I became a first time grandfather in October..how did that happen, I can’t be that old! A toy chest seemed like the perfect gift for the family. I searched some images online, found something I liked, and designed this one in Sketchup.
The frame is hard maple, 1 1/8” thick for strength and appearance. The front, rear, and side panels are 1/2” birch plywood fitted into dadoes in the frame. The bottom is 3/4” birch plywood fitted into a dado. The top is 3/4” edge glued hard maple, because I didn’t want it to be too heavy for safety reasons.
The polished nickel butt hinges are mortised into the frame and lid, and the 2 lid supports allow a very nice, slow descent when the lid is closed. They also keep it held open at 105 degrees.
I’ve tried various finishes for maple, because I don’t like how much oil finishes warm up the color. Water based polyurethane doesn’t warm up the wood, but can look a bit cold to my eye. After some research and experimentation, I’ve found the maple finish I like. I used 3 coats of Sealcoat, a dewaxed shellac that has just a hint of warmth, followed by 2 coats of satin wipe-on poly. The color in the images I posted is a bit warmer than it looks in person.
I’ve never used shellac, and it took a while to learn about its tendencies. Unless it’s sprayed, it seems to leave small ridges which must be removed between coats. I tried brushing, and ended up using a pad made from an old tee shirt. I used the 3M abrasive pads in red and gray, which are much finer than sandpaper, and worked well. The 2 coats of poly were also smoothed with the ultra-fine gray pad, which also reduced the sheen to my liking.
Now it needs to be carefully packed and shipped from California to Arizona. The chest weighs about 50lbs. It’s very expensive using Fedex or UPS. After some research it appears much more cost effective using Greyhound bus service.
I know there are members here much more knowledgeable than me, particularly when using shellac, and would appreciate your comments. Thanks for looking. Cheers,
Tim
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