DOWNLOADABLE

ONLINE WOODWORKING PLANS

http://www.woodonline.com

cedar-lined

blanket chest

Keep fine linens and apparel

protected and smelling great
in this beautifully trimmed
pine heirloom with aromatic
cedar lining.
BONUS: See a Slide Show
of the project assembly at:
woodmagazine.com/slides
DP-00534

Copyright Meredith Corporation 2007

Page 1 of 15

1 FRONT/BACK AND SIDE PANELS

" foam
aulk-backer
ord " long

3"

" rabbets
" deep

15"

G
9"

" grooves " deep,

centered 3"
" foam
caulk-backer
SIDE
ASSEMBLY
cord " long

" rabbets
" deep

FRONT/BACK ASSEMBLY
3"
" rabbet
" deep

15"

G
9"

9"

G
H
I
J
K
L
M

3"

3"

9"

9"

3"

" grooves
" deep,
centered

" foam
caulk-backer
cord " long

" groove
" deep, centered
" rabbet " deep
in parts A only

A
3"

I
H

9"
H

14"

31" for parts C

9" for parts D

C, D
Filename: 175 Blanketchest
1
R LeMoine
3"
8-28-06

AND SIDE PANELS

B
3"

DETAILS ASSEMBLY
2 RAIL AND STILEFRONT/BACK

16" deep 21" high.

Materials used: Pine, birch plywood,
"
R
and cedar closet lining.
If you wish to build the chest without
S
1 FRONT/BACK
the lining and tray, simply omit parts Q
through W.
T
The attractive trim profiles are made
using common cove, round-over, and
U
straight router bits.
The chest front/back and side
V
panels assemble with straightforward
stub-tenon-and-groove joinery.
W
Looking to save time and money?
X
Order the hardware kit containing the
Ycontinuous hinge, lid stays, and bun
feet from the Source on page 13. Prefer
FILENAME:
175Cest1_#100504319.eps
feet? See the
full-size foot
Zto turn the
Date:
pattern on
page9-06
15.

1 FRONT/BACK AND SIDE PANELS

AT 175Cest1_#100504319.eps
A GLANCE
FILENAME:
C P
Date:
9-06
Overall dimensions are 39" wide
Lorna
D J.
Q
F

14"
14"

"

SIDE ASSEMBLY

15"

" grooves " deep,

centered

" rabbet " de

A
"

9"

9"

" foam
I
caulk-backer 9"
cord " long
31"

" grooves
"rabbets
deep,
"
centered
"
deep

H
I

3"
"

3"

9"

9"

9"

15"

A
"

14"

3"

9"

9"

C
3"

" rabbet
" deep

" rabbet " deep

31"

" rabbets
" deep

" grooves
" deep, centered

"
" groove
" deep, centered

Lorna J.

2 RAIL AND STILE DETAILS

"

"

3"
9"
E

Filename: 175 Blanketchest

R LeMoine
8-28-06 Page 2 of 15

Start with the panels

Cut the front/back stiles (A), side

stiles (B), front/back rails (C), side
rails (D), and front/back center stiles
(E) to the sizes listed [Materials List,
page 46]. Save the rail cutoffs for
making test tenons.
Using a dado blade in your tablesaw,
cut a centered " groove " deep
along the inside edge of the front/back
stiles (A), side stiles (B), front/back
rails (C), and side rails (D), and along
both edges of the center stiles (E)
[Drawings 1 and 2].
Again using your dado blade, form
a " tenon " long on both ends
of the front/back rails (C), side rails
(D), and front/back center stiles (E)
[Drawings 1 and 2, Photo A] to fit
snugly in the grooves in the rails and
stiles. (We cut a test tenon on a rail
cutoff to verify our setup before cutting
the tenons.)
Adjust your tablesaw setup. Then
cut a " rabbet " deep along the
outside edge of the front/back stiles (A)

