The UnBuild!
Time to take it apart for aging and finishing. Brasses are staying as they are, but the zinc-coated screws go into vinegar, my first experiment with that process. Going in:
And returning from a two day dip:
The box itself needed color in the meantime. Original boxes were darkly stained hardwood (No. 888) or black walnut (No. 801). Well, already missed to walnut boat (oak and pine for me), so dark stain it is. Did some shopping in the Minwax aisle of the local hardware store and decided on English Chestnut. Thought briefly about taping off the interior from the stain because a lighter interior means better visibility for the tools inside. Then decided not to. Two coats of stain applied and allowed to thoroughly dry.
Then a coat of 3-2-1 wiping mix. After the first coat, though, added a bit of bling; I took a picture of the SW badge on my No. 888, printed it in color, and placed the cut-out ‘badge’ on the lid of the once-poly’d box.
I think it’s a nice enough addition. An admission it’s not original, but a copy. And to me it looks good.
Completion
Here’s the result, all screws in place, lids done, etc. etc.
And next to the No. 888:
The tool box holds a couple of Stanley bench planes (S5 and S4), along with a few other things. I’m thinking of outfitting it with a set of tools for my oldest son, who will be moving into his first non-college apartment later this year. A fun build, thanks for looking!
-- Don't anthropomorphize your handplanes. They hate it when you do that. -- OldTools Archive --
23 comments so far
ToddJB
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8509 posts in 2545 days
#1 posted 01-26-2016 05:59 AM
Tremendous job, Smitty. Great combination of attention to detail and willingness to push through. Is the SW on the 888 a sticker or plate?
-- I came - I sawed - I over-built
Mark Wilson
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2584 posts in 1478 days
#2 posted 01-26-2016 06:02 AM
Good job, Smitty. Visibility? Don’t your tools know their way around?
-- Mark
Smitty_Cabinetshop
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16141 posts in 3033 days
#3 posted 01-26-2016 06:20 AM
^ Hah! That doesn’t read quite right, does it?
The Original does have a real plate, Todd. Thanks, glad you like the build. And I’ll keep an eye out for hinges that are truer to the original for a possible second build. Enjoyed the challenge, and I have more kids that’ll move out someday!
-- Don't anthropomorphize your handplanes. They hate it when you do that. -- OldTools Archive --
TheFridge
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10858 posts in 1901 days
#4 posted 01-26-2016 06:59 AM
Looks good smitty!
On a side note. I was a kid once and I moved out during the day… Just throwing that out there.
-- Shooting down the walls of heartache. Bang bang. I am. The warrior.
RobD
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61 posts in 4009 days
#5 posted 01-26-2016 09:27 AM
Nice job!!
Brit
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7691 posts in 3257 days
#6 posted 01-26-2016 12:32 PM
Beautiful. You’re the king of the toolboxes Smitty.
-- Andy - Old Chinese proverb says: "If you think something can't be done, don't interrupt man who is doing it."
theoldfart
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10695 posts in 2866 days
#7 posted 01-26-2016 12:46 PM
I like it!
Great job Smitty, lucky son too.
-- "With every tool obtained, there is another that is needed" DonW ( Kevin )
lysdexic
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5291 posts in 3037 days
#8 posted 01-26-2016 01:00 PM
Nice build and enjoyable write-up. The vinegar bath seems to have worked well.
-- "It's only wood. Use it." - Smitty || Instagram - out_of_focus1.618
racerglen
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3112 posts in 3195 days
#9 posted 01-26-2016 01:05 PM
Great, just great Smitty, love the SW logo treatment !
-- Glen, B.C. Canada
terryR
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7474 posts in 2723 days
#10 posted 01-26-2016 02:56 PM
Great chest, Smitty! The SWLogo looks perfect, cannot tell it’s paper in the photo.
The finish sure looks vintage, but clean. Nice.
-- tr ...see one, do one, teach one...
AnthonyReed
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10103 posts in 2855 days
#11 posted 01-26-2016 03:07 PM
Dang Smitty…
-- ~Tony
yuridichesky
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624 posts in 2378 days
#12 posted 01-27-2016 04:06 PM
Masterpiece!
-- Yuri (10x4 -- yeah, that's my tiny shop!)
Smitty_Cabinetshop
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16141 posts in 3033 days
#13 posted 01-27-2016 10:08 PM
That’s high praise coming from Yuri! Thanks, man!
Nice ya’ll enjoyed the build AND the outcome. Project post will wrap this up, and I think the contents list will be posted there as well. I have decided to give this to my #1 son when he gets his first (rental) place, post-College, later this summer. Time to assemble more tools! Huzzah!
-- Don't anthropomorphize your handplanes. They hate it when you do that. -- OldTools Archive --
ToddJB
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8509 posts in 2545 days
#14 posted 01-27-2016 10:22 PM
That begs the question – will you attempt to fill with the OG tools, or will the list be amended for the average (Mos excluded) rental dwellers needs?
-- I came - I sawed - I over-built
Smitty_Cabinetshop
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16141 posts in 3033 days
#15 posted 01-27-2016 10:25 PM
Todd, great question.
These will be user (excluding Mos) tools exclusively, and it’s not a catalog list. Ones that are needed for routine tasks by folks capable of doing the basics. If they all fit, the box will have 24 things inside.
-- Don't anthropomorphize your handplanes. They hate it when you do that. -- OldTools Archive --
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