# Dutch Toolchest



## AnthonyHbm (Oct 12, 2013)

*Layout (Sorry this should be First)*

For three years I've been storing my woodworking tools in cardboard boxes. As I started relatively small, the box held most of my marking, layout and measuring tools. The planes were stored in the boxes they cam in. I knew I needed to build a toolbox eventually, but couldn't decide which style.

I liked FWW's Essential Tool Chest by Michael Pekovich because of its beauty, but I knew it would be too small for my needs. Next I looked at Christopher Schwarz Tool Chest. It was certainly large enough but I didn't like the idea of bending over to grab tools. Then I saw his take on the Dutch Tool Chest and felt as though this design was right for me.

I've scaled up the size to accommodate my tools and thought I'd share a little about how I came up with the options I chose to employ.

First, I spent quite a few weeks perusing the Web (Pintrest, Flickr, Instagram, etc.) for images of Dutch Tool Chests, recording the features and designs that most appealed to me aesthetically and pragmatically. I especially appreciated Jagebo's beautiful version because he employed a dust seal to keep out moisture. Equally, I was grateful for Brandon's exhaustive building blog. Thanks to the sharing of these two and numerous others, this is what I've come up with thus far.

I started, like Brandon, by laying out my tools to get and idea of the footprint I'd need on each shelf.



















I determined the size needed based on the #8 Jointer Plane and how I wanted to layout the planes on the main shelf. Here is a SketchUp drawing of the size that I required.


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

AnthonyHbm said:


> *Layout (Sorry this should be First)*
> 
> For three years I've been storing my woodworking tools in cardboard boxes. As I started relatively small, the box held most of my marking, layout and measuring tools. The planes were stored in the boxes they cam in. I knew I needed to build a toolbox eventually, but couldn't decide which style.
> 
> ...


So, you've laid out storage for all the tools you have today. By the time you get it built it'll be too small. Or are you planning to never buy another tool?

The way the old timers did it is they boxed items separately or in small groups. Then the chest was filled with boxes instead of everything in one giant tray








self centering hinge pilot drills in walnut









plane storage box with center bar to keep the blade from contacting the base

Then build a box to hold other boxes and more boxes for those boxes and on and on until your shop is in one big box! Sounds silly I know, but it works!

M


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## AnthonyHbm (Oct 12, 2013)

AnthonyHbm said:


> *Layout (Sorry this should be First)*
> 
> For three years I've been storing my woodworking tools in cardboard boxes. As I started relatively small, the box held most of my marking, layout and measuring tools. The planes were stored in the boxes they cam in. I knew I needed to build a toolbox eventually, but couldn't decide which style.
> 
> ...


Hello Madmark. Thank you for your comment and advise. Certainly there are wiser ways to go about this then I have chosen, but I had to make a choice that seemed best to me at the time. With experience comes wisdom…hopefully, but we must choose a starting point that best suits our current need and acceptable future growth all without blowing the budget. So taking the many constraints in mind, i.e. no dedicated workshop, limited budget, limited storage before I annoy my wonderful wife, I chose this option. 
To your point I did have some of the tools in temporary tool racks. Although I didn't have a photo of this, I laid them out on a sheet of plywood to understand the footprint I'd need to for the main shelf. 
I am grateful for the LJ community for its wisdom, support and encouragement in this fulfilling hobby/vocation.

Thanks again.


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## Tugboater78 (May 26, 2012)

AnthonyHbm said:


> *Layout (Sorry this should be First)*
> 
> For three years I've been storing my woodworking tools in cardboard boxes. As I started relatively small, the box held most of my marking, layout and measuring tools. The planes were stored in the boxes they cam in. I knew I needed to build a toolbox eventually, but couldn't decide which style.
> 
> ...


Looks like a nice build. Seems you built to roughly same scale as i did mine.


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## rhybeka (Nov 8, 2009)

AnthonyHbm said:


> *Layout (Sorry this should be First)*
> 
> For three years I've been storing my woodworking tools in cardboard boxes. As I started relatively small, the box held most of my marking, layout and measuring tools. The planes were stored in the boxes they cam in. I knew I needed to build a toolbox eventually, but couldn't decide which style.
> 
> ...


Nice job, Anthony! I'm contemplating one of these myself so I'll be interested in following your blog.  Still trying to decide if I want to do a tool chest or just hang everything on the wall. Good luck and godspeed!


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## AnthonyHbm (Oct 12, 2013)

AnthonyHbm said:


> *Layout (Sorry this should be First)*
> 
> For three years I've been storing my woodworking tools in cardboard boxes. As I started relatively small, the box held most of my marking, layout and measuring tools. The planes were stored in the boxes they cam in. I knew I needed to build a toolbox eventually, but couldn't decide which style.
> 
> ...


Hello rhybeka. Yes, I imagine that is a tough decision for many. For me, not having a dedicated shop made the choice simple. I think with a shop I'd make a wall tool storage with inspiration from FWW's Michael Pekovich, Jeff Miller, and others.


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## AnthonyHbm (Oct 12, 2013)

*The Case*

I built the case from the least expensive wood I could find locally, knotty white pine. I picked through the piles to find the clearest and/or most appealing boards. I bought three dressed 16ft x 12" x .75" boards and one rough sawn 12ft x 10" x 2" clear Yellow Pine board.