2
3
4

on the inside face to receive the side

stiles (B) [Drawings 1 and 2].
From edge-joined stock, cut the
front/back panels (F) and side
panels (G) to the sizes listed. (Note that
the panels are " shorter in width and
length than the openings to allow for
seasonal movement.) Then cut a "
rabbet " deep around each panel on
the inside face to form a "-thick lip
that fits snugly in the grooves in the
rails and stiles [Drawing 1].
Sand all of the parts to 220 grit, and
remove the dust from the panels (F,
G). Stain the panels. Staining them now
prevents unfinished edges from showing
when the panels expand and contract.
(We stained the panels and chest with
Varathane no. 218 Traditional Pecan
Stain, first applying Varathane Premium
Wood Conditioner to prevent blotching
of the stain on the pine.) If you plan to
install cedar lining in the chest, stain
only the outside faces of the panels,
as explained in A finishing no-no for
cedar-lined chests, below.

assemble the front/back panels,

7on theTomarkrails
centerlines on masking tape
(C) and center stiles (E) on

the outside faces for aligning the stiles.

Then, to keep the front/back and side
panels (F, G) centered in the openings,
cut from " foam caulk-backer cord
(available at home centers) 36 pieces
" long for spacers.
Insert the foam spacers into the
grooves in the front/back stiles (A),
rails (C), and center stiles (E) [Drawing
1]. Then glue and clamp together the
stiles, rails, and center stiles with
panels (F) captured in the grooves and
the center stile/rail centerlines aligned
[Photo B]. Apply glue only to the
rail and center-stile tenons (no glue
on the panels or in the grooves). To
prevent damage to the soft pine, place
scrap blocks under the clamp heads,
as shown. In the same way, glue and
clamp together the side stiles (B), rails
(D), and panels (G) to form the side
panels, again inserting the foam spacers
in the grooves.

A finishing no-no for cedar-lined chests

When installing cedar lining in a chest, such as the blanket chest, do not apply any type of stain, paint, or finish to the
lining, inside of the chest, bottom of the lid, tray, and lid contact surfaces. Why? The resins in cedar are similar to those
in turpentine, so the oil vapors will soften oil- and water-based stains, paints, and finishes (including lacquer), causing
clothes and the lid to stick.

CUT THE RAIL AND STILE TENONS

ASSEMBLE THE PANELS

Miter-gauge extension

Auxiliary
fence

E
C

C, D , E

Centerlines
aligned

Scraps to protect soft pine

A
Using a miter-gauge extension for backup, form a
" tenon " long on each end of the rails (C, D) and
center stiles (E).

Foam
caulk-backer

Glue and clamp together the front/back stiles (A),

rails (C), center stiles (E), and panels (F) with the
center stiles aligned.
Page 3 of 15

SHOP TIP
Protect panels from damage and
stain with waxed paper
When building frame-and-panel
assemblies, such as those for the blanket
chest, waxed paper comes in handy for
more than protecting the panels (which
need to freely expand and contract) from
glue squeeze-out. By leaving the paper on
the prestained panels during the remaining
assembly and staining of the project,
the paper also protects the panels from
scratches, scrapes, and additional stain.
After staining, simply pull the paper out
from under the panel trim (H, I).

Trim and glue up the chest

To form the long and short panel

trim (H, I), cut four 248" pieces
from " stock. Using a " cove bit,
" round-over bit, and a " straight
bit, rout the profile and rabbet [Drawing
3] along both edges of each piece
[Drawing 4, Steps 1, 2, 4 and 5]. Then
rip a "-wide trim strip from each
edge. Sand the strips.
Miter-cut the long and short trim
pieces (H, I) from the strips to fit
snugly in the panel openings. To protect
the panels (F, G) from glue squeezeout when installing the trim and from
additional stain when finishing the
chest later, see the Shop Tip, above.
Then apply glue along the rabbet in
each trim piece, and install the trim,
securing it to the rails and stiles with
masking tape.
Glue and clamp together the front/
back panels (A/C/E/F/H/I) and side
panels (B/D/G/I), measuring for equal
diagonals to verify square [Photo C].

