Blanket/Hope Chest Questions

[Jim Eller]

I'm getting ready to make a hope chest for my two year old granddaughter. Here are a few questions I have.

1 Is there some some sort of "standard" size? Like overall height, width and depth including the base.

2 Material? My plan is to make this out of some hickory I have but the weight seems like it would be like a tank. Just picking up the material for the side is a chore. I can't imagine what the completed unit would be like. Probably need a forklift.

3 Is 3/4" the proper thickness for the sides and top?

4 Hardware suggestions? Especially for the lid to stay up.

5 Should it be put on a base or just be flat on the floor? Is that just a personal preference?

Thanks for any and all suggestions and PICTURES.

Jim

[doug faist]

That's a long list of questions; I'll take a shot on a few of them.

1. As far as I know there's no "standard" size. Chests can be big, like blanket chests, small, like little keepsake boxes, and everywhere in between. Take a look at what it will be used for and plan accordingly.

2. Material is all over the map. I've seen walnut, cherry, oak, reclaimed pine, and lots of combinations. This is your choice.

3. Side and top thickness really depend on the overall size of the chest; small chests can be as thin as 1/4", big chests are quite often 3/4".

4. Hardware is a whole other question, but make sure the top does not fall; there are hinges that will slow the closing and keep the lid open. Also, you might want to provide some sort of ventilation or air holes, kids love to climb in and hide.

5. Most of the ones I've made had feet of some sort, either a base or extensions of the sides. It just seems to look better to me.

Draw your project on paper first and see what you think of the proportions. Changes at that point are easy.

OK, time for dinner. You should get a number of suggestions on this.

Have fun with your project.

Doug

[Mike McCann]

I have made the blanket chest from the New Yankee Workshop. My two girls use them as toy chests. I highly recomend the following hinges lid stays from rockler.

[Nicholas Lingg]

To take some weight out you could make it with frame panel

[Bill Huber]

Jim, do you have SketchUp yet?

If not get it and that will help a lot, I used it to design mine that I will start this spring.

It will be walnut and walnut ply, I have designed it to match somewhat with the furniture we have now. SketchUp really help me in getting the look I wanted.

On the hinges, I got the ones like Mike showed.

140498

[Kent A Bathurst]

Made one not too far back. Frame (walnut) + panel (QS sycamore). roughly 22 x 24 x 46. That turned out to be a bit on the big side - so if I do another one, I'll scale that back a bit - just a matter of personal preference. Besides - there is no chest big enough to hold all the toys and dolls a 2 yr old gets from her grandparents anyway - simply doesn't exist.:)

On the base - the outer edges of the frames are 2-1/2" x 2-1/2" corner posts that extend prolly 4" below the case bottom, with curved aprons.

On the hinge question: I'm giong to make a guess, and answer based on that - my guess is that with 2 yr old as the end consumer, you are asking about hinges that willl hold the lid open in any position, so it won't come crashing down on dolls or arms. That was my intention when I made mine. I can tell you that I was not able to find any that would do the job for the weight of my lid with just one pair. It would have taken 4 hinges to do the job - and these were at the high end of the $$ scale. If this is a critical part of you requirements, I would suggest you find the hinges, and then work backwards to weight and to lid dimensions - I got surprised - but I wouldn't have changed my design - that feature was not mission-crtical to me. Plus, my lid had 1" frames and 7/8" panels - maybe heavier than typical, but I wanted that look for the top.

[Jim Finn]

To take some weight out you could make it with frame panel Or make it of cedar with raised panels. Aromatic Cedar is very light. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=120305

[Jim Rimmer]

I have made the blanket chest from the New Yankee Workshop. My two girls use them as toy chests. I highly recomend the following hinges lid stays from rockler.
+1 for those hinges. I used them on this blanket chest from a plan in Popular Woodworking. They are not cheap but they are really good hinges and you won't ahve any smashed fingers from the lid falling.

The painted wood is poplar and the panels and lid are cherry. Everything is 3/4" and it's not too heavy. Can't remember the exact dimensions but just google blanket chest plans and you'll find plenty of free ones you can adapt.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=116217&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1240282480 (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=116217&d=1240282480)

[Mike McCann]

I found my plans for the new yankee workshop blanket chest. The dimensions are 44.5" lx 19" wx 22"h.

