Carpenter's Toolbox

[Peter Pedisich]

Shop time has been scarce since late June, so recently to keep my sanity I forced myself back out to the shop to keep my hands moving.

Modeled after several Japanese Carpenter's toolboxes with sliding lids I found on the web, like Lost Art Press blog, Giant Cypress blog, and others by image search. Made a bunch of mistakes along the way, a little rusty with a chisel and saw as well. Things many of us deal with when shop time is few and far between. I also tried to keep it a little imperfect, and avoid my normal tendency to get mired in trying to achieve perfection. So I tried to work briskly and carefully, without worrying about every saw cut and chamfer being exactly uniform. It felt much better working this way, and I'm still happy with the way it turned out, not too precious - meant to get banged around in it's life and look the better for it.

100% hand tools, cut nails, brass screws, Old Brown Glue, white pine 1x boards with no finish.

I gave it to a family member as a gift, after adding in some tools from Harry J Epstein.

Thanks,
Pete

Japanese Tool Box

[bridger berdel]

talk a little about how the lid works, will you?

it looks like it could serve as ad hoc work surface.

[Peter Pedisich]

The lid can slide 1/4" more in one direction than the other, trapping it in place, but allowing for removal by sliding onto the "deep" end and then lifting out.

Here is a video that shows it well, from the blog Giant Cypress (great stuff by Wilbur Pan!):
http://giantcypress.net/post/4477788...-toshio-odates

[bridger berdel]

what is the purpose of the diagonal in the lid?

[Will Boulware]

I like it! Pine can be a very pretty wood when you leave it alone like that. Very nicely done! How'd you like the old brown glue? I've been thinking about using it on something soon.

[Peter Pedisich]

what is the purpose of the diagonal in the lid?

Just to stiffen the top and act as a place to grip the top in the center to slide it out.

[Peter Pedisich]

I like it! Pine can be a very pretty wood when you leave it alone like that. Very nicely done! How'd you like the old brown glue? I've been thinking about using it on something soon.

Thanks for the kind words. I do like the Old Brown Glue, I sit it in a cup of hot water and it flows very fast, not like Titebond! cleans up easier and seems plenty strong.

[Chuck Nickerson]

Nice tool box! I really like the handles. Where did you get them?

[Peter Pedisich]

Nice tool box! I really like the handles. Where did you get them?

A place I never thought to find handles, Amazon! they are called: Amazing Hardware Chest / Trunk Lifter Handle / Pull, Cast Iron, Black Powder Coat Finish, Handmade, 2-pack

[Don Dorn]

What are the dimensions? I did the English Woodworker chest because I wanted to try clinching nails, but it's a bit too big just to pick up with a few things you need at a single place, and leave. Yours seems much more likely to fit that bill. I also like the Greene and Greene type of joints. Nice job, thanks for posting it.

[Mike Holbrook]

Nice job! It looks very much like Toshio Odate's toolbox in Japanese Woodworking Tools: Their Tradition, Spirit and Use. Apparently, boxes like this are what traditional Japanese shokunin ( craftsmen, artisans) carried their tools to their jobs in. According to Mr. Odate shokunin worked at their clients location. I am thinking Mr. Odate carried a very similar box many miles.

[Peter Pedisich]

Mike,

Yes, I found some pics of Toshio Odate's tool box when I did a google image search, I'm sure his saw many interesting projects.

Pete

[Mike Holbrook]

I just got a shipment with all the parts to make my rolling tool box Peter. Popular Woodworking did an article on building this tool holder.

http://www.popularwoodworking.com/pr...erman_work_box

There is a pdf with a drawing at the bottom, the entire article is also available from Popular Woodworking. I determined that rather than make tool storage on my benches I would have a rolling tool cabinet that could hold even more of them close at hand. I like the fold out top that provides lots of space for tools in use.

[Jim Belair]

Talk about two ends of the spectrum! The German Work Box and the Japanese Carpenter's Tool Box.