Wood for Anarchist Tool Chest

[Tony Wilkins]

Thanks for the info Jim. Acacia is where I've been looking primarily. Hadn't thought about CL for wood around here so new resource for me.

As to weight, there is a certain extent where it is insignificant but I've still got to deal with the carcass. Wheels are a definite. I did look up Cherry and was surprised it was lighter than I thought.

[Andrae Covington]

I used what the orange and blue box stores call "whitewood", although I bought mine from a smaller local lumberyard chain (better selection and price). What that actually turns out to be varies by region and sometimes by store. Here it is usually a yellow pine such as ponderosa, which is heavier and more stout than white. It's only 3/4" thick, which I'm sure upsets the purists, but a dovetailed yellow pine box at 3/4" is more than sufficient for a tool chest in my experience.

[Derek Cohen]

My next project (now that I'm finally retired and have a good place to work) is going to be a tool chest (C.S. Anarchist Style). I have one problem and one question...

Problem: White pine is scared out here on the South Plains and can only get dimensioned construction stock of low quality. Is there another wood that might work? I can get FAS Poplar in 4/4 or 5/4.

Question: How many board feet can I get?

Tony, are you going to lug this chest around, or fill it with tools and run it around the shop on wheels?

If it was my build, I'd use whatever was available - nice wood if you want to show it off, cheap and bland if you plan to paint it. No rights or wrongs.

Just enjoy the build.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Pedro Reyes]

My comments, I am planning to build a chest, not the anarchist chest, just a box to store my tools.

Recently someone (I think Derek) asked, why do we need a chest at all, and the point was valid, made me consider not building one. But at the time my shop is very limited, we recently moved and most of my tools are in my garage while I work outside on nice days.

For me the chest won't be to carry tools to the jobsite, but rather to have a place indoors (in my house) to store my tools long term (between projects), additionally my other reason for a chest is to be able to LOCK my tools, I have a 2+ year old curious girl plus a 4 month old little guy, if he is anything like me he will in due time figure a way to climb to the plane till or chisel shelf and at a minimum wreck the tools, at the worst hurt himself, so for me that is the main purpose, and the only way I can get away with storing tools in an HVAC space is by making a nice looking lockable chest.

phew. All that said. I was thinking either white oak or even maple (heavy I know). A simple box with casters, and a separate base which would hide the casters when the box is on it, for when I have it indoors. Casters are there only for when I want to move the thing to another spot, two-person lift, 3 rd person removes the base and you are on wheels.

Pedro

[Judson Green]

Tony, are you going to lug this chest around, or fill it with tools and run it around the shop on wheels?

If it was my build, I'd use whatever was available - nice wood if you want to show it off, cheap and bland if you plan to paint it. No rights or wrongs.

Just enjoy the build.

Regards from Perth

Derek

I like that "run it around the shop on wheels?"

Chest races anyone?

[steven c newman]

Will we need a "weigh in" before the race?

[Tony Wilkins]

I can't see much reason why I'd take it out of the shop so I guess it would be of the racing variety. Pablo you mention not having a chest; my wife thought it would be better for me to hang my tools up on the wall. Ergonomically that would be better for me and I do live in a very low humidity area here on the high plains. Only reason I was thinking about the chest was to protect from dust.

So I guess I also need to answer the question - do I need a chest at all?

[Judson Green]

I haven't got one and no plans to make one either.

I do have a sears craftsman's rolling mechanics tool thingy. Not real fond of it. Every drawer is a junk drawer. And I don't like the feeling I get when looking at it. But I got it. It works.

I'd like to build something like a panty or China cabinet for tools and storage. Hopefully I can just find something that's close and repurpose it.

I kinda dig what Paul Sellers has for his tools. Looks like a China cabinet, the glass having been replaced with wood.

[Daniel Hartmann]

I used 4/4 poplar. The boards finished out at 13/16 or so. My only complaint is it heavy but then again this isn't exactly a portable toolchest.

[Tony Wilkins]

Very nice Daniel. Did the poplar seem spongy at all?

I wonder just how much heavier the chest is with poplar than with white pine? According to CS it takes about 75 bd. Ft.

[Steve Voigt]

I used 4/4 poplar. The boards finished out at 13/16 or so. My only complaint is it heavy but then again this isn't exactly a portable toolchest.

Very nice Daniel! Got any more pics? What's the finish on the outside?

[Steve Rozmiarek]

I don't meant to derail this thread, just curious if you guys build these for primary storage, or for something else?

[Tony Wilkins]

Mostly for storage for my part. Also practice for me as an inexperienced woodworker.

[David Weaver]

So I guess I also need to answer the question - do I need a chest at all?

No, but your stones will need protection from dust, especially if they are of the hard variety (if they're waterstones, not so much). Same thing if you use a strop - strops with foreign particles in them are bad news.

[Tony Wilkins]

I have water stones and I always keep them in their original box. In the new house, there's a sink just inside the garage door that I'll probably make my sharpening station anyway.

Followed the big thread that Derek started over at WC and didn't come to any conclusions. As I mentioned, Lubbock is a very dry area but also a fairly dusty area (New Mexico drops in occasionally with a big wind).

I reckon I could hang stuff on the wall and if I decide to later I can build a Dutch or English style chest.