[Glen Butler]

Resaw the cedar and laminate it to the hickory. 3/4 is just fine for material thickness, as long as your box isn't ridiculously long. 4 to 5 feet. Dimensions I can't quite answer. Somewhere around 18 tall and 18 deep and 4 feet long. There are some really nifty lid openeres at lowes that will spring open the lid when it opens partially, but will also snap closed. They are not decorative, but they are cool.

[Keith Westfall]

As said, almost anything goes...

Top hinges, drawer pull out.



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v290/SkidsUp/114_1484.jpg?t=1265092128

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v290/SkidsUp/?action=view&current=114_1484.jpg


http://www.sawmillcreek.org/%3Ca%20href=%22http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v290/SkidsUp/?action=view&current=114_1484.jpg%22%20target=%22_blank%22%3E%3 Cimg%20src=%22http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v290/SkidsUp/114_1484.jpg%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22Photobuc ket%22%3E%3C/a%3E
http://[img]http//img.photobucket.com/albums/v290/SkidsUp/114_1484.jpg%5B/IMG%5D

[harry strasil]

Doesn't come close to the quality of the others in both craftsmanship and materials compared to the others shown. But its all my early handwork when I was learning, no nails or screws or metal hinges.
Frame is 100+ year 2 inch old burr oak salvaged from an old Corn Crib, panels are 3/4mineral stained hemlock fir from the lumber yard, top is common barn boards, no one wanted the stained board, so I got it for almost nothing.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/weddingchest.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/weddingchest01.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v81/irnsrgn/wood/weddingchest04.jpg

She requested it as a wedding present from her Father a good Smith friend, and she married a minister.

[Joe Cowan]

I am building one now out of Jatoba and it weighs a ton. On all my chests, I have used Juniper wood (cedar) for the bottom as it is extremely lightweight and smells great.

[Aaron Wingert]

I built one for my sister for college graduation from quatersawn oak, frame and panel. I lined the inside with aromatic cedar that is available in a thin beaded T&G pattern.

A nice touch is to get a brass plaque made and mount it on the underside of the lid. I had mine made at a trophy shop and picture framed it in wood, attached to the lid so you see it when you open it. It could say something like "to" and "from" or something more personal for your granddaughter.

The one mistake I made was making the lid from edge glued 3/4" thick planed 4/4 rough stock. It has stayed stable over the years but it looks less substantial than the chest itself. If I had it to do over again I'd use nothing thinner than 5/4 stock.

[Jim Eller]

Well, as usual, I have learned a lot. From hinges, top thickness, bottom materials, adding drawers, linings....

And Mr. Huber is still trying to teach me SketchUP:D Every time I start to watch a video on that program it reminds me of calculus class. And I was 50 years younger then. By the time I learned SketchUp I could have the project done. I still have a hard time with graph paper. But I will keep at it.

Thanks to all. Keep the suggestions coming.

Jim

[Brent Ring]

Here is a thread for one that I built for my daughter for her 16th Birthday.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=104824

[Stephen Edwards]

Here's another vote for allowing some sort of ventilation. There have been some tragic incidents because of a lack of ventilation in hope/blanket chests.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Oh - BTW - and this prolly won't help for a grandaughter - but I built mine for a 14 year-old niece, whose mother (my sister) is a bit of a stick-in-the-mud IMO. Rumor has it that the chest I built has a secret compartment in it that only my neice and I know about, but no one is talking, and no one has been able to confirm. I just figured that at 14 I would have liked such a thing, and didn't see why it would be any different for her.

[Paul Ryan]

I have made a bunch out of oak, birch, and western red cedar. I personally cannot stand areomatic cedar. I like the cedar chests the best due to the character from the knots and different colors in the wood. And it is a much lighter weight wood. The large toy box I made for my box is too big. The top is red oak that is 1" think, it is too heavy for any self closing hinges I could find. My suggestion is to use cedar or pine. Cut off about a 3 stip from the back of the top and fastin it to the chest. Then attach the rest of the top back to the strip with a piano (continous hinge). This doesn't prevent the top from falling shut at full speed. But is does allow the top to be opened and leaned up against the wall, holding the top open.

The light colored box is the 1st one I did, before I had the ability to do raised panels. The red one is the beast I made for my son, it is too big and heavy. But it will be around forever. I have also made a number of them out of western red cedar with raised panels. Those are much tougher to do because the wood is so brittle, but my favorites. I cant find my pictures of those.

