A Three Legged Stool for Candy

[Jim Koepke]

It has been a decade since my last sitting stool has been made. It was supposed to be for Candy but my feet rest on it all the time while watching TV. It is occasionally used as a work table. Candy does use it when she is working on things around the house and outside.

Candy has asked me to make another one so she can leave it in the greenhouse or use it when working on some of the larger potted plants outside. She is expecting one just like the one made ten years ago. It was made in the style of a small saw horse >

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?159721

She hasn’t painted it yet.

Since she wants to use the new stool outside and in the greenhouse my plan is to make a three legged stool, for use on uneven ground. The top will also be round.

The stock chosen for this came from the firewood pile years ago. It was a square of ~2” thick alder. A circle was drawn on it to cut out on the bandsaw. My original intent was to turn this on the lathe. Turns out the radius is about an inch too much for my lathe.

A piece of scrap had a matching arc cut into it to help hold the piece on the bench:

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The piece needed some cleaning, an apt job for a scrub plane.

A spokeshave was used to cut a bevel all around what will become the underside of the seat:

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Spokeshaves were used to smooth the edge:

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A #51 spokeshave was used with the blade set to an even, light cut. An old wooden spokeshave was also used and worked well in difficult spots with its low angle of engagement.

In the image the shave is being pulled up from the lower right. On a round work piece the direction of shaving changes over each quarter. It also helps to skew the shave and even slide it from side to side in motion. This produces a slicing cut that works quite well at avoiding tear out and chatter.

The top side of the seat needed a few more strokes with the scrub plane:

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My plan is to make a depression in the center instead of being a flat top stool. First to do along this line is to find and mark the center:

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My tendency is to make multiple marks to determine the best spot for center. A circle was drawn using the averaged center:

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A convex shave was used to remove material next to the drawn line:

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A scorp was also used to remove waste from the center:

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The scorp has a bevel on the outside. Using it here has me thinking the bevel should be on the inside of the curve.

To be continued…

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

A convex shave was used to remove material next to the drawn line:

Forgot to mention here the hand in the center is held stationary and the shave swings in an arc. This technique is also often used with a flat bottomed shave to round over edges.

jtk

[Derek Cohen]

Jim, I am interested to see that you began shaping before drilling for the legs. Is that correct? If so, would it not be easiervto drill first, then shape, in order to retain the reference angle of a flat and parallel surface?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Scott Winners]

Derek raises a good point. I looks to me like Jim is leaving a full width border all the way round the seat; but in my shop it would have been "easier" to clamp and drill for legs while both sides were still flat.

Plus I could have clamped a scrap to the flat side to minimize tearout when drilling through. Not Jim's frst rodeo, looking forward to the outcome.

[Jim Koepke]

Derek raises a good point. I looks to me like Jim is leaving a full width border all the way round the seat; but in my shop it would have been "easier" to clamp and drill for legs while both sides were still flat.

Plus I could have clamped a scrap to the flat side to minimize tearout when drilling through. Not Jim's frst rodeo, looking forward to the outcome.


Jim, I am interested to see that you began shaping before drilling for the legs. Is that correct? If so, would it not be easiervto drill first, then shape, in order to retain the reference angle of a flat and parallel surface?

Regards from Perth

Derek

Please note there was no claim to knowing what what the heck is being done.

Okay, Yes Scott, Derek, this is my first rodeo as far as making staked leg furniture. Maybe since the edge around the top and the bottom are still flat it is time to layout and bore the leg holes before anything else is done.

Thanks for the heads up guys.

Very little was done on this today. Did a bit of outside garden work since things are starting to get active in the garden.

jtk

[Scott Winners]

Spring is when I come home from work and use a mattock to start chipping a 6" thick layer of harpacked snow off the paved portion of my driveway. So yeah, I guess it is spring. It started snowing while I was out there with the mattock this afternoon, but the chickadees are going bananas trying to get established nests before the robins show up. Meanwhile my first PMV11 blade arrived today in the mail and remains sealed in the shipping box.

The only thing I have learned for sure in my time here, there is more than one way to do anything.

