After our boys had made several dovetailed and inlaid boxes, Ralph
announced that his pupil was ready to attack the construction of a tool
cabinet. It was to be fastened to the wall over the bench, designed
to hold most of the small tools, and to be in such a position that it
could be reached from the front of the bench.
The cabinet designed was really a dovetailed box 30 × 20 × 6 inches
over all. It was made of 1/2-inch quartered oak except the back, which
was 1/2-inch pine. The bill of material was:
1 piece pine 30 × 20 × 1/2
1 piece oak 30 × 20 × 1/2
2 pieces oak 20 × 5-1/2
2 pieces oak 30 × 5-1/2
The front and back, each 30 x 20 inches, were made of two pieces 30
x 10 inches, jointed and glued, placed in clamps over night and the
joints planed down to take off the excess glue which had oozed out
under pressure of the clamps. While these two parts were gluing, the
sides and ends were dovetailed as in previous boxes.
[Illustration: Fig. 189. A tool cabinet]
When the front and back pieces were glued in place on the box, they
were further fastened by 1-inch brads, set below the surface, and the
holes filled with putty, coloured to correspond with the stain. The
colour of the finish was a dark, handsome green. The box was sawed in
two along a line 2-1/2 inches from the front.
This divided the cabinet into two parts, the door or front section
having a clear depth of 2 inches, and the back or wall section a depth
of 3 inches.
After hinging the door section in position, the cabinet was stained
inside and out, the outside polished and a hook for fastening the door
shut was placed in position.
The cabinet was fastened to the studding of the shop by four strong
screws 1-1/2 inches long. The various nails, hooks, and tool racks were
next added and the cabinet was ready to use.
Patent racks for holding chisels, gouges, etc., are sold in hardware
stores, but our boys preferred to make their own. Their chisel rack is
shown in Fig. 189.
After squaring up and cutting out the recesses at the ends, holes were
bored, the opening from the front cut with back saw, and the sharp
edges rounded with chisel and sand-paper.
Holes for the screws at the ends were bored and countersunk.
In locating a tool cabinet of this kind, while it should be very easily
reached, and is usually open during work hours, it should be placed
high enough so as to be easily opened or closed without striking tools
and work on the bench. In other words, it should not be necessary
to clear the bench top in order to open the cabinet. About 6 inches
between under side of tool cabinet and bench top is about right.
An old-fashioned tool chest, suitable for shipping a whole kit of
tools any distance, is shown in Fig. 190. These chests were usually
fitted with trays divided into compartments for small tools and
hardware. Such a chest may be made of either hard or soft wood and its
construction is as follows:
After making out a list of material, square up sides and ends exactly
as in making any box. Lay out, cut and fit the dovetails. The bottom,
on account of its width, will have to be made of two pieces. These may
be jointed, glued and placed in clamps or put together with a tongue
and groove joint. The latter plan calls for a special plane. Having
prepared the bottom by either of these methods, bore and countersink
holes about 6 inches apart in the bottom and secure rigidly to sides
and ends by 1-1/2 or 1-3/4 inch flat-head screws.
For the top, make a frame from 5/8 to 3/4 inch thick and 3 or 4 inches
wide, putting the ends together with end lap or mortise and tenon
joints.
Secure this frame to top of box by screws. These may be round-heads, or
if it is desirable to hide them, the method shown in Fig. 190 can be
used. This is accomplished by boring a 3/16-inch hole through the top
frame. At the same centre a 1/2-inch hole is bored partly through. The
screw is driven home and a round wooden plug glued into the 1/2-inch
hole. When dry, this plug is sawed off and planed smooth.
The top frame having been secured, two gauge lines are made for sawing
the cover, as in previous boxes, and the two parts dressed to gauge
lines, ready for hinging.
[Illustration: Fig. 190. The old-fashioned tool chest]
Before putting on the hinges, the top is to be finished with a raised
panel. Square up a piece of stock two inches longer and wider than
the open space in the top frame. Round upper edges, and secure to
frame by flat-head screws from the under side through holes bored and
countersunk.
Next put on hinges, which should be large and strong, the variety
known as strap hinges. Cut out space for lock, and fit. The holes for
key are bored with a gimlet bit and cut out enough to allow the key to
enter freely; or hasp, staple and padlock may be used.
[Illustration: Fig. 191. Suit case tool chest]
The bevelled base is mitred at corners, and brass corner plates to
protect these lower corners are added.
The strip at the top corresponding to the base may be mitred and
protected with corner plates, or the ordinary butt joint can be used.
The bevel on this strip may be omitted. A chest of this variety, made
of pine and painted, will stand a great deal of rough usage. Iron
or brass handles at the ends are recommended for convenience in
carrying. Our boys were not satisfied with this form of tool chest, as
it required two people to carry it, and after some experimenting they
evolved one in the form of a dress suit case, long, narrow, and high,
that could be easily carried. It is shown in Fig. 191.
They first made a solid box 30 × 15 × 7 inches over all. It was put
together with butt joints securely nailed, using 1/2-inch white wood.
One quarter of the box was sawed out, as shown on the end view, and
hinged to the body by ornamental brass hinges. This quarter was fitted
for two saws by making two blocks as shown in the drawing. The rip and
cross cut saws were fitted into the saw kerfs cut in these two blocks,
placed securely in the cover, and were held in place by a small piece
of leather strap taken from a school book strap and nailed to inside
of cover. A tray for small tools was made of 1/4-inch stock the full
length and width of the inside of the chest 1-1/2 inches deep and made
to rest flush with the top of lower section on little corner strips
glued in the four corners.
For handle, two pieces of leather strap were secured, one to each top
section, by screws. When the box was closed, these two straps came
together and made a good handle. The objection to a solid handle is
that it must be entirely on one section and that takes it out of the
centre, so that the weight is not evenly distributed.
This is one of the most satisfactory styles of tool carrier devised. It
will hold practically the whole kit and may be picked up like a dress
suit case and transported just as readily. A hook and eye or hasp,
staple and padlock should be used to hold the case securely closed.
For carrying bits of various kinds and sizes, a roll of ticking or
denim divided into separate spaces is very desirable. These rolls with
straps are sold in tool houses, but may be made at home by the sewing
department. Besides protecting the cutting edges, they help to keep out
dampness and rust.