Time to install the hinges.

I set a combination square for 2 and 1/2 inches. Arbitrary; I just sat a hinge on the piece where I thought it looked right and measured the distance from the corner.

Lay it on the piece

Mark the outside measurement

Rinse and repeat for the other side

Back to the other side.

Place the knife in the knife line and bump the hinge up to it

Hold it in place and make a tick mark on the other side

Repeat the other side.

Mark the inner line for the hinge mortise with the square

To cut the mortise I don't want to place the chisel right in those lines at first, if I do the wedge action of the bevel will push it back past the line.

So I place the chisel about a sixteenth or a bit more away from those lines. and chop lightly,

what I will do is begin making shallow cuts with the chisel until I have chopped the whole width of the mortise, and at the end I will define the outer walls. Something like this.

Then i begin excavation, carefully, with more of a paring or slicing motion than a push

Working carefully from both sides, once again with a paring.slicing motion, not a push.

No force is used, just a sharp edge. I like my belly and don't plan on stabbing myself.

I also don't want to blow out the other side.

These chisels are lovely, btw.

I use my little shop made router plane to flatten the bottom

Once they are fittted and I'm happy i use a transfer punch to mark the center of the holes for the screws.

Holes are drilled the old fashioned way.

Edited June 23Jun 23 by Handfoolery

Same process is repeated on the lid, and then the hinges are attached to the chest first...

Then the lid is attached. I'm just resting it on my body to hold it in place.

22 minutes ago, Handfoolery said:

To cut the mortise I don't want to place the chisel right in those lines at first, if I do the wedge action of the bevel will push it back past the line.

Good to know. I would have thought to go right on the line. Appreciate all the "how to" information you share. I want to learn more on the hand tool side of woodworking and these posts are so helpful.

Annnd, here we are.

The fit is lovely. That's all for tonight. thanks for looking and commenting on my thread.

2 minutes ago, BB1 said:

Good to know. I would have thought to go right on the line. Appreciate all the "how to" information you share. I want to learn more on the hand tool side of woodworking and these posts are so helpful.

You are very welcome.

@BB1 , Hand tools can be very rewarding, and nowdays many woodworkers take a hybrid approach, blending them with machine work.

You can do as much or as little of each as you choose. I do as much hand tool work as I can because the tools are quieter, there is less dust, and things are not spinning at 6k rpm, And because i love it.

The chest has it's hinges, but the lid is very heavy, so I need a way to hold the lid open to the position I want, so that it does not spring the hinges.

So, cut to length

Shoot the ends square.

Rip to width

Then it gets the plane

And the chisel

Some glue, using the greatest glue spreader ever created

Then the clamps

Once dry and the clamps removed it gets the screws put to it.

Once that is done it's time for the handles

More screws

To locate the other handle I use a combination square to get the center position.

Mark that on the other side top edge.

Turn the chest back around and get the distance to the top of the handle

Mark that on the other side

Rinse and repeat for that side

Just catching up here. Spectacular build!