I do appreciate the tip about holding one end of a spokeshave stationary while swinging the other handle. I can think of two places I could have used that tip already, once to prevent tearout and once to prevent using a bandaid at the base of my thumb.

[Prashun Patel]

This is going to be fun. Thanks for the tutorial, Jim. Can you elaborate on your workholding? I find this more daunting on stool seats than even the carving. I like your caul.

[Jim Koepke]

This is going to be fun. Thanks for the tutorial, Jim. Can you elaborate on your workholding? I find this more daunting on stool seats than even the carving. I like your caul.

You are welcome, but from what Derek and Scott mentioned it may have been trouble brewing with leaving the boring the leg holes for later.

The work holding is rather simple. After the circle was cut on the bandsaw it was used as a template to mark a piece of scrap:

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This is using a different piece against the vise dogs. The original piece worked fine before the spokeshaves were used to remove the saw marks from the disk. After the saw marks were smoothed a second piece of scrap was needed to make up the difference.

The cut out jaw was left rough:

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Here the cut out jaw is sitting on the two bench dogs.

It seemed smoothing it would not only be a poor use of time but the roughness would do a better job of preventing the disk from slipping.

The cut out was made to keep the center of the disk in line with the vise screw. If it was off center the vise racking may have caused a problem. It was just luck having the chosen piece of scrap exactly matching the distance to the edge of the bench dogs. It would have been better to use a longer piece to allow adjustment. If need be a longer piece of scrap could have been used between the cut out and the dogs. For more holding power two pieces with cut outs could be used.

jtk

[Prashun Patel]

You’ll be fine boring the stake holes. I do it from the top. As long as your seat sits square on the bench and you can reference off the rim and you can secure it , you will have no problem.

I like to use a couple mirrors ala Peter Galbert to keep the bit on path and use a hand drill or brace rather than taking it to the drill press.

I am sure this is child’s play for you.

[Scott Winners]

Wow. Nice technique Prashun. I have a Galbert book but only one shop mirror, so I haven't been able to try his setup; my wife has a thing Saturday morning, one of her small cosmetic mirrors may make a brief guest appearance on my bench top this weekend. Heaven help me if I get sawdust on it.

[Derek Cohen]

I've drilled the mortices using sliding bevels and a brace, and also with a drill press. A three-legged stool has the advantage of only needing one angle to calculate as the rake and splay are combined. In this set up for the three-cornered stools I built recently, the angle was 10 degrees ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/BuildingTheThreeCorneredStools_html_m1d0c8de0.jpg

After the mortices were drilled, the seat was clamped at the bench using dog holes - two in the bench and one in the leg vise chop ...

http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furniture/BuildingTheThreeCorneredStools_html_5db159e1.jpg


Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Koepke]

Getting back to this has been difficult with all the other work to be done in the greenhouse. Must have done something right. This year was my highest yield of rooting on bay laurel cuttings. They are known for their difficulty to propagate.

Also spent some time working out how the stool will go together. The legs are turned, two finished one still on the lathe:

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Hopefully one day my lathe abilities will include being able to make multiple turnings that all look alike.

The legs will be angled at 6º. Since the boring for the leg tenons will be done with an auger bit it seemed a guide would be very helpful. A piece of scrap was checked for square all around and bored with a 3/4" auger:

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The piece was marked all around and a guide was used to help keep the auger at right angles.

The base of the block was cut on the band saw with the miter gauge set to 6º:

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A 3/4" auger bit was fed through and turned lightly into the base at the center of the leg mortise. The block was set against the base with the radiating center lines aligned to the center lines on the block. The side center alignment line was drawn in alignment with the circular mortise center line:

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The part hanging over the edge of the seat was cut off.

The next step was delayed due to not having a 42mm socket to adjust the table on the drill press. A ramp was made, but we had to go into town to look at a truck and a few other things so a socket was purchased and the table has been tilted. This will allow making a larger mortise with a forestner bit for the first step on the leg below the tenon:

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The work and block were used to check the alignment, everything looks good.

