Replies

1. 
   shopteacher | Nov 15, 2006 02:53pm | #1

   Here is an image file of the box that I make.

   
2. 
   Floss | Nov 15, 2006 05:52pm | #2

   Here is a box I made for my daughters toys.

   The dimensions are 20" H, 16" D and 26" W.

   It is pine finished with milk paint and wax. The inside is shellac.

   The hinge supports are from Lee Valley, which I do not recommend since one broke about 2 weeks after it was installed and the other is on the way out. The hinges are 1.5" X 2.5" brass from Lee Valley as well. The hinges were of better quality than the supports.

   Let me know if you have any questions.

   J.P.

   http://www.jpkfinefurniture.com

   
1. 
   9619 | Nov 15, 2006 07:07pm | #3

   JP,
   I rarely post any messages with negative content. Please don't take this personally. I did the same thing. I made a toy chest, shaped much like yours, with a hinged top and supports. I did a lot of research on the supports to keep the top up. I finally bought some. Your box is gorgeous. Mine is too. But mine never got used as a toy chest. I didn't want to take any chance that tiny hands would rest on the top of the sides of the chest, and the top would come down because of some freak accident or because one kid was closing the box while another was rummaging around. The picture of your daughter with her hands on the top of the sides is just too cute for words. However, I cringed when I saw it. I admit that I am overly conservative, but my recommendation is to unscrew the top, and put it in a closet until your daughter is a teenager. Until then, let her use the box without the top. Don't worry about the toys getting dusty. It is better than having a dangerous top. This is an age-old issue, not a new one. Thousands of woodworkers have made similar boxes. I am not sure there is an adequate set of supports to insure the top is kept up when a baby's hands are on the side, or the baby's puts her head over the side as she reaches in. My conclusion is that "toy shelves" are far more useful and safer for kids than a toy box. I would suggest that you make her a nice set of shelves for her toys, and turn the chest into a hope chest with a lock on itIf my message causes you any hard feelings, let me know, and I will delete it. My favorite aspect of Knots is that people post photos of their latest works, as you did. I'd hate to see my response cause you to not post your future masterpieces. Your current photos show two masterpieces - your chest and your daughter. Have fun. Stay safe. and Keep up the GREAT woodwork.
   Enjoy.
   MelPS - I did the following for my son and daugher in law. I made a box which sits on a shelf, which has a number of letters in it. Each is sealed in an envelope. They are letters to be opened on their anniversaries numbered 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 60, and 75. So far, they have just opened one letter. It is very interesting and much fun to write a letter to your offspring to read far in the future. Besides, making the box is a fun woodworking project.PPS - I looked over your website. Excellent work, IMHO. Best of luck in your woodworking business. I live in Burke, VA near Springfield, VA, near Washington, DC. If you ever plan to drive up this way, let me know. My furniture doesn't compare well to yours, but we can tell some woodworking lies and burn some burgers. Please bring your family. If you come on the third Tuesday of a month, you can come to the meeting of the Washington Woodworkers Guild. I am sure that they would be happy to have you bring slides of your work and give a short talk on your approach to woodworking.Measure your output in smiles per board foot. 

1. 
   Floss | Nov 15, 2006 07:39pm | #4

   Hi Mel,No offense taken. I am going to make some stops to position the lid so it sits right on the box and remove the remaining support and hinges as you said. I just haven't gotten around to it yet. The support as it sits now does not work very well anyway, so I am going to get a new one and put it on the box when Stella is old enough to know better. Say, when she is about 30?Thanks for the invitation. I may take you up on it. My wifes work occasionally takes her to D.C. so on her next trip I will look you up. I think it is sometime in April.If you would like to hear my totally un biased and highly professional views on all matters concerning working the wood, I would be more than happy to confound your good group of shop mates. As far as I know there are no secrets in this work and I am always willing to share what little I know with a sympathetic ear.Send me an e-mail and possibly some topics you and your friends may be interested in and I'll see what I can do.J.P.http://www.jpkfinefurniture.com

2. 
   alanplanesaw | Nov 16, 2006 10:25pm | #5

   Mel,

   I like your advice, having 3 young grandchildren.

   And, I love your idea of the letters.  People need to do more to build and treasure family.  I am not getting off on a polical or family values kick.  Just that in my work I see the throw-away kids and even adults.

