# Dutch Tool Chest



## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

*Design Considerations*

The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.

Now I have planes in tills, saws in tills, chisels and other hand tools hanging on the walls, and just a bunch of other tools sitting in a tool tote haphazardly. There's a place for everything, but my whole system just doesn't make sense. Thus, the need for better organization got me starting to think about tool chests, but also the desire to separate my finer, more used tools from the others. For instance, I have seven or eight back saws, but primarily use three of them. I own dozens of bench planes, but I usually only grab for one of about five frequently used planes. Building a tool chest will help make the whole process of which tools to use slightly more efficient. Yet what turned out to be the ultimate motivating factor was that many of my planes, sitting in their open till, were starting to show signs of rust, which makes it imperative to get them into an enclosed box of some sort.

Many people here are familiar with Chris Schwarz and his book, The Anarchist's Tool Chest, which I would crudely describe as being one part memoir, one part hand-tool apologetic, and one part tool chest design and instruction. Here's the traditional-style tool chest which he builds in that book:









[source]

I was never fully convinced that this is what I needed in my situation, especially since real estate in my one-car garage is very limited. Yet when Chris Schwarz was at the Highland Woodworking Hand Tool event back in February and he brought with him his newly crafted smaller "Dutch tool chest."









[source]

To be honest, I don't know much about Dutch tool chests, their provenance, history, and prevalence, but in terms of style they really appealed to me. I was especially attracted the one that Schwarz brought with him to Atlanta. I've seen Schwarz' larger Dutch tool chest and liked some of the features of that one as well.









[source]

See also, the accompanying YouTube video:






What I like first and foremost about these Dutch tool chests is the accessibility of all the tools in the top section: planes, saws (big and small), and smaller hand tools. Compare this to a traditional tool chest which may hide many of those critical tools underneath sliding tills that tend to get in the way. In the Dutch tool chest, the tools that are used less frequently can be placed in the lower shelf/shelves accessible from the front. The Dutch tool chest also appeals to me aesthetically. Here's a beautiful example of an older tool chest:









[source]

*Here's What I'm Doing*

My own design of the tool chest fits somewhere in between the smaller and larger Dutch tool chests built by Schwarz. Honestly, I don't know the exact dimensions of his tool chests, but mine will be based on need. First, I wanted to fit a few of my larger planes in there, including a jointer plane, and my larger hand saws, including my D-7 ripsaw which is about 31" long with the handle. I also liked the idea of including a smaller shelf for items that site flat such as a bow saw (for this idea I credit the Frontier Carpenter ). My tool chest doesn't need to be as small as Schwarz's because I don't lug my tools around the country, thus I'm adding some casters on the bottom to make it easier to move around in my garage. Also, unlike the Anarchist's tool chest, this one will not be a demonstration of fine joinery. I'm hoping to be done with it sooner rather than later and so I'll be using screws for most of the joints. The hardware will probably be on the cheaper side as well. Lastly, like Schwarz, I'm building it out of light, white pine in order to keep the weight and price of it fairly low.

I don't have any fancy plans for it, just some crude drawings, so I don't think I'll be posting any sketch up drawings or anything like that. I think Schwarz plans on writing an article on the Dutch tool chest in an upcoming issue of Popular Woodworking, so there will be much better information contained in that, I presume.

The next blog will start walking through some of the construction. Questions and comments are welcome as always.


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## Boatman53 (May 21, 2012)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


Looks like a good start Brandon. The are interesting tool chests I'll be thinking about your project this afternoon. 
Jim


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## lysdexic (Mar 21, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


Interesting. I thought you were considering a wall hanging cabine?


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


Yes, I had considered making a hanging wall cabinet, but I really don't have the space for one in my garage because there's something parked at every open space on the floor against the wall, which makes accessing a wall cabinet very difficult.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


I'm glad to see someone pursuing a Dutchmen's Cabinet. This will fun to watch!


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## Woodwrecker (Aug 11, 2008)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


Good luck with it Brandon.
I hope it works out to your liking.


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## phtaylor36 (Jun 13, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


I like this idea MUCH better than the original tool chest. Just seems like a box with nifty sliding tills…this on the other…this has me thinking.


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## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


Sweet, are you going with the angled top too? To me, that aspect seems like a benefit and detractor all at once. Benefits seem like it will give added space inside, easier to reach in, and keep you from piling things on top of it, thus restricting access. Detractor…since it is angled, I can't pile stuff on the top. With a work area like mine, I am always looking for space to set crap down. : )

Looking forward to seeing more.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


Shane, yes, I'm definitely going with the angled top and to me that's one of the benefits because whatever horizontal surfaces exist in my shop get covered with clutter.


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## CL810 (Mar 21, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


I'm really glad you're doing this. I too was intrigued by Schwarz's Dutch chest when I saw it in Highland's video and have been thinking about it a lot..

Did you consider making two chests - the smaller one with the angled top sitting on top of a chest? That would enhance portability while allowing for more shop storage.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


Cl810, this is a good suggestion and I actually did consider doing this. I think if my rip saw wasn't so big, I would have made a smaller chest and a mobile base for it with a drawer in it. I still may do this, but I first want to see how much I like using the tool chest before building apparatuses for it.

Also one more thing I like about the angled lid is how inviting the tool chest when it's open. It just says, "come and take a look!"


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


A few things I noticed.

