Making round legs or bar stool

[lowell holmes]

In another string Derek is talking about three legged bar stools.

My question is have any of you made a round piece by ripping a board to 6 or 8 sides and rounding with a plane and sandpaper?
I think I have done it, but I can't remember for sure. I don't have nor particularly want a lathe.

[Brian Holcombe]

I’ve done it a number of times. I have a specialized plane for it but a flat bottom ore plane will work.

[Richard Line]

I've taken a different approach. I've used a square piece (2x2), then marked the length of the tenon I wanted plus some. Then I laid out the diameter circle I was after (1" od). Made some not too deep saw cuts at the tenon's shoulder, at the corners and across the flats. Then used a chisel to bring it down to near the OD I was after. The shape was generally close to an octagon. Then I used rasps and files to get to the final diameter. Having a diameter gauge helps; I simply drilled a hole in a piece of wood. It went fairly fast, well except for the 1 I drew in the wrong size circle.

Oh, that square piece was actually planned into a tapered octagon leg.

Now, I have in mind to make a few more Welsh stick chairs and probably some stools. So I've made a spring pole (bungee cord) lathe that fits on the bench using the end vise and dog holes. I'm slowly learning to use the thing. Not sure this will be faster for me than going the above route.

[Phil Mueller]

I have on a number of occasions. I didn't rip them, just drew the diameter I wanted, and planed it from four corners to eight, then 16, etc, until it was close enough to round to finish with a spokeshave.

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[Mike Holbrook]

Paul Sellers shows how to make a simple tapering jig for hand planing tapered legs in this YouTube video:

https://youtu.be/vbedWFrnZxs (https://youtu.be/vbedWFrnZxs)

This jig makes a tapered square leg. A 90 degree bed in another board allows you to hold the square leg firmly so it can be easily planed into an octagon. It is easy to get to round or close using a drawknife, spokeshave or hand plane.

[Prashun Patel]

It is straightforward. Mark your circles on the ends first. After planing I have used a concave scraper to remove longitudinal ridges.

[ernest dubois]

Roughing out the taper on a blank
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And then working the flats
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And then getting towards a final form with your planes or spokeshave.
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You are bound to get something that will please you.
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