   Alan - planesaw

1. 
   9619 | Nov 16, 2006 11:00pm | #6

   Alan,
   There is no doubt that we have a number of shared values. I haven't known you for long but we have had some great conversations. I am looking forward to more.Glad to hear you like my idea on writing letters to the kids for them to open in the future, including the distant future. When I included letters to be opened on their 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, 60 and 75th anniversaries, there was an OBVIOUS implicit message to my kids and their spouses ---- I EXPECT YOU TO STAY MARRIED A LONG TIME. Your cradle is a wonderful gift, and a great piece of furniture. Virtually all of my furniture goes to the kids. As you have seen, I don't have room for any more. I really did build a toy chest for my youngest, and I went through all of the research and agonizing that I described. However, after building it, I thought it wasn't safe enough, so it was never used as a toy chest. His wife now stores clothes in it. I couldn't stand the thought of crushed hands or skulls. That's how I came to the conslusion that "toy shelves" are the best way to go. That also keeps them from piling the toys on top of each other and not being able to find them. Have fun. Thanks for writing.
   MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot. 

3. 
   OldGuy | Nov 23, 2006 08:35pm | #7

   Good morning,My daughter has just requested a toy chest. I have just started looking for plans. Previously I had seen some sort of slow closing support. I had thought of supports such as found on hachback vehicles or car hoods. All these are great ideas as long as the child is alone. Unfortunately at some point a friend or sibling is going to "help" close the lid.Cheers,
   Paul -

1. 
   9619 | Nov 24, 2006 03:40am | #8

   Paul,
   Have fun with the toy chest, whatever design you use.Think about food freezers. I have had chest freezers and upright freezers. Chests are more "efficient" at cooling food, but it is a pain to find the stuff at the bottom. With an upright, everything is on shelves and is much easier to find what you are looking for.My experience with toy chests is that the same is true for toy chests as well as food freezers. Toy chests really frustrate kids who are looking for a specific toy. When you have a toy with multiple parts, toy chests are a nightmare. When it comes to safety, toychests with a lid are problems.So why not make a set of toy shelves. The doors, if you need them, are on the front, not the top. You can use drawers or separators on the shelves to put multiple-part toys. You can creatively make shelves for games in boxes, etc. The overall shape of your toy shelves can be the same as the chest you would have made. BUT toy chests are usually deep from front to back, thus reducing the number of places you can put them. A set of toy shelves, can be shorter from front to back, and thus can be put in more places along the wall.You can make a set of toy shelves as complex and beautiful as a toy chest. You can carve the doors, paint the piece, use fancy wood, etc etc etc.My suggestion, having made an old fashioned toy chest, and having decided never to do that again, is to make the child a set of shelves which is shaped much like a pie safe, except shorter -- geared to the height of the kid, but with "growing room".I would recommend fastening the toy shelves to the wall so that the kid cannot pull them down and get hurt.I hope these ideas make you think about alternatives to the toy chest. If you do make a toy chest, think about hiding the top until the child is a teenager. Is there a problem with toys getting dusty??? Less of a problem than a kid with crushed fingers. Come to think about it, a toy chest is much like a tool chest. I hate them. The deeper they are, the harder it is to find what you need. I like tool chests with drawers, like a Gerstner style. Another creative approach to toy chests is a shallow box on wheels that rolls out from under a bed. You can put about four of them under a bed. They are not so deep that it is hard to find things at the bottom. I made such a device for a model railroad train.Whatever you do, have fun. When you come up with your toy holder, please send me a message and let me know what design you settled on.Enjoy,
   MelMeasure your output in smiles per board foot. 

1. 
   OldGuy | Nov 25, 2006 05:38am | #9

   Thanks for the reply and input. I'm starting to think this may be a two fold project - toy shelves for now and the seat/hope chest that my daughter is thinking about (the project will be for my grand daughter).Cheers,
   Paul

4. 
   JLMCDANIEL | Nov 27, 2006 04:44am | #13

   All I can Say is Bravo!

   Jack

2. 
   gmoney | Nov 26, 2006 06:48pm | #11

   that is a gorgous pic with your daughter in it!

1. 
   Floss | Nov 26, 2006 09:53pm | #12

   Thank you. She is my best project ever.J.P.http://www.jpkfinefurniture.com

3. 
   Jimma | Nov 25, 2006 05:26pm | #10

   Woodcraft (and other retailers) sells a type of hinge that stays open wherever you put it and won't close on its own. I made an heirloom blanket or hope chest for some new parents out of cherry and curly maple using two of these hinges which will then be removed when the child is old enough. The parents put an insert into the chest which effectively raises its floor to a level the child can use. The plans for this chest (as a blanket chest) were shown in Fine Woodworking several years ago in an article by John McAlevy; it was shown on the cover. If you search for "blanket chest" I believe you'll find it.

4. 
   JLMCDANIEL | Nov 27, 2006 04:48am | #14

   One of the neatist toy boxes I've seem were 1.a  train with open top cars.  2. A hobby horse and pony cart. Both no lids to come down on little parts.

   Jack