high boy map chest?

[ken brueggestrass]

At an outdoor outfitter in St. Louis, they have a piece that I've wanted to duplicate for years. I believe it's a map chest, probably ten skinny drawers, each about 1 1/2 to 2"tall, 30'wide and sits on a set of legs kind of like a highboy. In other words, the box might be 30" wide by 25" tall but the drawers start waist high. Really unique, nothing over the top impressive but neat just the same. Anyone seen anything like this before or know what it;s called? I imagine I could wing it with some photos and measurements of the real thing. Never looked inside but thinking about trying my hand at dovetail for the drawers. I've seen examples of one larger dovetail in such a design but wondering if there are any down sides.

[Frank Guerin]

I don't know anything but sonething in todays world would be something like a draftmans safe. If that is the correct terminology. The drawers seem to be to shallow for dovetails but yours my be different.

[Ralph Barhorst]

Do a GOOGLE search for "Map Cabinet" and you will find some pictures. Also there are some on flea-bay.

I have seen something similar and it was called a spool cabinet. It was used to store thread for sewing.

I found a picture of a nice one but it did not have legs. I have seen them with legs somewhere. Sorry, I could not find plans.

[Tom Sontag]

Sounds to me like a flat file on legs. Maps or large sheet drawings fit in wide but shallow drawers, right? I've got two old wooden ones downstairs holding magazines, without the legs, and LOML has an office supply metal version upstairs full of artwork. Would be a fun project.

[John Daugherty]

When I was in college the library and geology department had something similar that they used to hold topo maps. They didn't have legs however.

[Dave Richards]

Just doodling and came up with this idea. It's based on Thos. Moser's Windward furniture collection.

[Tom Sontag]

That looks nice. Krenov has made cabinets with similar proportions that could be an inspirational lauching point.

I think that this kind of cabinet (for maps, coin collections, a small bar using doors instead of drawers, etc.) has excellent potential for a great design.