Woodworking HowTo - Oak Blanket Chest - Part 3 (of 3)

[tigertruckerman]

awesome work,i want this quality of craftsmanship,love the finish. real cool

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

@tigertruckerman Thank you kindly!

[burlingtonhurst]

@tigertruckerman

I agree. I wish everyone made videos like this. But they don't. Oh no, no they don't.

[mightywombat]

I'm thinking it might have been more sensible to cut the mortice for the lock before assembling the whole heavy unit together....

[robinder100]

beauriful work my friend, whoever it is so sad that I do not have the equipment you use to do this amazing work. How much money do think would get me entry level tools to make the kind of work you did here.

thanks.

[Espie1979]

great videos. Unfortunately too advanced for me plus I don't have all the tools. How much did the box ended up costing to make and how long did it take to make in total? Thanks.

[ringo45]

What tool are you using to cut the hole for the biscuits? And, was the lock an afterthought, because it seems like it would be easier to cut the mortise with just the original side panel instead of trying to guide the whole chest.

[miiku88]

Hey. Sorry for my bad english, but I hope you will understand. I don't like how you do the hole for the lock, because if you finished side where the lock goes, then you can make it easyer by drilling the holes or using one side o the routertabel. Oak is heavy and move that kind of chest is hard for every woodworker.

I'm woodworker from Estonia and we do some thing different and easyer.

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

@miiku88 I agree with you completely. Next time I'll grab a chisel.

[unmik1422]

Thank you. I've been fortunate enough to get some decent shop tools in the past year but my work keeps me out of the country all but about two months during the year. I can't make much right now but I sure enjoy watching yours and other's videos while I'm away. Lol...I have found that I have to take notes on certain tools and methods used lol. If I don't.....I end up searching back trying to find it later. I would love to create a chest like this but right now it's over my skill level.

[ClinicallyTested1]

weeeeee How i wish to have only half of the tools used in this video (all 3). If only they wouldn't be so expensive in my country :(. Watching videos like this only makes me angry and sad :(

[sutadebastos]

"you don't need to work man, you have a complete and excellent equipments"

[rohenwi]

Estupendo trabajo, te felicito, Henry de Venezuela.

[Loco4Locomotives]

Was the alcohol-based dye actually a sanding sealer? I'm a firm believer of using sealers or primers on bare wood before any finishing is done. I've had excellent results with Minwax Pre-Stain. Great video and final product!

[greenfan033]

It's so beautiful!! I was thinking of making one and adding wood appliqué to give it some style. But with it plain it looks so nice I'm starting to think the appliqué would look "too much"..

[dulciboy]

Great Job John !!!!! Great Jigs. Great Skills.

[hhoward14]

Realy well thought out 'Top job'.

Love it...

[Ravs023]

Thank You for Sharing. The Box was very well done. I would have liked some wood carving edges and such...guess its a female thing. Well Done.

[missionron]

well done! Im wondering though, are the side handles a little small do you think? or are they basically for "show" ?

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

Thanks MissionIron. I would agree - I think the handles are too small and they are basically for show. The hardware is actually drawer pulls, but I like their style and finish so much I used them. Thanks for your feedback; I appreciate it.

[twylightsky2007]

*whistles* nice work and a beatiful piece. I wonder if i'm in over my head being someone new without any tools at all yet. any brands or such you recommend?

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

Thanks. Most woodworkers would agree that should have 3 core tools in your shop - tablesaw, router (preferably mounted in a table), and a planer. It's also been said that you should buy the best tools you can afford. I disagree with this a little.  I think you should buy a middle to lower end tool and get to know it's pitfalls. When you're ready and have earned the upgrade, you'll appreciate the advantages the new tool has. I'm not partial to any particular brand.

[oBseSsIoNPC]

I have to respectfully add something to your statement.

If you start with low end tools, you WILL more likely loose the interest on woodworking.

Even worse, you might hurt yourself quicker than with pro tools and clamping mechanisms.

If you spend good money right away, you will have lots of fun right from the start and you dont hav to buy twice+its is easyier to work with great tools.

IMHO.

Great job there dude, great implementation of all sorts of techniques.

Sincerely, Dan

[oBseSsIoNPC]

Makita wins, hands down on all the saws and the routers.

If you need a great cordless drill, go with snap-on.

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

Thank you very much for the kind compliment!

[Donegaldan]

A real craftsman, with excellent instructional skills. I would like to build a wooden chest, howeverI need to build skill level with basic tools. Thank you, very enjoyable.

[avengers19]

where can I get those lock sets? I've been looking around and I cant find them

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

Rockler or Woodcraft sells them. Search for full mortise lockset.

[morrisse7]

Very nice work and informative presentation.

Well done.

[Tmeister32]

hey quick question i am planning to build a chest this summer, and what i would like to know is could i build it without using  biscuits? and also i don't know how to cut a duck tail with my table saw is it ok if i ask the local hardware store to do it? and if so what are my risk? thank you guys

[paulfreefall]

yuch those lid supports ruin everything. amazing technically though, very precise. thanks for the video..

[gumphries]

I can't tell you how many times and ways I've struggled with putting hinged lids on boxes. The way you clamped the board on the back and then used the angled clamping braces is GENIUS! Thanks for a GREAT idea!

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

I'm glad I could show something you found useful! I appreciate you watching, and commenting. Thanks!

