This project was built and designed by Jay Bates.
Jay set out to build a blanket chest for a friend who had been an enormous help to him, and what started as a simple utilitarian box quickly evolved into a showcase of nearly every tool and technique in his shop. The result is a personalized hope chest featuring a hand and CNC carved lid, raised panel construction, custom trays, and a dark stain finish that brings out the contrast in the carving.
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Designing the Lid
The centerpiece of this chest is the carved lid, which began as a CNC file that took a couple of hours to cut. Jay designed a busy, layered pattern of pine trees and a jumping deer, duplicating and mirroring elements to fill the space with detail.
He explained that the intentionally chaotic design was a practical choice as much as an artistic one. Pine tends to chip out during V-carving, so a busy pattern helps hide any tear-out rather than drawing attention to it, unlike a cleaner species such as ash which carves much more predictably.
Once the initial carving pass was complete, a clearing pass removed extra material around the deer and trees to create depth and relief. Jay also adjusted his stepover percentage on the small diameter bit to compensate for slight spindle tramming issues, resulting in a cleaner pocket floor even though the cut time increased.
Building the Case and Interior
With the lid carving underway, attention turned to the box itself. To reinforce the interior corners of the large case, Jay glued in solid wood blocks running the full height of each corner, a technique he had used successfully on a previous dining table build.
He gave the exposed edges of these corner blocks a chamfered profile, but rather than switching bits on the router table, he built a simple shop-made sled that allowed the chamfer to be cut on the planer instead. It was an unnecessary step in the grand scheme of the build, but a quick and satisfying solution.
Inside the chest, Jay added support runners so that two sliding trays could be installed at different widths, leaving open space below for easy access to larger gear without needing to remove the trays. Both trays were assembled using pocket hole joinery with slatted bottoms, intentionally left with small gaps to allow for seasonal movement.
Hand Carving and Cleanup
After the main CNC carving was finished, Jay felt the tree sections needed more visual interest, so he picked up hand carving chisels and added texture resembling pine needles. This subtle detail created shadows and depth that photographs didn’t fully capture, but stood out clearly in person.
Cleaning up the carved surfaces proved to be the least enjoyable part of the process. Every recess needed to be picked clean of fuzz and debris before finishing, a tedious task Jay admitted he had been putting off.
Finishing with Stain
Departing from his usual preference for clear finishes that showcase natural wood color, Jay chose a dark gel stain for this project. The fresh pine, despite being milled and dried recently, had a rustic, aged appearance that he felt wouldn’t look right under a clear coat.
The stain also served a functional purpose on the carved lid. Because the V-carving exposed end grain throughout the design, staining caused those areas to darken more than the flat surfaces, increasing the contrast and making the deer and tree pattern pop as the visual centerpiece of the piece.
Trays, Lid Support, and Final Details
For holding the lid open, Jay skipped soft-close hinges or gas struts in favor of a simple wooden kickstand, a method he has used on many similar chests in the past. The kickstand fits into a corner formed by one of the tray runners and holds the lid securely without adding cost or complexity.
He also noted that over time the finish where the kickstand contacts the lid will wear down, but rather than adding extra protection, he chose to let that wear happen naturally. Drawing on experience restoring antique chests in a museum collection, Jay pointed out that cosmetic wear often adds character rather than detracting from a piece.
Reflecting on the Build
What began as a simple request for a hunting gear box turned into an opportunity to use nearly every tool in the shop, from the CNC machine and router table to hand tools, a belt sander, and a planer sled. Jay treated the build as a chance to reconnect with techniques and tools he hadn’t used in a while, including gel stain and a sprayed shellac finish.
He also addressed some criticism from a previous video in the series, explaining that the project was never meant to compete with museum-quality heirloom furniture. Instead, the goal was to build something meaningful and useful for a friend, and by that measure, the finished chest exceeded expectations.
This blanket chest stands as a reminder that even straightforward requests can become rewarding projects when approached with creativity and a willingness to experiment. It also marks a milestone for Jay, as the first full furniture piece completed in his current shop space.
See Jay’s plans here: https://jayscustomcreations.com/product-category/plans/?wpam_id=62
Matt’s Take
These are my personal thoughts and tips based on my own experience in the shop. This section is not written, reviewed, or endorsed by the original creator of this project.
There’s a lot going on in this build, and I like that Jay leaned into the CNC carving as a solution to a real problem rather than just a decorative flourish. Pine chip-out during V-carving is a genuine headache, and using a busy, layered pattern to camouflage tear-out is a smart move. It’s worth remembering when you’re picking a design for softer woods — a clean, minimalist carve on pine can end up looking rougher than intended, while a species like maple or ash will give you crisper lines if that’s the look you’re after.
The corner blocking technique for reinforcing large case joints is one every beginner should file away. Big chests and boxes take a lot of racking stress over the years, especially once they’re loaded with blankets or gear, and solid wood blocks in the corners go a long way toward keeping things square and tight. Building a simple sled to run a chamfer on the planer instead of swapping bits at the router table is also a good reminder that shop-made jigs don’t need to be complicated to save you time and hassle.
Leaving small gaps in slatted tray bottoms is standard practice for wood movement, and it’s an easy detail to overlook if you’re new to building with solid wood panels. Wood expands and contracts across the grain with humidity changes, and a snug, gap-free bottom can bow or crack over a season. Finally, the note about gel stain darkening exposed end grain more than the surrounding surface is a great trick for making carved details pop without needing paint or a separate finishing step.