Christmas Hope Chest

[John Lubeski]

This is a hope chest that I made for my wife's Christmas gift. It is my own design, and it meant to compliment the design and style of the jewelry chest I made for her earlier this year (see this http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=19529&highlight=jewelry+chest thread for pics of it).
http://home.comcast.net/~john_stacy/onlinestorage/Hope_Chest_ft.JPG
The chest is joined with though dovetails made using my PC4212 jig, using techniques from the advanced supliment instructions. Those techniques were using different sized dovetail than what is supplied with the jig, variable spacing of the dovetails, and since the sides were too large to fit in the jig, I also followed the directions to build a block to mount the template which you clamp onto the board.
http://home.comcast.net/~john_stacy/onlinestorage/Hope_Chest_Qrt.JPG
The lid is basicly a frame and panel constuction. The center panel is an overlapping tongue set into a goove in the outer frame so no gap with ever show, yet it still allow for expansion and contraction. The outer frame has miter corners with paduak spines glued in for strength and added accents. The inlay around the top is also paduak.
http://home.comcast.net/~john_stacy/onlinestorage/Chest_upper_corner2.JPG
The bottom of the chest is solid 3/4" aromatic cedar set into dados in the sides of the chest. I plan to make a lift out tray for the inside, but I ran out of time to get it done before Christmas.
http://home.comcast.net/~john_stacy/onlinestorage/Lid_open.JPG
And just like the jewelry chest, this chest also has a secret compartment, actually it has two. The molding on the bottom hids them. Both of the end moldings are actually drawer fronts.

http://home.comcast.net/~john_stacy/onlinestorage/Dovetail_keys.JPG
To open the drawers the dovetailed in the corners are slid forward. The dovetails have stops on the back so they will not slide right out (they also stop when sliding them back in).
http://home.comcast.net/~john_stacy/onlinestorage/keys_unlocked.JPG
The drawer can then be opened.
http://home.comcast.net/~john_stacy/onlinestorage/Drawer_open.JPG
Sorry about the not so great pictures, I had to take them in the basement, since my wife hasn't seen the chest yet. We are doing our Christmas tonight, so hopefully she likes it!
Thanks for looking,
John

[tod evans]

very nice john!

[Brett Baldwin]

Great work. I really like that hidden drawer. The dovetail catches are a really clever touch. So, according to the jewelry case thread, the body of the pieces is soft maple? I've never seen maple look like that although the figure does look like it. Guess I just learned my new thing today.

[Jarrod Nelson]

Very cool!

Only one problem. The secret of your secret compartment is out! :D

[Gail O'Rourke]

The secret compartment is the BEST! I love it, your wife will love it, great job, it came out gorgeous.

[Tom Hamilton]

Lucky woman! Your greatgrandchildren will be using that chest. Love the hidden drawers. Excellent craftsmanship.

Merry Christmas, Tom

PS: How about a pic of her reaction when she sees it tonight?

[Tom Jones III]

Love those DT. The wood choice is striking. Excellent work all around.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Very nice work John! SWMBO is really going to like that! I like the hidden compartments, the dts and the cedar bottom! Very nice!

[Nate Rogers]

Very Nice, I love your wood selection..Fantastic job!

Nate

[Bob Winkler]

Really nice craftsmanship Nate! I sure your wife will treasure this precious gift. Thanks for sharing it with the rest of us. :)

Merry Christmas
Bob

[Dave Tinley]

Very nice work. Blanket chests are alot of fun.
I am sure she will be very pleased.
But please dont post too much more, the fact that you got it completed before christmas puts some of us to shame :)

Dave

[John Lubeski]

Sorry guys, forgot it in the original post, but yes, the primary wood is soft maple. This was some very colorful maple that my brother and I got from fellow that does some sawing. It has tons of character and best of all it only cost .50 bd ft!

Dave,
I was very happy I got it done before Christmas, I didn't think I was going to. I was pushing it though, just finished it up last night!

Thanks for the compliments guys, but don't be afraid to criticize anything about it either, I haven't been at this for very long, so I won't be offended, and consider it a learning experience.

Thanks,
John

[Bernie Weishapl]

Very nice John. She is going to love it. That hidden drawer is cool.

[Jim Dunn]

John that's beautiful. Hidden drawers though? I have enough trouble finding stuff now:)

[Bill Fields]

Great job, John!

My wife wants a chest too--but I AIN'T showing her this one--she'll want something like it and I can't do it (yet).

BILL FIELDS

[Vaughn McMillan]

I really like the whole thing, John, but the hidden drawers are the icing on the cake. Very nice piece of work, and I'll bet LOYL will be very pleased when she sees it.

- Vaughn

[John Branam]

How do the dovetail latches work? How are the attached and how are the stops set up?

[Joe Unni]

John,

Very nice. I love the lid! For not being "at it long", your work certainly doesn't show that.

Sidebar...do you mind if I don't show that off to my wife? I'm sure to get a fair amount of grief if I do. You see, I still owe her one...we've been married 11 years. So shhhhh. ;)

Merry Christmas - She's gonna love it!

-joe

[Jason Tuinstra]

John, I don't know how I almost missed this one. Looks great. I really like the walnut accents and the secret compartment. Nice touch!

[Warren White]

John that is just a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. Your wife has a treasure that will be handed down for generations. Truly magnificent in every detail!