I want one, Grandad. So that was that.
He wanted a tool chest to keep all his tools in, just like mine. Jealousy is a wicked mistress and I couldn’t have that sort of thing going on around here. So off to the lumber yard it was and buy wood. I decided I’d make one similar to my own but scaled down to suit him. He has a collection of tools but not as many as I and his are smaller, where that can be so.
He has a Nr. 3 plane that he can use, a saw, a square, screwdriver, clamps, a hammer embossed with his name, a tape rule, a straight steel rule, pencils and other bits and pieces. He can use most of them quite well. For a ten year old, he’s getting quite profficient.
Putting it all together for him wasn’t difficult. I had learned a lot while making my own tool chest so the work went quickly. I made a few dividing pieces to fit his tools and even gave him one of my Nr. 4 planes to use when he gets bigger. The lid is limited on opening by a steel chain and the bottom drawer is a direct copy of the one I made for myself. I filled it with his tools and waited for the weekend to roll around. He comes to stay every other weekend. I showed him the chest on the saturday morning.
He was thrilled, describing it as being “The coolest thing ever.”
We discussed how we should finish it. I suggested varnish or stain. “I want to paint it blue.” he said. So we had to go and get paint.
Blue is his favourite colour. I bought a 2” paintbrush while I was there. I reckoned he could paint the thing while I watched. That’s how they learn.
And paint it he did. Twice. We left it overnight to dry properly. It turned out very well. He stood back to admire his work and found a terrible flaw in the whole arrangement. It doesn’t have wheels, Grandad. So that had to be put right immediately. It now has wheels.
He’s pleased with it all. While we were in the shed, I had him make a bench hook to add to his tool collection. He used his own tools, did it in his own time and was pleased with the result.
He’s going to be quite the carpenter one of these days…
The Exile Files 
