In keeping with my selfish “for me” projects I’ve been working on all winter, I finished the carcass of my new tool tote. It’s purpose is to hold the hand tools I need while working at the workbench, while helping to keep the bench clutter-free. The tote is made of Afromosia (note to self – never ever try to dovetail this species of wood again) and quartersawn white oak, with a laminate-bent handle. I almost had the handle explode on me when I tried to round it’s corners with the router. Won’t try that again. I got to try out a bunch of my new hand tools on this project, including a Lie-Nielsen tenon saw, several Auriou hand-stiched rasps, and a Veritas bevel-up jack plane. I need to do more work by hand, as I found it much more satisfying and accurate than by machine.  This was also my first attempt at machine-cut dovetails using a Leigh jig. After I finish my beast of a workbench, I’ll be outfittling this tote with pockets, drawers and other tool-holding apparati mostly made out of scrap walnut. I’ve been practicing my hand-cut dovetails in preparation of doing at lest some of this work by hand alone.

Tool tote - in progress