1.Chris overstuffed his chest around the joinery saw till. This is really evident when he puts the tenon saw back. 
2. The angled top makes all the tools much more visible.
3. You have to do a deep squat to get to the lower storage (on the traditional chest it's more of a light bend and you can lean on the chest wall when you do it).
4. The Panel Saw set up has to wrap around the saw plates or the saws would fall out when the lid was closed. This means that you have to factor in clearance on the side of the chest to pull out your saws. 
5. The Dutch chest takes up less room and seems easier to move around. 
6. The lid construction is MUCH simpler than the Anarchist's tool chest.
7. The Dutch chest has a better place for chisels than the traditional chest.
8. Leather cozy for the block plane…nice.

Overall, I think when it comes down to it tool storage is a bit like the workbench. There are a lot of forms that are trying to attempt the same goal, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. What matters is that you get one built that suits you and accomplishes the following:

1. Keeps your tools safe and sharp.
2. Organizes your tools so they can be either retrieved or returned quickly.

Thanks for sharing this, I enjoyed it. Hope you build an awesome place for your tools.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


Ryan, your observations are spot on. I confess that I hadn't really thought about the accessibility of the panel saws needing clearance on either side of the box. I may have to rethink their location or how they're attached.


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


I was actually thinking about that on my way to work and had an idea. What if you built the chest so that the back was full depth (I mean a gaping hole from the top all the way to behind the lower shelves. There would be a dividing space between this hole and the top box, still giving you a space for your you chisels/planes/whatnot, but in the back you would have a place where you could put 3 rails with 1/2" gaps in between so you could slide saw plates in there and they would hang by the handles. Then you just needs airspace above the chest to get to your saws.

This approach has drawabacks too of course (such as the possibility of chewing up your saw handles has you retrieve and, replace your tools). With some care and other dividers you could prevent this issue though.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


Ryan, that's an excellent suggestion. I wish I had thought of that before beginning my build. I'm already too far gone to include that.


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


Sorry sir.

Love to see current pics though.


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## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


Nice, I also think that Dutch tool chest is very attractive. Cant wait to see some progress shots.

You know I kind of like the Paul Sellers joiners chest he makes. More of a bench top version. I wouldnt mind making one of those one day.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


Pictures are coming. I'm basically done with the construction of the box, but still need to start work on the lid.

I just look up Seller's joiner's chest. I still need more storage and may go down that road as well.


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## CL810 (Mar 21, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


The more I watch Schwarz's video the more critical I think RG's #3 observation is. And it's just not the squatting, but getting low enough to see what you're reaching for. If you're going to have this a long time you will find that will become a much bigger issue then it is now. If that sounds like experience talking it's really my knees squawking.

It might come down to a trade off of squatting vs additional weight from drawers.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


CL810, it's a concern I agree, but here are a few thoughts: (1) I probably will store the tools I use less frequently on the bottom, or a least figure out a way so that they are oriented towards the front. (2) the shelf above it does not extend all the way to the front so I have a better line of sight toward the back of the bottom shelf. (3) I may also make a base for it at the very bottom, which would raise the current bottom shelf to be about a foot off the ground and the contents of the base would pull out of a drawer; we'll see about that one.

Good thoughts, guys.


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


The gears keep turning on me for this one.

Two major plus sides.

Less Material overall.
No Sliding tills means you can get away with things being a bit more out more out of square.

I'll be honest, the debate between this chest and the one I am building now would have went on for some time in my mind. I am really excited to see how yours comes out.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


Earlier today I added another post to this blog and it can be found here: http://lumberjocks.com/BrandonW/blog/35391


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## Witte (Apr 25, 2019)

BrandonW said:


> *Design Considerations*
> 
> The topic of tool chests has been quite polarizing on lumberjocks.com. The benefits, some would argue, are that they protect the tools, efficiently store them, cause one to think about what tools are absolutely necessary (i.e., getting back to the basics), and last of all, provide the woodworker with somewhere to sit. Others see tool chests as antiquated storage devices that were theft deterrents in their age and provided some mobility to those who worked on job sites, rather in their own shops or garages. They say that compared to drawers or wall cabinets tool chests are essentially difficult to use since one has to bend down to find the tools in the dark tool chest. Still others would say it's just a matter of taste or aesthetic. For me, I didn't really see much of an advantage to tool chests, especially since I was relatively new to hand tools and was still putting together a basic set of tools.
> 
> ...


I am a shipwright from the Netherlands and would like to know the history of the Dutch toolbox . I have never seen a toolbox like that in the Netherlands , for me it looks like a typical shop toolbox because it's very uneconomic to trans port because of it's shape and also because the tools in the bottom part lay loose . I am retired now but during my working life I had to travel a lot and if I look at all the boxes I would be scared to travel with them , they all look so shiny , mine was scratched and battered and was litterly to hold and protect my tools !


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

*Building the Carcass*

So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.

Here's the basic box without the shelves and bottom install:










The middle shelf, seen here, does not protrude all the way to the front of the cabinet. I designed it this way so that when I look into the bottom shelf the contents in the back would be a bit more visible from a higher angle.










And here it is with the bottom installed:










This is the glue-up of the front "door" piece (not sure what else to call this). The pieces are ship lapped.










I decided to paint the whole thing a dark green. Actually the name of the color is "evergreen bough." I was debating between a green and a blue and ultimately liked this color best. Yes, I used latex and not milk paint, primarily because latex is inexpensive and easily available in whatever color I need.










I put these runners on the inside of the door in order to hold the door in place and to align it, although the locking strips (see below) must be in place to keep the door on.










The door stays in place with these brackets that hold piece of wood which can be slid in from the top. This keeps the whole door tight against the cabinet. The brackets are made out of jatoba so that they'll be nice and strong.










This shows the locking mechanism for the door from the top of the tool chest. I used beech for the strips of wood that lock the door in place.










My largest saw, sitting inside the top section of the tool chest. I'm still running through a few different ideas of where to put the larger hand saws and how to do it, and so I'm still open to suggestions at this point.










