The Future of the Old Tool Chest

The original chest in 2011. Photo by Narayan Nayar.

When I began building the tool chest for the revised edition of “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest,” my plan was to sell the new chest to help pay my first estimated tax bill for 2025 – ouch, a true nipple twister. But I’ve become attached to the chest because of the changes to the interior, and I’ve decided to keep it.

So what should I do with the old chest? Megan, Chris Williams and I chatted about it yesterday and came up with a few ideas.

1. Sell it via a raffle ($5 a ticket) and donate the money to a charity.

2. Find a new owner for it – someone who both needs a chest and would put it to use.

3. Donate the chest, filled with tools, to The Chairmaker’s Toolbox’s Living Tools Project.

But after talking it over with Lucy, we decided to do something that feels a little selfish and benefits our family.

We’re going to keep the chest in the family in case either of our kids (or niece, nephew or other descendant) decides to go into a trade where the …