Finishing Up
The eight panels and the lid should be sanded and finished prior to installation. An excellent finish for cherry is several coats of natural Danish oil, which quickly develops the rich patina of the wood.
To miter the ends of the moldings, you should build a small jig, as described in A Mitering Jig for Small Moldings on page 15. The groove in the jig holds the thin, flexible stock steady while you run it across the table saw. Use a fine-toothed plywood blade to make these cuts.
Securing the panels in place may prove to be a little tricky. The embossed molding is relatively thin, and the ½" rabbet has to accommodate both the panel and the molding. Set the chest on its back so you can work on a flat surface as you install the panels. Once all the moldings are mitered to the correct length, glue and tack them in place with brad nails, trapping the panels in their frames. Set and fill the nail heads, and then touch up the paint.
Mark the locations for the hinge mortises on both the lid and the carcass, and use a router equipped with a straight bit to remove most of the waste. Finish up with a sharp chisel. Drill pilot holes for the screws, and install the hinges (pieces 12).
The lid supports (pieces 13) come in left and right configurations and are relatively easy to install. You’ll find complete instructions printed on the bag. Simply measure for the screw locations, and then surface mount each support.
Quick Tips
Speedier Joint Setups Take Planning
When you’re designing the joints in a piece of furniture or casework, think not only how they will look and work but also how they will be machined. For example, if you install a ⅜" dado head in the table saw and set the height at ⅜", you can cut both parts of a rabbet and dado joint without ever changing your setup. If you place ⅜" dowel joints and ⅜" shelf supports in the same relative locations in a cabinet, you can use a single drill press setup for both tasks. And if you make stiles, rails, and trim pieces the same width, you can rip and joint them all at the same time.
Switch to Plywood When Making Spline Joints
Spline joints are a great way to join two long edges. But while most woodworkers have no problem routing the grooves for the spline, they often let the ball drop when it comes to making the actual spline. A ripped piece of hardwood won’t work, as it will split along the grain—right where you need the most strength. Plywood is the perfect answer: Its alternating plies prevent splitting, and it comes in thicknesses that are perfectly suited to the router bits you use to make the grooves.
Other Handy Uses for This Chest
Storing blankets may not be the only use for this chest; with a little imagination, you can adapt it to suit a number of different uses. For example, cleats installed a few inches from the top could support a drop-in tray for linens or place mats. It’s also just about the perfect size for a toy chest, although in that case, you may want to build the whole piece out of poplar and paint it in brighter colors. Either way, when you complete this chest you’re bound to end up with an heirloom that will get passed down through future generations.
A Mitering Jig for Small Moldings
Mitering small moldings can be dicier than it looks, especially on a table saw. This easy-tomake cradle attaches to your saw’s miter gauge and holds the workpiece safely during the cut.
The jig is made by plowing a ½" groove in a piece of 1" x 3" scrap. The wood left under the groove should be only ⅛" thick to prevent small cutoffs from falling back into the blade.
Set your miter gauge at 45° to the right, attach the piece of scrap to it, and run the assembly through the blade. Now, reset the fence at 45° to the left, switch miter slots, and repeat the process. When cutting miters on the small moldings, line up your mark with the edge of the jig for a perfect cut every time.
Your Own Steamer Trunk
Before the days of Samsonite, big voyages required big steamer trunks. While travel has changed quite a bit over time, the allure of a solid steamer trunk hasn’t passed away with the jet age. You’ll probably never use this sturdy, handsome trunk for a trip, but it’s the perfect accent piece at the foot of the bed for storing winter blankets and sweaters.
by Rick White
Remember the wonderful old road movies with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby? Those two zany characters traveled from one exotic locale to another, creating chaos wherever they went. Aside from their antics, one of the recurring images from those movies was that whenever Bob and Bing disembarked from their ship, they were surrounded by steamer trunks plastered with stickers from their many ports of call. Those classic camelback trunks captured all the excitement and wonder of faraway places and unusual cultures.
This steamer trunk will probably never see the baggage hold of a steamship, but I still wanted it to have an air of authenticity. That’s why I settled on the camelback top, the extensive use of brass hardware, and the walnut “strap” design. The curved top makes for a slightly more challenging project, but don’t be scared off by this feature. The curved pieces are shown in detail on the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1: For balance, tape a 1 4"-thick strip to the side panels when making the bottom groove dado cuts.
Starting with the Corners
The framework provides the real strength in this project’s construction, while the thin panels merely serve to enclose the box. Since the corner posts (pieces 1) link the four frames together, this is the best place to start. Referring to the Material List on page 18, rip these pieces 1/16" oversize, and joint their edges square and to the correct width. Then, cut the pieces to length.
Sort your eight corner pieces into four pairs, watching for color and grain similarities, and mark the top of each pair with its position in the trunk construction.
Material List
| T x W x L | ||
| 1 | Corner Posts (8) | ¾" x 2" x 14" |
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