8. Renailing the trunk
I use a nail gun to reinforce the box on the edges where the boards lap. The trunk should have all the existing nails tightened to make the trunk box more solid and not wobbly. To do this you will need a good hammer, and a steel heel to hold inside the trunk where the nail came through the wood. Hammer the trunk nail from the outside and hold the steel heel against the wood on the inside. It helps to have a helper hold things for you at times. Any nails that are replaced have to be hammered in this way it is a special clinching nail that is used so that the nail curls over on the inside of the trunk and is tightly holding the handles, tin, etc. on the outside. While you are re-nailing you might as well install the new leather handles, ornamentation, handle loops, removed corners, locks, hinges, bottom studs, etc. A steel auto body hand dolly will work really well for use as the heel to hold inside the trunk and hammer against.