Thanks for looking!


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


Brandon, this is looking like a great piece of work! I like the different woods, and I like the paint (Surprise!) in particular. Congrats on taking the plunge in the first place, re: the dutchman. The discussion has been interesting to follow thusfar; there's quite a bit about this form I find compelling. Higher on top, smaller overall footprint, inviting are a few things in it's favor.

Keep us updated!


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## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


Looking good Brandon.

Did you get a new TS? Looks like a PM in the background, thought you had the Rigid…


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## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


Its looking great man and I think the latex paint looks perfect.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


Smitty, thanks for the comments. I thought you'd like the paint, too.

Shane, no new TS. I still have the R4511, but I'd definitely take a PM if someone has an extra one. 

Mauricio, yeah I get the latex from Home Depot. It's only $2.99 for a sample size in whatever color you need. I bought two of those and will have plenty of paint left over.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


looking good.


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


I like the choice on the paint, it will still show the grain and the knots thorugh it over time. That green is a great classic color.

The design reminds me of a job box with the angled lid. Can i suggest hydraulic or pnuematic pistons on it to keep it from inadvertantly crashing down on your melon while digging for tools at the bottom. No quicker way to ruin a day than taking a shot to the ole noggin. Lord knows ive taken way too many (obviously).


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


This answered a lot of questions about the construction on this style of chest for me, thanks.

How many full length saws are you planing on putting in there? Actually knowing all the saws might prove handy.

our saw kit really does to a lot to dictate the remaining space (recent experience on my tool chest talking here).

Great looking work so far.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


Thanks guys. Sorry to hear about your experiences, Stef.

Ryan, I only plan on putting two full length saws-- one rip and one cross cut. I haven't given up on the idea of attaching them to the lid, but I'd do it differently than Schwarz did his since I want to be able to pull them out from the top of the opened door. Another option would be to put them either in the top of the box or on that small shelf in the lower section and put a bow saw on the lid. I don't own a bow saw yet, but will probably soon.


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## 489tad (Feb 26, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


I've never seen a Dutch Tool chest before. I like it.


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## Dakkar (Feb 14, 2013)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


The Dutch tool chest is new to me, too, but I like the idea. The slanted lid makes a lot of sense. Good work, Brandon.


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


If mounting to the lid you could probably use a turnbuckle to prevent the saws from falling out of your slots (think wooden wing-nut). If it were me I would put the saws in a till on the top of the back of the chest and I would try to parse out a space below that for odds and ends (but this would make chisel storage harder…perhaps, put them behind the saws?). If I did this I would cleat in a small shelf below the saws to protect the teeth from the tools below (and vica versa)

Bowsaws are a [email protected][email protected] to store. What syle (use) are you looking at getting?


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


Thanks guys, like I said in the previous post, I didn't know anything about the Dutch style tool chest either until this past February. But then I sort of just knew I was going to be making one.

Ryan, I wanted to start out with one of the Gramercy saw kits, then eventually getting a larger bow saw as well.

I really need to layout all my chisels and stuff to see what would go in that back section of the top.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


Really nice looking Brandon. The only observation I have at this point is to consider making the locking strips in such a way that they can do double duty as winding sticks. That is if you use winding sticks.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


That's a great idea, Bondo. I hadn't even thought of that.


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## CL810 (Mar 21, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


Looking good Brandon. Perfect color.

This may be a stupid question, but how do you follow a blog? I clicked on watch in part one but did not receive a notice that part two had started. Just happened to stumble on it.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


Thanks Clayton. I think the "watch" only works for the single blog post. If you want to follow the blog, you would have to subscribe to the RSS feed (which may not be worth it for you) or just check back on my home page here. The next post will be about the lid, which I just got done gluing a little while ago.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


A good idea with blogs is to add a post to this installment, Brandon, to tell folks watching that the next one is up….


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


Thanks, Smiitty. I'll add a comment to the last post.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


It's a work around, but seems to help.

Sure like this build.


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## lysdexic (Mar 21, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


I am partial to green.

Cl810, if you "buddy" Brandon you should get an email with every new blog post. I know it is a lot to ask :^)


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## Boatman53 (May 21, 2012)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


That's looking good Brandon. Love the color. 
Jim


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


I do like this better than a normal style chest. It will be interesting to see how it works out.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Building the Carcass*
> 
> So I've manage to build the carcass for the tool chest. Its footprint is about 33" wide by 15" deep. In terms of height, the front of the tool chest is about 23" tall and in the back it is about 31" tall. The size is a bit bigger, at least in terms of width, than the Schwarz design, but again I designed it based on the width of my ripsaw. Here are some photos of the progress so far.
> 
> ...


Looks good. I wasn't sold on tool chests until seeing Chris' Dutch chest in person, this summer I hope to build one. As for following blogs, I requested that feature awhile back and hopefully it will happen.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

*The Lid, Handles, and Casters*

I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.










And here are the end pieces with the mortises already in place. I cut the mortises on my TS.










Glued together:










I planed the whole thing flat then squared it up. To square it up, I planed down the protruding breadboard end pieces, then ran the opposite side through the TS.










I drilled a 3/8" hole and inserted a couple of walnut dowels on each end. I'm not sure if this was necessary, but I do like the look of the pins.










Cleaned up the pins with the Stanley 60 1/2 low-angle block plane.










Here's the unpainted lid attached to the top of the tool chest. The overhang is about an inch on the two sides, and I may plane down some of the width a little bit, but for now I'm leaving it the way it is.

You'll also notice that I added some casters to the bottom of the tool chest to make it a bit easier to move around. The casters are actually from a tool cart that my dad built which he used for on-site work. I'm glad I found a good use for them, plus they add a little reminder of my dad in the project as well.










