A simple Chuck Box

[Wayland]

Most of my camp kit is fairly organised now but there are still a couple of loose bags that carry stuff which gets used at Steam Tent events but also at Bushcraft type camps or even just at festivals.

I decided it was time to give it all a better home and build a proper Chuck Box.

Starting with a simple drawer set from Ikea, I've reversed the drawers and added oak knobs, that look a bit more old fashioned, stained and waxed it to colour it down and this formed the core of the box.

I constructed the main carcass with 9mm hardwood ply, simply fixed with brass screws. Not the strongest form of construction but I added some reinforcement later.

I sized the compartments around some items that would be stored and transported in the box which you can see here.

Staining and waxing the plywood brought it to a pretty good match with the drawer unit. You can see the unwaxed colour on the front flap here which will be waxed later.

Almost finished now. Brassed up with some reinforcement straps and the handles. Labelled up too.

Just waiting for a hinge for the front flap which is late arriving.

The chain for the flap is already in stock and I'll knock up a catch for it when I see how it fits.

For the time being I'm going to use it as a table top box. I may add legs later so that it can free stand at some point but I want to try it out first.

 

[Totumpole]

That looks awesome, great work! Good idea to use some cheapo drawers in there, might steal that idea for some future car camping kitchen build

 

[crosslandkelly]

Looks good Gary. I've got a couple of those Ikea boxes lying around.

 

[Mesquite]

A simple but very practical chuck box Gary, look forward to seeing it on camp

 

[daveO]

Nice work. I've got some of those Ikea drawers on my desk and don't like the bare look of them so I might do something similar. I'm also embarassed that I didn't think of something as simple as turning the drawers around to get rid of the front cutouts

 

[Wayland]

That looks awesome, great work! Good idea to use some cheapo drawers in there, might steal that idea for some future car camping kitchen build

You are welcome. I saw the idea somewhere else so I pinched it too.

I had the same thought when I first saw it DaveO, sometimes we all just need to think outside the box.

Can't remember where it was I saw it though now. I constantly collect ideas in my head that rattle round until they fall out in the right place.

 

[Dreadhead]

nicely done Gary. I use some of those in the workshop, i ought to give them a stain!

 

[Wayland]

I've had one on my computer desk, staring me in the face for years. Never saw the potential until recently.

 

[Mesquite]

I'm also embarassed that I didn't think of something as simple as turning the drawers around to get rid of the front cutouts

Turning the drawers actually makes them easier to open and close as there's a gap for the air escape instead of compressing

 

[Broch]

As always, great ideas, great workmanship - I get a lot of inspiration from seeing your photography and workmanship Gary; thanks for posting.

 

[Wayland]

That is very kind of you to say Broch.

I just tend to post things up because it's what I'm doing and I often work in isolation. It's nice to get some feedback from other people.

When I look back, I realise nobody thought I would make much of my life. I seemed lazy and never interested in the right kind of things.

Now, it seems that the things that interest me also seem to interest other people as well, not necessarily the people around me but the people here and more widely scattered across the Internet.

I still seem a bit odd to my neighbours but they mostly ignore me and I don't bother them. Like Walter Chrysler's lazy worker, I've made a career out of doing things the easy way. My attention for detail arises from my slightly obsessive nature too.

Put simply, these are the things I was always told were wrong with me so it often surprises me when someone says it inspires them.

 

[udamiano]

Nice can’t wait to see it after it’s had the Wayland touch

 

[Broch]

I still seem a bit odd to my neighbours but they mostly ignore me and I don't bother them. Like Walter Chrysler's lazy worker, I've made a career out of doing things the easy way. My attention for detail arises from my slightly obsessive nature too.

Yep, I was (am still) never considered 'normal', what all 'normal' people don't realise is that they are all on the same spectrum of weirdness as we are - just in a different place on it

I find it fascinating that the human mind covers such a spectrum and that people that were classified as odd (and even insane at one time) can be extremely creative and productive in their way. It's unfortunate that most people exist in the 'boring' part of the spectrum really

 

[Wayland]

I try to live by what it says in my signature pic.

Ordinary is nice occasionally, like vanilla is nice but there is so much more out there.

 

[Keith_Beef]

Wayland, I love the chuck box, and the ingenious re-purposing of inexpensive IKEA drawers.

Here's a link to something that I think you'll enjoy looking at. Derek Cohen of Perth makes some wonderful things in his workshop.

 

[Wayland]

The hinge finally arrived, one of these cases where it was supposed to be in stock but was actually ordered in I expect.

Fitted the chains and waxed up the front flap.

Not entirely happy with the flap catches but they will serve until I can make or source something better.

 

[Countryman]

Really like that Wayland!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Wayland]

I was really quite surprised how easy it was to construct.

Once you have a true and square lump in the middle, everything else just fits around it.

 

[Wayland]

Almost the final picture before it sees use I guess.

Just a few details added like buffers for the base to keep it from scratching the surface it is on.

 

[Mesquite]

It looks really good Gary.