Tool Chest Complete

[Matt Sullenbrand]

Hi Folks,

I just finished my Anarchical Tool Chest, ala Chris Schwarz. Well, I broke about every one of his 12 "rules," if you think an anarchist can even have rules. But, the rules are appropriate limitations to a tool chest to help it be primarily useful, and I only broke them a little bit. It all started by being given some very wonky walnut and it all went downhill from there. Hope you enjoy the images, expertly taken to not reveal any of the little blemishes and fixes. I am pretty happy with it considering it was maybe my 5th woodworking project, completed exclusively with hand tools. Observations and expert critiques are welcome.

Cheers,

Matt

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Looks very nice.

[Jeff Ranck]

Wow! Looks amazing!

[Peter Pedisich]

Matt, that looks great, love the contrast of the woods and with the green, very nice.
Thanks for sharing.

Pete

[Federico Mena Quintero]

That's a very handsome chest. The big burl (is that what you call it?) on the lid's panel makes it very elegant!

If I'm seeing things correctly, you have a middle "tray" that is an independent carcase for the drawers - is that right? In any case, it's pretty clever :)

[Chris Griggs]

WOW! That is absolutely fantastic. Just phenomenal workmanship. To my eye, everything looks awesome, the frame & panels, the fit of the drawers, the grain selection and finish on the walnut....Everything is just great all around. So glad you shared!

[Joe Bailey]

Stunning! Love the color. They'll be fighting over this one a hundred years from now.

[matt braun]

Very nice! I like your wood choices.

[Larry Heflin]

Excellent. I just finished reading the book. I'd like to build one of these myself one day.

[Dave Bower]

Very nice work. Love the burl in the lid.

[Archie England]

Just fantastic. I sure hope my copy of ATC infuses such talent in me!!!!! Great work!!!

[Joe Fabbri]

That's for tools, Matt? It looks like something I'd put silverware in! Very nice work indeed. The colors work well together, and I don't see any mistakes, and I'm sure it's not just the pictures.

Great job. Thanks for sharing.

Joe

[Joshua Byrd]

That thing is beautiful. Who'da thunk that avocado green would look so good?

[Jim Matthews]

I believe you have miserably failed.
Send it to me and I will make sure it is never seen again....

No racing stripes, no power strip, no drainage holes, no diamond plate, no Ridgidiot tool calendar....

My furniture should look this good.
I'm going down to the basement to bang some nails into my bench, now.

[daniel lane]

Very nice, Matt. I'm (hopefully) not too far behind you, I've been doing lumber searches so I can start my own. I hope to get close to the high bar you've set!


daniel

[Phil Thien]

All I can tell you is, if I built something as nice as that, no way would my wife let me fill it with tools!

[Matt Sullenbrand]

Thanks for all the kind comments, everyone. To answer Federico, the chest has one sliding tray and one sliding till. The sliding tray is on the bottom and is about 5 1/2" deep. The till consists of two levels-an open tray on top, and three drawers on the bottom. I had thought about building a full sliding till like the Benjamin Seaton tool chest, but on reading Chris's book I realized how limiting that was. But, I still thought that a till would be neat, so I made a small one with just three drawers-one dedicated to carving tools, one for chisels, and a middle small one for small individual items like nailsets, nippers, etc. The other thing I did was attached the lid to the till to the main chest carcase so that once you flip it up it is out of the way for the whole work session. It is completely for show so I did not want it to get in the way of regular work. I am just starting to fill the chest with tools but it is slow going since many antique tools have not been fully restored, including a set of antique wooden bench and moulding planes. More pictures in a few months once the chest is fully outfitted...

[Jim Matthews]

I can provide you the shipping address to hide this monstrosity...
mine (http://www.ridingcoolers.com/home.htm) will have handlebars and a cup holder.

I will reluctantly store this away for you, as a public service.

[Eric McCune]

Great work Matt. Can you share your technique for the green finish? And what wood did you use for the carcass?

Thanks a lot, now my wife wants a pantry to look like your "toolbox"? I now have to live up to this. :)

Thanks, Eric

[Jim Leslie]

Nice! Very Nice!! Since I got that same book in December I've been wanting to build this chest...

[Mike Holbrook]

Great job,
You know what the first thing Chris says is "Disobey Me".

I just got the book working on an iPad. Maybe one day I will get to give it a go.

[Peter Hawser]

This is really nice. Thanks for sharing. I'll admit it - I downloaded some of the pics to keep handy when the time comes. If you get a chance, can you comment on what it is like to use it? Is it as fun as it looks?

[george wilson]

Good work,Matt! What you need to do is proceed to make every tool that goes into it.

[Jeff L Miller]

Matt, that chest is beautiful! Great job on all aspects.

I have a late 1800's southern yellow pine chest I plan on turning into my keepsake tool chest with several modifications, tills, secret compartment, etc. I just need some old southern yellow pine (the resinous stuff) to start my project.

What an inspiration, thank you!

Jeff

[Van Huskey]

Very nice and very cool. Good job!

[Maurice Ungaro]

Matthew,
let me be the first to congratulate you on being showcased by The Schwartz! Just read his blog this morning, and saw a familiar tool chest. I thought, hmm.... looks like one I saw in the Neander forum. Sure enough it was. You should be mighty proud of this distinction!

[Todd Burch]

I just need some old southern yellow pine (the resinous stuff) to start my project.
Jeff

@Jeff, how much you need? If it's not too much, I'll send you some for the cost of shipping. I have a lot that looks like this: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?177846-Big-Laundry-room-table&p=1830309#post1830309, and then I also have "heart pine" too, which may be what you are referring to (like the knobs in the last picture of this post: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?177874-Big-garage-cabinet&p=1830610#post1830610)

@Matt - that is VERY nice. What flavor paint did you use? Is that poplar with the walnut? Are those red oak drawer bottoms? Can you take a picture with the innards out of the box with the pieces set all around so we can see what's separate and what's together? (I don't have the book). A pic with all of them upside down too!

What is the base like? Is it elevated for the photo?

You've inspired me. I'm making one. Never thought I would, but that is gorgeous. My dad's kitchen will have to wait. ;)

Todd

[Ron Bontz]

Congrats Matt. I just saw the write up on PW Chris Schwarz's blog. Very nice chest indeed.

[Trey Palmer]

Matt,


Your chest is beautiful, well thought out and a great inspiration.


Thanks for posting!