I cut the bottom and sides first then dovetailed them together. Next the 1/4" deep dados were cut for the main and lower shelves using a handheld router fitted with an up-cut spiral bit and guided by a shop-built dado jig. The front was also cut and attached. The back consists of seven tongue and groove panels with 3/16" beading detail on the tongue edge. They are spaced a credit card thickness apart to allow for seasonal expansion/contraction. All exterior fasteners are 2" countersunk, stainless steel robertson drive screws. Like Christopher Schwarz, I applied glue only to the front panel and upper back panels. If you're interested in his build you too can purchase his instruction video on Lie-Nielsen's site. 


















So now that the main structure was complete, I wanted to ensure that my tools would fit.


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## AnthonyHbm (Oct 12, 2013)

*Fitting the Tools*

I was eager to put my tools in the chest before sanding and finishing. I decided to use shop scraps to create holders to store my tools. I had already made crude holders for my saws, chisels, screwdrivers, rasps/files and marking tools. 
So I inserted these into the chest.










Once in place I began to find symmetry in laying out the remaining tools. Again I used scraps to make temporary holders to organize the tools. One by one, I added a tool or group of tools and imagined how I could maximize the storage space. I reconfigured the marking gauge/saddle square holder by keeping the saddles squares together and adding the gauges to the marking knives and dividers (sharp marking tools).

The Striking tools were next and coincidently both the dead blow and mallet fit neatly in the two opposite top corners. This left me with one remaining wall deep enough to hold the claw, tack and small ball peen hammers. The ball peen is so small and light I just affixed a rare earth magnet to the case to hold it in place.










At this point everything is still temporary and I did receive a couple new tools. Space is running out already on the main shelf, but it is so very nice having all my main tools in one unit. To move this heavy box around I quickly slapped some 2×4s together and attached four wheels. The wheels are small so I will upgrade them to larger 3 or 4" wheels.










Next up was building the lid and the drop front. As I earlier stated, I wanted the lid to have a dust seal and the reason is it is very humid and the air is usually salty. Everything rusts quickly in Bermuda. The dust seal is simply three strips on the bottom side of the lid. These will eventually mate with strips attached to the case, but even now the lid closes gently under a puff of escaping air. The lid is affixed with 13" Strap hinges purchased from Lee Valley. I must say fitting these was tricky. I think it might be smarter to mark the hinge positions before gluing on the upper chest front.










The drop front was next. I should have mentioned this earlier, but the depth of my chest is 16" and the boards I purchased were only 12" so I had to edge joint almost every piece in this case. I bought a Dewalt DW682K plate joiner with #20 biscuits to help me align and glue up these boards as quickly as possible. I've heard softwoods don't expand and contract as much as hardwoods. Will have to wait and see how these large panels work out over time. The drop-front is a fairly tight fit…again trying to keep the dust and salty moisture out. BTW, I habitually clean and oil my tools after each use. I use both Paul Sellers' oil soaked rag in a can and I use Jojoba oil each wipe down. I prefer the Jojoba oil because the film is less goopy, but either works just fine. For the batons, the locks and the cleats I used the harder yellow pine because they will experience considerable wear over time.




























And this is where I am thus far. Had to take a hiatus due to an unexpected physical problem, but once healthy again I'll press on to complete this gratifying project. Hope you enjoy.


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## SPHinTampa (Apr 23, 2008)

AnthonyHbm said:


> *Fitting the Tools*
> 
> I was eager to put my tools in the chest before sanding and finishing. I decided to use shop scraps to create holders to store my tools. I had already made crude holders for my saws, chisels, screwdrivers, rasps/files and marking tools.
> So I inserted these into the chest.
> ...


nice looking tool chest


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## htl (Mar 24, 2015)

AnthonyHbm said:


> *Fitting the Tools*
> 
> I was eager to put my tools in the chest before sanding and finishing. I decided to use shop scraps to create holders to store my tools. I had already made crude holders for my saws, chisels, screwdrivers, rasps/files and marking tools.
> So I inserted these into the chest.
> ...


Really nice project.
Please check out these casters when you get ready for new ones.
These slide like butter and have an out standing brake system.
http://www.lowes.com/pd/Waxman-3-in-Polyolefin-Swivel-Caster/50392288


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

AnthonyHbm said:


> *Fitting the Tools*
> 
> I was eager to put my tools in the chest before sanding and finishing. I decided to use shop scraps to create holders to store my tools. I had already made crude holders for my saws, chisels, screwdrivers, rasps/files and marking tools.
> So I inserted these into the chest.
> ...


Looks great and a lot of tools stored in a relatively small space. One nice thing about a tool chest is that it is portable so you can take it to where you are working, as they did in the old days. Nice tools by the way.


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## AnthonyHbm (Oct 12, 2013)

AnthonyHbm said:


> *Fitting the Tools*
> 
> I was eager to put my tools in the chest before sanding and finishing. I decided to use shop scraps to create holders to store my tools. I had already made crude holders for my saws, chisels, screwdrivers, rasps/files and marking tools.
> So I inserted these into the chest.
> ...


SPHinTampa, thank you for the encouragement. 
htl, I'm grateful for the kind words and the advise on wheels. I will try to find some similar, as Lowes doesn't have a store here. 
stefang, thank you for the compliment and yes it can hold a lot of tools. I believe I can get more in it once I organize the lower section better. This one is not so portable other than to wheel it in and out of the house. A smaller one would certainly fit the bill for portability.


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