Waxed paper
on panel F

GLUE AND CLAMP THE CHEST

Side panel

Front
panel

C
Apply glue in the rabbets in the front/back stiles (A),
and assemble and clamp the front/back and side panels
together.
Page 4 of 15

"

4 ROUTING THE TRIM PROFILES

3 TRIM PROFILES
Step 1

Router table
Step 2

Fence

" rabbet

PANEL TRIM

H, I , K ,
" deep
L

" cove

H, I , K , L

"
" cove bit

"

" round-overs

H I
4 ROUTING THE TRIM PROFILES ,
A N
Step 1
B O

G
H

"
" cove bit

Router table

4 ROUTING THE TRIM PROFILES

" round-over bit

Step 1
Step 3

"

Fence

R
S
"
T

"

Step 2
" cove

P
H ,C I , K ,
L
D Q

"

"

BOTTOM
FRONT/BACK
AND
SIDE TRIM

H, I , K , L

K,L

H, I , K ,
"
L
K,L

"
"
" round-overs

Router table

J W
Step 2
X
K
Y
L
THE
4 ROUTING
Z
HM
, I ,K, L

Fence

Router table
" round-over
bit

" round-over bit

TRIM PROFILES

Fence

H , I , K , "
L
K,L

" cove bit

"

4 ROUTING THE TRIM PROFILES

Step 1
Step 3

Cutline

Step 2
Step 4

H I
H , I , K, , L

Cutline

" cove bit

"

"

"

"

3 TRIM PROFILES
A

Step 2
Step 4

Step
B3O

"round-over
round-overbit
bit
"
Step
Step 35

D Q
K,L
E R
F

Router table
" round-over
bit

" round-over bit

"
Cutline

"

"

H, I
H, I , K , L

"Cutline

K , LH , I

"

"

"

FILENAME: 175Cest4_#100504322.eps
G T
AME: 175Cest3_#100504321.eps
Date: 9-06
Filename: 175
06
Lorna J.
H U
Cutline
.
R LeMoine

"round-over
round-overbitbit
"

Step 4X
K
Y
L
H
Z, I
M

Step 4

Step 3
5

"
H, I
K,L

"

"
Cutline

" straight bit

" round-over bit

9-4-06

" round-over bit

Blanketchest 6

H, I

Page 5 of 15

Add the bottom and feet

Cut the bottom (J) to size. Then,

from " stock planed to match
the thickness of the plywood bottom,
cut two 240" pieces to form the
front/back trim (K) and side trim (L).
Using " cove and " round-over
bits, rout the profile [Drawing 3] along
both edges of one piece and one edge
of the other [Drawing 4, Steps 1, 2, and
3]. Then rip a "-wide trim strip from
each edge. Sand the strips. Now mitercut the trim pieces to length to fit the
bottom, and glue and clamp them in
place, verifying tight corners.
Cut the foot supports (M) to
size. Then rout a " cove around
the bottom edges of each support
[Drawing 5]. Glue a 33" bun
foot, centered, to the bottom (coved
face) of each support. Now drill two
mounting holes through the top of
each support into the centered foot
[Drawing 5a], and drive the screws.

the bottom face of the

3andWith
bottom panel (J/K/L) up, glue
screw the foot support (M)
assemblies to the panel, positioning
the supports " from the outside
edges of the front/back and side trim
(K, L) [Drawing 5a, Photo D].
Position the chest with the bottom
up. Then center the bottom panel
assembly (J/K/L/M) on the chest.
Drill mounting holes through the
bottom (J) and centered into the front/
back and side rails (C, D), where
dimensioned [Drawing 5a, Photo E].
Drive the screws.

trim to the chest, aligning the back edge

with the inside face of the top front
rail (C) and the heel of the mitered
end with an inside corner of the chest.
Mark the heel for the miter at the other
end. Miter-cut the piece. Now glue and
clamp it in place.
Miter-cut one end of each side cap
trim (O). Position and clamp the
pieces to the chest, verifying tight miter
joints with the front cap trim (N). Mark
the finished length of the side cap trim
pieces so that they overhang the back
of the chest " [Drawing 5b]. Crosscut
the trim at the marks. Then glue and
clamp the pieces in place.
Cut the back cap trim (P) to size to
fit snugly between the side cap trim
(O). Then cut a " rabbet " deep
along the back cap trim to fit a 136"
continuous hinge [Drawings 5 and 5c].
Now glue and clamp the trim in place,
flush with the inside face of the top
back rail (C), in the orientation shown.

