I’d like to make an engineer’s chest for my father’s birthday in July. This is a chest with handles on the side, a top that opens to reveal one storage area, and a flip-down cover which reveals a number of drawers — and which slides underneath the bottom-most drawer when drawers are being accessed. I’ve never seen an example in person. I have three questions, hoping that someone has some experience here.
First, is there a traditional means of installing the drawers? I was thinking of using hardwood runners installed into the case side, and matching grooves in the maple drawer sides. I’ve seen a photograph that shows this construction in at least one example.
Second, I’m not at all sure how to attach the front “door” which normally covers the drawers, and which swings down 90° and slides up underneath. All I can think of is to have pins captive in a groove, stopped at the end. The pins would be proud of the door on left and right, but it’s hard to think of how it would remain tight and not rattle when locked.
Finally, are there any suppliers that might have the hardware for this? Specifically, a lock that could secure both the top and the drawer cover.
I searched using Google for “engineer’s chest” which is the only name I know, and there’s very little to find. I did find a company called Gerstner which makes them, but there’s very little information on how they’re constructed, etc. No plans whatsoever.
Thanks in advance for any advice!
(I moved this here from Projects, as relatively few people seem to read there).
Replies
Gerstner is the "Cadillac" of this kind of chest. You may not want to buy one, but the website will make you drool. http://www.gerstnerusa.com/
Rockler offers a simple plan that may be a help. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=464&filter=40519
Somewhere there is a more complicated plan for sale, but I can't find it.
I saw a smaller site somewhere, apparently a Gerstner reseller. Great link, thanks... and they also sell the hardware!
Also, the plan is exactly what I needed. I want a different size and drawer configuration, but this should give me all the information I need about drawer mounting, and how the front door works and locks.
Thanks VERY much!My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
You may also want to search for machinist's chests, as they are often called that as well. I see Popular Woodworking has a set of plans for one: http://www.popularwoodworking.com/store/backissue.asp?issuedate=5/1/2005
As was mentioned, Gerstner is the Cadillac brand for these kinds of chests. I believe these days they also sell a lower priced version that's made offshore. Used ones turn up now and then on eBay or at antique stores.
Their construction is pretty much how you described. The front cover is usually locked in place by a little spring loaded pin that is pushed down when the top cover is closed. The lower end of the front cover has a pin on each side that rides in a groove in the side panels or in a small metal channel. I suppose you could use spring loaded pins at that end as well, so the door could be installed after the body of the chest is built.
Thanks for the link. In addition to having ordered the Rockler plan, I've now also ordered the Popular Woodworking back issue you pointed out, so I'll have two plans to look over.
Thanks to another poster, on the main Gerstner website I also found that they sell the hardware I'll need. I can buy the pins, latches, handles, everything.
Thanks, everyone. I've definitely got enough to go on now.My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
Here is one more if your interested.http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32761&cat=1,46158,46165&ap=1
Sold... well, I've never seen one of these in person, so I'll take all the information possible from plans.
Thanks everyone, now stop it... I'm going broke and I've not yet even bought the stock. :) Seriously, thanks everyone for the help!My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
Hello John,
I have a very old tool chest as you describe. It belonged to a pattern maker.
It is made with mahogany.
The front cover on the chest that I have is removable and is not self storing.
It is held in place with two locating pins on the bottom and on the top.
The top pins are hidden under the top lid. The holes are drilled through the front board of the upper storage compartment the lines up with the front cover. When upper pins are simply pulled out to remove the front cover.
The drawers are supported with small hardwood runners and the drawers have a rabbit in the lower corners which rest on the runners. This allows for just a hairline margin between the drawers. I do not have photos of the inside of the chest but here is what the outside looks like. I use it in my shop to store unusual bits and such.
Garry
View Image
http://www.superwoodworks.com
Thanks for that! I think I will go with an attached, self-storing front. In part, I'm hoping I can make it steady enough so that when the chest is open, my Dad can use it as a mini "working surface", just a place to put stuff taken out of a drawer while he looks about for one thing or another.
