Pirate's treasure chest

Treasure chests in the pirate style with the rounded lid look a little tricky to make. They're not - here's how to make one out of old wood you may have lying around, and you only need one measurement. Here it is: 10 degrees. Right, you're ready to go!

I made the chest from some left over wood from our neighbor's fence. I'd used a fair bit of it to build a treehouse, and my kids were busting to have a piratey treasure chest to store their loot in. I thought I'd try my hand, and it turned out to be easy enough to share how to make it.

Step 1 Tools

This project is technically woodworking but requires no real finesse, just as well, or I couldn't have built it! However, you will need access to a power tool that only a woodworker would own: a table saw. This is really the only way you can accurately rip lumber. However, you don't need a fancy one with a cast iron table; though if you have one of those, I envy you, as mine is a crappy little store-brand bench saw that cost $75 new. A jigsaw is handy (though a fine-toothed handsaw would work perfectly well). You'll need a hand plane, and a hammer or a nailgun. Some ratcheting tie-downs are useful, but there are lots of other ways to apply the pressure to glue this project together. Oh yes, some PVA wood glue. You'll need a pencil, but you DON'T need any measuring tools. Really. No tape measures or rulers were exploited in the execution of this project.

Comments

[dpaxton]

very nice! i always wondered how to build a treasure chest! now i can hide my loot :) ty

[makendo]

Arrr! Y'll protect ye booty from them scurvy lubbers an' bilge rats!
Ahem. I mean, thanks.

[opticalfx]

Wax paper works better than newspaper as the glue won't stick to it

[ddarkeststar]

Nice one man.

[Yeah Yeah 5166]

Looks great!! And love the commentary!!

[makendo]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

[Junkyard Dawg]

I'm going to have to build one of these now. I love old looking stuff. After painting, just leave out side for a month or two, and get an instant aged look. The only problem for me is that I don't have a table saw. Hmm, I doubt I'll ever use it for anything other than this one project, so a cheep $75.00 saw may work for me. Thank you for the ideas

[makendo]

Good luck, it's a fun & easy project. Borrow a table saw if you can; lots of people own one, even if it's collecting dust in their garage...

[Junkyard Dawg]

Well, the only place I know of that has a table saw is with my old shop teacher from Junior High, but I think he retired (and the shop is now a computer lab) Mabe I out to try with one of my uncles. They may have one. If all else fails, I'll just buy a used one from a yard sale or a thrift store (Or, Craigs list. There are some good deals there)

[Dizzy49]

You can take the stainless steel hardware and drop it in vinegar for a 2-3 days and it will give it a very nice aged look.  I needed some authentic looking screws for a 150yr old cabinet in my kitchen and that did the trick for me.

[makendo]

 Interesting, I would have thought stainless steel would stand up pretty well to vinegar. What does it look like after the process?

[Dizzy49]

I tried steel and brass, and the brass didn't do anything, but the steel turned out great!  If I can find the cable for my camera I'll put up a couple pics of the original screws and the ones I made.

[fretted]

If you want to put an old antique look on new brass soak it in lighter fluid for awhile or just use some on a rag and wipe it down and let it dry i had to antique the front of some new brass mailboxes for a very old apartment complex built in the 20's and it turned out great

[Wasagi]

The one thing I've always needed!

As soon as I get some time, I'm making this!

[SpinWard]

I love this, I was looking for a pirate chest last month too for my son's birthday!! I may have to make this for Christmas!
I love the idea of the ratchet straps to hold it together for the glue. That was the one part that intimitated me about a pirate chest! I may see fi I can find some brassy looking straps and tacks for the sides.

Very well done!!

[makendo]

 Thanks & good luck. If you have ratcheting tie downs, take care you don't overtighten them - I did at first and must have come pretty close to snapping the outer pieces or at least tearing them off the ends. In hindsight, the best way to do it would be to cut a piece of scrap wood to fit across the inside, then clamp really tight around that. It would stop the sides bowing in when you apply pressure.

[jtp139]

i can't believe it! i was just searching for a treasure chest like last week and there wasn't anything. Thanks for the instructable.

[makendo]

 You're welcome. Good luck - I hope it works out for you. 

[tim_n]

Looks great - I might make something similar but to make it a bit more authentic it really needs a bit of destressing! (smack it with a hammer and burn it a bit etc) and use old locks (rusty).  But the box looks solid!  Well done!

[makendo]

 Thanks. Its authenticity is most definitely lacking - the piano hinge is particularly vile. However, the kids are saving their pocket money for a lock and I'm confident that they'll distress it quite enough through regular use (though I'll probably discourage the burning).

[thepelton]

If you use brass fittings, you can let them turn green and it won't really hurt the hardware.  Rusty iron is decomposing.