This tool was stored in the drawer below, along with a ledger in which the household's consumption was recorded. The sugar chest we duplicated is an early 19th-century Tennessee creation from the collection of the Houston Museum in Chattanooga. The piece, from the Southern Furniture Collection, is built of tiger maple. The top, which measures about 18 x 24 inches, features breadboard edges and is hinged at the back. The chest front attaches with half-blind dovetails to the sides.
Tapered legs support the chest and provide space for a single drawer.
The total height of the sugar chest is about 35 inches. Construction requires a table saw and the usual handtools. A jointer and router are also helpful. We also include a sketch of the simple jig used to cut the tapered legs. P.O. Box 523, Birmingham, AL 35201 .