I’m displeased with the “no mortise” hinges on the traveling tool tote (the same that were used on the medium tool chest).  And not just because they still require hinge mortises (on one side, at least).

This is what the fully-loaded well looks like, FYI.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get the “no mortise” hinges on straight.  In a fit of rage, I bought some home center middle hinges (in oil-rubbed bronze) and switched them in.  Between the comically deep mortises and the unsightly holes in the underside of the lid, this will remind me forever not to give into the hype.

A constant reminder of my shortcomings.

I am also displeased with the first set of rot strips.  Too narrow and too tall.  On the next iteration of the tool chest, they will be replaced with something a bit more squat and stable.

It’s tough being my own biggest critic.

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I splurged a bit the other day, on several hundred Dictum nails and additional accoutrements. Not sure if I ever talked about my gouges, but I finally bought a tool roll for them. I also picked up a Japanese nail set, a drawbore pin and a mortise float, all of which are being put to immediate use (no spoilers!).

The traveling tool tote is basically finished now, other than the tray (which is the last and final step).  I really like the look of those Dictum nails and plan to use them assembling the tray also (the carcass used Tremont cut nails).  Tapered drill bits would have been invaluable, though, as there was some end-grain splitting in the pine lid when attaching the oak battens (the battens themselves held up fine).

The lid also doesn’t close as tightly as I’d like, but worse things have happened.

Some cyanoacrylate shored up the splits and the whole thing got slathered in more red paint.  After a few weeks of use, I’ll do a full retrospective on the project.  I’m already thinking about ways to improve the design for the next go-around.  Not the least of which will be painting the lid before attaching the oak battens.

There is always another go-around.

Sorry for the sporadic posts lately.  Things have been too busy for much writing.

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If you haven’t seen it yet, you should check out the Lost Art Press teaser on Roman Workbenches.  There is something about the bench depicted in the plate that makes sense to me.  At the height of a normal workbench, I bet it would be fantastic for a small-space woodworker and pull excellent double duty as workbench and stout kitchen table.  To that end, I have decided to forego the long stretchers and shelf on my Roubo-style workbench.

It’s been at this stage for a while, actually.

Here is my thinking: the benchtop is just over 4″ thick,  and the tenons are at least 4″ wide and 1 1/4″ thick, so the joinery is plenty beefy.  Instead of long stretchers and a shelf, I will build a low, rolling cart to keep under the bench.  When in use, I can wheel out the rolling cart (for access to my tool chest and other essentials), and when I’m done, it tucks away neatly.  This will free up the corner where my tool chest currently resides and, eventually, I can revisit the floor chest idea.

The bench will still have short stretchers, although I might use lapped joinery temporarily (rather than mortise and tenon) until I determine if the bench can live without long stretchers.

Make sense?  Or am I just being lazy?

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No, not really.  But the chamfer on the lower skirt isn’t as deep as I wanted.  And “Tuscan Red” milk paint is drabber than I expected.

First coat, slathered on.

I should have carefully masked the insides, but whatever, it’s a tool box.  Also, the reinforcing corner brackets seem to be growing…

Second coat, much more uniform.

Third coat should be the charm.  Then I’ll worry about the tray and the lid.

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In a classic case of “trying to do way too much all at the same time”, I dropped the traveling tool tote on Sunday and fractured front right joint.  Id est, the most visible joint. I was trying to attach the rot strips while the clamps were still on the tray runners and it lost balance on the saw benches.

Everything was going so well, at the time.

Whatever stress imparted upon impact, the top nail no longer held the joint solidly and I feared for long term stability.  My choice was clear: add a dovetailed skirt and dust seal to the project, or cram the joint full of some more hide glue and reinforce everything with some ugly Home Center corner brackets.

Seriously, guys, what did you think I’d go with?

Repeat after me: this is a working tool, not a museum piece.  At least the handles look nice (or will, once I blacken the screws).

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I fully intended to add the skirt to the tool tote before nailing on the ship-lapped floorboards.  I really did.  The case went together square, so the floorboards weren’t needed to pull everything into alignment.

But because the case is rabbeted and nailed together, I wanted a low profile skirt to sit below the cut nails.  Unfortunately, with the floorboards being over 5/8″ thick, there is just barely half of the 1×2 skirt in contact with the case itself.  Not nearly stable enough to glue on first.  Oh well.

Pretty board

It’s not all bad news, though.  Because the thickness of the floorboards is approximately half the height of the skirt, it should be really easy to clamp down the skirt and eliminate any gaps when it does go on.  Even if I have to make a go-bar.

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