How I've spent weekends for the last couple of months.

My daughter is graduating high school next week. Sending her off to the next phase of growing up with something to ground her a little.



Brown cedar chest finished with clear semi-gloss polyacrylic.


Here is the aromatic red cedar wedged in covering the bottom. No need for glue and replacing will be easy at any time.



Had fun gluing the whole thing together. All made from 3/4" x 5 1/2" boards. End caps ripped from same stock. Really enjoyed playing with the biscuit joiner for this one.

Hey that looks really neat!

I wish I had the patience and know how to do stuff like that.

Awesome job

Wow, looks great! Good luck to your little girl.

Good job man, I like your technique very sturdy looking. Soon I'm going to start on an island for my kitchen because our kitchen is so damn small, I swear the guy who built this house must have survived on ramen noodles...

I need a biscuit joiner too!

Congrats on your daughter though, it must be nice to see them grow up well have their achievements. Mine are still babies.

ps. is it true when they grow up, this is a license to walk around the house naked all day? I always joke about that with my wife.

My son is graduating from high school and I'm giving him a hearty pat on the back

Seriously, that is a beautiful piece, you have a great skill. I'm sure your daughter will love it.

Great job! I take it that's her hope chest? Not many people have even heard of a hope chest these days, nice to see some are keeping traditions alive. Regards, GF.

Beautiful craftsmanship and I love the "old school" gift. Long after the "latest and greatest" ipod or laptop is obsolete your daughter will have a keepsake and the opportunity to pass it down to another generation.

Very Very nice. I built my wife a hope chest after we were married and I think it was her favorite gift of all time?

Just out of curiousity, How did you hinge the lid? I struggled with that for a while and ended up going with some stop hinges that I found used on toy chests.

I've always wanted a cedar chest since buying my first house here 7 months ago... I don't think I am skilled enough a woodworker to build one though. So I'll be stuck forking out some dough for one I think...

I have to keep my eye out for one of them at public auction/estate sale sometime...

Looks great though, I'm sure she'll love it!

If she goes to college, $20 says it will get lined with styrofoam, and used as a beer cooler.

gratus fermentatio said:

Great job! I take it that's her hope chest? Not many people have even heard of a hope chest these days, nice to see some are keeping traditions alive. Regards, GF.

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bad67z said:

Beautiful craftsmanship and I love the "old school" gift. Long after the "latest and greatest" ipod or laptop is obsolete your daughter will have a keepsake and the opportunity to pass it down to another generation.

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Yep, hope chest. Original idea was to get her a durable, lasting piece of furniture. Decided a hand made cedar chest just fit the bill.

Marko73 said:

Just out of curiousity, How did you hinge the lid? I struggled with that for a while and ended up going with some stop hinges that I found used on toy chests.

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Rockler makes a torsion hinge that requires no support brace. At $40 for a pair they aren't cheap, but I know they will work for as long as that chest is around.

RoaringBrewer said:

I don't think I am skilled enough a woodworker to build one though. So I'll be stuck forking out some dough for one I think....

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You'd be surprised. Just take your time and think through each step. I'd also recommend buying plans. I designed it in my head and on paper then just started building. Future projects, I'll be using plans an modifying them as I see fit. Much easier than reinveting the wheel.

wildwest450 said:

If she goes to college, $20 says it will get lined with styrofoam, and used as a beer cooler.

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Somehow I doubt it. She's very responsible and level headed. We'll see though. She'll tell me if she does, just the way she is.

very nice! that will be in the family for a long time!

Nice build... But from the title I thought your were going to say weekend lockup

Here is the finished product. Delivered tomorrow as a surprise.