the front and side cap trim

4
1longerCut
(N, O) to the sizes listed except 2"
in length to allow for precise

Top the chest with cap trim

fitting. Rout a " cove along an edge

of each piece [Drawing 5].
Miter-cut one end of the front cap
trim (N). Position and clamp the

MOUNT THE FEET AND BOTTOM ASSEMBLY TO THE CHEST

J
J

Bun
foot

1"
L

"
D
M

Glue each foot support (M) assembly to the bottom

panel (J/K/L). Drill mounting holes angled at 10, and
drive the screws.

E
Drill mounting holes 1" from the outside edges of the
front/back and side trim (K, L) to mount the bottom
assembly to the chest.

Page 6 of 15

1"

1"

"

2"

"

" shank hole,

countersunk
and angled at 10

" shank hole,

countersunk
on top face of part M

#8 x 1" F.H.
S
Fwood screw
4"
" cove

Location of L
bun foot
"Z

1"

16"

38"

" cove

4"

11"

Q #4 x 1" brass F.H.

wood screws

#8 x 1" F.H.
wood screw

36"

3"

Back of

5 chest
EXPLODED BVIEW

"
overhang

5b END VIEW DETAIL

36"

1"

" rabbet
" deep
"

Location of
1" continuous
hinge 36" long

5c BACK CAP TRIM SECTION DETAIL

1"

Mitered
ends

Filename: 175 Blanketchest 4

R LeMoine

36"

" shank hole,

countersunk on
bottom face "

Mitered ends

36"

D O

764" shank hole, countersunk,

with a " pilot hole " deep in part D

" cove
A
#8 x 1" F.H. wood screw,
angled at 10
3 x 3" bun foot

R
Mitered ends
" rabbet " deep
#8 x 2" F.H. wood screw

13"

B OMOUNTING DETAIL
5a FOOT SUPPORT
(Viewed from
bottom)
C P

16"

1"

" rabbet " deep

Mitered
ends
" cove
O
14"

5 EXPLODED VIEW

FILENAME: 175Cest5_#100504323.eps
Date:MOUNTING
9-06
5a FOOT SUPPORT
DETAIL

Page 7 of 15

Install the cedar lining

From " stock, cut four 154"

pieces to form the front/back and
side lining retainers (Q, R). (Youll get a
front or back and side retainer from each
piece.) Cut or rout a " rabbet " deep
along an edge of each piece [Drawings
5 and 6]. Then rout " round-overs
along the edges of the pieces, where
shown, omitting the round-over along
the bottom edge of the two pieces that
youll use for the bottom retainers.
Miter-cut the front/back and side
retainers (Q, R) from the pieces to
fit snugly in the chest. Drill mounting
holes through the retainers, where
shown. Sand smooth.
Position the front/back and side
retainers for the bottom (the ones
without round-overs on the bottom edges)
in the chest. Using the mounting holes in
the retainers as guides, drill pilot holes
into the chest. Then drive the screws.
To form the front/back lining
(S) and side lining (T), cut thirty
11"-long pieces from 3" cedar
closet lining. (We found a 15-boardfoot package of 48"-long lining at a
local home centerenough material
for the chest.)
Lay out 11 pieces each for the front/
back lining (S), and fit the tongues
and grooves tightly together. Measure
the length of the chest on the inside.
Center this measurement on each lining
assembly. Then trim equal amounts
off the outside edges of the first and
last pieces of each assembly. Sand the
lining smooth.
Position the chest with the back
down. Install the back lining (S)
[Drawing 5, Photo F]. Screw-mount the
top back lining retainer (Q) in place to
secure the lining. Now reposition the
chest with the front down. In the same
way, install the front lining and top
front retainer (Q).
From the remaining lining pieces,
lay out and fit together four pieces
each for the side lining (T). Measure
between the front/back lining (S) for the
exact width of the side lining. As before,
center the measurement on each lining
assembly, and cut off the ends. Sand the
lining smooth. Now install the lining
and remaining side lining retainers (R).

