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Thread: Inlay Tool Box

  1. #1
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    Inlay Tool Box

    This is a small, pine toolbox I built to hold my inlay tools, which are typically small and hard to keep organized. As this is "shop furniture" it was fun to build as a quick and dirty hand tool project. There are couple kind of quirky design elements driven by an interest in solid DT and M&T joinery:

    1) The top is the same design as Chris Schwarz used in one of his toolboxes. I really like this design with a proud panel solidly captured both in the groove in the surrounding frame and by overlaying that frame. Also like the surrounding dovetailed frame. Very solid, simple looking, but kind of fancy upon closer inspection.

    2) Secondly, the asymmetry of rails and Stiles in the side frame and panel assemblies: the top rail extends the full width of the box to provide end grain for dovetailing the front. Stiles are morticed into the top rail but extend to bottom of the box to again provide end grain for dovetailing the bottom, which means the bottom rail is shorter than the top rail I can't decide if I like the way it looks – maybe top-heavy?, But it did make for solid joinery that was fun to build.

    Cheers, Mike

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  2. #2
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    That’s really nice, Mike. What a great way to organize, beautifully done, as usual. I have to ask, do you keep the carved top panel separate until your satisfied with the carving and inlay and then assemble, or just take a deep breath and start carving on the glued up top? I certainly would have to do the former!

  3. #3
    I like it Mike!
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

  4. #4
    A beautiful thing, obviously hand made and superior to the off the shelf stuff. I hope you were wise enough to mention to your wife, “I’m making a tool box”. Tool boxes can look way too much like jewelry boxes ! Avoid disappointing wife and family !

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phil Mueller View Post
    That’s really nice, Mike. What a great way to organize, beautifully done, as usual. I have to ask, do you keep the carved top panel separate until your satisfied with the carving and inlay and then assemble, or just take a deep breath and start carving on the glued up top? I certainly would have to do the former!
    Hey Phil great to hear from you!

    The inlay was done prior to assembly, but the carving was an afterthought that I added after glue up. Generally for carving and inlay super helpful for me to be able to move the work piece around on the bench to get in the optional configuration for fine motor skill control of the fingers.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mel Fulks View Post
    A beautiful thing, obviously hand made and superior to the off the shelf stuff. I hope you were wise enough to mention to your wife, “I’m making a tool box”. Tool boxes can look way too much like jewelry boxes ! Avoid disappointing wife and family !
    Thanks a lot Mel for your kind words – means a lot particularly coming from you.

    I wish my wife and family were encouraging me to build stuff for them but unfortunately that’s no longer the case. We’re empty-nesters looking to downsize and Sherrie says we already have way more furniture than we can use and I’ve built pretty complete sets of at least bedroom furniture for both our boys so she’s happy to know any project I’m working on is intended to stay in the shop.

    Because of the “no furniture” mandate from the boss, most of my recent projects have been small boxes etc. Those are getting pretty tedious for me – small dimensions make so little room for error. Eager to start on more human scale project where I can more easily hide my mistakes.

    Best, Mike

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Allen1010 View Post
    Thanks a lot Mel for your kind words – means a lot particularly coming from you.

    I wish my wife and family were encouraging me to build stuff for them but unfortunately that’s no longer the case. We’re empty-nesters looking to downsize and Sherrie says we already have way more furniture than we can use and I’ve built pretty complete sets of at least bedroom furniture for both our boys so she’s happy to know any project I’m working on is intended to stay in the shop.

    Because of the “no furniture” mandate from the boss, most of my recent projects have been small boxes etc. Those are getting pretty tedious for me – small dimensions make so little room for error. Eager to start on more human scale project where I can more easily hide my mistakes.

    Best, Mike
    The 'no furniture' mandate may also be known as the 'full house syndrome.' I have that problem so my products have become smaller recently. I am planning to build a combo end table/book shelf for the new sectional we purchased last year. Dimensions will be ~24x30x12. I have given away many pieces to friends and family when completed but we should consider likewise for many we have used over the years.

    I 'have to' keep woodworking, right? I have the tools and the lumber but the creativity is impaired by the reduced need. I guess that is a nice position to get to after all these years.
    Rustic? Well, no. That was not my intention!

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