Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire wood working guys, I need help!!

Another thought, grandpa used to do a lot of woodworking, made hardwood furniture and the like. One piece he made several of was a plant stand. It had a solid round base and a solid round top, and the 3' vertical column was made up of multiple slats, like a 2 dozen that were maybe 1/2" x 2"? Anyways, to make the column he took some heavy fabric, laid it out flat, glued the slats to the flat fabric, and then wrapped the fabric/slat assembly around the solid base and top. Once wrapped around the base/top, he'd then nail/screw it all together. Maybe use the same cloth/slat principal to get the curve around the top of the chest.

damn, thats one of those stupid simple ideas you cant believe you never thought of

I am banned from WoodCraft. My wife made them post my photo by the cash register.

The math is fairly simple, and is as follows. For this example, I'll figure a half round lid, 24" front to back, or 1/2 of a 24" diameter circle.
24"x pi(3.14) = 75.36"/2 = 37.68".
A 1x2 is nominally 1-3/4" wide, or 1.75".
37.68"/1.75"=21.5 boards, 1-3/4" wide.
22 boards 1-3/4" wide =38.5". 38.5"/ 3.14= 12.26*2=24.52" or 24-1/2". so the front to back measurement of your box will be 24-1/2", utilizing 22 ea 1x2 boards, of whatever length the box might be.
The 1/2 circle of the lid = 180 degrees.
180/22 bevels = a combined bevel angle of 8.18 degrees. You are beveling both long sides of the 1x2's so each edge needs to be beveled 4.09 degrees.
Remember, you are working with wood, I would set my bevel at 5 degrees, and the joints on the top of the lid will be tight, but the inside of the lid will be slightly open.
The slats will be nailed, screwed or glued to end caps. the end caps will be semi circle, with a radius of 11-1/2". (24.5" -1.5"(thickness of a 1x2 x 2)= 23" diameter, or 11-1/2" radius.
See, simple...

With the barrel idea, maybe when they're 12 or so they'll be strong enough to open it. Will cut down on the wear and tear on the toys as you put them into the toy box.

Go buy a plastic tote, you'll be out $1,000 by the time you give up on the wife's crazy idea.

My 2 cents.

Hit some thrift stores and buy a cedar chest for under $100.

To keep the lid from closing too fast, get some lid supports. They are spring assisted, and should help keep it from slamming shut. When the lid is open, you can also puch the lid supports over center, which will keep the lid locked in the up position. You should be able to get them at any hardware store

Woodcraft ain't chit.. Japan woodworker will vacuum out your checking account in a New York minute.

The idea has morphed beyond your woodworking skills. But if you're determined, at least keep it simple.

Don't start with a heavy oak barrel. It will be tapered, anyway, making your work very difficult and making the lid needlessly and dangerously heavy. 1/8" door skin will bend just fine for this; it's cheap and you won't need to buy any tools. You could laminate a couple sheets together, for strength, and screw and glue them to solid lumber end pieces.

The box can be assembled from plywood with solid lumber corner posts and lumber bottom supports.

A gas spring can be used to control the lid.

I could make a pirates chest in a few hours at most.Go for it.
it isnt that tough.

Only reason I don't order from Japan is that I hate waitin on shipping. I did organize most of my garage with Festool styled t-lock containers so I can open the bottom one without taking the stack apart.

I'm just over $13,000 and I only worked there 2 years.

Do it like this. Why overthink it? Just a series of slats. Then do leather handles.

I stopped by Ace hardware on the way home tonight and they have the whisky barrels already split in half for planters, they have a broken one sitting there also, I'm gonna go back in the AM and talk to the owner about the broken one. If I get the half and the broken one I can build the front and back out of the broken one and have the correct taper and use the half for the lid, then i went to the parts store and the shocks that hold up a hood will cost me about $11.00/a piece, then i just fabricate a mounting point and it has an easy open lid. Then I called a carpet guy I know and he has a remnant that I can use to carpet the inside.

I think I found my weekend project, got fix the wife car first and run to Missoula but Sat afternoon and Sunday is toy box time

I made one nearly identical, I put a 1/4 round on the slats with the router.

Many ways to make a curved top.
Coopering isn't hard but lining all the pieces up for the glue up can be frustrating. Biscuits help enormously here.
Slats with a half round cut on one edge and a cove on the other edge makes for a very nice curve with no gaps.
There is also a kerf bend where you cut a series of closely spaced parallel kerfs most of the way through the board and then bend it which closes up the kerfs and gives an unbroken show surface.
This is probably what I'd do with a spectacular piece of wide, solid wood. All you need is a tablesaw for this method.

Stop by "double front" and eat some chicken for me will u?.............

I've never been there, I think it is on the other side of town where there are Hippies, I go up reserve and hit Walmart, Target(baby formula), and Home Depot and try to make it out of Missoula before the Hippies wake up

Some imaginative ideas here - and some...not so much.



This is how I do things. It keeps my woodshop growing. I can see you justifying at least a good table saw and probably a router with table too. And this is why...



Look up "wood-strip canoe construction". You could make a real classy chest that way - with little skill, and a few (more) good tools.

But if you can't buy any more tools for this - you should consider doing this...



...and using the tools you have to "dress it up".

Or - you could compromise and at least get a decent contractor's table saw to do this...



After all - every "shop guy" needs a table saw!