Toy Chest Lid Solution

[Mike Hill]

About a week ago I posted pictures of a toy chest out of red oak I had built for our grand twins' first Birthday. I tried several types of closures, but because of the weight of the red oak lid, none would work. After several suggestions from the group I found some gas struts on Rockler's web site. They work perfectly for this application. Here are a few pictures:


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[Pete Brown]

Very nice. They look good too.

Now, about those air holes...

Pete

[David G Baker]

Very nice. They look good too.

Now, about those air holes...

Pete
Pete,
I agree on the air holes. I worked in the news business for about 30 years and I bet I covered at least 5 stories on children suffocating in ice chests. Chests and boxes are child magnets. That made a firm believer out of me.
David B

[Mike Cutler]

Those gas struts are nice. They will wear out in time though. Watch for that.
Food for thought, should you ever make another one.
A 'Creeker here made a toychest that had a gap below the lid, on 3 sides( I think it was three sides) that gave enough space for little fingers to have clearance in case the lid fell. It would also provide that airgap solution that others are refering to
On this project, it's a little late I think.
Nice work all around though. It's beautiful.

[Gary Keedwell]

About a week ago I posted pictures of a toy chest out of red oak I had built for our grand twins' first Birthday. I tried several types of closures, but because of the weight of the red oak lid, none would work. After several suggestions from the group I found some gas struts on Rockler's web site. They work perfectly for this application. Here are a few pictures:


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55905Quick question....what is under the screw head? Is that a rubber washer or something similar?

Gary K.

[Mike Hill]

Gary: No, washers, but what you are seeing is the square drive 5/8" screws not quite seating completely in the beveled hole of the shock mount. Not really that noticable, but I imagime using the correct screw would look better. At this point with this project, it's OK :)
Mike

[Corey Hallagan]

Excellent Mike, I glad you got it figured out!

corey

[Pete Brown]

Hi Mike

I really don't want to hound you on this, but do you intend to put the air holes in? I hate to see anyone get hurt. I know kids (especially little boys) like to play around and do dumb things like let their little brother or sister climb in and then they sit on the seat.

Even if that didn't happen, there are lots of other ways a kid could get stuck in one of those.

You can disguise them as hand holds on each side and then just put a row of four 1" holes in the back or something. The piece will still look very nice, and it will also be much safer.

[John Pohja]

Mike, Beautiful toy chest. I've built several chests for both my kids and my grandchild. All the chests have pretty large heavy lids. I've had good luck with rockler's "toy chest lid supports". The mechanisms come in several "strengths" and if the lid is heavy you can use two(or even three, I suppose). What i really like about these mechanisms is that they have a soft close feature. Also, I purchase the supports that mount in the center back area of the lid so the little one doesn't get her fingers caught in the mechanism. John

[Mack Cameron]

Hi Mike; if you are ever looking for a different closure/opener type, these are called "soft-down stays" by a Japanese Co. called Sagatsune. It takes a little while to decipher the instructions, particular the measurements, but once you get past that they work really slow when going down.

Pete Brown; airholes? never thought of them! sounds like a good idea.

[Mike Hill]

Mack: I did look at these at Rockler. Their price was a little high, but I understand they work. My lid has 143 inch#'s and just about the only thing I could find to handle that amount of weight were the gas struts.

With the hinges I have and pads on the front of the case their is 1/4" of air for ventilation around the entire circumference of the lid. That should be enough.
Mike

[Rich Torino]

Great job on the chest..... I would have never thought about air holes though. Sound like a smart idea...
I wonder if the white bumpers that Mark used on his chest/lid would surfice for a air gap(hole)???

[Mack Cameron]

Mack: I did look at these at Rockler. Their price was a little high, but I understand they work. My lid has 143 inch#'s and just about the only thing I could find to handle that amount of weight were the gas struts.Hi again Mike; I got these at LV, about $ 23/ea.
Small price to pay to protect little fingers. They are described as having a thick sticky liquid in side to hydraulically slow downward movement.



With the hinges I have and pads on the front of the case their is 1/4" of air for ventilation around the entire circumference of the lid. That should be enough.I think I would agree with that.

Rich Torino; those white bumpers are "heavy duty felt pads" known by the name of FELT GARD by Shepherd Hdwe Products. They come in all shapes and sizes if you are ever looking for them. They work great under kitchen chairs to protect the floor.

Here's the other chest made for the sister.

[Pete Brown]

With the hinges I have and pads on the front of the case their is 1/4" of air for ventilation around the entire circumference of the lid. That should be enough.
Mike

Hi Mike

If the pads won't compress when you sit on the chest, you will be probably be ok. 1/4" isn't a lot, but on all sides, then it may be enough. If they compress when weight is on the top, then you need something else.

I know it's a fine piece of furniture and you hate to mess with it, but when it comes to kids, safety first


For everyone else, guidelines are:


The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns parents and guardians of young children about strangulation hazards associated with certain toy chest and other containers.

A 13-month old boy was found dead with his head inside his toy chest and his neck over the edge. Trapped in this position by the fallen lid, he died of asphyxiation.

The agency's data indicate that since 1975, at least 45 reported fatalities and three incidents of brain damage have resulted from the lids of boxes or chests used for toy storage falling on children's heads or necks. These have included chests specifically manufactured for toy storage, as well as trunks, wicker chests, wooden storage chests, decorative cubes and similar items with hinged lids used to store toys.

Most of the victims in these accidents were under two years of age.

Typically accidents occurred when children were reaching into the chest and the lid dropped on their hands or trapped them at the neck.

Another potentially fatal, but less frequent, hazard is suffocation. These accidents happened when children climbed into toy chests to hide or sleep. Because the toy chests were not adequately ventilated, the victims suffocated in the enclosed space.

In cooperation with CPSC industry developed and published a voluntary safety standard in 1984 for toy chests to assure that the lid of any toy chests, which is hinged, will stay open in any position to which it is raised, that all toy chests have ventilation holes, and toy chests with lids or doors do not have a latch that might close and trap a child inside.

Selection
If you are buying a new toy chest with a hinged lid, make sure it has a lid support that will hold the lid open in any position. Test the lid!

You may want to look for chests with no lids, or with lightweight removable lids, or ones with sliding doors or panels to prevent the haz-ard of a falling lid.
Look for a chest with ventilation holes that will not be blocked if the chest is placed against the wall, or a chest which, when closed, leaves a space between the lid and the sides of the chest.

NOTE:
If you see a toy chest with a hinged lid that does not stay open in any position, please notify the U S Consumer Product Safety Commission See box, page 2. (KS editor's note: see image below)

Use
If alternative storage items must be used, such as food lockers, trucks, wicker chests, etc. remove the lid if it does not have a spring-loaded lid support device that supports it in any position when open.

Maintenance
Check periodically to make certain that the support device that holds the lid open is functioning properly.
One supplier of hinges to the cabinetmaking industry has agreed to make its spring-loaded support device available directly to consumers. The device conforms to the voluntary standard.

This firm is:
Carlson Capitol Manufacturing Co.
P.O. Box 6165
Rockford, IL 61125
(815) 398-3110



Pete