Projects

Quick and simple 6-board chest

Posted by iohann on

Materials list

1″ x 10″ x 8′ board (big box pine) or 4/4 s3s or better 9.5″ wide minimum at 8′ from a lumber yard
Hinges, varying from a simple leather hinge to custom forged options

Process

Lay out measurements

  • Tools: Saw horses, square, pencil
  • Measure from one end || lid: 17 | Side 1: 17 | Side 2: 17 | bottom: 17 | end 1: 14 | end 2: 14 ||

Cut to length

  • Tools: Mitre saw or crosscut saw
  • Cut to the inside of the marked line

If not pre-smoothed lumber
Plane to 3/4″ thick

  • Tools: Thickness planer or hand planes
  • Plane both sides, to get to a finished thickness of 3/4″

Cut top and sides to width

  • Tools: Table saw or rip saw
  • Cut each of the sides and top to 9″ width (or whatever width you can get all three pieces to

Cut base to width

  • Tools: Table saw or rip saw
  • Cut base piece to the width of your end pieces, minus 2x the thickness of your boards (aka, 1.5″ less wide than your final end piece width)

Cut side inset for end pieces

  • Tools: Bandsaw or rip saw (shoulder plane if you have it)
  • Remove a 3/4″ x [the width of your side boards: ~9.25 for big box board] piece from both sides of each leg, starting opposite the section that will be the feet. The sides of the chest will end up resting on the extending leg section. The narrower section of the leg should be the same width as your base and the wider section should be the same width as your lid.

Cut tenons

  • Tools: Bandsaw or rip saw (shoulder plane if you have it)
  • Find the center of your base board and measure 1.5″ either side of center. Remove two .75″ pieces from each end so that you are left with a 3″ “T” protruding from each end. ___| 3″ |___

Drill + cut mortises

  • Tools: Drill and Reciprocating saw or chisels
  • Draw a line across the “shoulders” of each leg and find the mid point of the line. Mark 1.5″ along that line to either side of center. Extend the mark .75″ above the line, to the narrow end of the board – this will be the mortise that the tenons will fit into. Cut out the rectangle.

Tweak

  • Tools: Sand paper or planes
  • Clean all edges that will have glue applied. Add a decorative cut out to separate the bottom of the end pieces into feet.

Assemble

  • Tools: Glue, clamps
  • Assemble the chest, gluing the base and sides in place to the ends.

Hardware

  • Make or purchase hinges and optional hasp
  • Affix hinges, hasp, and any additional hardware with nails clinched on the inside of the chest.