Project Information
Wood And Materials Used
Douglas, brass
Tools Used
Hand tools
Location
Breitenbach, Munster valley, Alsace, France
Like many I think, when I tinker in the house I go back and forth between my workshop and my work to look for tools or material (screws, nails, ...), I deposit and no longer find ... so I decided to create a “Tool basket“.
In French “Baladeuse”.
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After searching on the Web, I stopped on this type of toolbox but adding a drawer in the bottom for nails, screws and other small objects.
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The first step was to make a plan.
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I start by preparing the elements of the structure, sawing, planning.
To plane I use three types of planes: a Stanley 5 sharpened in scrub plane, an 8 as jointer plane and a 5 1/2 or a 4 1/2 for smoothing.
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After square and measure the faces in length, I use the following method for the ends. I draw the edge on the four sides with a marking knife and then I saw precisely on one of the lines remaining 1 mm from the line on the other side, then I finish the cut with the finishing plane. It makes a clean cut.
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I draw the dovetails with a pencil, a dovetail marker and the square, usually in pairs of pieces.
After sawing on the pencil lines I cut my tails with a chisel only, taking care to keep all the thickness on a part of the notch of the first face, so that it rests on the workbench when cutting the other side and thus avoid tearing in the center of the notch.
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Having trimmed the tails, I transfer them to their counterparts with a marking knife, long and thin. A smooth end allow a clearly legible tracing.
A plane is tightened to hold the workpiece for tracing.
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Blank mounting for verification, it works!
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For the middle bottom and the floor, I saw in two a board with a 5 tpi panel saw, the piece is 260*440mm by 25mm thick. Even with a rigid saw one can have deviations of the saw line, but not too serious, after planing I have two nice boards of 9 mm thick.
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Grooving for insertion of the middle bottom, I start with incising the edges of the groove with my cutting gauge to avoid tearing and then I groove with the Ulmia.
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The board that enters the groove is set to measure and square.
To insert the central part I first make the mortises, then I remove a chip along the cut and saw to the desired depth for the insertion, I rough up with a chisel and I end up with a router.
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To make sure everything is all right I assemble blank.
I shape of a rod to put scissors and screwdrivers. To form the handle i glue the plan on both sides, cutting with a scroll saw and finishing with a grater and sandpaper.
I also added a small partition in one of the compartments, having tried in blank mounting I think it will be more convenient.
There, this first part is glued together. It fits well together, practically no need for clamps. The floor is screwed/glued.
![]()
Preparation of parts for the drawer. Planing, straightening, sizing.
Making the dovetails. Gluing the four faces with animal glue. Gluing of bones/nerves (2/3+1/3). Animal glues are more suitable for hand work than white glue.
Slicing a board to make the drawer bottom, planing at 9mm, installation by gluing and nailing. I pre-drill with a nail to avoid bursts.
![]()
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For the drawer handle I imagined a system that does not create outgrowths which would be annoying during transport. The brass is glued with animal glue.
![]()
For the finish: glass paper 600, linseed oil with 10% turpentine essence then, 24 hours after, shellac brush (200gr/liters of alcohol at 95%) 3 to 4 layers. Allow to dry between layers quickly without insisting not to dissolve previous layers. After the last coat the varnish takes 24 hours to take its final look, drying in depth it flattens and is more beautiful.
![]()
In French “Baladeuse”.
After searching on the Web, I stopped on this type of toolbox but adding a drawer in the bottom for nails, screws and other small objects.
The first step was to make a plan.
I start by preparing the elements of the structure, sawing, planning.
To plane I use three types of planes: a Stanley 5 sharpened in scrub plane, an 8 as jointer plane and a 5 1/2 or a 4 1/2 for smoothing.
After square and measure the faces in length, I use the following method for the ends. I draw the edge on the four sides with a marking knife and then I saw precisely on one of the lines remaining 1 mm from the line on the other side, then I finish the cut with the finishing plane. It makes a clean cut.
I draw the dovetails with a pencil, a dovetail marker and the square, usually in pairs of pieces.
After sawing on the pencil lines I cut my tails with a chisel only, taking care to keep all the thickness on a part of the notch of the first face, so that it rests on the workbench when cutting the other side and thus avoid tearing in the center of the notch.
Having trimmed the tails, I transfer them to their counterparts with a marking knife, long and thin. A smooth end allow a clearly legible tracing.
A plane is tightened to hold the workpiece for tracing.
Blank mounting for verification, it works!
For the middle bottom and the floor, I saw in two a board with a 5 tpi panel saw, the piece is 260*440mm by 25mm thick. Even with a rigid saw one can have deviations of the saw line, but not too serious, after planing I have two nice boards of 9 mm thick.
Grooving for insertion of the middle bottom, I start with incising the edges of the groove with my cutting gauge to avoid tearing and then I groove with the Ulmia.
The board that enters the groove is set to measure and square.
To insert the central part I first make the mortises, then I remove a chip along the cut and saw to the desired depth for the insertion, I rough up with a chisel and I end up with a router.
To make sure everything is all right I assemble blank.
I shape of a rod to put scissors and screwdrivers. To form the handle i glue the plan on both sides, cutting with a scroll saw and finishing with a grater and sandpaper.
I also added a small partition in one of the compartments, having tried in blank mounting I think it will be more convenient.
There, this first part is glued together. It fits well together, practically no need for clamps. The floor is screwed/glued.
Preparation of parts for the drawer. Planing, straightening, sizing.
Making the dovetails. Gluing the four faces with animal glue. Gluing of bones/nerves (2/3+1/3). Animal glues are more suitable for hand work than white glue.
Slicing a board to make the drawer bottom, planing at 9mm, installation by gluing and nailing. I pre-drill with a nail to avoid bursts.
For the drawer handle I imagined a system that does not create outgrowths which would be annoying during transport. The brass is glued with animal glue.
For the finish: glass paper 600, linseed oil with 10% turpentine essence then, 24 hours after, shellac brush (200gr/liters of alcohol at 95%) 3 to 4 layers. Allow to dry between layers quickly without insisting not to dissolve previous layers. After the last coat the varnish takes 24 hours to take its final look, drying in depth it flattens and is more beautiful.
