Tool Tote #2: A tote within a tote

As I mentioned in my last post, the dry fit of the toolbox seemed to be missing something. Eventually, I decided that it needed a lift-out tray. Just a small one, not one that went the entire length of the box, but a little one that could slide back and forth on runners so that items could be retrieved from the box even with the tray in place.

I planed up a couple of ash boards and edge-jointed them for the base…

…and while they were drying I moved on to the joinery.

For the handle, I decided that a 1″ thick piece of ash could serve as both handle and divider, so I made a paper template, transferred the shape onto the wood and cut it out, refining with a spokeshave and files.

The handle/divider is held in place with housing dados.

I then spent a bit of time refining the shape of the main toolbox components. First, the sides of the box needed to have a section cut out to make it easier to remove the tray.

Second, the handle supports needed to be rounded off and tapered.

Finally, I cut a kerf into each of the handle tenons, so that they could be wedged during the final assembly. I also planed up some pieces of walnut for the tray runners.

A request from the customer was that the box should have his son’s racing number on it. To achieve this I decided on a little bit of scorching. I had some small pieces of aluminium sheet, so I cut out some numbers from them, laid them on the sides of the box and used them as a mask while attacking the wood with a blowtorch.