Whether you're a young pirate, or serving as a personal safety deposit, a simple treasure chest is an object that can be built in an afternoon with common tools and inexpensive lumber. Here are some steps that will show you how to make one.
Steps
Step 1. Plan the size of your chest
For this project, let's consider one 28cm deep, 23cm high (excluding the lid) and 41cm wide.
Step 2. Gather the lumber you will use
Here we used maple scraps that have been colored and lacquered, and then thrown into a dumpster at a construction site. For the dimensions in the illustrations (where measurements are expressed in feet), we used a 2m, 4m long wooden board and some other scraps.
Step 3. Prepare an assembly table
Two clamps and a sheet of plywood will work, but a heavy workbench would be better.
Step 4. Take out the tools, making sure the circular saw has a sharp blade
You will need to cut out "grooves" to join the corners, and a circular saw with a sharp blade will make this process easier.
Step 5. Mark the wood in correspondence with the cuts to be made
Here, the ends are cut to size 21.3 cm on the "short side", with each end cut at a 7 ° angle, so that the sides of the casket are angled. Mark the cutting points on each piece of wood, and then carefully cut out. Use the first piece as a template to cut the second, or measure and mark carefully if you prefer.
Step 6. Cut the side boards, "square" (using 90 ° angles)
Make sure one end of the board is square, then measure 40.6cm. Mark the point, then draw a straight line across the board using a square. Cut again, always carefully.
Step 7. Mark the points of the grooves so that the side boards can join the ends
You can use the end boards to mark the cuts as shown in the figure, or measure 1.9cm and square this line. Cut 2/3 of the depth of the wood. Here we are using a 1.9cm thick board, so we need to set the saw to cut to a depth of 1.25cm.
Step 8. Prepare the board on the end, holding it in a vice or hooked to the work table, and carve it to a depth of 1.9 centimeters on the end side, indenting 1.25 cm on the finished side.
Step 9. Join the end boards to the side boards
We used carpenter's hot glue, but these joints can also be nailed or screwed together, or secured with traditional wood glue. Make sure all surfaces are smooth, and try to keep the corners as square as possible. A template may help you if you have difficulty aligning and squaring the various parts.
Step 10. Measure the opening at the bottom of the box
Using the dimensions already observed, the bottom will be 36.8cm by 17.8cm, but checking the actual size will help you fit your chest better. Cut the bottom from a piece of wood, the size you just measured, with the circular saw blade set to a 7 ° notch on the "long sides" to fit the tapered sides of the casket.
Step 11. Install the bottom in the box
If it's not cut properly, you may need to push it into place, until the tapered sides stay firmly in place at the bottom.
Step 12. Lay the box on its side ', and draw a line 0.95cm below the top, then cut around the box, to a depth of 0.95cm. Cut around the top of the box, 0.95cm from the outside edge. In this way you will have created a recess to more comfortably rest the lid.
Step 13. Mark two pieces of wood the same depth as the box here at 26cm
If you are using a large wooden board, as in the photos, you can divide it in half to reduce waste. Draw a radius from the edge to create the circular shape of the chest lid. Here we used the lid of a five gallon bucket, to mark an ideal curve with minimal effort.
Step 14. Cut the circumference on the first piece, using a saw or jigsaw, then mark the second as well, using the first as a template
These two pieces should be as identical as possible to make the finished lid fit more easily into the chest.
Step 15. Cut a groove, 0.95 cm wide and deep in the "bottom" of the ends of the lid
Here, a vise or clamp can come in very handy, as the piece you are going to cut is nearly impossible to hold safely while cutting. Once the two ends have been cut and profiled, you can temporarily glue them to the chest to make it easier to apply the lid foils. Again, hot glue will make the process quick and easy.
Step 16. Cut out 0.6 cm deep strips of wood
Make sure they are at least as long as the chest, but cutting longer boards and then shortening them to size will save you time.
Step 17. Cut the strips the same length as the sides of your chest
If you have attached the ends of the lid to the top of the box, you can simply lay them in place. Glue them, starting on each side and center of the top, to keep everything square. Place the edges as tightly as possible, but expect some "unglued" parts due to the circumference of the lid, unless you have chosen to carve each piece individually. You can leave these strips slightly overhanging on each end by cutting them to 0.6 cm and smoothing the ends after gluing.
Step 18. Apply enough strips to "wrap" the lid to form a complete cover, then add an extra strip to the front and back edges for objects to be attached to
Clean up edges, smooth surfaces, and carve corners and other areas that may chip or have sharp edges.
Step 19. Cut out two very thin strips to cover the ends of the lid
These will act as "bands" and will help you secure the lid slats to the box, but on a practical level they are just ornaments. Try to test these strips and trace the ends, then cut them to size. Make sure they are thin and soft enough to follow the circumference of the lid without cracking or splitting. Secure it with glue or tacks.
Step 20. Sand down all corners and edges of the chest and lid
If you want to color or paint the chest, now is the time to do it, before installing all the accessories (handles, plates, clips).
Step 21. Refine the wood, to your liking
Since the project started with colored wood, and no similar color was available, we used brown spray paint to make it more uniform than the original color, resulting in a pretty good effect.
Step 22. Apply the accessories
Here we have used antique furniture hinges and handles to add a rustic effect. The accessories can be glued with hot glue, so you can try the final effect, or by using screws. Be sure to check the operation of the handles before completing the installation, as if they are not properly aligned, they could block the lid or make it sit crooked.
Advice
- If you are building the chest for a child, add a hinge that does not allow the lid to close tightly on the child's fingers.
- A table saw or band saw, as well as a compass or edger, would make this project easier and more accurate, but if you only have to use the items at your disposal, don't worry if the final product won't be of the highest quality.
- Always follow the safety instructions when using work tools; use protective goggles, and a mask when cutting wood or paint, especially if you are sensitive to dust released during work.
- Using a specific hot glue for wood makes assembly work much easier than traditional fixatives. Once all the parts are assembled, you can add small "finishing" nails, or wood screws.
- To make your treasure chest look more authentic, you can use some "old" material. If you wish, you can use brass upholstery pegs to further embellish the whole.
- For a more elegant casket, the interior can be upholstered with eco-leather or soft fabric.
- When making difficult cuts, such as grooving, the board must be securely locked in place, and your hands must be kept safely away from the saw blade.
