Tool Chest... Purists may wish to pass!

[Peter Pedisich]

After viewing a bunch of tool chests here and on other forums, I decided to build one for my hand tools. Its about 70% done - I need to add lifting handles and the sawholders on the lid, rope or chain lid stays, some sliding tills inside and a mobile base...OK its maybe 50% done.
It was made with 90% power tools in the interest of time...my wife is waiting for a new mud room while I spend time on a tool chest! Don't even ask what she thinks of my efforts.

I built it entirely from scraps - stair stringer plywood cut-offs, pine and poplar laying around the shop. Even the paint is from old projects. I wanted to paint it Benjamin Moore Kennebunkport green with a cream interior, but the blue has been sitting in my garage for years, so waste not, want not. Also, I did not distress it in any way because it will happen soon enough getting bumped into in my shop, and look better then if I were to do it intentionally.
The black screen door hinges I had left over, as well as the 12" x 12" cork tiles for the bottom. The only things I had to buy on the entire project were the hasp and the Tremont wrought-head nails.

Do you think I should put black iron chest handles on it like the ones from Lee Valley, or make a wood handle like Roy's chest, or a rope handle?

For scale, the wood jointer in the chest is 28" long, and the Keystone Air Master saw leaning against the lid is a 26" plate. The chest is 24" x 34" clear inside, and is made from 1" ply boards beveled and splined together to make larger side panels to look like solid wood boards, with cut nails that are mainly for decorative effect - even though they are truly nailed - as I rabbeted, glued, screwed and plugged the carcass together.

I'll add more pics as it nears completion.

-Pete

p.s. - even though it's made of plywood, I constructed it as though it was solid wood...the front, back, and ends are each panels made up of two 9-1/4" x 36" or 24" 'boards' splined together - thats because they are stair stringers about a foot wide.

[Peter Pedisich]

More pics...

[Peter Pedisich]

And more pics...

notes: the green plane is a Kunz Brillant 300 that some would say is a marginal rough carpentry tool, but I flattened the sole, my first plane rehab, and sharpened the blade and it makes very fine shavings in softwoods. The blue plane is a Record 04R...looks tiny in there! The Disston Air Master has a B-17 in the etch.

[Chris Vandiver]

Hey Peter, great looking toolbox! Very nicely done.

[Jim Belair]

Yup, works for me. Good use of surplus materials.

[Salem Ganzhorn]

Looking at the final product I would not have guessed that is plywood! Looks great!
Salem

[David Weaver]

Looks good to me. Price is right on the ply, and it's tough - good for a tool chest. Probably took less time to dimension, too!

If it were me, I would put iron handles on it. The more fixed and solid handles are on something that's heavy, the better the time I have carrying it around.

[george wilson]

Do post a close up of the b-17 etch ! I would like to see it for sure. The tool chest looks fine. Multi layer plywood looks good quality. Better than a stack of unused scrap sitting around,for sure.

[Andy Margeson]

Pete,

That is really nice. Mine is very similar and I have been extremely pleased with how convenient it is to have all of your hand tools a step away from the bench. The fun part for you comes next: figuring out how you want to outfit the inside of the box. The big choice is till or sliding trays. I made trays and like them but tills have advantages too.

[Peter Pedisich]

Do post a close up of the b-17 etch ! I would like to see it for sure. The tool chest looks fine. Multi layer plywood looks good quality. Better than a stack of unused scrap sitting around,for sure.

George, thanks. I'll post pics of the etch tonight.

Pete

[Peter Pedisich]

198270This is the Lee Valley handle I was thinking of using.

[Peter Pedisich]

Hey Peter, great looking toolbox! Very nicely done.

Thanks Chris!

[Jim Matthews]

I prefer rope handles; easier on the hand and quick to replace as needed.