These spade-shaped handles I saw at Home Depot and thought they fit the style of what I was going for. I installed them at an angle because I was picking up this chest and moving it around so the handle placement was convenient, but now that the tool chest has casters, I don't think I'll be picking it up much. I may move the handles later.










Here's the tool chest with the painted lid, casters, and handles. I'm pretty happy with it for being such a quick and dirty construction.










So for the next installment, I'll be addressing the storage issues inside the tool chest. Thanks for looking.


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## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Nice job man. Coming together nicely. I love me some breadboards.


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## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Sweet!


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Looking good. That will be a handy addition for you!


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Nice looking work there.


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


The lid is a tiny bit more complex than I initially thought, but i guess this would help readuce warping.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Thanks guys. Ryan, with respect to the lid, I was basically just copying what Schwarz did. I thought his looked good and so I went with it.


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## JayT (May 6, 2012)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Looking good, Brandon. After all the work doing the breadboard ends and walnut pegs for the lid, I was hoping that maybe you would find a way to show that off and not paint it. Oh well, it still looks very good. I like that you incorporated a bit of sentimental value with the casters.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


looking better and better each time!!


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## CL810 (Mar 21, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Great project Brandon!


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Thank you, all. JayT, the bottom of the lid is unpainted, so you can still see the wood grain orientation and the pins when the lid is open.


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## shampeon (Jun 3, 2012)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Nicely done. Looking at it, I want to put a pad of paper on the lid for sketching things or holding plans.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Did you get the sketches from Chris or just wing it? I know you changed the dimensions for your tools.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Very nice.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Rick, I just winged it. I never asked Chris for the dimensions, although he just posted the rough dimensions on his Lost Art Press blog: http://blog.lostartpress.com/2013/04/07/tool-chests-dutch-vs-english/


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Thanks, I missed his post. Chris mentioned he is writing an article on it that will be posted later this year and offered to email his sketches but I never took him up on it. Seems like something I could replicate from pictures.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Yes, it's supposed to be in the October edition of PopWood, which incidentally is published in August. I would recommend building it to your own specifications. I would say that mine seemed smaller on paper than it turned out being in real life.


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## mafe (Dec 10, 2009)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Looks really nice.
A room for loads of tools.
Best thoughts,
Mads


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## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Looking good Brandon.


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## DaddyZ (Jan 28, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Nice Chest Brandon !!


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## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *The Lid, Handles, and Casters*
> 
> I wanted to make the lid a breadboard to keep it nice and flat. I started with two boards of eastern white pine boards which I glued together, then added a stub tenons on each side.
> 
> ...


Looks great. Seems like it came together quickly for you too.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

*Tills and Thrills*

This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.










So now comes the fun part: figuring out how I'm going to fit all these tools into the upper section of tool chest. At this point, I'm not really concerned with my larger hand saws, my specialty planes, mallets etc., but most of the smaller hand tools. It seems like a lot of tools, but if it's organized correctly, it shouldn't be a problem.










First off are the back saws (the dovetail, carcass, and tenon saws). I followed a similar design found in tool chests except I angled the top of the till to match the angle of the lid opening on the tool chest. Here are the saws in a test on the workbench:










And here they are in the tool chest:










I initially was going to string a single board about two inches wide from the left side of the chest to the right that would most of my chisels, marking knifes, awls, files, rasps, and screwdrivers. The problem with this was that some tools had longer handles and others had longer business ends. This made it impossible to use a single board because some tools would bottom out on the shelf and others would hit the lid with their handles. So I decided to group similar tools together. The first of which were the chisels. What I did was make two rows for the chisels set at different heights to make them easier to access. The longer chisels are in the back. That's also a burnisher on the lower right end, but it fit nicely there.










Then I tackled was the marking and measuring tools. Here I have the square, the combo square, a couple of awls, a dovetail marker, a marking knife, a wheel marker, and a caliper (behind the marking knife).










Next up are the planes. I wanted to limit the number of planes and so I have a jointer (Bailey 7), a smoother (Sargent 409) and a Jack (either my Keen Kutter 5 or my Stanley SW 92, I can't decide). I also found a place for my Stanley 93, Stanley 60 1/2 and Stanley 9 1/2. I screwed in the dividers in place so they can easily be moved around if necessary.










The rasps, files, and screwdrivers were roughly the same size and thought a smaller tray would serve them well. I like the idea, but I can see a couple of drawbacks: first the tools might wear on each other, and second accessing the lower tools might be a little pain. The little tray is dovetailed and screwed in place so it's not going anywhere. It's only about 3 1/2" wide, which makes accessing tools below it easier.










A second, larger tray sits below the smaller tray, which is meant to hold miscellaneous hand tools. Like the first tray, this too is dovetailed, but is removable in case I want to take it out of the chest.



















And here is what the storage set up looks like all empty:










And all full:










This part was a lot of fun, trying to figure out how to fit everything in place while using the space as efficiently as possible. I'm sure others might have gone about things differently, but I'm pretty happy with the layout and hopefully this will help give someone some ideas for their own tool chest or wall cabinet.

I still need to figure out what I want to do with the larger saws. I still think its best to attach them to the lid, but as Ryan (RGTools) pointed out, the design that Chris Schwarz uses makes it necessary to have ample space on both sides of the tool chest to access the saws. I would like to be able to pull the saws out from the top, so if you have any ideas on that, I'm all ears.


----------



## BTimmons (Aug 6, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


You must be awesome at Tetris.


----------



## Mosquito (Feb 15, 2012)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


that is looking great!


