Six Board Blanket Chest

A family from our church was about to move away. They owned an 18th century home and when modernizing, they saved some of the original rough pine planks that were part of a wall. They asked if Peter were interested in cleaning out their shed and taking the planks. He said yes.

The boards were evidently pit sawn (perhaps with a water powered blade) old growth pine cut in the 1740’s; wide, various thicknesses, filled with hand forged nails, and hundreds of nail holes from years of repairs. The wood reminded Peter of very old crudely made chests.

Peter carefully removed and straightened the iron nails, then hand planed the boards and worked out how large a chest could be made. This chest is assembled from those boards and fastened with the recovered nails. No glue, no new materials. Finish is wax.