Ideas to carve, paint, and decorate your toolbox
By Rev. Jim Paulson
You can pick any font to personalize or monogram your tool box (or any other box for that matter). I like the look of a classic Old English font. You can easily find fonts for free online, but to save you some time, I’ve attached an image file of the full alphabet. Enlarge or reduce the size of the font to match your box or other carving.
CLICK HERE to download the Old English Alphabet Pattern.
CLICK HERE to download Shop Notes and Drawings.
Materials:
• Wooden toolbox
• Basswood, 3/4″ (19mm) thick: at least 4 pieces sized to match top of wooden box
• Pine molding, at least 1 1/2″ (38mm) wide: to run around three sides of box lid
• Wood glue
• Fine-cut finish nails: 6d (2″, or 51mm)
• Offset strap hinges, black finish: 1 pair 8″ to 11″ (203mm to 279mm)
• Chest lock
• Gel stain, such as Minwax: cherry
• Spray finish, such as Minwax satin polyurethane
• Sandpaper: 220 grit
• Milk paint: buttermilk, pitch black, soldier blue
• ScotchBrite pad: green
• Boiled linseed oil
• Paraffin wax
• Graphite paper
• Disposable brushes: 1″ (25mm), 2″ (51mm)
• Painter’s tape
• Jute rope, 1/2″ (13mm) dia.: 48″ (1,219mm)
• Round-head wood screws, #6: 8 each 1 1/4″ (32mm) long
Tools:
• Pipe clamps
• Chip-carving knives, such as Wayne Barton premium
• Router with 3/4″ (19mm) ogee bit (optional)
• Hammer
• Drill with bits: 1/8″ (3mm)-dia. twist, 5/8″ (16mm)-dia. spade
• Screw drivers: slotted
• Portable thickness planer or hand plane
Check out more great articles from Woodcarving Illustrated Winter/Spring 2016 (Issue 74).