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


Good layout takes time, I always end up switching something around. Not really a big fan of the fixed rasp tray but you never know, it might be perfect. This gets me thinking on how I will organize mine as I plan on working out of it, not pulling everything out in the beginning then putting it away.


----------



## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


Looks beautiful man! So much eye candy there, and its incredible how many tools you are able to fit in that top section.

I dont know how esthetically pleasing this would be but why not mount a couple of saws to the outside of the case? Or even onto the back? I mean you're not actually going to be traveling with this chest.


----------



## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


Dang, this thing is looking good. Amazing how much stuff you can get in there.


----------



## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


Dutch or otherwise that is a nice tool chest. I applaud you.


----------



## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


Brian, I'm pretty good at Tetris until it starts moving wickedly fast. I like to think about things a little more slowly.  In fact, I made not a few changes while fitting and testing the tills and trays.

Rick, I hear you on the rasp tray, but it works, and I couldn't think of an alternative that I like better.

Mauricio, No, I probably won't be taking my tool chest on the road, but I'm not sure fixing saws to the outside of it is a good solution given how much I've already banged the tool chest around in the shop and it's only been about a week!


----------



## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


Ah good point, so it does travel, just not outside of the shop.


----------



## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


I really like this design. I may convert mine to something similar. Will you have is set in a permanent location, or wheel it around?


----------



## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


Don, I have a couple of spots that I think I will prefer for it, but I do wheel it around I also store it in the adjacent laundry room just so it's behind one more locked door. That's where I've been storing most of my hand tools and smaller power tools, so having them in the tool chest actually brings the tools closer to where I'm working.


----------



## MonsDr (Apr 11, 2013)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


Brandon
Very nice chest. Placement of the longer saws seems to inspire discussion, so I'd like to feed a few of the thinkers. With the height of the back side if the chest, the longer rip and cross cut saws could be mounted vertically in the back, through the shelf and into the bottom section, with appropriate blade protection in the bottom. Or a horizontal till could be put there, or anywhere in the top section, even having the lid raise the saw till as it is opened. Wooden scabbards for protecting the saw blades could do double duty as the locking bars for the lower door. The saws would still be accessible from the top section. Or the saws could be mounted to the inside of the lower door itself, being easily accessible by just tilting the lower door slightly open when they are needed. That door doesn't have the problem of rotating the saws more than 90 degrees before they could be accessed and would still allow them to be removed vertically. The lower door locking bars would fit behind the saw blades. Just food for thought.
Now where to mount my light saber…


----------



## CL810 (Mar 21, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


Great work Brandon and thanks for the blog.

I'm not sure that you need the area to one side of the chest available to remove a saw. If you have a small "boot" for the tip of the saw to slip into first and a locking tote holder I think it would hold just fine.










If the piece inside the hole was sloped and each piece had a piece of leather or suede glued to it I think it would be more than sufficient to hold the saw.

Anyway, can't say with certainty that will work but it's what I'm planning to try out on mine. So, FWIW.


----------



## Dcase (Jul 7, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


Very cool


----------



## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


Well done BW! Looks like it holds all the goodies required. I do think that the lid needs some sort of adornment though.


----------



## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


MonsDr, welcome to Lumberjocks! I like the idea of hanging the saw vertically in the back, but I'm afraid it'd be way too much work to re-engineer the tool chest at this point. But it might be very helpful for something else wanting to do the Dutch tool chest from the start. I hadn't even thought about using the door as a place for the saws, I'll have to see if they'll fit and if it'd be practical. At the very least, that's a good spot for sticking a bow saw, when I get one. Thanks for the suggestion.

CL810, I do like the locking tote holders. Actually, I"ve already made them for the two saws, but haven't installed them yet. My only concern is that if I only support the saws from the two ends that they may sag, which probably isn't good. I think what I'll end up doing is adding some type of a middle support as well.

Stef, yes, I'm pretty sure that sign would be a great addition to the tool chest.


----------



## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


Another note on the rasps and files. I just have inexpensive ones. If I had forked out a nice chunk of change for a set of Ariou rasps, I'd be storing them differently.


----------



## Hammerthumb (Dec 28, 2012)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


Nice tool box Brandon. Hope it works well for you!


----------



## DaddyZ (Jan 28, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


How about attaching them to the Front Panel, Above the #7 Plane, should be room for at least a couple of saws


----------



## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


I had that thought too, DaddyZ, but they won't fit there, even without the jointer plane there.


----------



## DaddyZ (Jan 28, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


Think outsdie the box - back panel


----------



## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


DaddyZ, like I told Mauricio, I don't think they'd do well outside of the box. If you're only meaning that metaphorically and referring to the inside back panel, then that's probably not a good option either because I already have all my tools there in place as seen in the photos above.

As to the suggestion about placing the saws on the inside of the front door, well, it looks like it'd fit:


----------



## Boatman53 (May 21, 2012)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


I know just what you're going through with the Tetris mind shifting of all the tools. 
As to the saws how about a hinged panel that is screwed to the lid, with the saws sandwiched between the lid and the panel. Saws would be totally protected and supported. I little turn button at the top (when open) to lower the panel and access the saws.
Jim


----------



## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


You know what they say in Netherlands, "if it ain't Dutch, it ain't much". Nice looking tool chest. I researched the terms carcass and carcase as I too have seen it written both ways. I used two sources, Merriam Webster online dictionary and Random House College Dictionary. Neither acknowledges carcase as real word, although Merriam Webster says it is British variant of carcass. So carcass it is, unless you are a British variant.


----------



## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


Jim, I like that idea. I've already made the holders at this point, but I think your solution is a great one. Especially sine you can then put something on the panel and get more space.

Bondo, thanks for that info on carcass/carcase. Even though I'm somewhat of an anglophile, I'll stick to spelling it carcass.


