I’ll be in Omaha, Neb., on March 28-29, 2020, to build a Dutch tool chest for the Omaha Woodworkers Guild. I’ll be building the chest entirely by hand and discussing all the techniques in detail, from dovetails to dados to cut nails and tool set-up. Then, at the end of the presentation, the completed chest will be raffled off.
During the evenings, I’ll be offering two presentations to the members: one on the history and construction of vernacular stick chairs, and the second on the history of workbenches.
If you would like to attend the two-day seminar, you can get details from Patrick Brennan via email at pmjbrennan@cox.net.
I’m afraid I won’t be able to bring Lost Art Press books or Crucible tools to sell – my truck will be filled with all the materials and personal gear I need to complete the presentation. As always, I am happy to sign books (whether they’re mine or not) and babies (whether they’re mine or not).
— Christopher Schwarz
We are so looking forward to having you at the guild!!!
Make sure to visit Wunderwoods in St. Charles, MO on your way back. Right off I-70. I’ll see if they can have some air dried elm pulled somewhere accessible…
Another vote for a stop in the STL area. There are a lot of breweries here!
I’ll third the vote for an STL pit stop. Lots of great BBQ and beer to be found. Scott Wunder of Wunderwoods is a good guy.
Your last statement brought to mind my uncle, who used to tell people he wasn’t married and didn’t have any children to speak of. 🙂
Say “Hi” to Marlin Perkins for me. Yes, I know he shuffled off the mortal coil decades ago, but that is where my mind immediately went upon reading the title. 🙂
Now I feel old. I fear a flannel shirt based wardrobe and lumberjocks login are in my future…
You’re going to fill the chest with tools too, right?
If they’re your tools, then yes.
Curious, how heavy is a Ditch tool chest loaded like the picture? Can one person easily move it or is it better to have two people?
I made a slightly oversized anarchists tool chest but then had to move out of my workshop unexpectedly. (I disobeyed your size suggestion.) It is on 4″ casters, but I still had to unload much of it to move it into the pickup. My future is probably more transient shop-to-shop woodworking.
I’m considering either a Dutch or one of the smaller ones from The Woodworker book, vol. iv.
Kurt
One person can move a fully loaded Dutch chest. I’ve been doing it for years as it is the chest I travel with. The weight depends on if your planes are metal or wood. And how much you tend to overstuff it (I use metal planes and fill the sucker).
Super excited you are coming to Omaha! I will be at that conference for sure. If you enjoy single malt whiskey, be sure to stop in at the Dundee Dell–it has the largest selection of single malts anywhere in the world outside Scotland and very reasonable prices too. The whiskey menu is typically about a 20 page, 8 1/2 x 11 fine print booklet, which if you were to swipe a copy, would easily provide enough bathroom reading for a month. The Dell is also famous for its English style fish ‘n chips which are outstanding (and I grew up in Florida).