Blanket box

[andersonec]

Just finished present for Daughter-in-law, think she want's to bury son in it. American white oak with Ash faced ply for the panels.

Andy :ho2

 

[worsley947]

Looking good now its finnished, where did you get the gas strut from.
Dave

 

[andersonec]

where did you get the gas strut from.
Dave

Dave,
Cheapest place I could find them is here. http://comptools.co.uk/advanced_search_ ... cription=1

The ones I got were the 80 newton ones, just a guess really but they work fine. They are really intended for vertically mounted doors so the last few inches on closing has to be lowered by hand but they lift the lid no bother.

Oh, and watch the measurements given with the instructions, they have to be taken from where it is hinged.

Andy

 

[Phil Sewell]

Andy,

Nice chest, I should be your gofer not the other way round!

Phil.

 

[Custardcream]

I made a toy box for my friends 1 year old son last Christmas and really struggled to find a decent solution to keeping the lid open, your gas strut looks pretty good: much better than those crappy lid stays you get from B&Q anyway.
Another option i found was torsion hinges:
http://www.rutlands.co.uk/cgi-bin/psProdDet.cgi/29002

Quite expensive at around £20 each but they do the job and look clean.

 

[Waka]

That's a very nice chest, just one question, how thick are the panels?

 

[andersonec]

how thick are the panels?

Waka,
I used 9mm Ash faced ply for the panels and routed a groove in the frame to take it, should really have made a rebate in the back side of the frame and then put in some beading to keep the panels nice and tight to the front side of the panels, there is a slight gap in places but not enough to make it unsightly, had it been completely flush though, it would have just made it that little bit better, I'll know next time.

The panels are only about 230mm wide and surprisingly strong, I have tried sitting on the lid and it had no trouble taking my weight.

It was a quick job and so the frame is jointed with biscuits.

Andy

 

[andersonec]

Just thought I would add this picture of how the legs were shaped to take the frame.

Andy

 

[Corset]

That is a fantastic gift and one which will get years of use. I think people always admire chests like that.
owen

 

[Max Power]

Lovely and very practical gift Andy. The only difference I'd have made is possibly to use some quarter sawn oak panels and lightly fumed it

 

[woodbloke]

Just thought I would add this picture of how the legs were shaped to take the frame.

Nice looking blanket chest, but if I could add a cautionary note here...by making the legs rectangular in section rather than square, you will have introduced a very short tenon, which may be a weakness. Although making legs like this is not bad practice, it's not 'best' practice either. I would have made the legs square, with equal length tenons mitred on the inside of the joint...the treatment of the interior corner is sound as it removes a sharp edge - Rob :ho2

 

[andersonec]

The only difference I'd have made is possibly to use some quarter sawn oak panels and lightly fumed it

Alan, the sawmill had some but, Money, Money, Money... as the Abba song goes plus I would have had to edge joined them to get a nice book match and wanted to get it finished 'cos 'er indoors had a list of jobs for me, clean this, clean that move this, move that, decorations, Christmas tree (glad I didn't have to make that) I'm off down the Pub...........

You will have introduced a very short tenon, which may be a weakness. Rob :ho2

]

Rob, Had thought of that but decided that as it was only going to hold blankets, sheets etc. that it would hold up plus the panels are glued in all round (ply) so that would add a bit of extra strength.

Thanks for all the suggestions, they have been noted and stored for next time.

All the best for the Season.
Andy :deer

 

[woodbloke]

You will have introduced a very short tenon, which may be a weakness. Rob :ho2

Rob, Had thought of that but decided that as it was only going to hold blankets, sheets etc. that it would hold up plus the panels are glued in all round (ply) so that would add a bit of extra strength.

Thanks for all the suggestions, they have been noted and stored for next time.

All the best for the Season.
Andy :deer

As the ply panels have been glued in, that will add considerable strength to the construction...had they been solid timber and floating in the groove then that could have caused problems later on - Rob