back on mine are full laps (this may change on the next one).
Inside of lid on mine is not scooped out.

Upside down view of the bottom:









Bottom and ends:









Sides on. Thought I had superglued all the knots but missed one, it went flying and was lost.









All together for dry fit:









Instead of nailing or pegging the joints like the original, I think I will just use screws and plug the holes. 
Open to any thoughts or feedback.


----------



## Hammerthumb (Dec 28, 2012)

wormil said:


> *Prototype in recycled pine*
> 
> I found a stack of wood on the side of the road, a futon frame (I think) and some pine. A Viking chest (inspired by the Mastermyr chest) has been in the plans for awhile and since I tend to make most mistakes on my first one of anything, I decided to make the first one from recycled pine.
> 
> ...


I like the simplicity in construction. What material will the next be made of?


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *Prototype in recycled pine*
> 
> I found a stack of wood on the side of the road, a futon frame (I think) and some pine. A Viking chest (inspired by the Mastermyr chest) has been in the plans for awhile and since I tend to make most mistakes on my first one of anything, I decided to make the first one from recycled pine.
> 
> ...


Next one, the real one, will be made of oak and smaller in scale. Smaller because I have no use for a big oak chest. I hadn't planned on making two but after finding the pine I decided why not do a practice run. Tried my hand at carving but it looks like a drunken Viking doodled with a hatchet. Also planning to use wood hinges, another first. You can see why a practice box was a good idea.


----------



## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

wormil said:


> *Prototype in recycled pine*
> 
> I found a stack of wood on the side of the road, a futon frame (I think) and some pine. A Viking chest (inspired by the Mastermyr chest) has been in the plans for awhile and since I tend to make most mistakes on my first one of anything, I decided to make the first one from recycled pine.
> 
> ...


Looks like your headed in the right direction. Can't wait to seethe new one.


----------



## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

wormil said:


> *Prototype in recycled pine*
> 
> I found a stack of wood on the side of the road, a futon frame (I think) and some pine. A Viking chest (inspired by the Mastermyr chest) has been in the plans for awhile and since I tend to make most mistakes on my first one of anything, I decided to make the first one from recycled pine.
> 
> ...


I am interested in your final version as I have a lot of red oak that I want to use to make somethings to sell.

So far so good, keep it simple!


----------



## 489tad (Feb 26, 2010)

wormil said:


> *Prototype in recycled pine*
> 
> I found a stack of wood on the side of the road, a futon frame (I think) and some pine. A Viking chest (inspired by the Mastermyr chest) has been in the plans for awhile and since I tend to make most mistakes on my first one of anything, I decided to make the first one from recycled pine.
> 
> ...


Rick, thanks for posting. I've never heard of a Viking Chest. Do you have any special or antique tools that could use a dedicated chest?


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *Prototype in recycled pine*
> 
> I found a stack of wood on the side of the road, a futon frame (I think) and some pine. A Viking chest (inspired by the Mastermyr chest) has been in the plans for awhile and since I tend to make most mistakes on my first one of anything, I decided to make the first one from recycled pine.
> 
> ...


Not really. I'll probably keep the pine version in the shop unless someone in the family wants it.

There are two surviving viking chests I know of, Mastermyr and Oseberg. Each have different construction but are similar in shape. I've wanted to build one since seeing Don Weber on The Woodwright's Shop.


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

*Wood hinges, need your thoughts*

Did some experimenting with wood hinges. Both have 5 fingers, one is 1/4", the other is 3/8". The narrower size looks better on the chest but I'm trying to decide between 5 - 1/4" fingers, or 3 - 3/8" fingers. (See 3rd & 4th pics) I want it to be strong but also look nice and I have no experience with wood hinges. Both look pretty good but the 3 finger hinge is easier to make. And I'm planning on using a 1/4" maple dowel as a hinge pin-strong enough? The final hinges will be made from ash (pine box) or walnut (oak box).




























Mock up of 3 fingers @ 3/8".


----------



## Hammerthumb (Dec 28, 2012)

wormil said:


> *Wood hinges, need your thoughts*
> 
> Did some experimenting with wood hinges. Both have 5 fingers, one is 1/4", the other is 3/8". The narrower size looks better on the chest but I'm trying to decide between 5 - 1/4" fingers, or 3 - 3/8" fingers. (See 3rd & 4th pics) I want it to be strong but also look nice and I have no experience with wood hinges. Both look pretty good but the 3 finger hinge is easier to make. And I'm planning on using a 1/4" maple dowel as a hinge pin-strong enough? The final hinges will be made from ash (pine box) or walnut (oak box).
> 
> ...


