Comments on: Make Wooden Chest Handles, the Woodwright’s Way

By: wrex

wrex — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 06:05:40 +0000

By the way: I’ve seen antique Japanese Tansu that attached the main handles using the moral equivalent of clinched nails (except those “nails” were more like U-bolts or heavy iron staples that trapped each end of the iron handle, went completely through the side, then had both ends clinched). Something like that seems more attuned to my current sensibilities (I just don’t trust screws for anything that takes serious weight or stress).

I’ve never seen any antique western tool chests, but I’m curious if there’s a western equivalent.

By: wrex

wrex — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 05:47:02 +0000

Wait. What?!!

Attaching the bottom with nails certainly raised my eyebrows, but after I read your explanation I saw the sense of it.

But just using *SCREWS* to attach the handles onto your through-dovetailed, survive-for-generations chest?

Somehow I can’t believe I read that right. (Schwarz wrote that? Really?!!)

Seems like if there’s any part of the chest that needs to be over-engineered it’s the dang handles. Not even a little mortice, peg, or some sort of heavy-duty ironmongery? Geez.

Attaching the screws from both sides makes sense (and is a trick I’ve not considered before) but exactly how ginormous are those screws you used? A loaded tool chest must be pretty darn heavy! (Just bought the wood, but haven’t yet built mine.)

By: rickb

rickb — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 10:56:45 +0000

When I worked as a logger anytime I used a saw I had a helmet with a mesh face-guard on it. I decided on the helmet after I took a twig in the eye, and tried and fogged up glasses. Most loggers are working too hard and sweating too much to not fog up safety glasses. Mesh face-guard is a really good option. More likely to be worn.

By: macmarty15221

macmarty15221 — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 22:39:08 +0000

I’m curious about St. Roy’s view on eye protection. Magnificent eyebrows will divert some of the chips, but, but, but..

Coincidentally, I’ve fallen into the “Axe Men” series on the History Channel, and I’m equally surprised to see loggers galloping around down in the brush without eye protection. (At the beginning of Series 2, they indicated that 80 loggers had died at work the preceding year. Maybe if you need every bit of peripheral vision to just stay alive, chip-speckled goggles are more likely to get you squished. Only takes one little twig to poke yer eye aht, as they say around here.

“Avoidable risks”: don’t be a logger, don’t run a lathe sans specs?

By: andrae

andrae — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:19:09 +0000

Oh, the photo is right across from the page about beckets and such, dur. I’ve seen some beautifully crafted fancy beckets, but yeah they sure are expensive.

By: JWatriss

JWatriss — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:53:55 +0000

Braiding rope is much easier than you think.

By: heidtwd

heidtwd — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 02:48:13 +0000

These handles really suit the chest. Nice choice.

By: Christopher Schwarz

Christopher Schwarz — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:43:49 +0000

The flush lifts are pictured on page 370. I wanted beckets. Fancy ones. But I didn’t want to pay more for fancy rope braids than I did for the wood to build the chest.

By: andrae

andrae — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:21:33 +0000

Hm, I don’t remember seeing the iron flush lifts in the book. But I do remember you weren’t keen on the usefulness of beckets, and by proxy (so I interpreted) handles in general. Changed your mind after moving the beast a few times?

I’m amused that some of the “related” videos are advertising various exercise machines. You should market The Anarchist’s Workout with a video of moving the chest in and out of the car over and over.

By: Iain White

Iain White — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 22:33:18 +0000

Speaking as one of the students you refer to, I am really proud to have played a (very small) part of making these handles. Thanks for a great class. And thanks to Roy for the opportunity to try out the lathe.