Saturday, January 25, 2014

Shop stool - the result

To speed up the process, I tested a copy attachment that I have for my wood lathe. And it works like a dream. It can also be used for making cylindrical parts, and since the build has to be finished in one day, and we started at 8 AM pacific time i.e. 5 PM local time, I needed the job to be carried out in a hurry so I could still hit the hay before midnight.

Asger helped with the turning of the legs, he was not completely happy, since he didn't think it would make him a better turner using such a jig.. (he will be 8 in one week, and he wants to learn how to turn now, so patience is not the strongest card..)

After the turning, I drilled some holes. It took a little time to convince myself that it was probably going to be OK, eventhough I had to eyeball the angle.
The stretchers also received their holes, and then al that was left was the glue up.

Tomorrow I will saw of the protruding part of the legs and that is all that remains to finish of the stool.

Due to some incredible luck, the stool does not rock, so I don't have to cut anything of the legs to make it steady.
The height of the stool is 21" which is actually what I was aiming at. So all in all a success.

As for the looks; I managed to make the top rather clumsy and heavy looking, but I think few people will notice, because the boring plain IKEA looking cylindrical legs will catch the attention of the beholder.

It is almost midnight, so I will call it a day :-)
The shop stool.

Asger using the copy attachment.

The turned legs and stretchers.

Holes are drilled, ready for the glue up.

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4 comments:

  1. Brian EveJanuary 25, 2014 at 11:49 PM

    Congratulations! It looks fantastic! I bet with that thick elm seat your new stool feels substantial.

    Are you going to finish it or leave it "in the white?"

    Asger looks cold. He must be a hardcore woodworker to stick out those temperatures.

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    1. Jonas JensenJanuary 26, 2014 at 9:40 AM

      Thanks. There is quite a substantial feeling to the stool as you have predicted :-)

      I think that I will try to stain the stool using the Roubo recipe (horse dung + urine) I have kept a jar of that in the workshop for a special project.
      Asger is wearing a thermo coverall, since it is really cold at the moment.
      There is a lot of wind and temperatures below freezing. With my kerosene stove hammering away, I can just manage to keep the temperature at 14 degrees Celsius.
      Brgds
      Jonas

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  2. AnonymousJanuary 26, 2014 at 7:39 AM

    Great work and a "classic" design. I've never used elm, how does it work? It seems to me that the more I see a lathe, the more I feel that a woodworker must have one. You will be getting me in trouble with my wife one of these days.
    Bill

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    Replies
    1. Jonas JensenJanuary 26, 2014 at 9:47 AM

      Thanks Bill.

      Elm is very often gnarly and have a lot of interlocking grain, it was sometimes called poor mans mahogany. I like the lok of it, and it can be finished very nice.
      The seat has already started to crack a little, but it was also wet when I cut it from the log. I think it will be OK when I get it back to the shop that is unheated.
      I hope your wife can forgive me for accelerating the lathe feel in you. The good thing is that you can make a lot of neat wife pleaser object ona lathe such as candleholders, pegs for a peg board, bowls etc.
      I think that some types of lathes have a head stock that you can turn around, so you can turn large diameter objects. Sadly my lathe doesn't have that option, so that is why I had to resort to the metal lathe.
      But then again, it is very seldom I have the need for something of that diameter.
      Brgds
      Jonas

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