----------



## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


How the heck did I miss this post?! Fantastic work here sir!. I think I have to build one of these for power tools, just because I need to make one…not because I need it.


----------



## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Tills and Thrills*
> 
> This is where we left off last time-- a basic carcass completed but no tools inside it yet. On a side note, do you prefer to spell it carcass or carcase? I've seen it both ways.
> 
> ...


Ryan, I'd love to see a power tools Dutch tool chest. It might have a little bit of an identity crisis though.


----------



## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

*The Larger Saws*

My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):









[source]

Here's another approach that attaches a saw to the lid:









[source]

What I opted for was a design that is more similar to the one in the second picture, but with mine one can pull out the saws with no lateral space needed. But enough of that, let's get to the photos. Here are the saws attached to the lid:










Here's the lid with the apparatus in place but no saws:










Saw handle:










The open tool chest:










Obviously one of the big considerations for me was that the design had to support the saws without letting them bow when hanging upside-down, and so each of the saws are supported on each end and in the middle. Also I had to fit both saws in such a way that I could still close the lid, and it barely clears in some places by around 1/8". My first attempt had a couple of issues with this and I had to rearrange things. You'll also notice that the middle support is off-center. I did this in case I want to attach a hasp to the inside of the lid. As usual, comments and questions are welcome.

On the next blog post I'll discuss a decorative component.


----------



## CL810 (Mar 21, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


Perfect! This will serve you well.


----------



## jap (Oct 10, 2012)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


nice job!


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


The saw solution in the lid is excellent, you should email pictures to Schwarz. Do the blade tips slide into a recess or just supported on a dado? Looks like they slide in but I can't tell for sure from the photos.


----------



## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


Great job. Nice tool chest!


----------



## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


Thanks, guys. Rick, the blades slide in to the "pockets" just shy of about 2". They are supported on three sides, so when the lid is either upside-down or right-side-up, they won't go anywhere. To get the saws out, you have to unlock the handles, pull the handle out, then slide the blade out.

I'm not sure what Schwarz would think of this design. I like how his has a pouch behind the saws, but I just didn't have the space for that.


----------



## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


And for what it's worth, I don't think this design is pretty at all. It's purely functional, which in a way makes it aesthetically appealing, but I think the till that Schwarz uses is a bit prettier.


----------



## terryR (Jan 30, 2012)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


Looking pretty sweet to me. Useful, and pleasing to view.

This is def what I need for my shop! Keep it up, Brandon!


----------



## JayT (May 6, 2012)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


Functional has a beauty all its own. Looks good Brandon, and you even have some extra room in the bottom compartment to add more tools in the future or for specific projects.


----------



## lysdexic (Mar 21, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


Quite clever.

Schwarz is all about being pretty.


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


Brandon, I'm sure he'd appreciate that it works better for you. Whether or not he would like it better than his own is irrelevant.


----------



## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


Great solution there, Brandon.


----------



## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


Brilliant solution Brandon! The chest is looking great!


----------



## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


I'm loving this blog Brandon. I suppose Chris Schwarz's version could be used to house other saws too if he decided to put a Disston panel saw in there and leave one of his LN saws at home, whereas your method is restricted to the two saws you currently have mounted, or at least the same make and model of saw. Not that there is anything wrong with that, just something that occurred to me as I was studying the photos.

I also found myself comparing the two designs from the point of view of how they would support the saws after they had been sharpened a number of times and the depth of plate reduced. With Chris's design, he will have to add a wedge of wood to the top of the slots to ensure the saws aren't pushed in further than he currently has them. He will have to make it a tight fit otherwise gravity will mean it will keep falling out. With your design you will have to add a wedge to the bottom of the toe holder mortise otherwise the whole weight of the saw will be on the handle fixing. I think your solution will work better over time. Nice job!


----------



## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


Brit, when I saw Schwarz' tool chest he had different saws in the brackets with about an inch or so extra space but storing them teeth up keeps them from sliding around.


----------



## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


This looks awesome, glad you figured out a good way to remove the saws without the lateral space, that can be tricky. The shaping on the handle hold is a nice touch.

I did want to coment on the "traditional" drawing though, did you notice that the chisels peirce the top shelf? Kind of nifty as far as getting the edges out of the way, but it would make identifying widths pretty hard. I don't know about you guys, but I rarely pick my chisel by number, I go by sight as I work.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


Not to mention slicing your hand on a chisel when you go to grab a tool from the shelf.


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## jeffbranch (Feb 20, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


Nice tool chest. I was drawn to your post because of the photo I took at Highland Woodworking in Atlanta when Chris Schwarz had it on display. It is the first photo that appears in your blog post. You can see my original photo here…

http://wp.me/p1yTQx-11k

Note the copyright information on my blog.


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## kenaucre (Sep 11, 2015)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


they saw imitation is the greatest form of flattery. My saw plates should be in the mail in the next few weeks, I might have to incorporate this into my design. Nicely done, sir.


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## BeardedBubba (Jun 5, 2013)

BrandonW said:


> *The Larger Saws*
> 
> My goal on the Dutch tool chest was to incorporate a space for two larger saws in the design. Like Chris Schwarz's Dutch tool chests, I was determined to locate the saws on the lid, yet what I didn't like about his design was that it required ample space on both sides of the tool chest to pull the saws out. I usually don't have much space on either side. Here's his design (and notice that you can't pull that bottom saw out without running it into that workbench on the left):
> 
> ...


I love this post and will definitely be using it to build my tool chest! Great job!


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

*Adding a Double-u on the Lid*

Warning: The letter W makes a lot of appearances in this post. If, for some reason you don't like Ws, then just move along.

