Tool Box Process Guide
Design, Lumber, & Nails Needed Designed from typical big box lumber dimensional lumber to minimize the rip cuts Added feet to allow the box to sit on uneven surfaces Add a sliding interior till for smaller tools Wedge locks the lid in place and battens are clinch nailed to the lid Butt joints and wrought nails hold it together Handles on the sides for easy movement Lumber Requirements Radiata Pine throughout for clear and flat boards 5 boards total to make the whole case If no Radiata Pine be selective and dig for clear material. Flat is nice but because of the nailed joinery cups or bows in the board can be taken out during assembly. See the Lumber Shopping list for board sizes (to the right) Tools Needed Hardware Store Saw Dozuki or Back saw (optional) Jack plane Sloyd hooks Marking Gauge Wrought and cut nails Eggbeater drill and bits
Tool Box Parts List Bottom: 3/4 x 11.5 x 30 2 Sides: 3/4 x 9.5 x 30 2 Ends: 3/4 x 9.5 x 10.5 2 Handles: 3/4 x 2.5 x 10.5 2 Top Rails: 3/4 x 2.5 x 11.5 Top: 3/4 x 10 x 27 Grip Batten: 3/4 x 1.5 x 12 Center Batten: 3/4 x 1.5 x 12 Locking batten/wedge: 3/4 x 3 x 12 2 Feet: 3/4 x 1.5 x 12 2 Til Runners: 1/4 x 1.5 x 28.5 2 Til Sides: 1/2 x 1.5 x 12 2 Til Ends: 1/2 x 1.5 x 10 Til Bottom: 1/2 x 10 x 12 Hardware Cut finish nails, 1 1/2 Wrought Nails, 2 Clinch Cut Nail, 2 Lumber Shopping List 1x2x8, 2 pieces 1x12x6 1x10x8 1x4x6
Make a Big Box Saw the bottom and sides to rough size, approximately 1 larger than parts list. Breaking down the stock longer will minimize possible tearing from larger boards. Shoot one end of the bottom using the Sloyd Hooks and Jack plane as a shooting board. Measure out the 30 length of the bottom and saw and shoot to final size. Use the bottom as a master and line up on the side parts and mark them to length to perfectly match the bottom. Saw and shoot the 2 side pieces to final length. Line up the side and pencil in their location to determine the length of the 2 end boards. Saw them slightly oversized. Shoot the ends of the end pieces and keep checking against the case for the right fit. Since the handles are the same size as the 2 end parts, go ahead and saw and shoot them to final length. Use the end to support the case side and 2 clamps to secure the end to bore the nail pilot holes.
Use a drill bit that matches the nail shank 1/3 from the point. Careful Assembly to Keep Things Square Use the bottom as a reference surface and an offcut to prop up the end piece and position it in from the ends of the sides. Run 2 clamps across the case to secure the end. Bore 3 pilot holes and drive 2 wrought nails. Work you way around the case at each corner double checking alignment and the offset of the ends for the handles. Drill pilot holes and nail the bottom in place using Rosehead nails. Position cut nails so they wedge along the grain.
Feet to Stabilize, Handles for Lifting & Rails to Lock in the Lid Saw Feet to Size Nail on the Feet Show the 1x2 to the case to determine the final size. Saw to length using your bench hook Chamfer the bottom edges for durability Use a bit that matches the size of the nail at the tip & bore to 2/3 the length of the nail Use cut finish nails that can be set below the surface without breaking through the case interior Chamfer the Handles Layout a chamfer that s half the thickness and 1/2 from the bottom edge Plane the chamfer into the boards, then slightly round the sharp edges where the hand grips Glue/Nail Handles Predrill & drive 2 finish cut nails from the inside of the case until the tip pokes through Press the handle in place to register the location Glue the handles then drive the nails to clamp Size Top Rails Nail on Top Rails Saw and shoot the Rails by showing them to the case and marking their legnth. Glue them down to the top of the case, ensuring they are square to the inside of the case. Mark pilot holes so they fall in line with the nails on the sides of the case Pre-drill and drive the 2 wrought nails to secure the top rails
The Sliding Lid Capture the size of the interior of the case then rip your lid board to just a bit wider. Joint the board until you get a friction fit inside the case and the lid should be 1 longer than the case opening. Saw out 3 battens. 2 from the 1x2 and 1 from the 1x4 for the wedge block. They should be shot to same size as the top rails and the ends chamfered. The battens are clinched to the top using 2 rosehead nails Start by boring all the way through the batten and the lid. Using pliers bend the point then roll the nail shank over and back into the wood. Hammer the point back in clinching things up tight. On the right hand grip batten, layout a 3/8 square chamfer that is 4 long. Saw morten cuts and chop and pare away the waste. Layout the wedge. Mark 1 1/4 from opposite sides on opposite ends, then connect that line. Offset the vertical line 1/8 towards the batten as well. Saw out the compound angle by positioning the vertical cut square to the workbench. Clean up the angled face of the wedge and the batten. Take light cuts and work until you have a clean and smooth fit between the two. Finally nail the grip and wedge batten into place. Offset the wedge batten about 1/16 towards the rail to allow the wedge to lock up tight when it comes flush with the edge.
Sliding Interior Till Saw all parts of the til (1x2) to rough size and plane down to 1/2 thickness Use the remaining offcut from the 1x12 for the bottom and plane down to 1/2 thickness. Use your marking gauge to layout the finished thickness and plane down to the lines. Shoot and size the sides and end so that the till fits just inside the case and it can move freely Use a holdfast to secure the dry fit till case together Bore and nail using headless brads Nail the bottom of the till in place using 1 1/4 finish cut nails. The till rides on thin runners that are resawn from another bit of the 1x2. Crosscut it to length approximately 4 shorter than the inside case dimension. Resaw the 1x2 in half Clean up the sawn faces. The final thickness isn t important but somewhere near 1/4 is good. Set the location of the runner so there is 1/2 of space between the top of the till and the lid. Glue and nail the runners in place. Drop the till in place and check that it slides cleanly
Rehearsal is Key... Fill up the til with your auger bits, marking tools, etc. Any small items The main compartment will hold your plane/s, saws, brace, square, etc. You can leave it unfinished or I used a paste wax coat to keep the close to the wood look yet give it a bit of luster. This box can be built in any number of sizes to match your tooling. Start there and figure out exactly how big the case needs to be to house your tools. I wouldn t make it much bigger than what I built here as it can get really heavy once full. To Ensure a Smooth Performance Paste Wax is wiped on with a rag and left to dry for about 30 minutes. Use a clean rag to buff the wax to the finish of your choice.