For many years, Roy Underhill has owned a slant-top tool chest that has a ridiculous story attached to it that involves 248 children, Greenland and, oh never mind. I should make him tell the tale.
The chest is interesting to me because it’s similar to a chest drawn in “Grandpa’s Workshop” and one I’ve seen a few times in the wild. However, I can’t recall any old books that talk about this form, and I’m away from my library this week.
I would really like to build the chest from “Grandpa’s Workshop” to see what it’s like to work out of it. But until I dig up some good historical examples to work from, we’ll just have to admire some of these details from this chest from Roy’s collection.
I call it the “White Star Line” chest because it has a label on the left end identifying it as belonging to a second-class passenger. The chest is overbuilt in almost every way. The stock used throughout the main carcase is a full 1” thick – the interior parts and base moulding are thinner.
The front and back are dovetailed to the ends with boldly sloped tails, while the thick lid is held flat with breadboard ends.
And the hardware is impressive. The strap hinges are bolted through the top and slant lid. The hasp is a massive twist of iron.
Inside the chest there is one sliding till, dovetailed at the corners, and the bottom 9” of the chest is divided into two compartments. The rear compartment is 7” from the back wall of the chest. And there is a sawtill on the lid that looks sized for a single panel saw.
Some dimensions:
Overall height: 17-1/4”
Width: 44-1/8”
Depth: 19-1/4”
If you know of chests that look like this but are a little taller (like the one shown in the illustration), I’d appreciate any details at chris@lostartpress.com. Update: One reader sent me a photo of a very similar Dutch chest from “The Toolbox Book.” So that was very helpful.
— Christopher Schwarz
It almost looks like the same chest on top of a base chest. Perhaps the upper half to take with you while the lower half stays?
That hasp looks like it would be at home in Alcatraz.
Looks like the worlds first Knack Box
I agree it is obvious that today’s job boxes are the spawn of the wooden tool chest of yesteryear.
Was there a drawing of a barely clothed Kate Winslet anywhere to be found inside?
And what tool chest would be complete without this common accessory?
If Chris Schwarz had any integrity as an author, scholar, and woodworker it would have been listed as one of his mandatory Anarchist Toolchest accesories. He went down a couple of pegs in my eyes with this blatant oversight.
Interesting that this design allows you to work from the chest while it against the wall. I don’t believe our beloved anarchists’ will allow that.
And for the snarky comment: Kate had the whole door to float on, couldn’t jack have used this??
One question: How is the top secured to the back and sides?
Nails
Thanks.
Grandpa’s toolchest looks like a converted slant-top chest of drawers (w/o the drawers or base). At least that is one book I have calls it (Early American Country Furniture by Denis Hambucken), not sure how accurate that is. It is similar looking to a slant-top desk/secretary, but with the top lifted up and a deep upper section w/ a small shelf, and two drawers below that upper portion. If you remove the drawers it looks just like that illustration of Granpa’s toolchest. The chest in that book had the top attached with strap hinges similar to the schoolbox project from “A Joiner’s Apprentice”. I have one I built awaiting it’s drawers and base (one of those orphaned projects).
The tool chest’s builder and owner must have been quite a craftsman. A second class ticket was pretty high-falutin’ for a working stiff. Maybe it was Benjamin Seaton IV.
There is a blue Dutch Tool Chest in Jim Tolpin’s Toolbox Book that looks very similar to the one in Granpa’s Workshop.
I should have read the entire post before I replied.
I can’t share a taller version of the tool chest in the first picture, but if you look in Jim Tolpin’s “Toolbox Book”, on page 130, there is a “Site Box” diagram that has a slopped top. I would have scanned the page and emailed it to you, but it doesn’t meet your criteria. You still may find it of interest. I can still scan and email it to you if you want.
Errata: “sloped” not “slopped”, and “The Toolbox Book” not “Toolbox Book”. I should have stuck with “slant-top”.
I’ve seen one very similar to this. It sits (sat?) in the Williamsburg Antique Mall near the Dairy Queen. Painted blue, and full of continental European planes. Didn’t take any photos of it at the time, perhaps its still there. I’ve been working on a chest on drawers for a long time, perhaps it could be repurposed into a chest like this one. Looks like a fantastic way to work.
You and I have chatted about this chest before, but honestly C.S.’s post got me thinking the same thing about finishing it up and re-purposing for tool storage–which I need more than clothes storage. I could put some sliders on the drawers (yeah yeah, kind of modern, sue me) for my long planes, retrofit some sliding trays in the top and add some saw storage under the lid. I think I know what I’ll be working on this weekend …
That sounds like a fantastic idea. My new shop is a little short on floor space, so my large chests may not be the most efficient storage strategy for me now. But a chest over a couple of open shelves (never did finish the drawers) with doors would be just the ticket. I bet I could get most of my user tools in there. I would love to see what you come up with!
Maybe we come to the craft from different places. When I build things I know I’ll use, I make it to fit and not worry so much about exactness of replication. After all, I wound up two inches taller than my father and I ‘m sure a 200-year-old tool cabinet (how I see it) would be too low for me. Just build it to suit you. Good luck.
That is, the one from Grandpa ‘s Workshop which I fancy, if that is the same you ‘re looking at.
I read two blogs faithfully every day, this one and my spouse’s, and both mentioned the White Star Line on the same day. Her’s was about the birthday of Henry Tingle Wilde, the Chief officer on the Titanic. Strange coincidence: http://ritalovestowrite.com/2012/09/21/thought-of-the-day-9-21-12-henry-tingle-wilde/.
Careful, Chris. That top is a slippery slope. You’re looking for one “… a little taller…” now, and before you know it, the thing will be vertical and you’ll be writing the Anarchist’s Tool Cabinet.
I’ve been down all those roads. Cabinets. Wall racks. Site boxes. Bags.
I’ve been working out of a chest since 1997 and always keep coming back to it. However, I don’t want to close my mind to other ways of work. This one is different. Haven’t tried it.