It started with a great board
The board that became the toolchest was a beautiful and very dense and figured honduran mahogany board. It was 24 inches wide and 14 feet long and an inch and a quarter thick. Below is a picture of John with the board before work began. The chest was built for John.
The toolchest is based on Duncan Phyfe's toolchest which can be viewed at the New York Historical Society. Phyfe was a scottish born furniture maker who, in the early 1800's, became one of the top furniture makers in New York. The interesting feature of the toolchect is the gallery of drawers which is freestanding and which, at the touch of a button, slides forward and back within the toolchest to allow access to the storage areas at the bottom.