Machinist Tool Box

2020

Partially based upon a machinist tool box my father owns and I have admired for years, I built this modified version to hold my hand tools. All material started as rough, 4/4 Red Oak. The back, exterior panel was edge glued together to achieve proper width. All exterior pieces are 1/2” thick, and come together using housed rabbet joinery. After the carcass was glued up, the lid was separated from the rest of the toolbox on the table saw and flattened using sandpaper adhered to float glass. The front panel was built using mortise and tenon joinery with a floating, center panel. To secure the front panel during transit, two spring-action bolts insert into the top rail of the panel when the lid is shut, this is used in tandem with a tongue running along the bottom edge of the panel that slots into a groove in bottom of the carcass. When the front panel is not needed, it can be stored under the bottom drawer. The four drawer faces are made from red oak with rest of the drawer frame made from poplar. Each drawer rests upon two glides, secured to the carcass interior, that ride along a dado cut into the sides of the drawer. The top compartment and drawers were lined with acrylic felt adhered into place using hide glue- this specific adhesive was chosen for it’s reversible qualities so felt could easily be replaced if damaged. Finished with Osmo Polyx oil and brass hardware was installed to complete the look.