Nick Gibbs, editor of Quercus magazine, asked some woodworker friends to build a storage box for a Lie-Nielsen No. 102, aka an apron plane, as inspiration for the magazine’s Young Woodworker of the Year award.
The way I understand it, entrants ages 16-19, and from anywhere in the world, are invited to make a box for a No. 102, in whatever style they wish. The deadline is Dec. 31, 2022. The winner receives £500 from Quercus, and a Lie-Nielsen No. 102 (courtesy of Lie-Nieslen) that has been engraved by Jen Bower. (For details and to enter, send an email to info@quercusmagazine.com.)
The No. 102 is my go-to block plane (it fits comfortably in my small hand), so I was happy to come up with a box…though I broke the rules a bit by building one that holds two No. 102s. (If only I’d bought a white bronze No. 102 when Lie-Nielsen did a a limited run – how cute would it have looked in tiny tool chest atop its iron brethren?!)
For the most part, this little chest is built exactly like a full-size one: dovetails in the bottom; cut nails to secure the backboards, bottom lip and front; dados to capture the shelf that divides the compartments; battens and a lock through a catch to hold the fall front in place; a raised panel on the fall front and lid, with a fingernail moulding on the lid (I guess it’s a pinky moulding); rot strips; lid battens keep the top flat; and a hinged lid. Oh – and blue paint. Of course. (Yes, I’m writing a book about Dutch tools chests, and as long as I don’t expire, it will be out this year…if for no other reason than chagrin at dragging my feet for so long.)
I chose sugar pine with the tightest grain I could fine, and surfaced it to 1/4″ – aka the size of the blade in my small router plane – so I could use that tool to remove the waste in the dado that holds the shelf in place (and the other bits are walnut). I skipped putting nails through the side into the shelf (as is typical on some full-size DTCs), because I didn’t trust myself to get the necessary tiny pilot holes perfectly centered, and didn’t want to risk splitting the sides with a lot of work already done.
For that same reason, I glued on the lid battens, rot strips and strip underneath the slot for the catch. So in this case, the lid battens won’t keep the lid panel flat (they would properly be screwed or clinch-nailed to the lid panel) – but I’m not too worried about the lid cupping, as it’s only 3-1/2″ wide. Hinging the lid was the most difficult part – holding those screws in place required tweezers and a lot of squinting!
The chest itself is 6-1/4″ long, 2-3/4″ deep and 5-3/4″ tall. I don’t know its scale, or if the parts scale properly to a full-sized DTC – I just did my best to make it look “right,” based on it fitting the plane, per the requirements. Or in this case, two planes.
Below is a look inside.
– Fitz
Very pretty, Megan! And did you see that Patrick Leach had a pair of those white bronze Lie-Nielsen 102:s on his April tool list, yesterday … ?! I dare say they’re sold already, given that I suppose they’re rather collectable, but still … and yeah, them and this chest would have looked so cool together!
Cheers,
Mattias
Would you mind if I made a similar mini-chest ( I have made a full-sized one prior) for a white bronze No.1? This would be a fun end-of-winter project. I’ll send you pics.if you wish.. Where did you get those tiny hinges?
Of course I don’t mind! And the hinges were in a drawer of old hardware at the shop. Were I shopping for them, I’d try model making or dollhouse suppliers.
You can find little bitty brass hinges at most Ace Hardware stores. I think they’re mostly for boxes (jewelry boxes, etc.).
I did see those…one reason why I wish I bought one when they were a bit more affordable!
That is just too precious. I love it. And Quercus, too, for starting this award.
And you get to fill another page in your book!
I forgot to say that the 102 is also my absolute favourite block plane – I have the regular bronze Lie-Nielsen one, and I just love how well it lies in the hand, how tactile that bronze is and how it is the perfect weight for single-handed operation. I like my 60-1/2 a lot, but for me it doesn’t hold a candle to the 102 …
What an interesting project! Looks great Megan.
