Japanese Toolbox

[Citracal]

Hey everyone,

Just wondering if anyone knows of any decent sources for information on how traditional Japanese toolboxes are actually made? Would like to make one in the next few weeks but having a hard time finding legitimate information. YouTube is overflowing with people making "traditional" toolboxes who hilariously can't seem to even joint two pieces of wood together correctly so yeah just wondering if there are any better sources of information out there? For background, I'm a cabinetmaker, have two traditional English style toolboxes already but they are second hand and I quite like the simplicity of the Japanese ones and frankly they will just be much quicker to make.

 

[dzj]

If I understood correctly, the only common denominator such boxes have is the lid and the
way it is wedged in place. Traditionally, the boxes weren't meant as a permanent storage solution
for your tools, but for transporting them to and from a job site for example.
Usually they just nailed (glued?) everything together with little or no joinery.
Trays and compartments were a recent add-on by American authors of magazine articles.
I could be completely wrong of course.

 

[TheUnicorn]

I'd have a look at instuctables.com

https://www.instructables.com/search/projects/?q=japanese toolbox&projects=all
it comes from a wealth of sources and skill levels, but that does mean that you can pick and choose the elements that make sense for you, and discard what you don't like

 

[Jacob]

Hey everyone,

Just wondering if anyone knows of any decent sources for information on how traditional Japanese toolboxes are actually made? Would like to make one in the next few weeks but having a hard time finding legitimate information. YouTube is overflowing with people making "traditional" toolboxes who hilariously can't seem to even joint two pieces of wood together correctly so yeah just wondering if there are any better sources of information out there? For background, I'm a cabinetmaker, have two traditional English style toolboxes already but they are second hand and I quite like the simplicity of the Japanese ones and frankly they will just be much quicker to make.

I'm sure we could work it out - have you got a picture or two of traditional Japanese toolboxes, showing the salient features?
That sliding wedge looks an interesting idea.
Or would any of these fit the bill? japanese toolbox - Google Search
https://blog.lostartpress.com/2015/04/10/the-japanese-toolbox-finally/

 

[vanders]

I would recommend Toshio Odate's book Japanese Woodworking Tools - Their Tradition, Spirit and Use.

 

[Jacob]

I would recommend Toshio Odate's book Japanese Woodworking Tools - Their Tradition, Spirit and Use.

Downloadable drawing here Japanese Toolbox-Progress 1

 

[thetyreman]

quercus magazine july/august 2021 has some info on making them, you can either use a housing joint with wedged tenons or make it with cut nails, they are quite basic really, treebangham has done some good videos on it on youtube

 

[thetyreman]

 

[Citracal]

Cheers everyone for the information. Yeah, a pretty basic design but just wanted to ask on here in case there was something I may have been overlooking. Came across Toshio's book shortly after posting, in and of itself quite an interesting read, he doesn't even bother with the wedge. Anyway, will find some time to get one together before the end of the month and post an update.

 

[dannyr]

A few years ago, I had collected a number of Japanese and Chinese tools (being a cheapskate, all fair quality, but only bought when I encountered a bargain) - I'd seen pix of such toolboxes, so when I found myself with some rather nice looking grainy, knot-free pine, I made such a box (just nailed, with rough surface long galvanised clouts). looks fine, easy to lift, holds together well, lid is a bit sticky if humidity causes movement, but works). Really just took an hour or two to make and fettle.

Only thing is, now they're all safely in the box, they get moved around, and checked (keeps off the rust OK) but -- I don't seem to use them any more. (Just the British-style tools that are mostly not in a box)

 

[Citracal]

Well some updates. Last day in work and just got the boxes finished on time to pack everything into them. Made them all from 18mm birch ply, really didn't have the time to be making it out of solid, but a few late evenings and it all came together pretty quickly. Just screwed and plugged everything together to save faffing about with clamps. Found some decent quartered oak though to knock some mitred trays together. There is a stop on the underside of the tops so that all the lids shut closed at the same spot. Didn't bother with any wedges, can't see the point really. All in all quite happy with how its all turned out, and most importantly that I managed to fit all my tools into them. Ah finally, as there are 3 different boxes that are all identical I made them discernible from each other by changing the position of a walnut plug (all the other plugs are cherry) in the lid that corresponds to a walnut plug on the top of the tool box which line up with each other. Also, gave al the tools a solid rub with some acf-50 as I'm not sure when they'll be coming back out again.

