Tool Chest Side Panel Glue-ups
2011.01.07
A couple months ago, I bought some (nominal) 1x12x8′ pine boards from a local lumberyard. They are sawed and planed to 3/4″ by 11–1/4″. In the old days, a chest like this would have been built from 7/8″ or 1″ material, but the 3/4″ is cheap and easy to come by, so I’m hoping it will be strong enough once everything is dovetailed together. I dug through a stack of boards to try to find ones with the fewest and smallest knots. But this is pine, after all, and so knots are not completely avoidable.
Today I got started by roughing out pieces for the sides of the chest. I chose the clearest sections of the boards I have for these large pieces, but there will still be some knots. Because the boards are 11–1/4″ wide and my chest will be closer to two feet tall, each side will require two boards glued together.
Even though it’s pine, I didn’t relish the idea of hand ripping all the parts, so I used the circular saw and guide rail system. I cleaned up the edges with the jointer plane.
Then I glued up the first panel for one of the long sides. I used Old Brown Glue, which is a liquid hide glue.
2011.01.09
Yesterday I glued up the other long panel, and today one of the short ones.
2011.01.11
Unfortunately these boards really like to warp. I’m sure I’ll be fighting that along the way. Today, with all four side panels glued, I trimmed them to size.
Tool Chest