I’ve been meaning to make a miniature Dutch tool chest for all the miniature Lee Valley tools my girlfriend bought me- now I really have to do it. I built a full sized one right after seeing Chris and Roy build one on The Woodwright’s Shop.
Great idea, Michael Edelman! On that topic, can any of you recall the name of the guy who was making miniature Lie-Nielsen tools? They were incredible.
Marco Terenzi
Or a mini ATC
I often wonder why dutch tool chests have slanted lids. A flat lid would probably not look as nice, but you could fit taller tools in the front if needed. And set things on top too. Although, I guess the advantage of the slanted lid is then you don’t clutter up the top and can no longer open the box.
I’ve heard several reasons (you stated one of them!) — also, it sheds water/rain
I have a regular ATC, and love it. But the top gets used for a finishing station, amongst other things. I plan on building a Dutch chest so I can’t put things on top.
I made one for site work which travels in my van and reduced the angle of the slanted top considerably . Still works a treat at stopping me put anything on top.
That is so damn cute. I love it.
When you said miniature, you meant it! Too cute! I’m waiting to build mine until your book comes out (hurry up, would ya? 🙂 ) and I plan to build a 3/4 size one for my son (4 years old now) so he can have one to match.
Try building a new anarchist boarded tool chest with them or an upside down boarded stool/ woodwrights tool tote with them. Let them help, it would mean the world to them
Simple and beautiful; well done Megan. I didn’t appreciate how small the tool chest is until I watched the video.
I wonder how many entrants now will submit a Dutch Tool chest or variant.
I think it’s a really nice piece of work and my wife says “Oh, CUTE!”.
Next, DTC ear-rings.
Should have posted on April 1st. 😉
But it’s no joke!
Very cute! You should make a few more so the little one has friends to hang out with.
Oh boy this is too cool! I have been thinking about building the Dutch Tool Chest
for awhile, this just made up my mind little one first then the big boy!
Thank you Megan
I see no Bean Seal of Approval. Picture, please.
The next version should be small to medium and painted blue-gray, with cat beds in both sections and a scratching area on the side. Olivia needs her own DTC. 😺
As if she would deign to use something made or bought specifically for her…
Bribe her with Churu?
I especially like the color.
Wow, this turned out fabulous! Also, I have a question concerning the lid battens – you state you glued them on. I recently made a tiny Japanese tool chest and was facing the same issue. However, I did not dare glue the battens on over their entire length. Instead, I only glued on the center and used clinched nails near the edges. A delicate operation, given that the lid is only about 1/4″ thick and I did not want the nails to poke through for aesthetic reasons. Can I skip the adrenaline next time and just glue the battens on full-length? I would very much value your opinion on this.
Oh, and I am still debating whether to build the ATC or the DTC. Judging from my permanently cluttered tool well, a chest without storage on the top may offer certain advantages… 😄
Well…I could have made a fatal mistake with that cross-grain glue joint. I’ll let you know in August or so, when expansion is at its most. But the pine won’t move much, and it’s so small, that I hope to get away with it. I suspect your way is safer in terms of longevity – I just wasn’t brave enough to do it.
The slide lock for the chest has a Cadi acorn and your kitty, are those stamped in, laser engraved? How tiny is the slide lock? Thanks
I liked the article Megan! Thanks for sharing it and for all the work ya’ll do at LAP. I had a question about joining a 6’-7’ long panel to a end panel. I’m beginning the process of making caskets for green burials and I cannot use screws of nails. It seems a bit challenging to cut dovetails on the long boards on a horizontal plane, flat on the bench. Do you have any suggestions as to a strong joint I could use? Or a book I could buy or rent from a library that would illustrate a joint like that?
I cut DTs on long boards by, as you say, clamping them flat, then kneeling at the end (it’s easier after a little practice of course). Another option might be tapered wooden nails (aka trenails).
That is one of the geekiest things I’ve seen! I mean that in a good way.
It’s almost like all those models people build of star wars, cars, etc. But its also useful.
And here I thought you were building it for Bean…