my wife wants me to build, and I think it is a great idea, a toy box for our little boy. The idea has morphed it to a pirate chest. I am not that good with wood, steel on the other had I am a master. I can frame and do simple things like hang doors and pre-built cabinets but the idea of building a curved top box seems kind of scary. I assume it would be better to do it with slats rather than try to curve a piece of plywood but how do i determine the angles and better yet how do I cut it, I have at my disposal a jig saw, and circular saw and of course a drill and impact driver.

If your wife says you need to build the project, then come back with you need to buy a tablesaw.

If you want a curved top, there are special plywoods that have the plys all going the same direction and are super bendy in one direction. I can't remember the name of the plywood but any good lumber yard or specialty wood shop will have it.

Just make the sides of the top radius pieces and then cut a bunch of 1x2 and start laying them across....no biggee.

If you make the slats narrow and thin enough, you should not have to worry about beveling anything. Narrower slats will go around the curve pretty easily, and the thinner the slats the less the gap between slats will be. At this point, all you would have to do is make the rounded ends to the lid and glue/nail the slats to the ends.

Take your weakness and exploit it. If you feel that you can frame something okay but finishing is not your forte, consider distressing the box before painting or staining it. This can make any of your mistakes appear almost intentional. And, quite honestly, your kid won't care - they will just be impressed that their dad made something for them.

Here's a link to something you might like
http://ana-white.com/2012/04/plans/pirate-toy-chest

Superform is one brand of the highly flexible plywood

Just remember its for your kid and to have fun with it.

My wife asked me to make a little kitchen set for my daughter and as I was caulking the back of the counter top at 1am (for a toy that will never see a drop of water) I realized, WTF am I doing.

Have fun, don't worry if its not perfect and make sure you pick up all the power tools you "need".

Using narrow slats, if you bevel each one maybe 5 degrees, they'll fit better even if the angle isn't right. There will still be gaps, but they'll be smaller.
As said before, it's a good excuse to buy a table saw. One of those small table top types can do a pretty good job as long as it has a good, easy to adjust fence and miter gauge.

There no question how cool the curved top would look!

Bringing the difficulty factor down a couple of points would be a box like this:



Random internet photo to convey a thought.

Don't forget to trick it out with rows of big brass headed tacks and a big gold hasp. Been down this road a couple of times. ;-{>8

Many of the common toy boxes of our youth are now considered dangerous because the lid can drop onto a childs head, neck or hand and do injury. You might want to figure out how to spring assist the top or use pneumatic cylinders or ?

You can use "wiggle board" on top.. it's a bendy plywood that we use for curved laminations. You can glue and screw it down to your curved side, and then fill the screw holes with bondo if you're going to paint. Depending on size, you might get away with one layer. A larger box might need a couple of layers of wiggle board and a interior rib.

If you're not going to paint, you can laminate the wiggle board with paper back veneer glued on with contact adhesive. You should still fill the screw holes with bondo.

The hardest part of this would be picking up the materials.

You can find wiggle board at professional plywood and hardwood dealers..

+1 Little Pirates are easily impressed and just care about what's inside.

Ahoy you scurvy dog. Google is your friend.

Try "diy pirate chest plans free" or "diy treasure chest plans free"

Here's three ...

http://ana-white.com/2012/04/plans/pirate-toy-chest

http://www.woodworkingcorner.com/treasurechest.php

You'll have to copy and paste this. (it's a good one)

http://www2.gi.alaska.edu/~jesse/treasure/stories/tchest.html

You could also take an existing box, and put your steel working skills to use by giving it some cool looking reinforcements on the outside, like fancy corners, handles, and a big ole latch. You could make it look old and worn by beating it with a chain and other objects. Some burn marks and a dark stain, and it will look authentic.

eggzactly right.

To dress it up a bit...you can use fancy brass tacks to cover up the nail holes that are on the slats.

Here's a pic of the I one tried to link. I like the slats and brass hardware and it looks like it has brass nails as well.

I used some kind of spring loaded hinges in mine,so the lid couldn't hurt anyone.

I also designed it with enough cracks that it wouldn't be air tight.Kids love to play in boxes and sometimes young ones even fall asleep in them.You may always make sure your child is safe but it might get passed down or wind up with someone else.

Instead of making it perfectly round on the sided, maybe try using a shape like this:



This one is a 16 sided polygon, but you get the gist.

Cut it into two symetrical halves, and you will have flat surfaces to attach the lid covering.
All you would need to do is figure out the bevel to put on the slats to cover it so they join flush.

Might not be perfectly curved, but it would still look the part I think.

Just a thought anyway.

Good luck with whatever way you choose, I'm sure the tyke will love it!

Good point.

When I was a little kid I climbed into my dad's plywood camp food box and the latch closed and I couldn't get out. Luckily, he was nearby and heard me yellin'.

I'd make darn sure it didn't have a latch that could do that.

Everything after the comma demonstrates an acute case of opti-rectimosis. IOW pull your head out of your ass. If you've not built a few proper boxes, sturdy enough to be worth the cost of materials and labor, then you don't start with a curved one.

If I were you, I'd tell the little woman, she'd best be concerned with her own "curves", not some box. Silly schit that females dream up needs to be nipped in the bud, not encouraged.

"...Silly schit that females dream up needs to be nipped in the bud, not encouraged."

Nail on the head !!!