[theEphimeralADub]

Hey that was a great Project, I've always wanted to see a chest built. I'm a huge fan of the chest in general and loved that you still used a chisle to complete the job.

[Christopherdude2222]

Nice video. When you're cutting out the hole for the lock I think it might have been easier move a small cutting tool than to move the whole unit. I made a jewelry box and used a different method it was finger jointed at the corners, it was only about 8 inches tall but each corner had about 30 fingers. What a job that was. Again congratulations on a great job. I learned a few things. Thanks!

[yakunso]

thanks a lot really the best I go for more.

[beatman191]

I have just finished watching your 3 videos on the blanket chest.Superb!! Now that i am inspired,albeit totally unskilled im off to the garage to make sawdust.Once again superb.

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

Thanks for the nice compliment Beatman! As long as you're making sawdust, you're in a happy place...

[GamingDrummer89]

I just thought I'd say that I thought this Oak Chest turned out very nicely! I made one a while back for my mom out of Black Walnut and Red Aromatic Cedar, except I didn't use dovetails and it was more basic than this one.

I gotta learn how to make dovetails sometime.

Overall an exceptionally nice piece of furniture and great work, man! :) 5/5 and I'm favoriting all 3 videos of this project.

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

Thank you very much for the nice compliment!

[schultz234]

I am thinking about making one of these for my Tech class, how much do you think one of these would cost if it was made out of pine?

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

It's about 22-24 board feet depending on how you construct the top. Depending on how you do the hardware - for example, using a simple chain catch to keep the lid from going too far back as opposed to a gas shock lift would make a big difference in the cost. It would be a very satisfying project.

[schultz234]

Thanks for the tip! I have started working on it last week.

[203809ct]

Nice work,I like your jigs for the table saw.Did you make the router table with the pedal?Where can I get one?

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

Thanks! The foot-activated motorized router lift is my invention. It really changes what you can do on the router table. It lets you do all the things you can do with a plunge router, but on your router table.

The only place to get one at this point is to make one for yourself. Check out the details on my site, and consider making one. Let me know if you need some guidiance.

Thanks for checking out my videos.

John

[ELiTCAT]

All your works are amazing, and very well explained, thanks alot for the videos, I hope to see more soon, and the 2 last videos of the pool table :D.

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

Some day I'll finish that darn pool table! Thanks for watching.

John

[Dazere05]

how long did that take you ?

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

I can only give you a rough estimate. Since I film the process, I have added time beyond the woodworking - to setup the shots, position the camera, adjust lighting, etc.

If I had to estimate the woodworking only, I'd say I have 60-70 hours in woodworking and 10 hours in finishing.

[slaintedan]

Nice video. What kind of epoxy were you using?

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

Thanks. The epoxy is T-88 by System Three. Got it from Rockler. Expensive stuff, but last a long time. I didn't actually buy it for this purpose, I had it leftover from something else.

[slaintedan]

Thanks for the info. I'll have to order some. Would you mind sharing the specs on your shaper/router table with the power lift? That foot pedal is great.

[blairsanass]

Better to mortice the lock before gluing up surely...after all mortice in center both ways.

[BITSYSUK]

yes, I can see that, but after sticking an engine on top, I think I would have cracked open a book or two and had a go with the chisels. Besides, the weight of that lot on the Router wouldn't have done it much good.

But apart from the weight lifting come morticing, good video! are you going to do another?

Best

Bitsys!

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

Thanks Bitsys. I have 4 or 5 new full-project videos being edited right now. They should be released staggered in the next couple of weeks. Thanks for watching!

[BITSYSUK]

Hi, that was a great set of videos for the blanket box. Just one question. I thought the cutting of the lock mortice looked a little clumsy and for me a little dangerous. Would you have been able to use the router to cut the mortice or would the required hole be too deep?

I don't fancy lugging a huge box across a tiny router blade.

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

Totally agree - that was not my best move.

The stock for the front of the blanket chest is 3/4 inch thick and the mortise for the lockset needed to be a heavy 1/2" wide and just under 2 inches deep. That leaves less than an 1/8" wall remaining after I'm done cutting the mortise. Believe me, I thought about this one long and hard.

Here's some of the methods I considered

1.) Chisel and chop it out by hand.

2.) Build a simple jig that would guide my plunge router handheld.

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

3.) Use a Forstner bit in the drill press. I have an old Shopsmith, and I think I have the clearance could get the carcass underneath the bit.

4.) Mortise it on the router table employing the motorized lift.

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

Here's why I didn't go with #1 -- 3:

1.) I'm not really keen on chiseling mortises. Some of my apprehension is my chisels and the rest is my lack of experience in this technique. I also find it time consuming (probably because I'm not that good at it).

2.) I didn't like the idea of that much bit sticking out of my handheld router. I also didn't like the idea of building a jig.

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

3.) The material remaining in the wall of the chest was too thin to risk doing it with a Forstner bit because sometimes they wander.

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

I went with #4 because I have successfully done deep mortises with this method before. This situation was unique in the fact that the piece was rather large. The concept was the same -- to know the boundaries of the mortise and move the piece within those boundaries while advancing the bit upwards.

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

I did this by marking the center of the mortise on the blanket chest and positioning the chest on the router table aligned with the center of the bit. Then I marked that piece of masking tape you see in the video with the left and right boundaries of the mortise.

[EagleLakeWoodworking]

After that, I just need to keep the chest against the fence and move it left to right within the lines on the masking tape.