Blanket Chests
Outstanding Designs from 30 of the World's Finest Furniture
Scott Gibson and Peter Turner

Taunton Press
March 2011/ ISBN 9781600852992
Furniture / Do-it-yourself / Woodworking
Amazon

Reviewed by Bob Walch

No project tests a woodworker’s skills and stands as a testimony to his craft like the blanket chest. Its form may be simple; a large box with a lid, but it can still be complex, elaborate and intricately detailed.

In this guide you’ll find 30 original designs that illustrate the versatility of the chest by artisans from around the world. First, you’ll find an overview of chest-building techniques. Next are the chests themselves, each one has the construction details you’ll need to create the piece.

As you move through the book you’ll notice the chests become more complex and challenging. The wedding chest borrowing a Moorish motif from Miguel Gomez-Ibanez and the chest in the round by Gregory Smith are two examples on how one of these simple chests can test any woodworker’s skills and patience.

The book also features 200 full color pictures and 50 drawings. The text flows smoothly and the tips on how to approach the construction of each chest are quite helpful and easy to follow.