Toolbox project

As I said before, this project was all about using materials that could be purchased in a DIY store, so this morning I went off to Wickes and bought the timber and ply for the carcass. 

Here are all the pieces cut to length for both sections of the box. The next step was to run a rebate down the outside edge of the pieces for the plywood skins.

Here's me using my home-made router table. It took a little while to adjust the depth and width of cut, but after a few test cuts I finally had it adjusted as I wanted it. I cut a rebate 9mm deep and 11mm wide. 

Here are finished rebates. Not too bad even if I say so myself.

Once the rebates were cut, the next step was to work on the dovetails for the main carcass section. At this point I hadn't decided how I was going to join the pieces for the front of the box, so  I put those to one side while I worked on the dovetails. 

It's confession time now. Carefully I worked out the distribution of the dovetails and set my bevel gauge to 1:7. I then transferred all the lines to the first end of the first side. Unfortunately somewhere along the line I managed to draw them completely wrong and cut them what looked like upside and inside out. Anyway, I managed to recover the error but the joint wasn't a pretty sight. Ah well, these things happen. I'm not the first to get it wrong and I won't be the last and I refuse to beat myself up about it. 

With a little more concentration I managed to get the other corners correct and they fitted together quite tightly. 

I actually tried a technique for cutting the dovetails that I'd seen demonstrated on the woodtreks website. It was definitely quicker than the way I'd been taught in school, I may continue to use this method for future projects.

Having glued up and skinned the main carcass I decided to use simple butt joints for the other section. I think they will be strong enough. 

The skins are glued and pinned in place, and the pins are punched below the surface.

The next job will be to cut the front section into the flap and the bit that fixes to the carcass. The obvious way to fix the main carcass to the smaller front section would be biscuit joints. But I don't have a biscuit joiner unless I go shopping in the morning!

After that it's hinges, handles and one or two draws or tills for the box. I also need to decide on a finish, traditionally black, and how to best use the internal space. The chest my Dad made had all sorts of little posts that fitted into saw handle and held them in place. some creative thinking needed.