Lost Art Press

Children of the Chest

Posted on by Lost Art Press

One of the unexpected benefits of writing two books on workbenches has been that hundreds of woodworkers have sent me photos of their benches along with notes about the construction process and things they dislike and like about the form they chose.

And now the process is beginning again with tool chests.

This June I taught a class in Germany on building the chest from “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest.” It was a miracle that anyone took the class. When the class at Dictum was announced, my book hadn’t been released. And who in Europe has room in their shop for a traditional tool chest?

The 11 woodworkers who tool the class at Dictum’s shop came from all over Europe; we even had one guy from Chicago! While I’ve had a lot of great classes, this group was particularly special, and we have kept in touch through the longest e-mail thread I have ever participated in.

And now some of them are beginning to send me photos of their chests. This weekend I got a couple from Brian Eve, a former U.S. serviceman who now runs a kindergarten in Bavaria. Brian brought a lot of tools to the class from the United States that the Europeans had never seen (one of big advantages of having an APO box in Europe).

He had an awesome Bad Axe saw and a crazy dovetail saw. It was a beautiful Spear & Jackson saw that Mark Harrell at Bad Axe had reworked by replacing the sawplate. It looked odd at first – a 200-year-old saw with a shiny sawplate. But Brian loaned it – and all his tools – to the other students, and so everyone got to try tools from all over the globe.

Here’s what Brian wrote about the state of his chest:

“Here are a couple of shots of the current state of my chest. I got the hinges installed today, and I feel confident that I probably won’t have to burn it now. It’s far from done, but beginning to look like a tool-chest-shaped object.

“I almost stopped after two hinges, but decided that now I have the hang of it, I really should take the time to do the third. I am glad I did. It feels much more stable and substantial that way.  At least that is what I think now that it’s done.

“I’m off to buy some more wood for the guts tomorrow; I need some pine and oak. Or, I could just use some of the bits and pieces that I have been carting around forever waiting for that perfect project. What do you think, Spanish cedar tills, curly maple bottoms, figured ebony runners and some claro walnut for the saw till?”

I hope Brian is just messing with me there.

And to reward those who have read this far I have a small piece of news I’ll be announcing in the coming weeks. Because of my job change, my wife and I have reconsidered my decision to forgo all teaching in 2012.

Soon I’ll be announcing a very limited number of classes in 2012, including at least one on building this chest at Kelly Mehler’s school next summer. Stay tuned.

— Christopher Schwarz

16 thoughts on “Children of the Chest”

  2. I was wondering if you would be teaching again after leaving the editor’s job. I truly hope you can teach the toolchest class at the Connecticut Valley School of Woodworking, or maybe up in Maine. It’s a class I’d love to take, especially if it was close to home.

    I’ll see you at Lie Nielsen for the layout square class in a couple of weeks.

  3. I agree with John – would love to have you back to the NE for a class in 2012. Unfortunately I couldn’t make the class here this year (3rd child just born) – but I’m ready for 2012!

  5. With the right timing for courses, I may have to take a course in 2012 now that you’re back on the circuit.

  7. I really don’t know how to turn the grin on my face into words. Thank you Mrs. Schwarz.

    1. I’ve done a few West Coast classes — in fact I’m off to Jim Tolpin’s school next month.

      The problem with teaching on the West Coast is it’s expensive to fly — that either flushes the school’s profit on a class or mine. And it costs an extra $200 or so to ship tools.

      Maybe when we buy the Lost Art Press private jet….

      1. I second the suggestion for a west coast class. How about a workbench or toolchest class? Maybe the cost of the airfare and shipping can be divided between the students?

      2. I don’t know about a Lost Art Press private jet but I bet we could pony up and get you a “vintage” Chevy station wagon. Thinking 1970’s Brady Bunch. You can even make your very own wood panels!
        Seriously a west coast class would be very nice 🙂 Perhaps if you group a few together it could help offset the cost of airfare/shipping or maybe if you had a list of tools they could be set up here for you, now that we don’t need so many!

  9. I’m getting my tool kit sharpened and together for next week’s class at CT Valley School of Woodworking. Looking forward to making a little ‘school box’ which I hope will give me the skills to tackle a true tool box. I’m still not sure how I am going to get all my tools up there…

    1. joecrafted –

      I have shipped my tools from California to Kentucky several times for classes. Every time I ship them as checked baggage TSA opens, inspects, and improperly rewraps them, leading to damage. I’ve had much better luck with UPS, but then I need to send them a week early and it costs.

      My nickel’s worth of free advice,
      Chuck

  10. Hey, Chris, just come as far west as Kansas City or Little Rock, and those of us in Oklahoma can be happy campers…er…sawyers.

  11. I’m wondering if this might be the wall cabinet equivalent of the Anarchist’s Tool Chest. Sorry I couldn’t edit out the guy in the plaid shirt.

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