Go to walmart and pick up a large plastic storage container with lid for 30 bucks. That will not only work, it will work better. And its a whole lot smarter than starting a project for which you don't have the time, tools, expertise, or inclination. Remember, nothing is as cheap or as easy as you might think.

There is a couple of things that women ought to be doing; thinking up projects for menfolk ain't one of 'em.

FYI my wife has freaking great curves, even after a baby (she only gained 10 lbs during pregnancy) I have built a few boxes but nothing too finished I have a wooden chain saw box i made, a oak panel box for my mom's crap, and I even built our bedroom set but the idea of building a curved lid and cutting the bevels is what has me hung up, if I could build it out of steel my problem would be solved. The other problem is price, I looked at oak the other day and they wanted $89.00 for a 4x8x1/2, I think it's gonna be made out of pine, and he can be a West Coast Pirate

Very true. I bought a replacement lid support for our grandkids wood toy box at Lowe's.
Below is a link to where you can order on-line some weight rated lid supports for toy boxes, cedar chests, etc.

http://www.hardwaresource.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=526

What size slats do you want over what radius? I'll draw it up in cad and tell you the angle of the dangle.

cant imagine someone is to happily married if they get pissy and tell their wife no every time they come up with an off the wall idea.....granted i spend a fair time actually explaining to the wife just what her new idea is going to involve but bout 1/4 of the time she is still gung ho about it so i just shrug my shoulders, say ill do my best and go buy a couple new tools to try and get the job done myself and if it doesnt work we go with the more practical way of hiring someone that knows what theya re doing or buying something else....either way i still get some new tools out of the deal .....

My wife's latest requires a new backhoe.....

I got married and started work at woodcraft. I was surprised at how many tools I "needed" to do all these projects.

If you like your wallet stay away from tools made by "Festool". You'll have a coronary when you see the price tags, but when you use them it'll all make sense.

I have now
SawStop 3hp1ph 56" table saw
Powermatic 5hp1ph 15" helical carbide planer
Jet 3hp1ph 8" helical carbide jointer
Powermatuc PM2800 drill Press
Jet 12/20 lathe
Various Festool sanders and drills
And garage shelving full of everything from Mesquite to exhibition grade curly Purpleheart on the off chance I "need" to make something.

Remember, a circle/curve is nothing but a whole bunch of straight lines.

lol very very short ones?

Depends on the size of the circle. Think of the earth..

go buy a old wine type barrel,20/30 gallon size "burn" some skull and bones on it ...a little work with hinges etc......a couple beers latter...u are done........

Sounds like you looked at Lowes for Oak. S4S FAS lumber is going to cost you a fortune. Meaning surfaced 4 sides and first/second grade, as the more times it goes through a saw before it goes though your saw, the more expenive it gets.

I get red oak for about $0.87 a board foot. It is 15/16'ths to 1" and rough on all 4 sides but cut oversize. One pass on each side on my planer finishes it to 3/4, one pass on the jointer and then rip to final width and its done.

Most people will cut every piece of their project about 1/4-1/2' oversize and allow it to acclimate where its going to be for 2-3 days, then they finish trim and assemble.

I like the oak barrel idea, make a nice open box out of pine, lay the barrel on its side in the box so it won't roll, and cut it in half lengthwise. Lid supports are a great idea, drill and make some rope handles for the lid, get a map torch and scorch it, beat it with a tire chain, carve his name in it and call it good.

Just make it bigger than you think. We hauled away(to good will)a truck load of old toys to get ready for Chistmas.

I have 3 kids at home and counting presents from all the family and friends,they opened 167 presents on Christmas.

Savage -I too like the barrel Idea, but I don't know where to find one, and didn't look at Lowes, I was planing on going up there this weekend I just looked at our local lumbar yard and they would have to special order it, unless its OSB they don't stock it.

How much do those barrels cost, seems like that would save me a bunch of time and math.

For years I have gotten the help of folks with more skill, or better tools than I had at the time.
I wonder if flute, and bead, as used in canoes might work for the lid? That calls for a shaper, or router, and table, but that's woodworking for you.

If you can find a curved barrel or similar to work with that would be great, but when you take off those circumferential bands, you may get some unexpected results, i.e. it may fall apart if the individual slats weren't joined as securely as you wanted them to be.

The process of making a curved item like a barrel or similar is known as coopering - numerous narrow slats, mitered and fixed together.

I did a few smaller coopered projects, back in the day, curved topped jewelry boxes, and for those applications a good adhesive worked well, I also did some curved front cabinet doors that took a little more reinforcing. But that lid your planning on building is going to get some abuse, and should be strong.

If you are good with metals, I'd consider making a slotted super structure (as light as possible), and putting the wood slats into it - but the prior post about hinges being reinforced to prevent accidental closing would be spot on.

If I was closer, I'd help. But alas - you are way over there.

I was thinking to keep the lid from closing to hard I have an extra set of old Ford lever arm shocks, but they might be too much so I was also think of using a set of strong arms like on the back window of an SUV.
With keeping barrel slats together I figured before I cut I would glue them all together and then drill and put a screw at each slat through the band using the other side of the band on the inside, but to find a barrel for cheap may be a problem.

You can rip all the slats you need from a 2x4 or 2x6 with the guide found in most 7 1/4 circular saws.I haven't tried it but you might tie them together as in some blinds or just adapt a set of blinds for the top.

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!