And thanks for the pic!My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
That would be a nicer way to store the front panel.http://www.superwoodworks.com
John
I have a old Gerstner built back in the '60 yes they used wood runners for the draw slides. The also used 20 or 22 ga. tin covered with felt for the draw bottoms to give max depth to the shallow draws. on there deeper chests the also use button catches on the draws to keep them from pulling out. I think Gerstner sell all the hardware used on there chests. good luck with you chest
Don
Tin drawer bottoms!?! Well I wouldn't have thought of that, but since I'm trying to make something that's in the style of the top of the line, I shall consider it. Makes a lot of sense for very shallow drawers that might be holding heavy objects (eg tools).
I am planning to use the Gerstner hardware (but not the nameplate), thanks! :)My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
Look up Kennedy machinists tool chest It's made of metal, but you can duplicate it's sliding door using it's design.
If you decide on using wood grooves and runners on the drawers, use very dense wood for the tongues (which can be glued in as splines)
Teak comes to mind...Machinist's tools are heavy
Steinmetz
Thanks for the ideas!My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
engineer's chest ..
To me that is VERY personal.. VERY Personal...
What type of tools?
HOW long are the tools to be put in it?
HOW deep do the drawers need to be?
(Well, closing the drawers and they still close!)
To me just a BOX with drawers (How many DRAWERS depends on how to group the type of tools to fit in a particular drawer..
The tools have to fit in the drawer!
just a BOX is stretching it a bit.. ya know what I mean.. I hope!
Just me but some of my tools I like to put a oil soaked rag for them to lay on.. I copper lined them..
I could go on forever.. I hope you get my 'drift'?
EDIT! I was thinkin' a bit.. Which gets me in trouble..
Just find out what wood he likes.. Get a bunch of it and invite him over to your shop to build it 'together' as HE likes!
Not that far streatched as I think! ya may have fun doing it!
Edited 4/6/2006 11:36 am by WillGeorge
Great idea on building together, but he lives too far away and is too busy. He seems more busy than before he retired! Wood selection? Well, I've known him my entire life. I think I'll do OK there. :)
I was actually thinking about copper instead of tin, just because my Dad likes copper. But it's awfully bendy, so I may use it on a set of three drawers with limited spans across the top row.
Of course you're right, there's no "one way" for an engineer's chest. Honestly, I'm not buying plans to slavishly copy one of them. In fact, if I were doing that, I'd not have bought three separate sets of plans. Mostly I'm looking for design and construction ideas, then I'll do my own plan. Reminds me of a good old saying: A man with a watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure.My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
sounds like a project....I dunno about spending the time with copper on the drawer bottoms, mostly these boxes had, at least from what I've seen, green felt bottoms. They also had a mirror in the flip up lid. This wasn't likely out of vanity, but rather as a safety device if you ever got a sliver of metal in yer eye. So, if yer Dad likes copper, and you wanna do something different, make a frame out of copper for that mirror. You can do this by taking copper sheet and literally burnish it around a wood moulding, then solder it on the back. Leave the wood molding inside if you is gonna mitre the corners, then prudently solder the mitres. Another possiblility is to just make an engraved plaque out of copper with his initials on it. Much more elegant than copper drawer bottoms methinks. A largish engineers chest is on my list of things I want to do, and QS white oak seems to be the wood of choice for me, based on what I've seen. That old "mellow Yellow" stain is easily and cheaply duplicated by dissolving roofing tar in varsol, and filtering out the fibres. The way I'm envisioning my project is to make the carcase and drawers out of baltic birch, stain it dark. Then applique the ends with QS white oak veneer, add 1/4" pseudo rails and stiles and then add QS white oak drawer fronts. Thats just my perspective. Simply talking about it makes it seem more doable for me. Maybe it help ya.Eric in Cowtown
I'm planning to use ancient kauri, and maple. I'm thinking I'll use copper for the drawer bottoms. I'll still glue in felt, he'll only see the copper when he pulls the drawers out and turn 'em over, but I don't think it'll be any more difficult than using tin snips to make a tin panel for the drawer bottom. Nice idea with the copper nameplate, might just do that. I can get it nicely engraved at a trophy shop.
I've actually ordered and received plans from Popular Woodworking, Lee Valley, and Rockler. Getting a reasonably good idea of what I'll do, thanks in good part to the help of the fine folks here in this forum.
I've got a pair of matching clocks (I'm going to resaw the two face panels from a single figured maple board, so my sister's and mother's clocks will match face to face) to do first. After that, it's the engineer's chest...My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
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