I like the 3 fingers at 3/8". I think they would be stronger. Also, maybe some brass rod for the hinge pins as they will wear better and look nicer.


----------



## johnhutchinson (Dec 9, 2013)

wormil said:


> *Wood hinges, need your thoughts*
> 
> Did some experimenting with wood hinges. Both have 5 fingers, one is 1/4", the other is 3/8". The narrower size looks better on the chest but I'm trying to decide between 5 - 1/4" fingers, or 3 - 3/8" fingers. (See 3rd & 4th pics) I want it to be strong but also look nice and I have no experience with wood hinges. Both look pretty good but the 3 finger hinge is easier to make. And I'm planning on using a 1/4" maple dowel as a hinge pin-strong enough? The final hinges will be made from ash (pine box) or walnut (oak box).
> 
> ...


I've been purchasing what's called "sanded maple dowel" at a local REAL hardware store, and they're perfect for hinges because they're downsized by 1/64". There's just enough clearance for glue on the outsides and rotation on the inside. They're also incredibly strong and smooth as glass.


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *Wood hinges, need your thoughts*
> 
> Did some experimenting with wood hinges. Both have 5 fingers, one is 1/4", the other is 3/8". The narrower size looks better on the chest but I'm trying to decide between 5 - 1/4" fingers, or 3 - 3/8" fingers. (See 3rd & 4th pics) I want it to be strong but also look nice and I have no experience with wood hinges. Both look pretty good but the 3 finger hinge is easier to make. And I'm planning on using a 1/4" maple dowel as a hinge pin-strong enough? The final hinges will be made from ash (pine box) or walnut (oak box).
> 
> ...


Hammerthumb, those are my thoughts. Reading about wood hinges I found a lot about how to make the fingers, a little about how to position the hinge pin, but almost nothing about finger thickness or how many. I have some brass rod so for the oak version I'll probably use that.

John, those are the same dowels I used for the mock ups. They work very smoothly especially after a coating of wax. I'll definitely use those in the practice chest and see how they hold up.


----------



## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

wormil said:


> *Wood hinges, need your thoughts*
> 
> Did some experimenting with wood hinges. Both have 5 fingers, one is 1/4", the other is 3/8". The narrower size looks better on the chest but I'm trying to decide between 5 - 1/4" fingers, or 3 - 3/8" fingers. (See 3rd & 4th pics) I want it to be strong but also look nice and I have no experience with wood hinges. Both look pretty good but the 3 finger hinge is easier to make. And I'm planning on using a 1/4" maple dowel as a hinge pin-strong enough? The final hinges will be made from ash (pine box) or walnut (oak box).
> 
> ...


Have you seen these.
They are integral to the box so there is no visible bump.


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *Wood hinges, need your thoughts*
> 
> Did some experimenting with wood hinges. Both have 5 fingers, one is 1/4", the other is 3/8". The narrower size looks better on the chest but I'm trying to decide between 5 - 1/4" fingers, or 3 - 3/8" fingers. (See 3rd & 4th pics) I want it to be strong but also look nice and I have no experience with wood hinges. Both look pretty good but the 3 finger hinge is easier to make. And I'm planning on using a 1/4" maple dowel as a hinge pin-strong enough? The final hinges will be made from ash (pine box) or walnut (oak box).
> 
> ...


I did actually, very nice work. The original chest had strap iron hinges and while I'm not doing a reproduction, an external hinge fits the design better.


----------



## kiefer (Feb 5, 2011)

wormil said:


> *Wood hinges, need your thoughts*
> 
> Did some experimenting with wood hinges. Both have 5 fingers, one is 1/4", the other is 3/8". The narrower size looks better on the chest but I'm trying to decide between 5 - 1/4" fingers, or 3 - 3/8" fingers. (See 3rd & 4th pics) I want it to be strong but also look nice and I have no experience with wood hinges. Both look pretty good but the 3 finger hinge is easier to make. And I'm planning on using a 1/4" maple dowel as a hinge pin-strong enough? The final hinges will be made from ash (pine box) or walnut (oak box).
> 
> ...


