The Pilgrim Blanket Chest is a great project to help you master good machining techniques and table saw work. You’ll get plenty of practice with dados, stop dados, raised panels, cutting stiles and rails, and top and bottom panels. The chest will also require some router table work for the beads and stop chamfers around the panels. There’s some great relief carvings that will involve steady hand router work as well. All in all, the Blanket Chest project is really just a big lesson on frame and panel construction. But don’t be intimidated! It’s much easier than it looks at first.
Blanket Chest
