The Dutch Tool Chest

In the October issue of Popular Woodworking are the plans for the Dutch Tool Chest. When Chris Schwarz first began write about this bad boy via the Lost Art Press blog, I was instantly intrigued. I was considering building the Anarchrist’s Tool Chest but the cost and labor kept putting me off to actually starting it. This chest was straight forward in design, basic joinery, low(er) cost in materials and everything available at a local big box store.

I used 1×12 poplar for 90% of the chest. My goal was to complete it with minimal labor so I opted not to get any rough lumber I would have to mill. Yes, more in cost but the time saved was worth it to me. I also used some 1/2” and 1/4” stock for other misc parts.

I stuck to the plans 95% of the way. In the lower compartment I misread the measurements when cutting the dado for the top shelf so I short changed myself 1-1/2” of vertical space. No worries, it ended up working out perfect in the end. Another change I made was to utilize the front-fall for more storage space for lesser used items. To attach it to the lid I used some 550 cord and threaded it through the catches and hung it to a screw that I drove into the lid (see pic 4). I do plan on using the lid of the chest for holding additional items in the future like panel saws and a bow saw and when I do the front-fall will just be hung from the back of the lid.

Build time was two weeks of nights and Sunday’s and total cost around $200. That price is mainly for S4S lumber but again, worth it in time saving. It has two coats of pitch black milk paint and sits on four casters. Most surprising was how much this thing can hold! Here is a breakdown of my contents:

FRONT FALL

• router plane adapter
• 3 small router plane blades
• router plane fence
• 4 drill bits
• 2 counter sinks
• 12″ square
• triangle set

TOOL RACK

• 2 mechanical pencils
• card scraper (behind pencils)
• 5 bench chisels
• 3 phillips screw drivers
• 3 slotted screw drivers
• 12″ ruler (behind screw drivers)
• dividers
• awl
• making knife
• marking gauge

TOP COMPARTMENT

• low angle block plane
• rabbet block plane
• mallet
• leatherman knife
• 12″ measuring tape
• pocket rule
• mallet
• 6″ combo square
• 16″ tenon saw
• 14″ sash saw
• 10″ carcase saw
• 12″ hybrid dovetail saw
• 10″ dovetail saw
• #4 plane
• low angle jack plane
• #7 plane
• another mallet
• bevel gauge
• protractor
• low angle toothed blade
• low angle blade (higher angle)
• 3″ t square
• 6″ t square

BOTTOM COMPARTMENT

• auger bit set
• brace
• coping saw
• hand drill
• router plane
• skewed rabbet plance
• half set even hollows and rounds

For anyone interested in the build I’ve documented it all here

Comments and critiques are welcome. Thanks for looking!

-- Dan, SSgt/USMC, Yuma, AZ http://thefamelesswoodworker.com