Travel Tool Chest & Workbench Build Process

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I didn't feel like doing much more yesterday and didn't expect to do anything today, but Carolyn is still struggling a bit with the pain from the healing femur, so we had another day of rest today. As the fish glue had been left for plenty of time to dry, I started by planing the joints flush:

There was a couple of millimetres of end grain to remove on each protrusion, but the block plane chewed through it in no time and then I could use the smoothing plane for a final pass over the whole surface.

For the top and bottom, I decided on a different way of clamping to support it on top of the chest rather than on the back:

I might do one more pass with it supported on a drawer board type affair (or with something propping it up inside to stop it bowing in the middle), but I don't think it's really necessary so I probably won't!

The next job was to get on with the drawers, which started with the thicker maple bit, which I chopped into a rectangle and then planed smooth:

Once edge got squared up ...

... and then I chopped a drawer front off ...

... before repeating the process and then shooting the two pieces down to size until they were a snug fit:

For the sides and back of the drawers, I've got a load of sweet chestnut bits left over from making the chest:

Some of them got planed and chopped and shot down to give me the bits for the drawer outsides. I've still got plenty left. The sides of the drawers are a close fit in the cavity; the backs of the drawers have three sides finished (with the length being a close fit in the cavity) but I haven't brought them to width yet as I haven't figured out what I'm doing with a base yet:

The drawers are small and very shallow so I should probably just do a rebate and fit the base into that, but I feel I'd rather have another go at slips so I'll probably do it that way. I also haven't decided whether to lower the back at the top (to give the air somewhere to go when pulling the drawer out).

I am a hobbyist metalworker and woodworker. I work as an electronic design engineer and spend most of my working days in front of a computer so I enjoy having the opportunity to use my hands and make things in my spare time. I particularly enjoy making tools as I can then use them on other projects. This website showcases some of the things I've made.

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