How about a leather hinge I think it would work in real nice and fit the type and style of box .
I have used them on several boxes and they work real nice .


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

wormil said:


> *Wood hinges, need your thoughts*
> 
> Did some experimenting with wood hinges. Both have 5 fingers, one is 1/4", the other is 3/8". The narrower size looks better on the chest but I'm trying to decide between 5 - 1/4" fingers, or 3 - 3/8" fingers. (See 3rd & 4th pics) I want it to be strong but also look nice and I have no experience with wood hinges. Both look pretty good but the 3 finger hinge is easier to make. And I'm planning on using a 1/4" maple dowel as a hinge pin-strong enough? The final hinges will be made from ash (pine box) or walnut (oak box).
> 
> ...


I like both of your hinge prototypes but I would recommend brass or steel pins as they don't swell and won't accidentally get glued in place. I cap the holes with wood so the metal doesn't show.


----------



## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

wormil said:


> *Wood hinges, need your thoughts*
> 
> Did some experimenting with wood hinges. Both have 5 fingers, one is 1/4", the other is 3/8". The narrower size looks better on the chest but I'm trying to decide between 5 - 1/4" fingers, or 3 - 3/8" fingers. (See 3rd & 4th pics) I want it to be strong but also look nice and I have no experience with wood hinges. Both look pretty good but the 3 finger hinge is easier to make. And I'm planning on using a 1/4" maple dowel as a hinge pin-strong enough? The final hinges will be made from ash (pine box) or walnut (oak box).
> 
> ...


I like the 3/8'' hinge. Of course that could depend on the size of the build. Leaving the dowel extend as in picture 3 gives me some good ideas.


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

*Worst carving ever and jigs are good.*

http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-3-worst-carving-ever.html

This got backburnered due to a vacation and then family coming to town but I'm back on it.

My prototype wood hinge turned out great, the actual hinges not so great. So I reused some cheap metal hinges that I salvaged from some long forgotten box. I scribed around the metal with a layout knife then cut the mortise with a chisel. This worked fine for the most part but that white pine is really soft and one of my mortises came out too deep. A few pieces of heavy paper shimmed it nicely and don't show. The lid still sits a tiny bit askew. I might gumption up and remove the hinges for more tweaking.










Before making more wood hinges I'd like to build a box joint jig. I just need to decide whether it will be Matthias Wandel's, John Heisz', or Stumpy Nubs' new Incra style jig; all have benefits. I'm partial to Stumpy's jig but am hoping to see a few others build it and give some feedback.










The elephant in the room (or blog) is my horrible carving job. The plan was to chip carve it but the wood was breaking out. So I remove most of the waste with a 1/4" chisel then cleaned out the bottoms with a Dremel router attachment. It was a good plan that I executed terribly. In my defense, the white pine is so soft and brittle that it just wanted to rip, tear, and fly apart. And the lines between the lines were too thin. A better approach would have been a relief carving but I gain some experience. I filled it in with black paint which despite what your eyes tell you, actually made it look better.


----------



## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

wormil said:


> *Worst carving ever and jigs are good.*
> 
> http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-3-worst-carving-ever.html
> 
> ...


Yes, Rick.. It seems the softer the wood, the more difficult it is to do descent carving on it without chips and rips. You can always band saw that sign on a slightly larger wood and glue/screw it over the existing one.


----------



## thetinman (Mar 10, 2014)

wormil said:


> *Worst carving ever and jigs are good.*
> 
> http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-3-worst-carving-ever.html
> 
> ...


I think you're too hard on yourself Rick. It is obviously your 1st carving experience with soft pine. You learned to use a knife (a scalpel is perfect) on all cross grain. I think it's a better than a fine 1st job. Just think how good your next one will be. Isn't that the fun (and frustration) of it?

Nice job. Be happy.

Terry


----------



## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

wormil said:


> *Worst carving ever and jigs are good.*
> 
> http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-3-worst-carving-ever.html
> 
> ...


Box came out looking fine. What's the symbol mean?


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *Worst carving ever and jigs are good.*
> 
> http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-3-worst-carving-ever.html
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reassurance. If I hadn't spaced the slashes so close to together it might have been passable. As they say, if you aren't making mistakes then you aren't trying hard enough.

Oops, forgot to talk about the mark. It is my initials, RAM, in ancient Ogham, sometimes called the tree alphabet. If I were a metal worker, I'd fix myself up a brand.

