Travel box

I’m going to be travelling east in a week to take a carving class from Peter Follansbee!  It was pretty much a spur of the moment thing, and my family is coming with to visit some of the sites and hit New York for a day on the way back.  I needed to take some of my tools with me so I thought I’d whip together a box.  And of course I can’t NOT carve it… especially if I’m going to a carving class.  Gotta show off ya know.

Carved Travel Box

The box is made from Poplar because that’s what I had in the shop at the time.  I wish I’d gotten some Alder or Walnut but I didn’t have the money handy or the time.  Luckily this was some harder Poplar that usual, and was consistent for the most part.   It was also a nice wide board, so I was able to carve the top which I don’t typically do.

Top design for the Travel Box.

Carved box sides for the Travel Box.

For the front and back panels, I used S-Scrolls which I consider to be the swiss army knife of designs, and the sides were variations on the interlaced circles motif.  Typically a box of the period would only have the front, and maybe the sides carved but I like to practice layout and carving so I did all surfaces.

The Travel Box – Packed.

The tools!

I designed the size of the box to fit in my big suitcase, and to fit my tool rolls full of chisels.

I was able to cram the following in the box:

• 18 carving chisels
• 1/4″, 1/2″, 3/4″, 1″, 1 1/2″ bench chisels
• 5/16″ Mortise Chisel
• 2 carving mallets
• 3 compass
• Awl
• Marking knife
• 2 marking gauges
• metal hammer
• decorative punches (in the mint tin)
• 2 squares
• Folding rules
• Pens/Pencils
• Stropping block
• Block Plane
• Carving Brush

I’m going to have borrow some tools when I get there, but I should be ok.  The whole kit weighs 27 lbs.

I’m pleased with it, especially the top design because that’s a new layout for me.  The central design is based on a Thomas Dennis chest panel, and the outside edges I lifted from another panel of the period.  My only complaint is the wood, with that awful coloring. I can’t use my normal Shellac top coat without adjusting the color or bleaching the wood.  Which will have to wait till I get back.

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