Cabinets & Storage Solutions. Bill Hylton

      Earlier, you cut a groove in each upper panel in the side walls for mounting the ledger strips (pieces 17). These strips will support the tray when it’s completed in the next phase of the project. But for now, cut the ledger strips to length, chamfer their ends, and glue them into place.

      Mounting the main latch for the trunk hardware requires a shim (piece 24) so that it sits level with the upper rail on the front wall. Using the shim pattern on page 22, trace the lock shim shape onto some ¼"-thick walnut, and cut it with a band saw. Sand the edges smooth, center the piece on the upper front panel, and glue it into position.

      One final detail to take care of is to glue the small feet (pieces 28) to the bottom corners of the trunk. These feet provide solid backing for screwing the bottom corner hardware into place.

      At this point, sand the whole project to 220 grit, and wipe it down with mineral spirits to find any glue spots that need to be removed.

       Building the Tray

      The tray is a simple structure that fully uses the space in the arched lid (see Figure 3). Begin by cutting the front, back, and sides (pieces 25 and 26) to the sizes in the Material List. Don’t cut the sides to shape until after the joints are formed. Install a ¼" dado blade in your table saw, and cut ⁵/₁₆"-deep grooves along the entire length of the front, back, and sides to accommodate the bottom piece (see the tray detail drawing on page 18). As long as the dado blade is installed, go ahead and rabbet the ends of the side pieces.

      Next, photocopy and cut out the pattern of the tray side on page 22, trace it onto your stock, and band saw the sides to shape. To form each handle, drill an access hole first, and then cut the opening with a jigsaw. To get the front and back pieces to conform to the shape of the sides, rip the top edge of both pieces to final size with the blade set at a 10° angle.

      Cut the bottom (piece 27), and dry fit the tray parts to check their fit. When they all go together well, put glue in the bottom grooves, and drill the counterbored pilot holes in the corner joints for the screws. Drive the screws in, fill the holes with walnut plugs, and sand the tray to 220 grit.

       Adding Trunk Hardware

      Steamer trunk hardware has a unique look about it. It’s somewhat oversize and durable, perhaps still reflective of a time when its primary purpose was to protect the trunk from burly baggage handlers. Start installing your hardware by mounting the hinges (be sure the strapping stays lined up!), and then move to the lock mechanism, the handles, the lid supports (see Figure 4), and finally, the corner pieces (all 12 of them). It’s pretty straightforward, except for the top corners, which have to be slightly stretched outward to accommodate the curved top.

       Finishing Up

      I recommend using a durable finish such as varnish or polyurethane to protect this project. First, apply a coat of sanding sealer, and then sand it smooth. Follow with two more coats of finish, sanding between coats to remove any dust nibs or rough spots. After the last coat of finish dries, reinstall all the hardware. Now, you can get busy planning your next big trip. You’ll certainly be traveling in style—with or without an exotic port of call.

      Figure 3: The structure of the camelback lid makes it as interesting to look at as the outside of the steamer trunk, and the curved top of the tray takes full advantage of the extra space.

      Figure 4: Due to the construction of the steamer lid, the lid supports must be installed differently from the instructions provided with the hardware.