# The treasure chest



## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

This is my current project. My oldest daughter is a teacher and she wanted a treasure chest to put some rewards in for the kids who do good. I found plans for one in a book entitled "Box by Box" by Jim Stack. I'm using maple from the changing table in my projects thread (which had been a barn before) and some fresh material. By fresh I mean it was a tree before. It was cut in 2004.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

His box is only 5x8 or so wide so I enlarged the plans to the dimensions I wanted. I followed his instructions to make the slats for the lid. I couldn't get them to completely close at the top. There will be some filler required there.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

The design calls for dove tails. It even includes a jig to do them on the table saw as well as instructions on how to do them on the router table. I'm too chicken for dovetails so I did them box joint style. Lo and behold I hadn't allowed for the thickness of the panels. Now the lid was too wide.


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## lilman (Nov 22, 2012)

Something similar has been on my list of "things I just want to build just for the sake of building". Looks very nice!


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Looking good so far. I hate it when I forget to account for stock thickness - or something else - that then makes my part either too larger or too small. It'll work out for you though. :thumbsup:

I'm glad to see you're doing a build thread. I have that book too, by the way. It's a pretty good one for sure. There's a couple of boxes in there I wouldn't mind making. I may actually be making something out of the book this month for a charity auction next month (to help raise money for my mom's much-needed liver transplant).


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## 27207 (Jan 25, 2012)

Oh no you aren't! Tell me you're not! please say that car has a cover for in the garage with all of that sawdust? 

Nice chest btw.


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Dwillems26 said:


> Nice chest btw.


I always get hit when I say that.....


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Dwillems26 said:


> Oh no you aren't! Tell me you're not! please say that car has a cover for in the garage with all of that sawdust?
> 
> .


It does have a cover... in the trunk. Too lazy to put it on and remove it all the time.


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## wood shavings (Mar 20, 2009)

*dust*

Easy solution for the dust on the car take it for a spin.

Jerry


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

ryan50hrl said:


> I always get hit when I say that.....


... but, unfortunately, never with the chest. :laughing:


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Thanks for all the good comments. So I made new ends, cut the joints and put the four sides together. Looks like the lid will fit now.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

*Boo Boo again...*

However, I got a little carried away with the cutting. Had to make a filler. That was last night. We're almost caught up with real time.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

*Today's work*

Glued the box. Cut the lid to length. Managed to gouge it. Glued the ends inside the lid.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Looking great!!! 
How do you keep the sawdust off them pretty cars?


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Dominick said:


> Looking great!!!
> How do you keep the sawdust off them pretty cars?


I have a dust collector on the table saw and I hook up the shop vac to the belt sander. The planer has a chute that fits over a garbage can, But I manage to get them dusty anyway.


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Thanks. 
Their beautiful.


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## chopnhack (Dec 16, 2007)

Really cool Landman! I made one for the kids last Halloween that had a flared top. I wish I had seen the way the author laid out the round portion of the top with bisected angles... I did mine by eye and careful back bevelling with a hand plane :laughing:


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Man, you've had a battle so far with this one. But you have recovered well so far. :thumbsup:


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## Travico (Dec 25, 2012)

You have got my ATTENTION! My main build, when I get to work in shop, is steamer trunks, boxes, and blanket chest. It is looking good so far!!


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## MagGeorge (Jul 5, 2012)

It's already looking good. I'm sure it come out great. Like the classic design, the kids will be thrilled to see it. It will remind them of the pirate's adventures on the treasure chest.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

*The bottom*

The instructions have the bottom bevelled and floating in grooves like a raised panel door. I couldn't figure out how to make the grooves without one end showing. With my usual rabbetted corners it is easy but with box joints it is different. So I'll insert it snugly and attach it from the outside. Here are my options: countersunk screws with wooden caps, countersunk screws with flush cut dowel plugs, just plain flush cut dowels or screws with a thin mitered baseboard around the bottom. I could even use a different species for the baseboard for effect. Or maybe something with "meaning". I'm open to opinions, suggestions, arguments, whatever.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Put a 2x6 spreader inside the lid and clamped it. Put the spreader in the vise and planed the lid as smooth as I could. Then filled all the cracks, gouges etc and sanded it.

Elected to use the flush cut dowels to hold the bottom in. They don't look too bad.

I find the chest looks tall and a bit ungainly but those are the dimensions she requested.


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## chopnhack (Dec 16, 2007)

Looking good Pat. What finish are you going for?


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

chopnhack said:


> Looking good Pat. What finish are you going for?


 
Red Oak I think. I'm not quite sure yet.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

All this planing and sanding resulted in a narrower lid. Since the hinge side has to be flush, I think I'll mount a small tapered face board in front to fill the gap. I have to wait for the hardware to get here so I can make the board as high as the upper half of the draw catch. Centered the hinge and attached it to the box. Marked the thickness of the hinge on the lid. Started out cutting grooves on the saw with the intent of chopping off the little blocks with a chisel. Either my chisel is dull or this maple is too hard so I reverted to the saw but with a dado blade.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

It's coming along quite nicely for sure. : thumbsup:


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## Travico (Dec 25, 2012)

It is looking good. Thanks for the update!


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## johnmark (Jul 21, 2012)

ryan50hrl said:


> I always get hit when I say that.....



my wife has an antique trunk/chest that was her grandmother's.

often referred to as "grandma's boobs"



Where is that quilt at? 


"uh.. maybe check out your grandma's boobs" or "in your grandma's boobs"


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

Painted the inside of the box & lid. Marked & drilled all the hardware locations. Sliced a piece of wood off a hand hewn timber from one of my grandfather's buildings and made the spacer to take up the thickness of the lid. That building was put up in the thirties from trees that already were 75 years old.


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## sanchez (Feb 18, 2010)

Nice work! That lid has a lot of effort in it!


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

A couple of coats of Golden Pecan stain. Boy that sure brings out the imperfections.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

Looking good to me.


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

A couple of coats of varnish. Plenty of drying time, a scuff with 400 grit and a final coat. Then assembly.


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## Chaincarver Steve (Jul 30, 2011)

It looks pretty darned good to me. :thumbsup:


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## landman (Sep 1, 2013)

There. Done. Hopefully she'll like it, warts and all.


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## burkhome (Sep 5, 2010)

Sweet!!!!!!


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## jojorik (Oct 18, 2013)

I think it's going to look so awesome.


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## Gotspiccoli (Jun 26, 2013)

Looks great but I will be honest I am spending more time staring at the cars lol


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