Tool box

[Jim Ritter]

If you had better images I would sure appreciate it. Thanks.
Jim

[David Keller NC]

I thought I remembered reading that this box was actually of recent construction, (although containing old tools) and the fellow who did it has made others like this, often times cutting tools down to fit them. Am I totally misremembering that?

I'd be curious if you could find that discussion. If the supposition is true, it's a remarkable bit of forgery (I'm assuming "forgery" rather than "reproduction" or "interpretation" since it was being sold as an antique).

But you may well have a point - notice the spokeshave in front. Unless that shave had detachable, screw-on handles, it'd be extremely odd to see a woodworker cut the handles off of a shave. It wouldn't be totally useless, but it'd certainly be more difficult to use.

[Alice Frampton]

The discussion was on the Old Tools List in late January under the thread subject line of "Son of Studley" (it separated into at least two threads, I think - such are the downsides to email discussion). The information that there's a chap using existing boxes and filling them with tools to fit certainly struck me as the most plausible explanation for a number of questions I had about it. It's still an oddly appealing thing - and a tempting project.

Cheers, Alf

[Jim Palmer]

It's very similar in appearance to an old "Gent" style hobby tool kit circa late C19th, although nowhere near as well thought out or stocked as any of the originals I've ever seen. Definitely not a professional tool box by virtue of design or utility.

[Mark Baldwin III]

I'd be curious if you could find that discussion. If the supposition is true, it's a remarkable bit of forgery (I'm assuming "forgery" rather than "reproduction" or "interpretation" since it was being sold as an antique).

But you may well have a point - notice the spokeshave in front. Unless that shave had detachable, screw-on handles, it'd be extremely odd to see a woodworker cut the handles off of a shave. It wouldn't be totally useless, but it'd certainly be more difficult to use.

The fact that it was being sold as an antique tool chest, and not a piece of folk art (or what-have-you) really makes me question the site that sold it. It looked suspect to me from first glance. Right after I made my previous post, I went and looked at the link. Reading the description there convinced me that this isn't an actual tool kit (of any kind...gent, hobby, whatever). The dimensions are way too small to be useful. The width is about 10". Take that 10" and scale the saw handle from the front of the box. That saw handle is tiny!
Still a pretty neat piece of art to hang on the wall, no doubt about that. It would appear that the person who made it really put some time and work into it, 2"ish long plane anyone?
The more I've thought about it, the more I'm bothered by the fact that it is being sold as an actual tool kit. Either the seller has no clue about what they are selling, or they are misrepresenting it.

[John Coloccia]

My big question about the tools in the old box has to do with the brass triangle and what purpose do the curving lines scribed into it do or represent.

My guess would be that the numbers are angles, and that the scribed lines are either just decorative or perhaps they're part of a geometric construction for the various angles....which would still make them decorative.

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

That's were I saw it first - Alf's site. (thanks for chiming in, Alf.) I followed from her blog to the Old Tools List. I think Joshua Clark's comment in the thread Alf references was the one I was probably referring to, and there was some mention that Patrick Leach knew of the fellow, although I didn't see his comment specifically.

I don't think in the end it means this specific chest was in fact made by that fellow, but it points in the direction. Even if it was, depending on how the antiques dealer came across it, they may be representing it to the best of their knowledge.

Regardless, it doesn't invalidate an attempt to make a functional version. I guess there wasn't much of a point in me bringing it up.

Myself, I've been wanting to make one of those roll-up-hexagon tool totes like in the Tolpin book.

[Jim Ritter]

Well I made some progress and some changes. And this is where I an at the moment. I made a new door, this one is 3/4" instead of 1/2" which gives me more room to inlay the tools into the door panel. So that is what I did.

And with the tools installed.

This is the layout of the box that I'm partial to at the moment but I've got some other ideas I'm thinking about but I want to run this one to the end. Anyway here it is.

Chisels will be in a lift out panel in front of the spokeshaves, etc. That's what I'm thinking anyway.
Jim

[William Adams]

Nice! Did you consider having the brace partially outside so as to serve as a handle?

[Jim Ritter]

That is a great idea William, no that had not occurred to me. I do want the box to have a vertical orientation as opposed to horizontal. The brace is too long to fit across the top of the box, but I have a 6" John Fay brace that will fit. That would solve two space and weight problems at once. Thank you, I'm going to work on that.
Jim

[Jessica Pierce-LaRose]

That's cool, Jim. Looks very well thought out. Trying to cram as much as I can into spaces in my tool cabinet, I know how tough it can be to cram things in that space while still keeping things functional. Looks like you've got that taken care of.

I'll be watching this space for more - keep us posted!

[Jim Koepke]

My biggest problem with laying out a tool box is once there is a place for every tool, some new tool enters the shop and says, "hey, where can I stay?"

jtk

[Rodney Walker]

Pretty sweet so far. Just waiting to see it done.
Rodney

[Jim Ritter]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions, unfortunately I've got to go away this weekend so it will just be languishing on the workbench. The only thing to add at this point is, I've weighed the the box and all the tools I hope to fit in and it comes to 31 pounds. Not too bad. More work on it next week after I get the few chisels I'm waiting on.
Jim

[Jim Ritter]

I made some progress on the tool box since my last post, here's where I am now. I chose two different dovetail patterns, a more decorative one for the upper corners,







The box assembled, but not glued, I've got other work to do on the sides before that.


Then came the back panel. 1/2" teak same as the sides of the box.



All glued up and sanded.


And a quick fit into a shallow rabbet into the box.


I'm still trying different tool layouts. I got the chisels in and just finished fitting them with handles today. I've been working on other tools for the box which I'll be sharing in in a couple of days.
Jim