Three-leg bar stool

[Derek Cohen]

OK Derek, fess up. Which did she prefer?

Hi Jeff

She preferred the three-legged stool ... said the 4-legged version was ho-hum.

I am in the process of completing the prototype stool, and then will post a few pictures, as well as describe what I found useful and helpful.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Jeff Ranck]

Can't wait to see them finished. Your projects are always so fun to watch.

[Derek Cohen]

Thanks Jeff. I need to finish up the prototype. I must have re-built it three or four times now.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Derek Cohen]

Prototype completed!

The seat went through at least 4 re-builds. It looks like Swiss cheese (with the holes plugged) as the rake and splay were modified a few times. In the end I preferred 11 degrees rake front-and back with 10 degrees of splay on the front legs.








To answer the question which leg preference my wife had, it was the 3-legged stool. The 4-legged was "too much like a stool". :\


The other question was whether 3 legs would be stable. The short answer is I could dance on this stool and it will not tip over. Solid.


All the legs were tied together with stretchers that had wedged through mortice-and-tenons. The leg-into-seat were tapered at 7 degrees. The stretchers-into-stretchers were straight. All tenons ended at 5/8".





I spent some time comparing the 7 degree reamer and tenon rounder (taperer) I made versus the 12 degree versions from Veritas. I shall post pictures at another time. What I can say is that - in my short experience! - is that the Veritas tools worked amazingly well. Mine worked well too - slower, which is a good thing when you are needing to be careful. Nevertheless, I ended up using my tools as I found the 12 degree taper was not as secure as the 7 degree taper. It would be great is Lee Valley offered these tools in 6 degrees (my tools aimed at 6 degrees but I managed 7 degrees).


The prototype ended like this ...











In the end, my wife decided that this design was "ho-hum" ... just not in keeping enough with the more modern designs I build. :O


So back to the drawing board!


Regards from Perth


Derek

[Brian Holcombe]

I agree with your wife, but I think this is a fine looking stool. I have a couple comments on what I'd like to see:

Sharper arris at the peak between the leg hollows.

An inside curve on the front lip.

Rounded bottoms on the feet.

A leg profile closer to that of Esherick, Bern or Nakashima. Most do not seem to do that inside curve very aggressively, it seems very light or an outside curve (at the bottom of the leg) also the profiles are longer sweeping.

[Pat Barry]

Prototype completed!

The seat went through at least 4 re-builds. It looks like Swiss cheese (with the holes plugged) as the rake and splay were modified a few times. In the end I preferred 11 degrees rake front-and back with 10 degrees of splay on the front legs.








To answer the question which leg preference my wife had, it was the 3-legged stool. The 4-legged was "too much like a stool". :\


The other question was whether 3 legs would be stable. The short answer is I could dance on this stool and it will not tip over. Solid.

6
All the legs were tied together with stretchers that had wedged through mortice-and-tenons. The leg-into-seat were tapered at 7 degrees. The stretchers-into-stretchers were straight. All tenons ended at 5/8".





I spent some time comparing the 7 degree reamer and tenon rounder (taperer) I made versus the 12 degree versions from Veritas. I shall post pictures at another time. What I can say is that - in my short experience! - is that the Veritas tools worked amazingly well. Mine worked well too - slower, which is a good thing when you are needing to be careful. Nevertheless, I ended up using my tools as I found the 12 degree taper was not as secure as the 7 degree taper. It would be great is Lee Valley offered these tools in 6 degrees (my tools aimed at 6 degrees but I managed 7 degrees).


The prototype ended like this ...











In the end, my wife decided that this design was "ho-hum" ... just not in keeping enough with the more modern designs I build. :O


So back to the drawing board!


Regards from Perth


Derek

Tough customer you have there!

[Derek Cohen]

I agree with your wife, but I think this is a fine looking stool. I have a couple comments on what I'd like to see:

Sharper arris at the peak between the leg hollows.

