How to Make a Wooden Hope Chest
The old-fashioned tradition of collecting household goods for a dowry is pretty much obsolete these days. But using a wooden hope chest to store blankets and other possessions is a great way to gain extra storage space in any home or apartment. Making your chest of cedar is expensive, so combining it with less expensive pine looks great while still providing that aromatic scent and protection from moths for cherished possessions.
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Things You'll Need
- Cedar decking (milled dimension of 1 inch by 5 ½ inches)
- Pine boards
- Measuring tape
- Saw
- Drill
- Countersink bit
- 1 ½-inch wood-screws
- 2-inch-by-¾ -inch and 2-inch-by-1½-inch jigs cut from cardboard or plywood
- Clamps
- 1-inch wood screws
- 3 feet of nylon rope
- Knife
- Lighter or matches
- 30-inch piano hinge
- Small ¾-inch brass wood screws
- 12-inch piece of steel chain
- Two ¾-inch steel screws
- 58 ¼-inch hardwood plugs (or proper size to fit the countersink bit you're using)
- Hammer
- Sandpaper
- Stain, paint, beeswax and or polyurethane
Instructions
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Cutting
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1
Cut three pieces of 1-inch-by-6-inch cedar decking 28 1/2 inches long for the bottom of the hope chest. Lay out the boards and measure across the width to make sure it equals 16 ½ inches, otherwise length of sides will need adjusting.
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2
Cut four pieces of 1-inch-by-8-inch pine 16 ½ inches long for the sides of the hope chest.
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3
Cut four pieces of 1-inch-by-8-inch pine 30 inches long for the front and back of the hope chest.
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4
Cut four pieces of 2-inch-by-2-inch pine 13 ½ inches long for the corner posts of the hope chest.
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5
Cut two pieces of 1-inch-by-10-inch pine 31 inches long for the lid of the hope chest.
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6
Cut two pieces of 1-inch-by-2-inch pine 14 inches long for the lid strapping.
Chest Assembly
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7
Connect the sides to the corner posts using a counter sink bit so the screw head is set deep enough to accommodate a plug. Allow space for the bottom boards.
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8
Build each short end by laying two of the 16 ½ inch, 1-inch-by-8-inch pine boards on top of two of the corner posts and attaching with screws with a countersink bit, drilling a 3/8-inch deep countersink channel for each.
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9
Screw the front and back to the corner posts. Drill a 3/8-inch deep countersink channel before placing the screws so that the heads will sink deep into the hole.
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10
Connect the bottom boards onto the completed box shape with six pre-drilled, countersunk screws on each end ½ inch up from the bottom.
Lid Assembly
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11
Lay out the two 1-inch-by-10-inch boards and clamp them together. Center the 1-inch-by-2-inch pine pieces across the lid pieces. Attach with four 1-inch wood screws in each piece.
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12
Drill two ½-inch holes in each side of the chest for the rope handles. Insert the cut rope so that the ends are knotted inside the chest and melt the ends with a lighter or matches so they won't fray.
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13
Attach the hinge, first to the chest, then to the lid, using the ¾-inch brass wood screws.
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14
Attach the restraining chain on the inside of the lid and chest using two ¾-inch steel screws.
Finishing
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15
Pound wooden plugs into the holes to cover all the screws.
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16
Sand the wood until all surfaces are smooth.
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17
Apply stain, paint or beeswax as desired.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Make a jig out of cardboard or plywood and use it to help locate the screws evenly. Use a jig or pile of books to support the lid while attaching the hinge. A coat of polyurethane will add shine to the wood if beeswax is not available. If you can't find a 30-inch precut hinge, cut a longer hinge to the correct length with a hacksaw.
