Project Project

3 19 x 5mm trim on all visible upper edges 130 267 600

19 19 5

293 326

SECTION LONG SECTION

362 562

19 25 19

Location of wheels 6mm quarter round Fixed section Hinged section 400 19

Ø40 65 19 19

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MICHAEL T COLLINS 562 56

76 362 350

END ELEVATION PLAN SECTION 30

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Maple grade ply for the inside bottom, glued and dropped into place. Four holes were drilled in the corners of the base – these would camper box house the wheels. Once the glue was dry, any Michael T Collins creates on the move storage 3irregularities were planed flush from the outside in.

Cutting list clothes and had to fit within the under- The wheels • 2 pieces of ply for left and right sides shelf area, be easy to slide in and out The wheels were inserted into the • 2 pieces of ply for the back and front and have a lid. 4holes created by the inner bottom • 2 pieces of ply for the top and Since the entire inside of the trailer as these would take all the weight. I 2 3 bottom is beautiful maple , I decided decided it would be prudent to add • 1 additional bottom insert piece to use 19mm furniture-grade ply. When countersunk screws around the wheel cutting ply on a tablesaw it is important holes. The wheels were screwed in Supplies to have the face side facing up and use a place, protruding approximately 12mm • 4 of 25mm rubber fixed wheels zero-clearance insert. To lessen the tear- below the box. • 1 of 60cm piano hinge out effect, score the line. 1 • 1 short length of sturdy leather Finishing off the base Next all the mitres were cut – there cut to size. I used a cheap piece of of the chest 1was no need to add any additional 19mm ply as it was unlikely to be seen. All upper edges of the chest were couple of weeks ago, a friend mechanical holding as the ply had Note: when cutting mitres, it is always 5trimmed with 19mm x 5mm solid called to say she wanted a enough long-grain glue surfaces. safer to use a sled. Never try to do this maple – this was primarily to hide the A simple, no-frills box made for However, if in doubt, you can use against the . ugly visible ply edge, and secondarily her teardrop camper, and would be biscuits or splines. It was carefully it provided a more robust edge. The round to talk details. A couple of cleaned up, including the edges that I applied clamping pressure and pieces were cut and mitred. As the hours later Louise appeared with needed it and I applied glue to all 2checked for , allowing the box had already been made, the trim trailer in tow. mitres and then put the box together glue to dry. While the glue was drying, needed to be flush with the inside of The box was going to be for storing around a base that had previously been I cut a second piece of the furniture- the box, as would be difficult. ➤ 4 5

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The trim was glued into place more work for a client and probably 6and secured with tape. There was won’t be the last. enough long-grain surface so I wouldn’t need to use any nails or screws. First I positioned the Ideally I would have trimmed the ply 13-15handles in the desired before cut and assembly, but when I location. Then, deeply scoring the started making the box, the maximum location, I created a profile of the back height was not yet known and I had a side of the hinge. hard time finding wheels with a low profile. This way, once the maximum I transferred the profile to height was known, I cut the base to the 16the chest, making sure to flip required height on the tablesaw. the drawing in case there are any 14 15 anomalies in the shape. I planed the edging flush with the 6 7 7sides. I always do this by planing With a palm , in a couple from the lower surface (the sides) over 17of passes I removed all the waste the trim – this way the result will be to the deepest area, making sure to flat and the less likely to cut into avoid a 5mm buffer zone around the the side. Note: an alternative is to use a edge of the handle’s flange. I raised the flush-trim router, but in my opinion it router enough to remove all the waste is quicker and more satisfying to use a to the thickness of the flange, paying . particular attention to stay within the scored lines. Making the lid Owing to the location of the chest in Any remaining waste along the 16 17 the teardrop a full-size hinged top was 18score line was removed with a not possible, so the top was divided first… into one-third fixed and two-thirds hinged. This would allow the chest to … then with a router plane. be rolled out a little way and the lid 19Because one of the hinges had would have space above to lean back 8 9 some unevenness, I had to test-fit the slightly without hitting the overhang. hinge a couple of times, paring away additional waste to get it to seat firmly. The two parts of the lid were cut to Note: a simple technique to see what 8size and the visible edges given the areas need to be removed, is to simply same treatment as the sides. rub the back of the handle with a pencil and push firmly into the cavity I glued the fixed lid section into – the pencil will be deposited on the 18 19 9place. high spots.

While the glue was drying, I Finishing up 10temporarily installed the piano Just to finish off the inside hinge, making sure of alignment 20bottom corners of the chest, I and that the knuckle of the hinge pin-nailed a 6mm, quarter-round bead, was just flush, or slightly below the mitring into the corners. top of the lid. 10 11 The box was given a final I gave all surfaces a light sanding 21sanding all over with 320 grit 11with 180 followed by 220 grit. I and a final couple of coats of amber had to be careful sanding as some ply shellac. 20 21 surfaces are only paper-thin veneer. The handles were secured in To protect the surface I gave 22place. 12the whole chest a coat of amber shellac to match the interior of the A leather strap was positioned teardrop trailer. 23to stop the lid going too far back on itself. Handles The client wanted rope handles, but The chest was delivered to the this would have increased the external 24client who was delighted and space taken up by the chest and limited drove off a ‘very happy camper’. ■ the internal space with ugly rope knots. Instead, I opted for flush handles. This 12 is not the first time I have given myself 13 22 23 24

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