2
3

a dado blade, cut " rabbets

2backUsing
" deep across the ends of the front/
(U) on the inside faces [
].
Drawing 7

Then cut a " groove " deep " from

the bottom edges of the front/back and
sides (V) to fit the plywood bottom (W).
Sand smooth.
Glue and clamp the tray together.
Measure for equal diagonals to
verify square.

Time for the lid

a Freud no. 38-282 router bit.) As

an alternative to the cove-and-fillet
profile, you can rout a " cove on the
lid. Sand the lid.
Cut the cleats (Y) to size. Draw
the radius at each end of the cleats
[Drawing 6]. Bandsaw and sand to
shape. Next, drill three countersunk
shank holes through the cleats on the
bottom edge, where dimensioned. Now
drill a " hole " deep in the outer
holes (to accommodate lid movement)
in the top edge.

" stock to form a

1ThenEdge-join
1740" blank for the lid (X).
crosscut and rip the lid to the
3
finished size of 1639". Using
a " cove-and-fillet router bit, rout
the profile [Drawing 8a] along the
ends and edges of the lid. (We used

With the bottom face of the lid (X)

up, position (without glue) the cleats
(Y), where dimensioned [Drawing 8].
Using the shank holes in the cleats as
guides, drill pilot holes into the lid. Now
drive the screws.

INSTALL THE CEDAR LINING

4
5

6
7

Build the tray

the front/back (U), sides (V),

1Cut
and bottom (W) to the sizes listed.

Back of chest

F
Slide each piece of the back lining (S) into the rabbet in
the bottom back lining retainer (Q), keeping the lining
joints tight.
Page 8 of 15

" hole " deep

"
shank holes, countersunk
VIEW
6 PARTS

LID CLEAT

R="

13"
6"

1"

" hole " deep

Bottom

" shank holes, countersunk

R="

LID CLEAT
" round-over

" rabbet
" deep
" shank hole,
countersunk

7 64

Q, R

"

"

1"

Q, R

1"

"

7 TRAY
" rabbets " deep

"

1"

" round-over

" rabbet
" round-over"
ondeep
top
parts Q and R only

LINING RETAINER764" shank hole,

countersunk

13"

6 PARTS VIEW

27.eps

1"

"
V

LINING RETAINER

" rabbets
" deep

13"

Filename: 175 Blanketchest 5

U
R LeMoine
9-21-06
6 PARTS
VIEW " deep
" grooves
12"

ILENAME: 175Cest6_#100504327.eps
ate: 9-06

" round-ove
parts Q and

1"

" from bottom edge

Page 9 of 15

Filename: 175 Blanketches

R LeMoine

Lets wrap things up

Sand any areas that need it to 220

grit, and remove the dust. With
the waxed paper still in place on the
panels (F, G), apply wood conditioner
and stain to the chest and lid. If you
installed the cedar lining, do not stain
the inside of the chest, bottom of the
lid (X/Y), the top faces of the cap
trim (N, O, P), and the tray (U/V/W)
as explained previously. Remove the
waxed paper. Then apply a finish to
the stained areas only. (We applied two
coats of Varathane Diamond WaterBased Polyurethane, sanding to 320
grit between coats.)
To mount the lid (X/Y), position
a 1" continuous hinge 36" long
in the rabbeted back cap trim (P)
[Drawings 5c and 8]. Drill the mounting
holes, but do not drive the screws.
Remove the hinge.
Next, position the lid with the bottom
face up. Mark alignment lines for the

