A while back I sent you pictures of an old tool chest I was able to get, and I thought you might like to see the mostly finished chest. It was in rough shape and needed a lot of work. I have been diligently plugging away at it as best as one can who has two small boys and a full time job. Now I finally have it mostly done, am working out of it, and I think it looks pretty good considering what I started with. I hope this is not imposing too much but I sent you a video I made about the chest, this seemed the best way to show folks about it. Sorry about the larger file size, just let me know if you’d prefer a photo or two instead.
I feel like the chest is about 100 years old, based on the size and quality of the boards used in it, but I am only guessing. My feeling is that the original owner was more a carpenter than a joiner, and I suspect the sides are just nailed together under those metal plates. I had to repair the lock mortice, replace a missing portion of the rails that the tills slide on, repair the upper skirt, replace the casters, and, oh well you get the idea. I stripped as much of the paint as I could get out from the interior, and the wood is beautiful! The outside was repainted with Federal Blue milk paint and the hardware cleaned up.
Due to the depth of the lid I opted to store some tools there, and I may add a few more. My saw till tilts out so that the larger saws can be removed without any difficulty. I also made some gravity-actuated turn-buttons on the saw till to keep the saws from sliding out in the event the chest is jostled while closed. I am limited with the tills in that they are all the same depth, and one day I may make a new bottom till that is step-sided so that I can make it deeper. I am also a bit limited with the depth of the bottom area, as the moulding planes cannot be placed on their ends. I do plan on adding a dividing wall to the center of the main well to separate the space and hang some tools like my draw knife. I do like the little side latch, the finger recesses in the back wall, and the external lid support
Anyway, I just wanted to share my experience with you, since I blame you for getting this tool chest idea in my head (that is a good thing, though). I bought the ePub version of your book and I really enjoyed it, well done. I am in love with the tool chest idea – it is absolutely the best option I have in my very limited space, and I am enjoying working out of it. Thanks too for all you do for the woodworking community. On my recommendation the academic library that I work for has purchased some of the books from you at LAP and we are hopefully going to order “Mouldings in Practice” next. Keep up the good work and thanks again!
– Jason Stamper
Nicely done, Jason! What a wonderful tool chest. Looks terrific and it’s no doubt ready for many more decades of use.
bE
Great save Jason. I noticed the casters. Did you bolt them through?
Thanks guys, yea it was a good save. No I did not think to bolt the casters through, I might go back an change that later, seems like a good idea. The worst part of the project was removing several coats of nasty paint from the inside, then sanding and finishing it with oil/wax inside. That was necessary however to get rid of the smell…
Nice job! It is always alot of work to restore old items, but I am sure you will get great satisfaction ervey time you open it.
Just a note about an old chest that was my fathers that I did some restoration on. That chest as I recall had a stand orignally, that the chest sat upon bringing it to a level that enabled one to not have to bend or stoop over. It went through a couple of high water ordeals that ruined the bottom of the chest that required a new bottom to be built (my restoration and some paint) but the stand was in very bad shape and I ended up thowing it out. Wish I wouldn’t have now, looking back. But I recall reading in here some where someone writing about having to bend over the chest for tools….the stand might help to alivitae that some what, but I don’t know. Thanks, I may have to make myself another chest one of these days. Thanks, W. Cox
I have seen a number of old carpenter chests, and they all had the hand saws in the lids with thumb turns through the handles. Why are these not made that way? Looks like it would free up the bottom for the planes.
just asking?
thanks
Larry, I think Chris could give you a more detailed explanation. I put a few small saws along the front wall because it made them easy to access, and they do not take away from the floor space. Because of the 2.5″ depth of the top I was able to stack 3 saws in the space of 1. For me the decision was made by trying to maximize the space I had to work with. I will likely be using the rest of the lid space for my other space hog, a pair of bit braces. Hope that helps. Thanks.
Kudos. Job well done.
Looks great Jason! I had a like experience as I found a 90 year old chest which the owners grandmother said was from the 20’s. The inside trays were nasty dirty with a oil/dirt mixture and it smelled horrible. A lot of hard hours and some shellac to the inside made it pristine. I did not have the touch the exterior as it had 3 coats of paint (gray,red, and black) and had a perfect look. Structurely it is like a tank. Pine, oak, cut nails, lid metal strap, and corner metal protectors.
One thing I have not solved… there is a front/top 5 saw till with a shelf directly under the till. Shelf opening is 1 3/8″, small front lip, and is the full length of the chest. My guess was for a level. However, wooden levels are about 1 1/2″ thick. What else may have been stored on the shelf???
I bought a similar one from a neighbor here in NC. I chopped it up for firewood – tool chests are really a bad thing to have in your shop. But it did make a nice fire.
Um, I hope you’re kidding, that’s a terrible thing! I am a firm believer that history should be preserved as much as possible for our future generations. I must also respectfully disagree about having tool chests in the shop, mine has been the best organizational tool I could have hoped for, and has made me more efficient. Besides, if not used for a tool chest they can also make nice blanket chests for the home. But to each his own I suppose…
My shop shares it space with two automobiles so the door is constantly opening and closing. I do not have climate control. The range in tempeture here in MN swings from 102 with 65% dewpoint to -30 below in the Winter. The moisture swing in my shop is massive. My tool chest is priceless in saving my tools from the temp swings/moist. A wall chest could also achieve moisture control as well.
I have considered starting a fire with a few bad projects to stay warm, but not my chest 🙂