Benjamin seaton tool chest plans

We may receive commission when you use our affiliate links. However, this does not impact our recommendations. Since you are an affiliate, you can use this url to link people to this page and get credited for it:. The large design features storage for loads of hand and power tools. The removable inside case will fit your hand tools like chisels, gouges, marking gauges.

Tier Standard Premium unavailable Learn more about our premium plans. Dust and grime has never been good for tools, and 18th century cabinetmakers went to extreme lengths to keep their tools separated from dirt.

Benjamin used a simple but effective seal. Begin making the seal by cutting the lid to size and mortising the hinges into the case and lid.

Miter and nail this moulding to the front and sides of the lid. The second piece of moulding adds another layer of protection. Next cut a degree bevel on the bottom of the four pieces of moulding. Miter three pieces of moulding and nail or screw them to the front and sides of the case. Do not miter the back edges of the moulding that goes on the sides. Cut these flush with the case. Now make the moulding for the back. This moulding is different because it helps seal the back of the case and acts as a stop for the lid.

Take a piece of moulding back to the table saw and rip off the rabbet. Now attach this moulding to the back, flush to the top edge of the case. Screw and glue this moulding to the back. Now cut the cleats for the sides that hold the rope handles.

Use a band saw to cut them to rough shape and sand them down. Attach the cleats with screws. If you want to add a lock to your chest, now is the best time. I used a small full-mortise chest lock. You can now add the dividers for your power tools at the bottom of the case. Fill all your screw holes with water putty and finish sand the exterior of the case to grit. Paint the exterior blue.

Try to make the grain run up and down on these pieces to minimize the chances your case will break open when the wood begins to move. A little glue on the front ends of these dividers is all you need.

To download a. The cutlist is here. You access the top level by opening the lid of the box. The bottom three levels are for nine drawers. I wanted my till to weigh as little as possible, so I made the case from pine veneered with walnut have lots of clamps. The top is solid walnut; the bottom is plain pine. Dry assemble the case. When everything fits, assemble the till with nails and glue.

Attach the vertical dividers last. Use only nails when attaching the horizontal dividers to allow for wood movement. Attach the vertical dividers with a little glue and a dead blow mallet.

Now, using nails and glue, attach the front piece at the top that encloses the top tool area. Cut your top to finished size and cut a detail on the top edge to soften the look. A table saw also would do this job nicely.

Finally, I mortised a flush ring-pull into the lid to make opening the lid easier. You just have to be careful not to go over the edge you marked, which is an easy mistake to make. The easiest way to prevent this problem is to pare the edges with a chisel or a knife. When your bit gets near the pared edge it shears away, leaving a square edge. Till Details Swage your hinges and then mortise them into the till and the lid. Then start dividing up the top tool area for the hand tools that you reach for most often.

I made a rack for my chisels and cubbyholes for my small planes. Finally, I built two holders that flip up. One holds my drill bits, the other holds my screwdrivers and a marking gauge. I used walnut veneer tape for all the dividers. Now cut your drawers. The nine drawers are all assembled in the same manner. Sand your pieces and then assemble the drawers with nails and glue. Fit your drawers into the till. Finish sand everything and cover the till with two coats of clear finish.

Add a chain to the lid to prevent it from opening too far. Build the Runners The till rests on runners screwed into the inside of the large case. Screw the runners to the inside of the case. Make sure that you leave a couple inches of space above the top of the till to allow room for the saw holder. The third step is the remainder of the board. See the diagram for all the dimensions for the runners. Position the strips for your own set of saws. You might want to cut rabbets or dadoes in the strips depending on your particular saws.

I made the front face of the saw holder from pine and leftover walnut veneer. Miter and glue four strips of maple into the rabbet. Screw the front face to the strips and cover the screw heads with caps. I cut my own diamond-shaped caps from some scrap maple. Stain the interior of the large case and lid. I wanted to make the inside look old and weathered.