 

[Jameshow]

Where are you going?!

 

[TRITON]

EDIT: I see you finished yours. did you not put the wedge closer though ?, I believe thats the traditional feature for closing it

I made one a bit back as a thank you gift.
It was a fun make. The top closes with a wedge, and to get that right I oversized it, fitted then trimmed the overhang.
The wedge sides, as well as the supporting parts where it 'wedges' are also beveled so the whole thing locks up tight.

I also changed the standard design from a solid timber bottom to plywood.
Made in Bubinga and Maple.

I added a little bit at the bottom of the sides sloping inwards as a handy spot to keep a pencil.
Theres also an undercut on the side handles (not visible) gives you somewhere to put your fingers for a better grip when lifting it.

 

[Citracal]

EDIT: I see you finished yours. did you not put the wedge closer though ?, I believe thats the traditional feature for closing it

I made one a bit back as a thank you gift.
It was a fun make. The top closes with a wedge, and to get that right I oversized it, fitted then trimmed the overhang.
The wedge sides, as well as the supporting parts where it 'wedges' are also beveled so the whole thing locks up tight.

I also changed the standard design from a solid timber bottom to plywood.
Made in Bubinga and Maple.

I added a little bit at the bottom of the sides sloping inwards as a handy spot to keep a pencil.
Theres also an undercut on the side handles (not visible) gives you somewhere to put your fingers for a better grip when lifting it.
View attachment 152384View attachment 152385View attachment 152386
View attachment 152387View attachment 152388

Is the wedge a traditional thing or is it more of a YouTuber, hobbyist thing? Like I said, there is no mention of it in Toshio's book where he describes how a traditional toolbox is made. If the lid is fit well, which they are, they don't slide around.

I did think about the wedge thing but if you're going to do it then you'd want to do it right and that for me would have meant that the piece of wood that makes the end of the top of the box, the wedge and then the piece it wedges against on the lid would all be made from the same piece so that when together the grain runs across the three pieces and looks like one single piece. Sure that would have been a nice feature but its unnecessary.

 

[Citracal]

Where are you going?!

Glasgow. If anyone has any leads on shared makers'/bench space available in the city that would be very very much appreciated!

 

[TRITON]

Glasgow. If anyone has any leads on shared makers'/bench space available in the city that would be very very much appreciated!

Basically its always been a case of phoning round, seeing what's what and who's who, but I recently tried a number(Im in Glasgow) and all either were full, or stopped offering places.
One i do know might be of help is Samsons Joinery.
His is quite a big workshop. Big older equipment, bandsaws, moulder, planer, RAS, etc but they do have a big laser cutter thing.
He's got 4 9'x4' joiners benches, and last time i spoke to Ross(Samson) there was only one bloke working there.
Its out int he sticks, and tbh in the city you'll pay massive amount should you find a spot. With Samsons last time for me would have been £200/month- buit that was for me and i worked there a while, so maybe more to a stranger.

I used to work for him, and we made a lot of oak arts and craft stuff. But things arent so busy now, the old joiner chap passed away, another left to become an accountant, the third is awol, and myself. It is a good place and has no work ethic to speak of.

No extraction to speak of either but thats a while since i worked there so the very keen chap who is there Ewan(might be the wrong spelling) was doing things up and might have done something about it.

Its oldy worldy. Ross is a good chap, though you might have to talk him into things,

 

[Bojam]

Hey @Citracal,

Nice job. Thanks for the inspiration. I'm about to build one of these for myself. I have a sheet of good quality 15mm marine grade ply left over from an earlier job. I hope it will be strong enough. I'd rather not shell out on another sheet of 18mm as it's super expensive here.

Dimensions wise I'm looking at ~950mm long by ~400mm wide (external). Height yet to be determined. What dimensions were yours out of interest?

And how did you attach the box bottoms to the sides? I can't tell from the photos. Presumably just screwed (and glued)? No concerns about sagging under load? Did you add any cross supports toi the underside of the base to reinforce it?

Cheers.