The Toolbox Book: A Craftsman's Guide to Tool Chests, Cabinets and S

the illustrations are great and the direction are easy to follow all in all a well written instruction book

I turn into a box-making junkie during the winter. Every time I see a chunk of wood I start resawing it in my mind thinking of neat things I could do with it. One of the side effects of this compulsion is that you accumulate a lot of odd tools that seem to meander all over the shop. Guaranteed not to be in the place they should be when you reach for them. After looking at the prices for good commercial tool chests it occurred to me that building one wouldn't be all that more expensive. Even if it took 400 hours of work rather than a quit drive to the nearest discount store. A quick trip to the local woodworking store turned up several books on the subject, but one, Taunton's Toolbox Book, stood way out from the rest. Even though this is the one book that has not one detailed plan in it. It is, however, the most exhaustive study of toolbox making I've seen so far. Author Jim Toplin blends history and technique together to give you a real understanding of how the toolbox has developed and changed as woodworkers first came to the colonies, then adapted to the rising use of machinery, and finally then met the space age head on. It is carefully and clearly written, and a host of sketches makes up for the loss of detailed, paint-by-the-numbers plans. In fact one of the things that Toplin makes abundantly clear is that you make a toolbox to hold YOUR tools. Too many of us buy a toolbox and then set about filling it with new widgets that we aren't even sure we will need. And this book is about assessing your needs, laying out the best way to meet those needs, and then building something that is often the showpiece of a woodworker's skills. One glance through the book and you will see many fine photographs of work that is both functional and beautiful. I wasn't kidding when I said a toobox can take 400 hours to make. As usual, Taunton has made every effort to turn a how to book into something you would be proud to have on your coffee table. This is a very well made paperback with heavy, glossy paper, fine design and layout work, and well-written text. And a very accessible price for a massive amount of information.

I think this, along with "The Workbench Book" and Roy Underhill's fine offerings, ranks at the top tier of woodworking books to come out in our generation. The lowly toolbox often gets short shrift in our thinking, and frankly most modern woodworkers don't need the sort of boxes our grandfathers had, but nothing displays pride in your trade quite as quickly as a beautiful tool box. And that's what we get here - loads of gorgeous tool box ideas. Starting with the (probable) first American toolbox, a sea chest brought over with the first settlers, we ascend to the glories of the 18th century cabinet makers like Chippendale, and then on into the modern era where all bets are off. Some are rough and cabaple for taking on real job sites, others are fine furniture and too nice to really use. But any woodworker worth his salt will find inspiration in this enough to build a proper house for his tools to live in.

This book is fantastic. I've owned a couple months and I refer to it all the time. This book does a good job of surveying different ways people store tools. It provides excellent examples, pictures and sample projects in just about every classification. Some of the chests at the beginning of the book are amazing.As I'm building up my shop I constantly look through this book and the other Taunton books (such as The Workshop Book) to get ideas about how other people store these things.

Jim Tolpin's book is JUST what I wanted; it's a book with page after page of GREAT IDEAS. Not wanting a PLAN, but rather something to get the mind in gear and get me going. Just a quick glance through this book told me it was what I wanted. The read is easy going, very interesting, too. I recommend it wholeheartedly.Bob BeecroftFallbrook, CA

This is a beautiful book--attractive enough to be a coffee table book. But it is much more than that. It is informative and interesting. It discusses the history of toolboxes, the different types of toolboxes, how they are used, how they are constructed, and what they are made from. The author has found an amazing variety of fascinating toolboxes in use by contemporary trades people. Although perhaps not to the level of detail that a novice would appreciate, Tolpin's book also includes plans, instructions and construction techniques.