I knew I wanted to add something decorative to the tool chest and my first thoughts were either a logo of some sort or a fancy word in ancient Greek or Latin (I'm a nerd like that). Since I don't have a logo yet, I ruled that option out. I came up with a couple of Greek or Latin words that I thought might be neat, but decided that would be too much effort. Instead I settled for a W, which could stand for my last initial, or wood(working), or Wunderbar, or who knows?

So, once I found a W that I liked, I enlarged it in Illustrator, made it an outline, then printed it. I attached the paper W to the lid with a little spray adhesive and then traced it with my marking knife. Here's the indention with the knife:










Then I took a chisel and scraped off the layer of paint that fell in between the lines:










And we're done:










I knew I wanted to paint it, and so I painted it orange. A couple of issues, since my chiseling wasn't consistent, the painted W looked like crap. Plus I didn't like the shade of orange that I used. I didn't even like it enough to snap a photo of it.

I decided to go back and relieve more of the W with my chisel in a consistent fashion. I was aiming for it to resemble the type of carving you'd find in an old woodcut. I never carve, but I think I achieved what I was going for.










So, I painted that a darker shade of orange:










And here's the complete tool chest with the W:










The only downside is if I have my lid open and someone approaches from the backside of the tool chest, they might think it's an M.










I know I like the W, but I'm not sure if I'm in love with it. Maybe it will get better with age, who knows?


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## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

BrandonW said:


> *Adding a Double-u on the Lid*
> 
> Warning: The letter W makes a lot of appearances in this post. If, for some reason you don't like Ws, then just move along.
> 
> ...


I think its cool! Nice work.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Adding a Double-u on the Lid*
> 
> Warning: The letter W makes a lot of appearances in this post. If, for some reason you don't like Ws, then just move along.
> 
> ...


I'm totally offended by the rampant use of dubyas in this post… Cheez…

^ Ditto, Mauricio: +1 to Nice and +1 to Cool.


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Adding a Double-u on the Lid*
> 
> Warning: The letter W makes a lot of appearances in this post. If, for some reason you don't like Ws, then just move along.
> 
> ...


I like it Brandon, i even liked the mispainted one with just hints of orange at the edges. I think in time, it will fade and you'll come to love that old school look. It just needs some dents and ding from being pulled around the shop. Time will take care of that for ya.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Adding a Double-u on the Lid*
> 
> Warning: The letter W makes a lot of appearances in this post. If, for some reason you don't like Ws, then just move along.
> 
> ...


Shane, I almost just left it with only the hints of orange, but then I got the urge for more paint. Perhaps I heard Smitty's voice in my head or something. Perhaps I'll get some real carving tools and attack it again.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Adding a Double-u on the Lid*
> 
> Warning: The letter W makes a lot of appearances in this post. If, for some reason you don't like Ws, then just move along.
> 
> ...


Well done, I like it.


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## 489tad (Feb 26, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Adding a Double-u on the Lid*
> 
> Warning: The letter W makes a lot of appearances in this post. If, for some reason you don't like Ws, then just move along.
> 
> ...


Thats a good looking W. If it were me I'd trim out the cut edge of the W in a very thin gold paint. Actually I would farm it out to someone that could paint an edge.


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## tsangell (Jan 10, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Adding a Double-u on the Lid*
> 
> Warning: The letter W makes a lot of appearances in this post. If, for some reason you don't like Ws, then just move along.
> 
> ...


Very cool. Nice blog series!


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## CL810 (Mar 21, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Adding a Double-u on the Lid*
> 
> Warning: The letter W makes a lot of appearances in this post. If, for some reason you don't like Ws, then just move along.
> 
> ...


Great build and a great blog!


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Adding a Double-u on the Lid*
> 
> Warning: The letter W makes a lot of appearances in this post. If, for some reason you don't like Ws, then just move along.
> 
> ...


I love it!!!! And you have finally got me off the fence as far as painting my tool chest.

Or have you?


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## rhybeka (Nov 8, 2009)

BrandonW said:


> *Adding a Double-u on the Lid*
> 
> Warning: The letter W makes a lot of appearances in this post. If, for some reason you don't like Ws, then just move along.
> 
> ...


Hi Brandon!

It's been four years ish since this build - anything you would change/recommend/etc to someone who's considering following in your footsteps and building the Dutch tool chest?


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

*Maximizing Space with Drawers*

It's been some time since my last blog post on this tool chest, but I've been making changes and using the tool chest for the past month, really putting it to the test.

I debated with myself for some time about what to do with the lower section of the tool chest. I liked the idea of having an open space (what I originally intended) because it's easy to grab tools as long as they are in my line of sight. However, it was not ideal because there was a lot of space wasted and it was hard to see all the way into that space.










On the nice tool storage thread, DonW suggested that I add a potato bin type of storage in the bottom. Though I liked the concept, I just wasn't sure it would have worked very efficiently given the physical dimensions of my existing tool chest, plus it would have caused me to think too much.

Here's an example of a potato bin storage cabinet (not mine):



It seemed to me that the best use of space would be to build a couple of drawers. Here's the view of the tool chest with the drawers:



















You've probably already noticed the funky designs on the the drawer fronts. These recesses are designed to accommodate the locking mechanism attached to the door. Also, instead of adding knobs or pulls to the drawer fronts, I simply bore holes to make it possible to open the drawers. In terms of construction, the drawers aren't anything fancy, just rabbet joints reinforced with cut nails. The simple design of the drawers is commensurate with the simple design of the tool chest.