Lots more about it here:
http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/03/maker-mark.html

I'm in the process of slathering amber shellac on the chest which gives the pine a nice color. This is a practice run for an oak chest that will be nicer. The pine version will just live in my shop as a small tool box.


----------



## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

wormil said:


> *Worst carving ever and jigs are good.*
> 
> http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-3-worst-carving-ever.html
> 
> ...


I think you're on your way to a great build. Your letter carving is very interesting.


----------



## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

wormil said:


> *Worst carving ever and jigs are good.*
> 
> http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-3-worst-carving-ever.html
> 
> ...


You still can make a band saw version of it and instead of creating spaces between the lines, router them round on both side to create a separation illusion.


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *Worst carving ever and jigs are good.*
> 
> http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-3-worst-carving-ever.html
> 
> ...


Interesting idea Jinx, might try that on the next one.


----------



## freddy1962 (Feb 27, 2014)

wormil said:


> *Worst carving ever and jigs are good.*
> 
> http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-3-worst-carving-ever.html
> 
> ...


Pine is garbage to carve for anyone. Give poplar a try. Your corner joinery is interesting/cool.


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *Worst carving ever and jigs are good.*
> 
> http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-3-worst-carving-ever.html
> 
> ...


Thanks. I'm curious how the joinery will hold up. It's a very primitive style going back a thousand years or so.


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

*Pine version done.*

Pine box is done, finished with amber shellac and wax. I have the wood picked out for the oak chest and should be starting that this weekend.

http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-4-viking-chest-in.html


----------



## Hammerthumb (Dec 28, 2012)

wormil said:


> *Pine version done.*
> 
> Pine box is done, finished with amber shellac and wax. I have the wood picked out for the oak chest and should be starting that this weekend.
> 
> http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-4-viking-chest-in.html


Excellent. What does the symbol mean?


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *Pine version done.*
> 
> Pine box is done, finished with amber shellac and wax. I have the wood picked out for the oak chest and should be starting that this weekend.
> 
> http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-4-viking-chest-in.html


Thanks, those are my initials in the ancient Druidic tree language.

More about it here:
http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/03/maker-mark.html


----------



## kiefer (Feb 5, 2011)

wormil said:


> *Pine version done.*
> 
> Pine box is done, finished with amber shellac and wax. I have the wood picked out for the oak chest and should be starting that this weekend.
> 
> http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-4-viking-chest-in.html


That looks good and its finished.
The pine will turn a nice amber colour in a while and get that nice patina that gets better and better .
I like the carved symbol that looks cool and certainly adds to the box .
I love pine and added my symbol in Japanese to all my posts because that is just such a nice way to make a mark on your work . symbol for pine *松*


----------



## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

wormil said:


> *Pine version done.*
> 
> Pine box is done, finished with amber shellac and wax. I have the wood picked out for the oak chest and should be starting that this weekend.
> 
> http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-4-viking-chest-in.html


Looks good Dude!


----------



## doubleDD (Oct 21, 2012)

wormil said:


> *Pine version done.*
> 
> Pine box is done, finished with amber shellac and wax. I have the wood picked out for the oak chest and should be starting that this weekend.
> 
> http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-4-viking-chest-in.html


Looks great Rick. I think you started something with this tree language. I may have to look it up again and add my DD to my signature.


----------



## Mahdeew (Jul 24, 2013)

wormil said:


> *Pine version done.*
> 
> Pine box is done, finished with amber shellac and wax. I have the wood picked out for the oak chest and should be starting that this weekend.
> 
> http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-4-viking-chest-in.html


Looks good Rick. Go gete'm.


----------



## doordude (Mar 26, 2010)

wormil said:


> *Pine version done.*
> 
> Pine box is done, finished with amber shellac and wax. I have the wood picked out for the oak chest and should be starting that this weekend.
> 
> http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-4-viking-chest-in.html


Nice looking box. Didn't know there was a tree language. but it looks good…


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

wormil said:


> *Pine version done.*
> 
> Pine box is done, finished with amber shellac and wax. I have the wood picked out for the oak chest and should be starting that this weekend.
> 
> http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/2014/05/viking-chest-part-4-viking-chest-in.html


Thanks everyone. There probably won't be any or many updates on the upcoming oak version until it's done because it will appear as a how-to article on someone else's website but I'll post another blog entry with a link to that article when it's done.


----------

