This blanket chest was commissioned by a client who was selling her family farm after her mother passed away. She grew up on the farm and the walnut used in this chest came from a tree on the property that was milled up about 40 years ago. It was a special and unique opportunity to make a piece with such beautiful lumber that has great significance to my client.
The overall design of the piece is Early American with the focal point being the raised panels creating the structure of the case. You will also notice ornate, yet reserved design elements such as the whimsical shapes in the base, the cove & half-round bead that creates the transition from the base to the case and the quarter-round bead around the lid.
The main case is comprised of 5 frame and panels (with the fifth being the bottom panel). The frames are joined with a traditional haunched mortise and tenon joint. This joint allows for a deeper mortise and tenon for strength while filling the groove on the end of the frame where the panel sits. You can see this in the top down view of the corner where the rail meets the stile there is a short part of the tenon filling the groove cut in the parts. The front/back and sides panels are joined with a miter joint, and in this case the glue joint is a long grain to long grain glue joint making it extremely strong. For additional strength, the bottom is a frame and panel allowing it to be glued solid while allowing the bottom panel to expand and contract with the seasons. The apron base has a shallow rabbet on the inside that registers against the bottom to support the weight of the case. This also helped align the apron so the miters came together accurately. The top is a solid panel and stabilized with battens to help keep it flat over time. The top is attached to the case with Rockler’s Lid Stay Hinges which keeps the lid open while accessing the inside of the case.
The chest was finished with Osmo Polyx Oil in the Gloss sheen which turned out great in my opinion. I usually use the matte finish, but this gloss sheen gave the case a more traditional look and feel without the plastic like film you get with polyurethane finishes. I’ll definitely be using this finish on future pieces as well.
Whitehurst Custom Woodworking 