Adriance nautical chest (http://www.adriance.com/) (I wish my handles looked this good)
Nautical collection
Sea chest

[Peter Pedisich]

Yup, works for me. Good use of surplus materials.

thanks Jim, it helped me clean up and make more space in my shop as well...space for a giant toolbox.

[Peter Pedisich]

Looking at the final product I would not have guessed that is plywood! Looks great!
Salem
Thanks Salem.

[Peter Pedisich]

Looks good to me. Price is right on the ply, and it's tough - good for a tool chest. Probably took less time to dimension, too!

If it were me, I would put iron handles on it. The more fixed and solid handles are on something that's heavy, the better the time I have carrying it around.

Thanks David. yes no dimensioning on the ply. My planer is insanely loud, even with ear muffs, thats one of my main reasons for the switchover to hand tools.
The ply also has a super hard primer surface coat that is 0.063" in places! it would have destroyed the blades in about 9 linear inches.

[Peter Pedisich]

Pete,

That is really nice. Mine is very similar and I have been extremely pleased with how convenient it is to have all of your hand tools a step away from the bench. The fun part for you comes next: figuring out how you want to outfit the inside of the box. The big choice is till or sliding trays. I made trays and like them but tills have advantages too.

Andy, it was your toolbox on another forum that inspired me to build a tool chest instead of a wall cabinet. I like your rope handle, too. Thanks!

[Dave Anderson NH]

I would go for the metal handles Peter. I agree with David, rope handle are very uncomfortable when carrying something heavy. I have 2 family tool chests, one rough slapped together and the other a nice shipwrights chest. The shipwrights chest uses black iron hinged handles and even with those the weight makes it a bear to move when it's filled with tools. I have to believe that full it is well over 200 pounds. The chest looks great and I'm sure you are going to enjoy buildingthe interior. I

[Peter Pedisich]

I prefer rope handles; easier on the hand and quick to replace as needed.

Adriance nautical chest (http://www.adriance.com/) (I wish my handles looked this good)
Nautical collection
Sea chest

Jim, thanks so much! beautiful chest and handle. My dream is to work at a shop like that.

[Peter Pedisich]

I would go for the metal handles Peter. I agree with David, rope handle are very uncomfortable when carrying something heavy. I have 2 family tool chests, one rough slapped together and the other a nice shipwrights chest. The shipwrights chest uses black iron hinged handles and even with those the weight makes it a bear to move when it's filled with tools. I have to believe that full it is well over 200 pounds. The chest looks great and I'm sure you are going to enjoy buildingthe interior. I

Dave, thanks very much. I wanted it to have a color scheme like your fantastic wall cabinets, a classic New England look. But that is life I guess, take what you got already and appreciate it! so it's blue and it won't bother me...well maybe for a few months.

[Jim Neeley]

The wrought head nails add a great touch to the cabinet, Peter. :)

[Peter Pedisich]

For George Wilson:

Hi George, here is the pic of the etch from the Disston Keystone Air Master...

Thanks, -Pete

[george wilson]

I wonder why they would use a name like "Air Master"?

[Jim Koepke]

I wonder why they would use a name like "Air Master"?

Like cutting through air?

It looks like there is a WW II bomber included in the etch.

Maybe it was made for the Air Corp engineers for construction work.

It seems like one of those old stories only a few people are left to tell.

jtk

[Dave Lehnert]

Looks GREAT!

A tool box is next on my list to build. Love the color. Do you know the paint color by name and brand?

Anyone get “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest” by Christopher Schwarz ?

[Chris Fournier]

Gasp! Plywood? Hmm, looks great, cost nothing... great toolbox!

[george wilson]

Yeah,but he didn't build it as an authentic reproduction of an original toolchest.

[Peter Pedisich]

Looks GREAT!

A tool box is next on my list to build. Love the color. Do you know the paint color by name and brand?

Anyone get “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest” by Christopher Schwarz ?