Next have to switch the belts on the drill press and break out some clamps to hold the work.

jtk

[Prashun Patel]

Glad to see this thread resumed. I enjoy watching your method. Did you pick 6 Deg for a reason? How are you planning to taper the holes?

Your turning ability looks fine from here. I’m curious what turning chisels your used for those details?

[Charles Taylor]

Hopefully one day my lathe abilities will include being able to make multiple turnings that all look alike.

I'm still looking forward to my lathe abilities being such that what comes off the lathe resembles what I wanted in the first place.

This is an interesting build. Thank you for sharing it.

[Jim Koepke]

Did you pick 6 Deg for a reason? How are you planning to taper the holes?

6º came about by using a large bevel and my eye on the underside of the seat. Hopefully it will work out for use in the greenhouse and outside. No taper is planed for the holes or tenons. Wedges will likely be used. In that case a little taper might be used on the top side.


I'm still looking forward to my lathe abilities being such that what comes off the lathe resembles what I wanted in the first place.

It seems the first step of learning to turn is accepting what was made not looking quite like what was wanted, but it will work.

Eventually the next step is when things sort of look like what you wanted but not what was intended, but it will work.

Then the turner starts to get much closer to what they want and it works and a little pride comes from the accomplishment.

The turnings start to get closer to what was wanted and the turner shows it to their spouse who complements them on their work and maybe kisses them on the cheek.

This encourages the turner to spend more time at the lathe which improves the turnings even more. A few more lathe tools are purchased. Their other tools go unused for months and get sold to buy a better lathe and more turning related tools.

The turner now barely takes breaks for meals and is fully addicted to the turning process.

And we thought being a hand tool woodworking was having an effect on our lives.

jtk

[Jack Frederick]

“Please note there was no claim to knowing what what the heck is being done.”

Have to smile. Well played, Jim!

[Jim Koepke]

A little more work was done on the stool being made for Candy.

The set up on the drill press was aided by a speed square. The center lines on the underside of the seat were aligned by eye with the flat edge of a speed square held against the flat body of the drill press:

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A test cut was made in a piece of scrap. The work piece was clamped in place:

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The first cut was made with care taken to barely penetrate on the shallow side:

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A drill press makes this kind of work much easier than trying to use a drill motor or a brace.

With the three pockets finished the guide was set in place with an auger bit set into the center from the forestner:

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This was started with an Irwin bit in a 10” brace. That was difficult and was changed to a less aggressive Jennings bit and a 12” brace:

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Didn’t see this coming, Candy was more concerned about a problem she was having with a rock tumbler than what was on the bench.

This is where the work stopped to help her:

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May be able to get a bit more done today.

There is an old truck that needs to be cleaned out so it can be sold.

To be continued…

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

DOH!

While boring the last leg mortise the auger was making a lot of noise. Rubbing wax on the outside not only silenced the groaning it made turning the brace much easier. As an added benefit the chips held together and spiraled out the flutes like nobody's business.

jtk

[Scott Winners]

I knew this was going to come out fine. Nice going Jim. I am mortified to see two of the three plans I have for Windsor chairs call for drilling the seat after the saddle is carved. The third says tearout around the drilled holes while carving the saddle can be problematic, but "sharp tools can alleviate the challenge" which basically means I am hosed; the only people who think my tools are sharp aren't wood workers.

Don't sweat the turnings too hard. Like other areas of woodworking, the maker can see all the flaws while the user usually can't see any of them. A handmade thing, even with less than perfect turnings, has an aura of autheticity to it that perfect flat packed product from ikea can never achieve. The four legged stool with turned legs I posted a few months ago has as much presence, as much realness, as anything else in my living room. It is in the top three with my high end woodstove and the high end speaker system on our home theater system. Everything else in the living room is just stuff.

You are making a thing that your wife will enjoy and your grandkids will want. You are building a legacy. Looking forward to ongoing updates.

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks for the encouraging words Scott. That will make my morning coffee a touch sweeter even without sugar.