An inside curve on the front lip.

Rounded bottoms on the feet.

A leg profile closer to that of Esherick, Bern or Nakashima. Most do not seem to do that inside curve very aggressively, it seems very light or an outside curve (at the bottom of the leg) also the profiles are longer sweeping.

Those are excellent observations, Brian. And I agree with all. This was just a prototype, so I did not fuss too much with details - the feet have not been scribed.

I like the Esherick style in a stool. Not sure if this is what my wife wants ... I show her designs, and she goes "yes" - but she does not get the "feel" until I build one!

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Brian Holcombe]

Agreed, sometimes 'yes or no' feedback is no help at all, but of course it is needed. I think I drove my wife nuts with my armchair design but when I did finally get a yes I had a feeling I was truly in the right direction.

[bill howes]

Derek
It seems that your design faces the tension between the mechanical simplicity of the windsor design- 3 or 4 sticks tenoned through a board a board with stretchers, and flowing lines where upright meets horizontal.
Some like Maloof, Thomas Otter change the nature of the joint into the seat but to me that loses the delight in the pure mechanical simplicity of the Windsor design.

Attachment 377719
Others make the seat triangular to bring the legs closer to the edge of the seat visually
moser_stools_cumberland_situ_6_lr-e1509113742600-1.jpg
I like your seat and think when it is a darker wood it will be pleasing. I think the legs might go closer to the edge in a hardwood

You could minimize the impact of the stretchers by decreasing the diameter of the front to back stretcher and slanting it up so that it enters the back leg at a right angle. And perhaps the same dark wood for the foot rest. I like the curve in Jonathan Otters footrest
Just some thoughts
Love the thread
Bill Howes

[Prashun Patel]

Why do they have to match? Make a mix of three and four leg stools. They are both great.

[Matt Lau]

looks really nice!

[Derek Cohen]

Why do they have to match? Make a mix of three and four leg stools. They are both great.

Prashun, I am going to make a "Esherick" stool. I love the irreverence of the seat. One can have seats of different shapes, letting the figure speak. We'll see what my wife has to say. I am going to do it in Black Walnut (seat) and Hard Maple (legs). I may play with the (3) stretchers and use them to create a slightly different look.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Derek Cohen]

Here is the drilling of the mortices ...


The stretcher is placed in a set of holders (the jig is Pete Galbert's work) which are held in a vice ...








Not the blue tape with the "line". That is the orientation for the mortice. I arrived at this by using a spirit level, and simply marked a line along it.


Next is to orientate the stretcher so that the line is vertical ...





A square guides the brace and bit ...





I am using Owl bits here (purchased from Lee Valley, made in Japan). There have three cutting edges rather than the two of the Jennings I usually use.





They create very clean holes ...





As always, drill until the lead screw pokes out from the other side, then turn it over and complete the mortice from the rear.


A tip using braces and bits in hard wood. Drill a pilot hole (1/16" dril bit) through the work. That will not only guide the bit, but enable the lead screw to bite into the wood.


Regards from Perth


Derek

[John Kee]

Derek not personally into round legs but your stool form is pleasing to look at with the angles you have used. Possibly a look at square/rectangular/off-angle might bring it to more of what SWMBO is looking for. Unfortunately also exponentially more work. Look forward to seeing what you come up with in any case.

[Mike Allen1010]

Derek,


There are obviously very high aesthetic standards at play in the Cohen household. Your wisdom and experience is revealed by your decision to build a prototype to solicit design feedback from the Boss before starting the final versions - Arrrrg -- if I'd only known!!!


I plan to put your sage "strategery" into practice immediately for all future projects. Maybe then I'll have a better chance of a few of my projects "making the cut" so the Boss lets them in the house.


Thanks much for posting - I'm really enjoying your work and I always learn something from your posts. I think the Walnut and Maple combination will look great! Really looking forward to seeing your continued progress.


Cheers, Mike