# Curly Poplar Mini Shaker Blanket Chest



## tocws2002

Not sure I should post in this forum as the blanket chest is not quite finished (still have to add hinges and lockset), but wanted to get some pictures up and posted.

This is a "mini" blanket chest based off of one found at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill that Kerry Pierce took measurements and wrote an article about. This is the third one of these I have made. The first was out of cherry and was actually done under the supervision and instruction of Kerry Pierce, using mostly handtools to complete it (including my first handcut dovetails). The second one I made was out of walnut and was primarily done with power tools (including the dovetails....can you say Leigh D4 dovetail jig?).

This one is made out of poplar that was cut from my yard, milled by a local sawyer, and air-dried, using mostly handtools. I love the color of this poplar and the nice curl/figure that likes to show off when the light hits it. The pictures aren't the best as they were taken with my cell phone in poor lighting, but the wood is a nice creamy color with some brown streaks throughout, and some bark/branch inclusions. It is approximately 12" deep x 28" wide x 13.5" tall and finished with a few coats of MinWax Antique Oil.

Comments and critiques welcome.

Thanks,

-jason

http://i67.Rule #2/albums/h309/tocws2002/Projects/ShakerMiniBlanketChest/20150223_205615.jpg 

http://i67.Rule #2/albums/h309/tocws2002/Projects/ShakerMiniBlanketChest/20150223_205604.jpg 

http://i67.Rule #2/albums/h309/tocws2002/Projects/ShakerMiniBlanketChest/20150223_205523.jpg 

http://i67.Rule #2/albums/h309/tocws2002/Projects/ShakerMiniBlanketChest/20150223_205516.jpg 

http://i67.Rule #2/albums/h309/tocws2002/Projects/ShakerMiniBlanketChest/20150223_205737.jpg 

http://i67.Rule #2/albums/h309/tocws2002/Projects/ShakerMiniBlanketChest/20150228_074020.jpg 

http://i67.Rule #2/albums/h309/tocws2002/Projects/ShakerMiniBlanketChest/20150228_074025.jpg

http://i67.Rule #2/albums/h309/tocws2002/Projects/ShakerMiniBlanketChest/20150228_074032.jpg 

http://i67.Rule #2/albums/h309/tocws2002/Projects/ShakerMiniBlanketChest/20150228_074040.jpg

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 5 | Way Cool 11


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## tocws2002

Sorry, title should be changed to "Curly *Poplar *Mini Shaker Blanket Chest"....the chest is not ash, but rather poplar....was reading an article on toboggans and had ash on the mind....oops.

-jason

Maybe a mod can help me out and change the title...


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## Schroedc

tocws2002 said:


> Sorry, title should be changed to "Curly *Poplar *Mini Shaker Blanket Chest"....the chest is not ash, but rather poplar....was reading an article on toboggans and had ash on the mind....oops.
> 
> -jason
> 
> Maybe a mod can help me out and change the title...



Your wish is our command

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## Sprung

Great work, Jason! Nice wood on that too!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Albert Kiebert

Nice piece! The close up of the Dovetails looks almost 3-D. How many Mini-Blankets it hold??

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Wilson's Woodworking

Really cool chest!!!!!!!!!!! That poplar really lends itself well to a project like this.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Mike1950

VERY nice work and wood!!!

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## Kevin

She's a beauty Jason.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## ironman123

Very nice timber and workmanship.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## NYWoodturner

Very nice piece Jason. Worthy of handing down through the generations.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Agree 1


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## barry richardson

Great work Jason! Great looking, and always special to have a story to go with it...

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## manbuckwal

Outstanding work Jason ! Lots of Pizazz !

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## DKMD

Too cool! Love the wood and the execution.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## GeauxGameCalls

Wow! Beautiful

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## APBcustoms

i was just looking into making one of these today beautiful job


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## tocws2002

Thanks for all the compliments on this blanket chest. I really like making these, the size makes them easy to move about the shop and they don't take a lot of wood. I plan on making a few more and going the "mostly handtool route", including the dovetails!

Thanks again,

-jason


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## Tony

Beautiful work Jason! The defects/cracks on the front piece really stand out, great choice of wood! Tony


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## Nature Man

An heirloom piece you can be proud of! Seems like the design could be enlarged if you wanted to build a full-size hope chest. Chuck


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## brown down

very nice work man! love that wood!


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## tocws2002

Thanks all! Here are some pictures of the walnut one I made for friends of ours...

http://i67.Rule #2/albums/h309/tocws2002/Projects/ShakerMiniBlanketChest/20140424_163750.jpg 

http://i67.Rule #2/albums/h309/tocws2002/Projects/ShakerMiniBlanketChest/20140424_163740.jpg 

http://i67.Rule #2/albums/h309/tocws2002/Projects/ShakerMiniBlanketChest/20140424_163733.jpg 

And the cherry one I made with mostly handtools 

http://i67.Rule #2/albums/h309/tocws2002/Projects/ShakerMiniBlanketChest/DSC03153_zps03a08c9f.jpg 

http://i67.Rule #2/albums/h309/tocws2002/Projects/ShakerMiniBlanketChest/DSC03001_zps42fb810f.jpg 

http://i67.Rule #2/albums/h309/tocws2002/Projects/ShakerMiniBlanketChest/DSC03149_zpsee479949.jpg 

http://i67.Rule #2/albums/h309/tocws2002/Projects/ShakerMiniBlanketChest/DSC03146_zpsd266d7ad.jpg 

http://i67.Rule #2/albums/h309/tocws2002/Projects/ShakerMiniBlanketChest/DSC03133_zps01e371b7.jpg

Reactions: Like 3 | Way Cool 3


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## NYWoodturner

Jason - your dovetails are nothing short of excellent


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## TimR

Jason, some jaw-dropping work...really nice and so usable. I completely agree with comments about 3-d effect the joints have, definitely an heirloom piece. I'd like to do something like this someday, what inspiration!


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## tocws2002

NYWoodturner said:


> Jason - your dovetails are nothing short of excellent



Thanks, the dovetails on the cherry blanket chest were my first handcut dovetails on a project, the only ones I had cut before that were at a Woodcraft class where I cut two sets of dovetails (maybe 12 pins/tails total). I had a great time making the cherry blanket chest and actually did it a lot quicker than I thought it would take me. 

The dovetails on the poplar and walnut chests were cut using a Leigh D4 dovetail jig that I picked up brand new, in the box, at an auction for less $ than about 3 gallons of gas! Set the jig up, ran one test board, tweaked it slightly and ran the good material. The learning curve on it was not nearly as bad as what I had read prior to owning the jig, it works very well and I like the capability to vary the spacing, but I definitely want to do more hand cut dovetails!



TimR said:


> Jason, some jaw-dropping work...really nice and so usable. I completely agree with comments about 3-d effect the joints have, definitely an heirloom piece. I'd like to do something like this someday, what inspiration!



Thank you, I appreciate the compliments. I really like these blanket chests, though I do want to make a couple large ones also. The size of these make them suitable for gifts, especially for newborns....in which they can become a "keepsake box". Go ahead and give it a try, they are fun to make and most everyone that sees them likes them.

Thanks again,

-jason


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