The Juggling Act: Balancing Books, Commissions, and Unexpected Challenges
It’s a wild ride, being a furniture maker. One minute you’re lost in the intricate details of a woodworking commission, the next you’re juggling the demands of a book deadline. Welcome to my world – a world where creative expression and professional obligations collide in a whirlwind of activity.
Let me tell you, juggling a book and a furniture project is no easy feat. It’s like trying to keep two balls in the air – pretty easy and not all that impressive. But these last two weeks? They’ve been a full-on circus. Two books in overdrive, Peter Galbert’s Chairmaker’s Notebook and Don Williams’ Virtuoso, alongside two all-consuming projects – some three-legged chairs and a tool chest for Popular Woodworking Magazine.
The tool chest project is a joint venture between myself and the brilliant Jameel Abraham of Benchcrafted. I built the box – the easy part – while Jameel created a carved marquetry panel for the lid. This chest is a new traveling design, inspired by a collection of old examples I’ve studied and measured over the years.
Designing the Ultimate Portable Tool Chest
After crunching the numbers, I found the perfect chest size – one that can hold an impressive and nearly complete set of furniture-making tools, all within a minimal footprint. And the best part? It has some nice lines and is a bit easier to build than an Anarchist’s Tool Chest.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not giving up my beloved floor chest. It’s too much a part of the way I work. But this smaller chest is going to be ideal for woodworkers who have limited floor space yet still want to hold a lot of tools that can be accessed with just one hand movement – just like the full-size chest.
The downside? There’s not a lot of room for moulding planes. But hey, if you’re into that whole moulding plane thing, you could always just build a shelf, right? I’ll be sure to write up a full description of the chest’s inner workings and post a video on it once the sucker is done.
Overcoming Obstacles and Embracing the Unexpected
Just when I thought I was making good progress, Jameel’s marquetry panel arrived about a week ago, and I haven’t had a second to install it on the chest because I’ve been a slave to Adobe’s Creative Cloud software. But when I couldn’t stare at a screen anymore, I snuck off to the shop to install the hinges and attach the lid to the carcase.
The hardware for this project is from the talented blacksmith, Peter Ross. Jameel and I decided to go all-out on this one – no half-measures. But I’m not going to show you the lid just yet. That’s for the magazine’s editors to reveal. Though, you can catch a glimpse of Jameel’s gorgeous work on his blog.
This morning, I convinced the lid, carcase, and hinges to work nicely together, and I released a huge sigh of relief. Now, I just have to attach the dust seal to the lid, add the crab lock, paint the sucker, attach the chest lifts, and write the article. No problem.
After three hours of 100-percent concentration on these hinges, I’m ready to work on something that has an undo button. Yeah, InDesign and Photoshop sound like a good idea right about now. The undo button would be the one thing I’d wave a magic wand and bring from my design job to my furniture work. I do miss that safety net, if I’m being honest.
A Glimpse into the Creative Process
Now, I know you’re all eager to get your hands on the plans for this new tool chest. And I promise, the full writeup is coming soon. In the meantime, I can share a few of the key dimensions:
- 2 Front/Back: 78 x 15 x 28
- 2 Ends: 78 x 15 x 18
That should give you a good starting point to get those dovetails prepped while you wait for the complete details.
Oh, and I noticed your window tool rack is looking a bit bare. Was this a test run of the travel tool chest, or yet another shop makeover? If it’s the former, it must have been quite a feat to cram the proverbial 10 lbs of stuff in a 5-lb sack, verging on Studley-like.
In all honesty, I had a bunch of tools in the rack that were merely background for photos. I removed them, gave a lot away, and plan to remove the rack when I can catch my breath. I really do like the unobstructed light, even if things look a little less “shoppy”.
The Road Ahead
As for which issue this article will appear in, I’m eager for everyone to see it. Both the chest and what’s on the inside are excellent, if I do say so myself. And I’m not the only one who thinks so – Jameel’s carved marquetry panel is truly a work of art.
Now, I know some of you might be wondering about that whole aesthetic embellishments thing. You’re right, this chest does seem to contradict my usual mantra. But you know what they say, a little experimentation never hurt anyone. Besides, I firmly believe that an artisan should create a variety of shop accessories to hone their skills, before applying those techniques to simpler furniture pieces.
It’s all about finding that delicate balance, my friends. And trust me, I’m doing my best to keep you all on your toes. After all, what’s the fun in homogeneity?
So, stay tuned, my fellow furniture makers. The Unfinished Furniture website is about to get a whole lot more exciting. Intimate glimpses of the creative process, coming your way in the July/August issue. Don’t miss it!
