Preliminaries - what goes in the box?

[djwong]

My toolbox design has evolved to merge Chris's two level tray example, with my previous version. This helped me resolve how I would lift the trays from the toolbox.

I have made an allowance for a full length 3/8" tall space between the interior partitions and the bottom of the trays. I can store a sashigane, 24" straightedge, and my winding stick here.


The smaller trays can nest on top of the larger tray, so I can still slide it around in use.


The top tray interlocks with the lower trays by 1/8". To remove the upper tray, you lift one end up slightly, slide it over, and lift it out. Because the tray is slimmer than my previous version, the lift angle is a mere 8 degrees.


I am not sure what joinery to use to attach the ledge and side stops. I may just glue the ledge in a 1/8" groove, and face gluing the stops to the side walls.

Suggestions and comments are appreciated as always.

David

[charlie]

You sure don't want those nice Kiyohisa slicks hitting against each other but as longs that doesn't happen a little bit of movement is not going to matter much I suppose. You could come up with a solution of securing the chisels from any movement at all by locking them into place, but that would just mean another manoeuvre to get to the tool when you need it.

A piece of cloth could be folded and placed on the chisels underneath the top for transporting.
Perhaps the sleeve of a happi coat?

[timoore]

Here's my take on the tray arrangement. My design is optimized around storage for 2 big wooden planes. The jointer is 66cm long and 18cm from the sole to the top of the handle. The jack is a bit smaller at 57cm, but almost as tall. I played with laying the planes on their sides, but that takes up too much real estate. I've decided to go with a bottom tray that is shallower than the top tray.

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As a consequence, my box will be on the tall (30cm) and long (87cm) side. With some strategic cuts in the uprights, I can keep the bottom tray from sliding around and remove the jointer plane by sliding and tilting it.

[Chris Hall]

My toolbox design has evolved to merge Chris's two level tray example, with my previous version. This helped me resolve how I would lift the trays from the toolbox.

I have made an allowance for a full length 3/8" tall space between the interior partitions and the bottom of the trays. I can store a sashigane, 24" straightedge, and my winding stick here.

The smaller trays can nest on top of the larger tray, so I can still slide it around in use.

The top tray interlocks with the lower trays by 1/8". To remove the upper tray, you lift one end up slightly, slide it over, and lift it out. Because the tray is slimmer than my previous version, the lift angle is a mere 8 degrees.

I am not sure what joinery to use to attach the ledge and side stops. I may just glue the ledge in a 1/8" groove, and face gluing the stops to the side walls.

Suggestions and comments are appreciated as always.

David

I think that's looking like a pretty nice arrangement and is some food for thought.

[Chris Hall]

Here's my take on the tray arrangement. My design is optimized around storage for 2 big wooden planes. The jointer is 66cm long and 18cm from the sole to the top of the handle. The jack is a bit smaller at 57cm, but almost as tall. I played with laying the planes on their sides, but that takes up too much real estate. I've decided to go with a bottom tray that is shallower than the top tray.

As a consequence, my box will be on the tall (30cm) and long (87cm) side. With some strategic cuts in the uprights, I can keep the bottom tray from sliding around and remove the jointer plane by sliding and tilting it.

Interesting, and I like the rendering. Have you confirmed that the large jointer plane will be easily removable? What will keep the jointer plane from sliding back and forth when in the stored position?

[timoore]

Here's my take on the tray arrangement. My design is optimized around storage for 2 big wooden planes. The jointer is 66cm long and 18cm from the sole to the top of the handle. The jack is a bit smaller at 57cm, but almost as tall. I played with laying the planes on their sides, but that takes up too much real estate. I've decided to go with a bottom tray that is shallower than the top tray.

As a consequence, my box will be on the tall (30cm) and long (87cm) side. With some strategic cuts in the uprights, I can keep the bottom tray from sliding around and remove the jointer plane by sliding and tilting it.

Interesting, and I like the rendering. Have you confirmed that the large jointer plane will be easily removable? What will keep the jointer plane from sliding back and forth when in the stored position?

I've confirmed it "virtually." It may not be obvious from the rendering, but the hole in the left upright is taller than that in the right, so that the plane can be moved to the left and then tilted up and out. At that point, I don't think that there will be any problems with clearing the ends of the box. My only plan for keeping the plane from sliding around is to make the holes a tight fit horizontally, but I don't know if that is good for the plane and likely to stay tight.

[yanai]

My only plan for keeping the plane from sliding around is to make the holes a tight fit horizontally, but I don't know if that is good for the plane and likely to stay tight.

Hey Tim,

A small stop in the base of the box could serve to limit the plane's movement.

mike

[timoore]

Personally I think I'd be making things too difficult to try and make one box to do everything.

You are taking a wise approach I think.

It would be great if those of you, like Tim and Michael, who live outside of N. America, could take pictures of what your local hardwood supply place looks like. I've been in Japanese lumber yards before and they are set up differently than western ones. I have no idea what a French or English lumber yard looks like and I think more than a few folks here would be curious to see.

This afternoon I went to "Comptoir bordelais du bois" with somewhat mixed results. On the one hand, they didn't have any non-treated Scot's Pine wide enough to make the sides of the box (mine will be just about 30cm tall). They offered to resaw a big old beam ( madrier) of Douglas Fir if I bought the whole thing. I've ended up with 8 22mm x 350mm x 2m boards with some shorter leftovers. This should be enough to make two boxes with some spares and wood left over for future projects. The beam was pretty gnarly; very weathered, and a big check so some of the resawn boards are very weak, but that's OK because I'm not using the full width of most of them. I find that the wood has a very beautiful salmon color.

On the other hand, the staff was very friendly and seemed knowledgeable. I'd like to develop a relationship with them, but there may be lumberyards in the city that are more accustomed to dealing with furniture-style projects. One interesting detail: even though we are next to one of the biggest forests in Europe (les Landes), the wood from there is quite expensive, due to monopolistic practices of the growers there.

Here are some pictures of the Comptoir:

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Typical Bordeaux industrial ambience:

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My beam has been resawn and will be cut up into 2m boards (with a chainsaw!) so I get them home in my car:

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And here's the pile of wood in the basement:

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In the next couple of days we will cut these to rough length while I finish the detailed drawings. At that point my apprentice will be in for a lot of work

[Chris Hall]

Hah! They sell some long sticks of wood there. Thanks for sharing!!

[yanai]

Hah! They sell some long sticks of wood there. Thanks for sharing!!

I was just thinking the same thing... but I was also surprised to see them just sitting out uncovered. The sawyer nearby does the same, but his wood is still wet.

I guess that makes it my turn to run out and take a few pictures.