Dave, I did not get the book, although it looks worth getting for ideas...or wait to see if your Library gets it.
The colors are:
Interior: Benjamin Moore 2062-70 Harbor Fog (flat finish wall paint) it's a pale blue.
Exterior: Benjamin Moore 840 + 4BB (Regal matte finish) I kept mixing in Harbor Fog until I got it as light as I wanted, as the 840 is a pretty dark blue, and in the matte finish all the details such as chamfers would dissappear. I guess it's about 75% 840 to 25% Harbor Fog? It turned into a sort of colonial blue color.
By the way, great avatar...you've got another thing comin'!

[Peter Pedisich]

The wrought head nails add a great touch to the cabinet, Peter. :)

Thanks Jim, can't wait to use them on a real project.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

Agreed, Dave has a great avatar.

Also, this chest is great. I'm wanting one, but I don't know if I have the floor space for another large object.

[Peter Pedisich]

Agreed, Dave has a great avatar.

Also, this chest is great. I'm wanting one, but I don't know if I have the floor space for another large object.

Joshua, I don't have the space either...I'm going to have to sell either my Bridgewood 10" Contractor's table saw, or my customized Festool MFT!

Great memories of riding with my friends in a buddy's '74 Lincoln, he had a massive amp and Jensen 6x9's, playing that album.

[Peter Scoma]

Real nice piece Peter. Thanks for sharing it.

Peter

[Dave Lehnert]

Dave, I did not get the book, although it looks worth getting for ideas...or wait to see if your Library gets it.
The colors are:
Interior: Benjamin Moore 2062-70 Harbor Fog (flat finish wall paint) it's a pale blue.
Exterior: Benjamin Moore 840 + 4BB (Regal matte finish) I kept mixing in Harbor Fog until I got it as light as I wanted, as the 840 is a pretty dark blue, and in the matte finish all the details such as chamfers would dissappear. I guess it's about 75% 840 to 25% Harbor Fog? It turned into a sort of colonial blue color.
By the way, great avatar...you've got another thing comin'!


Got to love PRIEST!!!! I got to meet the band back in 2002. Very down to earth bunch of guys trying to make a living.

[Peter Pedisich]

Hi,

Using the plywood cutoffs from the main carcass, I made a rolling base so I don't have to bend over so much. raises the lid to about 34", much easier to reach tools, plus some toe-space for my 14EE's! The chest is not fastened to the rolling base, it has 4 square pads of 1" ply that align with the legs, which are hollow, and it just drops in and the weight holds it there.
I also cut some interior parts (runners, handle holders) from some mahogany I had. The saw arrangement is just to plan out where to mount them, it's not done yet.
Picked up some Permaloid chisels (1.25" & 1.5") from Walt at Brass City, what a gentleman.

I hope to make some trays this week.

Thanks for looking and any feedback.

Pete

[Dave Lehnert]

I like the base idea. I had that thought going through my head deciding what i wanted to do. Are there any historical examples of a base for a tool chest?

Was wondering if leather handles would be strong enough?

http://www.rockler.com/gallery.cfm?Offerings_ID=654&r=2&TabSelect=Details


http://www.rockler.com/gallery.cfm?Offerings_ID=654&r=2&TabSelect=Details

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

A lot our old amplifiers had leather handles, some with steel strapping inbetween the layers. Those old speakers and transformers weigh a ton, but once they started getting up in weight and size, most of them went to cut-out installed handles.

[Peter Pedisich]

Are there any historical examples of a base for a tool chest?

Was wondering if leather handles would be strong enough?

http://www.rockler.com/gallery.cfm?Offerings_ID=654&r=2&TabSelect=Details



http://www.rockler.com/gallery.cfm?Offerings_ID=654&r=2&TabSelect=Details

Dave, I don't recall ever seeing a base on all the chests I've looked at. But my back took priority. I think the leather handles would be fine on something about 50-80lbs, but this thing weights way too much whith just a few tools in it. If I did it again, I'd make it smaller.