[brett gallmeyer]

Not quite done with this one. It was suposed to be a christmas present for my mother.

Walnut frame. Maple panels. 3/4" thick. I'm useing the rocler hinges that were mentioned above. Once i get finish on it, i'll post better pics.

[Jim Eller]

Kent - Where did you say that secret compartment was?

Nice looking boxes guys!

Thanks,
Jim

[Chip Lindley]

Jim, I built this blanket chest http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=1192593#poststop for my daughter in white oak, from a tree that used to grow outside her bedroom window. Had it sawed into lumber with a local Woodmizer mill and air-dried the lumber for 2 years. The plans were in Woodsmith #32, Mar/Apr 1984. Another version could be easily built by omitting the drawers, and making the box 18" deep.

3/4" construction is standard. Dovetails were cut with a Leigh D4. The cedar is in panels in the floor of the chest. Cedar has been proven to have little value in repelling insects, and is included more for asthetics. Your hickory, as my white oak does weigh a ton. But, these chests are not moved very often.

[Jim Eller]

Mighty fine Chip.

I bet I have that issue. I keep everything.

Jim

[Bill Geyer]

Here's one I've built a couple of times.
Wood is poplar 1" thick - single boards.
Overall size is about 35" x 17" x 17".
Finish is milk paint & shellac with an acrylic glaze between and the hinges are from Lee Valley.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Not quite done with this one. It was suposed to be a christmas present for my mother.

Walnut frame. Maple panels. 3/4" thick. I'm useing the rocler hinges that were mentioned above. Once i get finish on it, i'll post better pics.


Brett - there you go - very similar to mine - the curved aprons set off by the curved top - I think it came out very nice. Mine was walnut + QS sycamore because I love the grain. I never considered having a different dimension for the center panel - very nice proportions. My top, though, is also frame-and-panel. Your walnut + maple will be georgeous. Post some photos when you're done, OK?

[Kent A Bathurst]

Kent - Where did you say that secret compartment was?


I didn't even confirm there really is one. Serious inquiry (v joke)? If you really want to know, I'll tell you - didnt' want to be a boor on a humorous post.

[brett gallmeyer]

Brett - there you go - very similar to mine - the curved aprons set off by the curved top - I think it came out very nice. Mine was walnut + QS sycamore because I love the grain. I never considered having a different dimension for the center panel - very nice proportions. My top, though, is also frame-and-panel. Your walnut + maple will be georgeous. Post some photos when you're done, OK?


Kent,
I will definatly post some photo's when finished.. I'm putting on the coat of seal coat tonight. then i'm thinking 3-4 coats of armor coat. I decided to go with a solid top because i had a very nice board that bookmatched well... the bottom panel "on the inside" is a fram and panel also... ads a little touch when u look inside.. Thanks for the compliment.

[Brian Tymchak]

Jim,

I would suggest using 3/4" hardwood at least for the chest and top. Kids being kids, I'm sure that, at some point, your grand daughter will be sitting or standing on top of that chest. (Hopefully, not jumping up and down on it though..) So, I would design to carry that load on the top.

You could also add a nice upholstered pad on the top to make it a real sitting bench.

Good luck with the project.

Brian

[Mark Carlson]

Another example of something I did last year:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=124712&d=1249525890

[Jim Eller]

Thanks for all the input.

So far I've changed my mine four times:rolleyes:

I'm sure when this one is done, I will have plenty of opportunities to put the other ideas to work for the other grandkids.

[Michael Wildt]

Brett, that sure is a nice one. I like the design very much. Any chance you would share the plans ?

Looking forward to see it finished.

Michael

[Jim Eller]

Ya Brett. Fess up. Where did you get the plan?:) It looks great unfinished.

That will be the next one.

Jim

[brett gallmeyer]

Brett, that sure is a nice one. I like the design very much. Any chance you would share the plans ?

Looking forward to see it finished.

Michael


I believe I got the plans out of a Fine Woodworking magazine although I cant remember which month. I know it was on the cover made of hickory and ash. they also splayed out the sides at a 3 deg angle which I omitted because my father was helping me with this prodject and I didnt want to make it too confusing on him.. Therefore my demensions are a bit off from the article. when i get to my shop next, ill post the issue. Thanks for the compliments!