12 Rules for Traditional Tool Chests Christopher Schwarz Modern tool chests and storage units are a poor substitute for a real, well-made traditional tool chest. Editor Christopher Schwarz has been working out of an 18th-century example for 14 years and has recently distilled his experience and research into building a tool chest that is simple, stout and properly sized for woodworking. Don’t take a class in building a tool chest until you take this course.