Toolbox

[Garno]

Being new to all of this woodworking stuff, I, In my infinite wisdom, have decided that the mini man cave is screaming out for a tool chest, Of sorts.

I have made a jig to enable me to make box joints with my mini table top router, so everything should be all hunky-dorey for me to make one.

But now something has happened that has stopped me in my tracks, I feel I may have over-thought how to make it and by doing so I have hit the proverbial brick wall head on so to speak. What I can't seem to get my head around is this. Is it possible to have the box joints on all 4 edges of the base and 3 edges of the sides? If so how do I get the corners, where 3 pieces meet, flush?

 

[MikeG.]

They won't work well on the base, as box joints should be end grain to end grain, not long grain to long grain which you'll get at the sides of the base. Save them for the ends of the box.

Have a go at cutting them by hand. This will help with skills you'll need.

 

[Bod]

When planning your toolbox, measure the largest item, you plan to put in it. That will give the size needed.

Bod

 

[AndyT]

Have a look at some real world boxes, or pictures of them. You won't see boxes with finger joints on the bottom.

You will find:
- a plain bottom, nailed on and finished flush with the sides
- as above but a bit wider and longer than the box, rounded off on the edges
- a rebate cut round inside the bottom of the box, with the base fitted into it
- as above but with a groove.

Bottoms are often made of ply. Details change a bit if they are solid wood, to allow for movement.

 

[devonwoody]

If nailing remember to put the nails in at angles and alternately

 

[thetyreman]

I think it's worth making a well made toolbox, it has to be able to take a lot of weight, unlike say a jewellery or small box and it's built to last.

You could make one easily by using butt joints with the right kind of nails or screw and glue it, but bear in mind it's not as strong as dovetails and a paneled bottom, it all depends on what kind of tools you want to put in it and their weight and size, andyT made a nice japanese style toolbox that looked like it was nailed together recently here post-a-photo-of-the-last-thing-you-made-t81798-2475.html

 

[AndyT]

Going back to your original question, I remembered this YT video of someone making a box with finger joints all round - https://youtu.be/lBLbCew00yc.

Although his box looks very nice, it uses high-grade birch plywood, a specially made jig and a table saw with a dado cutter - not something you'll find easily in the UK. He must have spent a lot of time and money to get to the point where his video starts and it's not a method I would recommend to a beginner. Also, you already have a jig for your router, which is probably a safer approach.

But it does show you how the fingers can intersect, and by using plywood, avoids the long-grain problem mentioned by MikeG.

 

[undergroundhunter]

Ive made a couple of tool chests and plan on another. All mine have been made entirely by hand (too tight to buy expensive machines!) Dovetails on all 4 corners and then a tongue and grooved bottom nailed on. There is a video by popular woodworking where Chris Schwarz goes through step by step how to build a dovetailed chest which I cant seem to find at the moment. I cant speak for box joints but dovetails will last for 100s of years.

Matt

 

[Just4Fun]

Do people use tool chests for transporting or storing tools?
I regularly have to take tools away from home and I just carry them in a rucksack or two. I have thought about making a tool box for this and it could be an interesting project but I think any sort of wooden box is going to be heavier and more awkward to carry.

 

[Andrewf]

I have inherited several tool boxes from various members of my family. Most of them worked as carpenters and shipwrights. All their boxes were meant to be transported. However if full it's not an easy job and would need a hand and a small van. They are about 2foot square by 3 foot long.

 

[triker64]

I know that problem, length of clamps and saws and the weight soon creeps up.