Woodworker Matt Czegan sent these photos of his recently completed tool chest. Love the eagle – and the extra detailing on the drawers. I’ve always meant to do something with the panel of my chest’s lid, perhaps a veneered panel or even some parquetry a la Roubo.
Nice work Matt!
— Christopher Schwarz
I used to have a nice presentation for my students on the different kinds of storage schemes they might consider for their tool chests.
I somehow lost that presentation this year. I deleted it, overwrote it and lit it on fire I suppose.
During the last few months I’ve tried to rebuild that presentation. But until I find some free time to do that, this blog entry will suffice.
Above is a heretofore private little video I shot for a webinar on tool chests. It discusses some storage options. Also, below you will find downloads to two good historic resources you should study before dividing up the interior of your chest.
The first is from Vol. II of “Practical Woodworker,” from my personal collection.
The second is from “Spons Mechanics Own Companion,” also from my collection.
Hope these get you started. And apologies to all my students for the delay.
— Christopher Schwarz
I don’t know how many tool chests I’ve built or helped build since 2011 when “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest” was published. But I can tell you this: Every class is both brutal and special.
I finished up teaching my latest tool chest class at the Port Townsend School of Woodworking in Washington state and just landed back in Kentucky. This class was particularly special because my assistant was Rob Campbell, who writes The Joiner’s Apprentice blog.
Though Rob and I have only crossed paths a couple times, we see the world similarly and have built our personal lives around the craft and trying to isolate ourselves from excessive consumption and corporate America.
So it was a huge pleasure to work with him all week, building a project we both knew intimately, and to get the opportunity to swap tips and ideas.
And on top of all that, the students in this class were off-the-hook wacko. And that’s a good thing. During some classes, I have to restrain my humor a bit because it is difficult for some to swallow. These 10 guys were as messed up as I.
If you want to read Rob’s account of the class, check out his entry.
— Christopher Schwarz
This morning I walked to a coffee shop in Port Townsend, Wash., to jolt myself awake. And as the barista handed me my cup he looked at my shirt.
“Is that ‘A’ for ‘anarchy?’” he asked.
“Why yes it is,” I replied, forgetting I was wearing an “Anarchist’s Tool Chest” shirt below my hoodie.
“It also could be for ‘anonymous,’” the barista added.
I wish.
The square on the cover of “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest,” is a cute little thing, and it shows up in surprising places, the wall of the Port Townsend School of Woodworking, Rwanda and in students’ tool boxes.
Yesterday, one of the students, Bill, pulled out a set of them that were graduated in size. All of them had different details and joinery. Very cool.
— Christopher Schwarz
This week at The Woodwright’s School, we had a new “first” when it comes to making Anarchist’s Tool Chests.
All 10 students (plus the instructor) had their tool chest carcases assembled by the end of the day Tuesday, the second day of class.
To what do I attribute this success?
Good help.
Thanks to Bill Anderson of Edwards Mountain Woodworks and Megan Fitzpatrick of Popular Woodworking Magazine (not to mention Roy Underhill himself), we’ve been able to keep the students on the straight and narrow. Stopping trouble before it starts. Serving them tea. Rubbing their loins with the balms of forbidden trees. And whelming them – not underwhelming, not overwhelming.
— Christopher Schwarz