Of all the photographs of tool chests that have landed in my inbox since the summer, this one is my favorite so far.
Not because it’s a fairly faithful version of the chest I built from “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest,” but because of the differences added by the maker, Jim Burton, an adjunct professor of art at the University of North Texas and a Libra.
Some of changes that Burton made are obvious: He built a sawtill in the lid for his bowsaw – a nice touch for an awkward-to-store tool. My solution was to break down the bowsaw into its components and store it in the drawer.
Other touches require a second look. He painted the inside rim of the chest’s lid. I wish I had done that; it frames the lid’s interior and makes it look more finished. Many of you will also clap your hands like you’re starring in “Romper Room” when you see what Burton did in the sawtill area inside the chest. Yes, he has a toggle for a backsaw. I remain too lazy/busy to do this myself. I just slide my backsaws between my panel saws, toe down. It ain’t elegant, but it is also inelegant.
Burton, who enjoys long bike rides and sci-fi movies, used white oak for the bottom boards of the chest, which is a smart move if your chest will ever encounter water – white oak resists rot quite well.
Thanks to Jim (and his wife who took the photos) for sharing photos of his chest. It takes guts to show your work in public.
— Christopher Schwarz
That one bad@@@ tool chest
I agree, it does take guts to share your work or any part of yourself in public. I thank Jim for sharing his work and I thank Chris for sharing both his work and such a large part of his self. We all benefit.
Nicely done Jim!
That does look quite nice.
Is the finish milk paint with a clear glossy top coat or what?
Thanks for the compliments, all! The finish is milk paint with two coats of tung oil, followed by two coats (so far) of paste wax.
I’m glad to see another Dentonite with a passion for traditional woodworking. Great work, Jim.
Oooh, La la, Sassoon, that’s a nice toolchest.
Jonathan
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I did clap my hands. Lovely work!
Mighty fine looking chest there Jim.
Eric
Looks great, Jim. I’m just finishing up my box and starting to design the insides. I’m still puzzled over why the saw till needs to be so tall (just barely) that it impedes the travel of the third tray. I’m thinking I’m going to drop my till down and use the front 1-1/2 inches for vertical storage of my dovetail and other short saws. I can fit 4 saws along the front easily, and a square.
Nice dimensioning of your top tray so as to leave room to attach the chain for your top!
Max, I was wondering that myself. It seems like a no-brainer to lower the till just a little and enable the lower tray to slide forward, making access easier.
Maybe I’m missing something but it appears to me that with both the first and second drawers pushed back you have full access to the third drawer, but I guess the idea would be to have access to all three drawers at once if the saw till we’re lowered. I was wondering, if all three drawers are pushed back, how do you open the second drawer without having to open either of the others? Maybe that’s not a big deal. Good questions though, and a really nice chest. I hope mine turns out as good.
Jim
Oops, I meant trays instead of drawers. Must be getting late.
It seems the backsaw wouldn’t fit like that if the bottom tray slid all of the way forward.
I notice the bench planes at the bottom are all touching each other. Can this not cause a problem in terms of rust and/ or them dinging each other?
Wow, a beautiful tool chest, Prof. Jim. Congratulations.
A question for Chris: What would you think of using quadrant hinges to restrain the lid, instead of the chain?
The bead around the top edge of the chest is a really nice touch. I can’t see it making it through the travail of ages without being eventually damaged away, but for 20 or 30 years it’s going to be lovely.
I don’t like the chain – not in this chest or in Chris’s original. It looks music boxy or toyish. I’ll have to use something else instead.
Beautiful work though – wax on paint is a wonderful finish that noone (hardly) ever does.
Beautiful work, I love the look of the finish on this chest. Mr. Schwarz is right though, it does take courage to show your work in public, however, If mine looked like this I wouldn’t hesitate!
What’s the fully loaded weight on one of these? I wonder if it could be lifted into a pickup bed without having to pick vertebrae off of the ground.
Beautiful chest you have built. I especially like the detail with the small beading between the lid and the upper skirt.