As gardeners, both my wife and I know how much fun it is to collect seeds. We also know how disorganized and dishevelled an old shoebox full of seed packets can get. This seed chest solves the organization problem, but by no means should you copy the plans exactly. Start with the seed storage containers you plan to use (I used watchmaker cases), then adjust the chest’s dimensions around them.
I built my design from meranti, a mahogany-like wood from Southeast Asia. For a project such as this, wood choice is mostly about appearance. Even a pine box made from pallet scraps is an improvement over a shoebox.
I used machine-cut dovetails for the corners. Mitres or box joints require the same length of sides. If you choose to use reinforced butt joints or corner rabbets, you’ll need to shorten the lengths of the sides accordingly. Whatever joinery you choose, never try to cut all the project parts from the materials list at once and then assemble them, even if you’re following my design exactly. Cutting one part at a time to fit the growing assembly ensures a much tighter fit; this method allows for the inevitable differences that appear in each project.
Download the full seed chest project plans here!
Download the materials list here!
Getting started
Begin with the trays. Cut the wood for the sides, then prepare corner joinery details and dados for the plywood bottom panels. I milled mine with a 3⁄16"-wide, bearing-guided slot-cutting bit in a router table. Clamp all the similar tray parts together, then pass their inside surfaces across the spinning bit.
Each of the trays that fit inside my seed chest include a special detail that requires attention. The top tray, for instance, needs dividers. The central compartment of this tray is sized to fit the dehumidifying cartridge I planned to use. The drawings show details that you might want to follow, depending on your design preferences.
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