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The dovetailed skirt around the carcase of a tool chest (or blanket chest) is fussy to fit.
The case has to be square and plumb. The skirting material has to be flat and square. And you have to get the joint’s baselines in just the right place.
And even when you do all that, you still have gaps around the skirting.
So today at The Woodwright’s School, we had several long hours of zero jocularity where people were focused on fitting their skirts. I got my skirts on with only one noticeable gap. A couple students managed to get even smaller gaps than I did.
And even though we had a few tiny gaps here and there, we also have our daily affirmation:
I like paint.
I hate golf. (Long story.)
Paint doesn’t judge.
Paint wants me to look good.
Paint doesn’t care if I smell like an overheated monkey in a paper mill.
Paint is like a mafia fixer that buries all my mistakes.
— Christopher Schwarz
This week we’re building “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest” from my book of the same name. The book – with complete plans for the chest – is available in the store.
Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.
You know you’ve outlived your youth when you’re more concerned with getting a skirt on a box than getting one off.
What about making the topp molded edge of the skirt a separate piece? That way it would be flexible enough to conform to the case and the skirt and hide any gaps.
How my mind registered this entry…
“The dovetailed kilt around the carcase of a tool chest (or blanket chest) is fussy to fit.
The case has to be square and plumb. The kilt material has to be flat and square. And you have to get the joint’s baselines in just the right place.
And even when you do all that, you still have gaps around the kilt.”