Tool Chest Part III (Skirts)

 

Lower skirts joinery

Skirts

The skirts have the purpose of protecting the case from impacts but also of preventing it from disassembling in case of failure of the joints. Traditionally these elements were made of hard wood. I chose the beech which works well for the purpose; it is also quite easy to work so I was able to add some moldings that add an aesthetic note to the project.

The lower skirts are glued to the perimeter of the case and also joined with dovetails but with the tails positioned on the short sides, in the opposite way to what is foreseen for the case.

The upper skirts are glued and jointed at 45 ° with the joint reinforced by 6 mm pins, always placed in such a way as to contrast any failure of the dovetailed case.

The moldings were made using hand planes.

 

Piece squaring up

 

Moulding

Assembling test 

Tracing and cutting the tails

The moulding is cut at 45°

A mitre 45° template helps to cut at the right angle

Gluing up the lower skirts

 

This is the upper skirt profile

The work begins by tracing by a marking gouge a deep mark that fixs  the rebate width; this will help us to guide the round plane

This mark guides the rebate plane used without a lateral fence; the first shots will be done keeping the plane in a inclined position toward the inner side of the rebate.  Then the plane will be kept to right angle and the rebate completed

Rebate completed

The rebate guides the round plane

Add a beading by using a Stanley 50

The upper skirts are glued up in manner of be kept several mms below the chest upper edge. In this way is possible, when the lid is closed, keep away the dust from tools

Part 1: Case

Part 2: Lid

Part 3: Skirts

Part 4: Drawers and Runners

Part 5: Finishing 

Video and photo gallery