What's inside
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links at no extra cost to you.
A blanket chest is a useful intermediate project: a straightforward box, a fitted lid, and a small removable tray with hand-cut dovetails. The tray adds a good test of layout and chisel control without making the whole chest depend on perfect joinery. These plans use a chest about 36 inches long, 18 inches deep, and 20 inches high, with a tray sized to fit inside. Adjust the dimensions to suit your room, but leave clearance for wood movement and seasonal humidity.
Contents
Dimensions and materials
Build the carcase from 3/4-inch stock. A practical choice is clear pine or poplar for a painted chest; cherry or maple costs more but takes a clear finish well. Use a 1/2-inch plywood bottom captured in grooves, and 1/2-inch stock for the tray sides. The lid can be a glued-up panel or a stable 3/4-inch panel. A solid-wood lid needs breadboard ends or another movement-friendly detail; a plywood lid is simpler and stays flatter.
Buy boards with enough extra length to cut around knots and defects. For a clear-finished chest, color and grain matching matter more than for paint. A selection of hardwood boards is useful when you need to compare species and board sizes, but a local lumberyard often makes it easier to inspect grain in person.
Tools and buying choices
You need a saw for breaking down stock, a drill or brace, a square, marking gauge, chisels, and clamps. A table saw makes repeatable grooves and square panels easier, but a circular saw with a straightedge can handle the large cuts. The tray dovetails can be cut with a backsaw and chisel; a router jig is faster but adds setup and expense.
| Choice | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Hand-cut dovetails | One tray and learning the joint | Low equipment cost; layout errors show |
| Router dovetail jig | Repeated drawers or trays | Quicker repeatability; setup and bit compatibility matter |
| Solid-wood lid | Traditional appearance | Needs allowance for seasonal movement |
| Plywood lid | Stable, simpler construction | Edges need covering or a solid-wood frame |
For occasional work, a sharp set of basic chisels is enough; expensive premium tools are not a requirement. A bench chisel set should include a narrow chisel for cleaning dovetail corners. Check that the backs are reasonably flat, and budget time to hone them before cutting.
Cut the carcase
Mill the boards flat and square, then cut the front and back to 36 by 19 1/4 inches and the ends to 16 1/2 by 19 1/4 inches. Those dimensions produce an outside footprint close to 36 by 18 inches when the ends sit between the front and back. Dry-fit the four walls and check both diagonals; they should match within about 1/16 inch before glue-up.
Cut a 1/4-inch-wide groove about 3/8 inch above the lower edge of each wall for the plywood bottom. Stop the grooves short on the front and back if you want them hidden, and square the ends with a chisel. Glue and clamp the box without the bottom glued in place; a plywood panel can float in the grooves. If the box racks out of square, correct it while the glue is wet rather than forcing the bottom into a twisted opening.
Fit corner cleats inside the chest if the walls are thin or the box will carry heavy blankets. Screw the cleats in place after drilling pilot holes. A screw driven too close to an edge can split the stock, especially in dry hardwood.
Make the dovetailed tray
Size the tray after the carcase is assembled. Leave roughly 1/8 inch of clearance at each side so it slides freely despite small variations; confirm the actual inside width before cutting. A tray around 32 inches long, 14 inches deep, and 3 inches high will fit many chests of this size, but measure your opening rather than relying on nominal dimensions.
Cut the tray front and back from 1/2-inch stock and the sides to the chosen depth. Lay out three or four tails on each end, keeping the outer tails wide enough to avoid fragile points. With a marking gauge, set the baseline to the thickness of the mating board. Saw just to the waste side of each line, remove waste with a coping saw, then pare to the baseline. Transfer the tails to the side pieces and repeat for the pins.
Test-fit each corner before assembly. The joint should close with light taps from a mallet; if it needs heavy blows, pare the high spots rather than crushing the pins. A gap of a hairline is usually repairable, but a loose joint needs a shim or a recut. Glue the dovetails, check the tray for square, and fit a thin plywood bottom in grooves or set into a shallow rabbet.
Fit the lid, hardware, and finish
Cut the lid slightly oversize, then trim it to leave about 1/16 inch of reveal on each side. Ease the edges with a small round-over or sandpaper. Install two or three hinges, depending on lid length, and predrill every screw hole. A lid stay is worth considering: an unsupported lid can fall shut and injure fingers or damage the back edge. Choose a stay rated for the lid’s weight rather than guessing from appearance.
Sand through 120 and 180 grit; going much finer can reduce stain absorption without improving a painted surface. Test the finish on an offcut. Apply a low-odor water-based finish if the chest will be used indoors soon after building, or use an oil finish if you prefer a warmer look and can allow longer curing time. Do not store blankets until the finish has fully cured according to its label.
Seasonal fit and common mistakes
Build and store the chest in conditions close to where it will live. Wood expands across its width as humidity rises, so a solid lid attached rigidly across the grain can split or bow. Use a plywood lid, or attach a solid panel with fasteners in elongated holes that permit movement. In a damp season, a tray that fit tightly in the shop may bind indoors; the 1/8-inch side clearance helps, but check the fit before finishing.
Common failures are preventable: dull chisels tear the dovetail shoulders, inaccurate diagonal checks leave a twisted box, and skipped pilot holes split hinge rails. Make a small test joint from scrap before cutting the tray, and dry-fit the hardware before finishing. Those checks take little time and are cheaper than rebuilding a corner or replacing a cracked lid.