Carving Tool Chest

[joepaulbutler]

But it is functional

[Dark Lightning]

Oops, sorry. I know from a previous life to spell it out the first time, but got lazy. And, thanks! It's not nearly as nice as you think, once you get up close.

[joepaulbutler]

Wow, that is too neat to be in my workplace! Had to go to google to see what the heck QSWO was.

[Dark Lightning]

Thanks, folks! Haven't been back for awhile, sorry. Didn't see these comments until I logged in today. I will say that the tools I have took over 20 years to accumulate; I did buy a bunch after I sold my hot rod Buick, that I spent money on for many years. Didn't even get that money back out, but at least got some tools out of the deal. A lot of people in my carving class/club use plastic tackle boxes. They are a nice, inexpensive (and light!) way to carry the tools. I've been working out with weights to make sure that I can still lift that quarter sawn white oak chest. It's only 32 pounds. So far, it's OK. I built a bottom chest in the interim due to the expectation of weight lifting being an issue. Two drawers only, to hold my "recent" purchase of Henry Taylor "Acorn" chisels from about 5 years ago, and some newer Ashley Isles chisels that I got for xmas in 2019. The bottom drawer would be for projects, magazines, whatever. I made this one out of a plank of red oak, because QSWO is just getting stupid expensive where I live. Hardware is from H. Gerstner and Sons. I really like the quality of that hardware.

[tbox61]

Very, very nice! Sure puts my Plano tackle box to shame!

[Brian T]

Rglideride: you will. You will build a tool chest, just not now.
Give this 10 years. You buy the stuff that you need as one carving morphs into another. I bought 2 Eurogouges this year. Pfeil 3/18 and 5/18. I had nothing to do the job and I could not figure out how to get it done with crooked knives.

1-2 gouges over each of 25 years. 1-2 knives over each of 20 years. Rolls of First Nations crooked knives. Then you make a bunch of knives to get what you need. It adds up while you weren't looking.

[Rglideride]

Beautiful! .....If only I owned the quantity of tools making a chest necessary, lol!

[Claude]

Thanks, Steven! I thought there must be some way, but couldn't see it. Well done!

Claude

[Dark Lightning]

The green one has a lock bar on the left edge held on by a screw. The walnut one has a lock bar in the center. The little white oak one on top of the big oak box has a flap that covers the drawers, which is locked in place when the lid is closed. The big oak box, I don't transport, though it does have a front plate to close off the drawers. It has over 3 dozen chisels and gouges, and 2 mallets in it. It's probably 70 pounds, loaded. I didn't even bother with handles on that one!

[Claude]

All are nice looking chests! How do you keep the drawers from sliding open when transporting?

Claude

[Dark Lightning]

Maybe that's the next question to ask: Where do you keep the tool chest? Looks like a very good solution to the puzzle but it needs wheels. I can't lift anything heavy any more.

I had some denim tool rolls made to hold euro gouges. Different cloth reminds me of the groupings of tools. They all pack very well into a big tool box from the hardware store. But, I don't need portability any more.

Then I made a brief case for a wide variety of PacNW crooked knives and adzes. My thinking was that I had as many crooked knives as I would need to use. Can you see the joke coming? I lost count of the knives I got since then. They are in piles on the bench. I keep thinking(?) that I should do something about organizing them but no ideas ever come to mind. I do see that there are "clusters" that work for one carving but not another.

Strength is indeed an issue. I can still lift more than that 30 pound chest, but I know that the day is coming when I won't be able to, and then I'll have to make sections of chest that can be stacked. I used to be able to dead-lift 325 pounds, but that was 40 years ago. I was tough as an alligator baggie, in those days, lol. I currently have a cart that I use to take the chest from the car to class. I made a larger chest from oak that I keep all my large carving tools and mallets in. It's on a shelf in the carving bench. Lots of drawers, need less to say. This is a picture of that chest, which has a quarter-sawn white oak chest sitting on top, that I used to take to the club/class until it started getting too beat up. It's made on the lines of the kinds of chests that Gerstner makes for machinist's tools, and in fact all the hardware on it was purchased from them.

[Merle Rice]

Hi Steven , you are Definitely a Cabinet Maker . Beautiful piece of Work . Merle

[Brian T]

Maybe that's the next question to ask: Where do you keep the tool chest? Looks like a very good solution to the puzzle but it needs wheels. I can't lift anything heavy any more.

I had some denim tool rolls made to hold euro gouges. Different cloth reminds me of the groupings of tools. They all pack very well into a big tool box from the hardware store. But, I don't need portability any more.

Then I made a brief case for a wide variety of PacNW crooked knives and adzes. My thinking was that I had as many crooked knives as I would need to use. Can you see the joke coming? I lost count of the knives I got since then. They are in piles on the bench. I keep thinking(?) that I should do something about organizing them but no ideas ever come to mind. I do see that there are "clusters" that work for one carving but not another.

[Dark Lightning]

You made a wooden chest, I made canvas roll-up tool pouches, Now I ask you who is the most talented

Each in their own medium! I wouldn't even consider trying to make canvas roll-ups, tbh. I have no skills beyond sewing on buttons, when it comes to things like clothing, etc.

[joepaulbutler]

You made a wooden chest, I made canvas roll-up tool pouches, Now I ask you who is the most talented