Miniature Blanket Chest

Miniature Blanket Chest

This mini blanket chest is one of my current projects. After constructing a full-sized blanket chest I scaled it down to create a "keepsake box". Now I've scaled down the keepsake box to create this diminutive chest.

Just like the two larger chests from which it was scaled, this miniature blanket chest is complete with fine details including half-blind dovetail construction, dovetailed bracket feet, dovetailed drawers, and a hinged lid with a lock. Cutting dovetails this tiny is challenging and requires modifying stock chisels to get into the tight spaces of the joints.

Making the scaled-down moldings on the lid, waist and base is also a challenge. I shaped each molding using a number of cuts with various Amana router bits. Amana's selection of profile router bits that include roundover2, cove, cove box, and corner bead bits is one of the best available. Many of the profiles, such the roundover bits, are sized in increments of 1/32". This wide assortment of bits provides woodworkers with the ability to shape almost any molding profile.

#49501 Roundover Bit –> lid top edge
#49498 Roundover Bit –> lid, lower edge
#45902 Core Box Bit –> lid, lower edge

#54161 Corner Bead Bit –> waist molding
#45900 Core Box Bit –> waist molding

#49094 Cove Bit –> base molding
#49494 Corner Round Bit –> base molding

#49498 Roundover Bit –> drawer lip
#45204 Straight Bit –> drawer rabbet