Strange thing was on the first hole my count was off on the brace. The auger went all the way through before realizing it. The wood didn't tear out like most augers usually do. It may have been the spurs on the bit have a low profile and didn't push the wood out as much as the spurs on most auger bits do. The mark on it is difficult to read but it looks like it says Jennings Pat. It surprised me it worked since it was a junk box find. The spurs do cut a full circle before the cutting lips engage. That and a fine pitch lead screw does a fine job.

jtk

[Derek Cohen]

Further to this, Jim, the reason I suggested not starting out carving the top but drilling the legs first (from the underside), is that any spelching could then be carved away.

But you have recovered well, done a fine job, and all is looking good. Slave on son! :)

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jim Koepke]

Thanks Derek,

Today was mostly spent doing yard work. Did have a little time at a local flea market and found a few things.

jtk

[Jim Koepke]

A little time was spent today working on the seat for Candy’s stool.

A Veritas concave shave was used to round over the edge on the top:

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The piece has to be turned often due to the grain going every which way on a round piece. A thin scrap of ash was set across the guides and screw of the vise to prevent oil from the screw getting on the work.

A scraper was also used on this some. There is a bit more to do on this.

The depression on the seat was also worked with a convex shave and scraper:

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It is shown with my left hand resting stationary with the fingers working like a hinged pivot point.

This is from a set of three 0.015” thick Clifton scrapers purchased on my last visit to a local WoodCraft store.

My burnishing of the edge is improving:

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The scrapers are finally making shavings instead of dust.

jtk

To be continued…

[Jim Koepke]

The final finishing touches were done on Candy’s three legged stool today.

The legs were trimmed at the hilt to fit in to the pockets around the tenons:

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First a caliper was set to size and a parting chisel was used to turn to size. Then a skew chisel was used to blend the two levels.

A spoke pointer makes it easier to start a round tenon in to its mortise:

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If your vise screw occasionally transfers oil or dirt to your work you may have already thought of this:

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Thin pieces of scrap can become a protective piece between any work and a vise screw. The seat was held in the vise to work the outside and to shape the rounding on the top edge.

The tenons were formed on the lathe to be a hair oversize. A light rasping brought them to size:

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After making this stool it became clear as to why the round mortise and tenon joint benefits from being tapered. It is much easier interference fit with a tapered tenon than a round one.

The excess was carefully sawn off:

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This is possibly my main use of a Japanese pull saw, cutting round work.

This was followed by a chisel to pare off anything left above the surface:

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Candy likes it as is:

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The underside shot was forgotten until the stool was already in the house:

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Candy tried the stool and likes it. My comment was if it is too tall, we could adjust the legs by cutting their… Maybe we shouldn’t go there.

My own thoughts on this is if another one is made is to use a tapered mortise and tenon. Also to have a bit more splay with the legs set closer to the edge.

Thanks for looking, hopefully you enjoyed it…

jtk

[Scott Winners]

Looks fine to me.

I like to put the leg holes as close to the center of the seat as possible for longevity, but with the feet of each leg as far out as possible in the 'shadow' of the seat and slope angles between about 6 and 15 degrees.

It is just like being happily married, you cannot win. If you bore your holes too close to the center of the seat for longevity the angle is too much. When I straighten up the angle on the legs too much I worry about fracturing the seat. You and I are both basically hosed here. If the wife likes it for now, golden, and you can make another one when it breaks. If it doesn't break, double gold.

I think you pulled this one out of the fire just fine, and it looks good.

[Prashun Patel]

On the contrary, I find with this style of construction extremely forgiving. Scott, what do you mean by fracturing the seat?

[Scott Winners]

On the contrary, I find with this style of construction extremely forgiving. Scott, what do you mean by fracturing the seat?

Good point. Three legged stools, I don't worry.

On four legged chairs built this way, at garage sales and the solid waste transfer site, I see, more often than I think I should, glue lines in chair seats, repairing a split between a front and rear leg, or along the line of the spindles holding up an armrest.

Maybe the local extreme humidity swings are the ultimate culprit, maybe cheap factory construction also contributes, but I am gun shy in this area of design.