Here's the top, more shallower drawer. It's nice for various hand tools, that didn't fit into the upper section of the tool chest. So far, I have a larger 2" chisel, a large rasp, a second DT saw, a folding ruler, bronze hammer, a spokeshave, a Stanley 80, and a marking gauge. The marking gauge is obscured because it is the same as the one I sent Dave for the tool swap.










And here's the bottom drawer. It's a bit deeper than the top one and is perfect for hand planes. Right now it's holding a 605, K5, butt mortise plane, Bailey 4, Bailey 4 1/2, 40 Scrub, 48 tongue and groove, Bailey 2, 220, 75, 101, and a 12.










Below the bottom drawer is a space for various items-a couple of mallets, a coping saw, a gents saw I hardly use, and a Stanley 71. I try not to hide too much under here.










Overall, I'm very satisfied with the functionality of the drawers, how much they hold, and how they keep things organized. I'm not fully satisfied with the organization of the top drawer yet, but I have a feeling I'll be tinkering around with it for some time. That said, I'm really happy using this tool chest so far.


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## Woodwrecker (Aug 11, 2008)

BrandonW said:


> *Maximizing Space with Drawers*
> 
> It's been some time since my last blog post on this tool chest, but I've been making changes and using the tool chest for the past month, really putting it to the test.
> 
> ...


If you are happy with it, that's all that matters.
Nice job.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Maximizing Space with Drawers*
> 
> It's been some time since my last blog post on this tool chest, but I've been making changes and using the tool chest for the past month, really putting it to the test.
> 
> ...


I really like this chest Brandon. Nice design and execution.


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## mochoa (Oct 9, 2009)

BrandonW said:


> *Maximizing Space with Drawers*
> 
> It's been some time since my last blog post on this tool chest, but I've been making changes and using the tool chest for the past month, really putting it to the test.
> 
> ...


Really cool, I love the contents of the bottom drawer. I could stare at that for a while.


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## CL810 (Mar 21, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Maximizing Space with Drawers*
> 
> It's been some time since my last blog post on this tool chest, but I've been making changes and using the tool chest for the past month, really putting it to the test.
> 
> ...


I really like the look of the drawer fronts. The nails are a perfect fit.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

BrandonW said:


> *Maximizing Space with Drawers*
> 
> It's been some time since my last blog post on this tool chest, but I've been making changes and using the tool chest for the past month, really putting it to the test.
> 
> ...


Very nice work a great looking tool chest.


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## RGtools (Feb 18, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Maximizing Space with Drawers*
> 
> It's been some time since my last blog post on this tool chest, but I've been making changes and using the tool chest for the past month, really putting it to the test.
> 
> ...


A very sweet addition you have made.


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Maximizing Space with Drawers*
> 
> It's been some time since my last blog post on this tool chest, but I've been making changes and using the tool chest for the past month, really putting it to the test.
> 
> ...


Thanks guys! I probably would have done things a little differently had I planned for drawers from the beginning, but that's what I get for sort of building this thing on the fly.


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## BigRedKnothead (Dec 21, 2012)

BrandonW said:


> *Maximizing Space with Drawers*
> 
> It's been some time since my last blog post on this tool chest, but I've been making changes and using the tool chest for the past month, really putting it to the test.
> 
> ...


I'm diggin it man.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Maximizing Space with Drawers*
> 
> It's been some time since my last blog post on this tool chest, but I've been making changes and using the tool chest for the past month, really putting it to the test.
> 
> ...


I'm thinking the bottom needs a conversion, too. A slat that pulls out, carrying the contents out into plain view. Getting at that stuff now has to be an exercise on hands and knees. But that said, it's a fine chest that looks awesome. Nice work w/ the drawers!


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## BrandonW (Apr 27, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Maximizing Space with Drawers*
> 
> It's been some time since my last blog post on this tool chest, but I've been making changes and using the tool chest for the past month, really putting it to the test.
> 
> ...


Smitty, that's an interesting idea. Honestly, I just have a few things in the bottom and their handles are in view, except for the gent's saw that I use never. I'm afraid if I add a pull-out at the bottom, the 71 won't fit any longer. But I could probably relocate that to what is now the bottom drawer.


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Maximizing Space with Drawers*
> 
> It's been some time since my last blog post on this tool chest, but I've been making changes and using the tool chest for the past month, really putting it to the test.
> 
> ...


Looks like a great shop project B Dub. I could use a handy roll around like that myself. Very solid work friendo.


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## AnthonyReed (Sep 20, 2011)

BrandonW said:


> *Maximizing Space with Drawers*
> 
> It's been some time since my last blog post on this tool chest, but I've been making changes and using the tool chest for the past month, really putting it to the test.
> 
> ...


Friggin awesome Brandon!


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## Brit (Aug 14, 2010)

BrandonW said:


> *Maximizing Space with Drawers*
> 
> It's been some time since my last blog post on this tool chest, but I've been making changes and using the tool chest for the past month, really putting it to the test.
> 
> ...


I just caught up on this blog series Brandon and I've got to say that Tony nailed it with FRIGGIN AWESOME!!!!

A brilliantly written and illustrated blog on a great addition to your shop. You'll be enjoying that tool chest for years to come. Thanks for a great read.


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## AnthonyHbm (Oct 12, 2013)

BrandonW said:


> *Maximizing Space with Drawers*
> 
> It's been some time since my last blog post on this tool chest, but I've been making changes and using the tool chest for the past month, really putting it to the test.
> 
> ...


Hello Brandon,

Thank you very much for posting your thought process on this functional project. I appreciate the time you took to catalog and share your steps as it'll help many, including me, design & build the chest of our dreams. You are a very meticulous woodworker, well done.

Now that some time has passed, have you made any further improvements to your design? I would love to see them, if you're willing to share.

Wishing you a creative and productive woodworking journey.

~Anthony


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