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Trunks & Chests
Trunks and chests come in all shapes, sizes, and styles. Hope chests; blanket chests; bench seats with storage; and let's not forget...treasure chests - full of gold doubloons would be nice. I can build these traditional designs, but one of my specialties is repurposing vintage copper boilers by fashioning them into trunks/drink coolers by adding structure and a hardwood lid that can be used to store any number of things while doubling as seating. If you like the copper boiler trunks you see below and want to pre-order one, I will acquire one and customize the the lid to suit your tastes. Likewise, if you own one of these boilers already and want to give it new life and purpose, I would be glad to build and install a custom lid for you; contact me for a quote. If you are interested in having a more traditional wooden chest made, feel free to contact me to discuss design and get a quote.
I invite you to check out project builds in the gallery below. All can be made to order or customized upon request.
Some of these items may be in stock and can be purchased now; Contact me to inquire about availability.
Hope Chest - Walnut with Cherry This chest will hold a lot of hope or certainly a lot of stuff. The cherry panels on the front and sides are embossed standing proud of the surrounding frame. The cherry inserts in the lid sit flush with the rest of the lid, but have beveled edges to set them apart. The bottom rails are shaped with a gentle elegant arc. The corner legs are part of the trunks frame and panel structure where their bases are delicately shaped with curvature into the chests feet. All of these elements give the chest some beautiful visual and physical form and texture. The rustic handles beautify the chest further, while providing functional use for moving when needed. The lid is attached with a stout 36" piano hinge that will bear its weight and withstand a lot of opening and closing. It measures 45" long, 20" wide, and stands 20" high for comfortable seating, with 15" of internal storage depth. The center panel on the front was customized and adorned with the initials of the person it was gifted to. It's a real beauty.
Copper Boiler Storage Trunk - Red Elm This old copper boiler was used to heat water back in the day for canning, cleaning, or that Saturday night bath. I've given it new life and repurposed it into a small trunk/seat, by adding some structure and a lid. It is perfect for storing kids toys, taming that pile of gloves and hats by the door, serve as a seat to put your shoes on, for stashing kindling wood for the fire place, or stow away your pirate booty….all kinds of storage possibilities in a decorative vintage piece. It measures about 16” high by 24” long by 12” wide. The lid is made from red elm, which is a fairly rare species. The internal structure is designed to support the metal wall of the boiler so it can handle the stress and flex from the lid. The back of the lid/hinge joint is supported by this structure and it will easily support the weight of a fully grown adult. What do you have that needs to be stashed away?
Copper Boiler Storage Trunk - Red Oak This old copper boiler was used to heat water back in the day for canning, cleaning, or that Saturday night bath. I've given it new life and repurposed it into a small trunk/seat, by adding some structure and a lid. It is perfect for storing kids toys, taming that pile of gloves and hats by the door, serve as a seat to put your shoes on, for stashing kindling wood for the fire place, or stow away your pirate booty….all kinds of storage possibilities in a decorative vintage piece. It measures about 16” high by 24” long by 12” wide. The lid is made from red elm, which is a fairly rare species. The internal structure is designed to support the metal wall of the boiler so it can handle the stress and flex from the lid. The back of the lid/hinge joint is supported by this structure and it will easily support the weight of a fully grown adult. What do you have that needs to be stashed away?
Stock Tank Blanket Chest This stock watering tank was repurposed into a storage chest. It measures 48" long, 24" wide, and 24" tall. With some clever structural engineering, I was able to securely attach a hinged red oak lid to it. The oak top is extra thick and enhanced with sturdy bracing from the underside so it can used for seating. It'll easily bear the weight of two full grown adults. The grain was worked to raise it for a textured weathered feel and look. A great place to store blankets, you'll know right where to look when it gets cold. Of course you could always pile them on top like I do, but is probably not a good look.