hinge on masking tape 1" from the

ends of the lid at the back edge. With
the hinge leaves at 90, position the
hinge on the lid, aligning the ends with
the marked lines, and drill the mounting
holes [Photo G]. Remove the hinge and
tape. Now screw-mount the hinge to
the lid and back cap trim using the
screws supplied with the hinge.
To mount the lid stays, position the
chest on its back with the lid open
at 90. Mark centerlines for mounting
holes on the chest and lid, where
dimensioned [Drawing 9]. Align the
appropriate mounting-bracket hole in
each stay with the marked centerline
on the chest, and screw-mount the stays
using the supplied screws. Next, align
the stays with the centerlines on the lid
[Photo H], mark the mounting-bracket
holes, and attach the stays. Now move
the chest to the chosen location, and
fill it with woolens, clothes, and other
items that need a protective home.

HINGE THE LID

Produced by Marlen Kemmet

Written by Owen Duval
Project design: Jeff Mertz
Illustrations: Roxanne LeMoine
Graphic design: Lorna Johnson

The purchase of these plans does not

transfer any copyright or other ownership
interest in the plans, the design, or the
finished project to the buyer. Buyer may
neither reproduce the plans for sale nor offer
for sale any copies of the finished project.

MARK THE LID STAY HOLES

O
"
A
Lid stay
X

3"

1"
Y

Continuous
hinge barrel
and lid flush

With the continuous hinge aligned with the

marks on the lid and the hinge barrel flush with
the back edge, drill the mounting holes.

H
Press on each lid stay to align the mounting
bracket with the marked centerline on the lid
(X). Mark the mounting holes.

Page 10 of 12

8 LID ASSEMBLY

"

" pilot hole

" deep

39"

16"

15"

3"

1"

Y
1"

Y
13"

1" continuous
hinge 36" long

1"

Lid stay

8a LID PROFILE DETAIL

Bottom face

#8 x 1" F.H.
wood screw

8 LID ASSEMBLY

Fence

"

" coveand-fillet bit

FILENAME: 175Cest8_#100504329.eps

Page 11 of 15

Filename: 175 Blanket

R LeMoine

9 MOUNTING THE LID STAYS

9 MOUNTING THE LID STAYS

Y
X

3"

P
1"

Lid stay
A

AME: 175Cest9_#100504331.eps
-06
J.

"

12 of 15
Filename:Page
175
Blanketc
R LeMoine
9-4-06

Page 13 of 15

Cutting Diagram

Cutting Diagram
B

A
A
x 7 x 96" Pine (5.3 bd. ft.)

A
P

x 7 x 96" Pine (5.3 bd. ft.)

*F

*F

*F

*F

*G

*G

x 24 x 48

x 3 x 48

x 5 x 96" Pine (4 bd. ft.) (2 needed)

*Plane or resaw to the thickness listed in the Materials List.

d. ft.)

D
C

H
J

*R

x 7 x 96" Pine (5.3 bd. ft.)

*Q I

*U

*V

x 5 x 96" Pine (4 bd. ft.)

d. ft.)

x 24 x 48

*F
*G
*G
x 5 x 96" Pine (4 bd. ft.) (2 needed)

*F

ft.) (2 needed)
Y listed in the Materials List.
ckness

*R

*U

x 3 x 48" Cedar closet lining (8 needed)

*V

x 24 x 48" Birch plywood

ft.)

d. ft.)

x 24 x 48" Birch plywood

x 24 x 48" Birch plywood

T

ft.) (2 needed) x 3 x 48" Cedar closet lining (8 needed)

N FILENAME: 175CestCD_#100504332.eps
Date: 9-06
Lorna J.
W

Filename:
R LeMoine
8-30-06

Page 14 of 15

FULL-SIZE PATTERN

3" diam.

3" diam.
2" diam.
2" diam.
2" diam.

3" diam.

FOOT
FULL-SIZE
TEMPLATE
2" diam.

To ensure full-size patterns are correct

size, your printer should be set to print
at 100% (not fit to page). Measure
full-size patterns to verify size.
FILENAME:175ChestPP _#100504551.eps

1"

Date: 11-06
Lorna J.

Filename: 175 Blanketchest 9

R LeMoine
11-14-06

Page 15 of 15