Mini chest

[White House Workshop]

I wanted to make a toy chest for my grandson for Christmas but his parents refused as they like IKEA :?
So, I took the design and scaled it down by using inches to centimeters and am making a mini version. Not sure what I'll do with it yet. Instead of oak, I'm using some offcuts of cherry I had left over from making our bedroom furniture and fitting out our bathroom. Who knows, the wife might like it enough to want it in the bedroom!

Overall size is 48w x 19d x 26h Would have been a nice size toy chest!

Here are the legs stiles and rails cut to size

Slots and tenons cut and some dry fit

Glue-up of front (and back)

It's been sitting in the workshop overnight glueing up, and I plan to finish the sides and base and fasten it all together today. I also plan to fill where the slots in the legs extend down with some strips of cherry - or I might use a contrast to see what it looks like.

More later...

 

[seanybaby]

Cool chest, love the colour of the cherry. It's going to look so much better than the rubbish from IKEA. :wink:

 

[RogerM]

Your grandson's parents are going to kick themselves when they see what they have rejected! That's going to look terrific.

 

[Calpol]

Look forward to seeing the end result. I think it would suit contrasting strips in the grooves by the way!

 

[WellsWood]

I wanted to make a toy chest for my grandson for Christmas but his parents refused as they like IKEA :? ...

proves the old adage, "you can lead a horse to water...."

 

[White House Workshop]

Today I have got the main carcass completed and ready for its finish. I decided against a solid piece for the top as I thought a number of strips would give it a slightly more 'authentic' scaled down look. The slots have been filled with black walnut! great fun cutting the wedges for the insides of the legs to go with the taper - thank goodness for bandsaws. I am going to smooth the wedges in the front and back but leave the sides protruding evenly - after seeing it post glue-up it adds a neat design feature. That's one of the things about working with wood - you can sometimes be really surprised.

Anyway, here's the main carcass, minus walnut:

And here's the top glueing up. Have to wait for tomorrow now to finish up - and I haven't got any hinges to fit anyway! They will need to be really small, or I'm going to have to get creative again.

Final finish is going to be satin varnish, because I've got lots of it and it's easy to use and get a decent finish!

More pics when it's finished.

 

[brianhabby]

I wanted to make a toy chest for my grandson for Christmas but his parents refused as they like IKEA :?

There's no accounting for taste.

Your scaled down box is a great idea and already surpasses anything that could ever come out of Ikea. I wonder what they'll say when they see it.

I find family members are generally asking for too much to be home made that you don't have time to make everything.

regards

Brian

 

[PowerTool]

Looks great - gets my vote over Ikea any day..

Andrew

 

[Lukey]

I know you said scaled down, but what will be the finished sizes of it?

 

[White House Workshop]

Overall size is 48w x 19d x 26h Would have been a nice size toy chest!

In centimeters. The original plans were that size in inches.

My wife loves it and has persuaded me to give it to my other grandson for Christmas (different parents). :wink: He's a bit older, but will find a use for it I'm sure.

 

[White House Workshop]

Here's the finished item. It's had 3 coats of varnish, rubbed down between each, and all it needs now is a final polish with some wax - I've run out! I'm quite pleased with the end result, especially the slivers of walnut that I used to fill the ends of the slots in the legs; they look even better in real life.

 

[motownmartin]

Eat your heart out Ikea, looks the beesknees.

 

[Evergreen]

That looks terrific. Well done.

Regards.

 

[Fecn]

Looks great to me - I can't see why anyone would prefer Ikea's stuff.

 

[White House Workshop]

Thanks everyone. The wife just came home and is thrilled with it. We're going to fill it with toys and give the lot to my 5 year old grandson for Christmas. I hope it will be something he'll treasure.

Here's a view of it with the lid open...

 

[ByronBlack]

I like the look of that now the finish is on - I wasn't sure at the beginning shots, but the finish really gives it a nice glow. I'm sure he'll love it - and hide in it

 

[White House Workshop]

That's what I like about working with wood Byron - the final effects can be surprising. I am particularly happy with the top of the lid as the figuring in the wood is really deep. I was expecting it to be warm, but not as deep as it turned out.

 

[seanybaby]

Looks great

I also like the end of a project when the finish goes on. It gives the wood so much more depth and feel to it.

 

[Adam]

Well done. As mentioned, that's much better than something from Ikea.

Adam

 

[Bodrighy]

SWMBO just saw this and the omments re preferring Ikea.....and I quote "well I supposethere are all sorts of mental deficiencies" unquote.

That's gorgeous, filled with toys even better.

Pete