Stool from Offcuts

[Imperial]

This was made from some already squared up left over 2" Ash and a walnut stretcher.
The top had a big knot with a hole right through it so I filled that with an square inlay of veneer then continued to make a little pattern as it looked a bit odd on its own.
I was also still recovering from the finger accident so wanted something simple to do with hand tools to keep me amused, big dovetails and hand planed tapers.

This has turned out to be a handy thing to have in the workshop and could be a useful exercise for beginners to make re cutting big dovetails, hand planing the tapers on the legs and getting the angles and leg length right?

 

[Matt_S]

that top photo is a bit deceptive, trying to work out which way the legs taper?

I think you're right about it being a good beginners project. After lots of sheet based projects for in the house I am starting to think of ideas for smaller simple projects using some real wood!

 

[2tone]

very nice, i do wonder how you fixed the legs to the top, can we have a photo please. T

 

[monkeybiter]

Wow! Those dovetailed joints look fantastic, if that standard is something simple to keep you amused I almost feel like giving up.

 

[Dibs-h]

For a moment I thought - why's he been eating offcuts? :lol:

(I'll get my coat and hat on the way out!)

Nice work!

 

[Imperial]

You're not far wrong with that statement Dibs-H, made me laugh that did!

2tone, it involves a product of the green and black variety doing the work, no photos!

Monkeybiter, the big through dovetails make it much easier and there is only one to line up so have a go, much easier than drawers :wink:

 

[OPJ]

Nice stool. I really like how you've transformed a defect in to a continuous feature. Much nicer than the average round plug! Shame there are no before photos of the knot. :wink:

Your dovetail joints also look excellent. At college, I'm making a chair at the moment and know how easy it isn't to get all those compound shoulder angles perfect... :? Well, at least your piece has straight legs!!

 

[WoodAddict]

Nice stool. I'll be making a hop-up stool to use with my workbench soon. I might just shameless steel you idea and dovetail the joins as you've done. (hope you don't mind?)

Nice touch with the pattern too 8)

 

[Imperial]

Olly, a chair and desk are next on my list, I'm struggling to come up with something and cant even make up my mind what timber to use yet. Have never made a chair but think this is where my domino will be really useful :twisted:

Saw this desk by Mark Fish, but getting metalwork made similar maybe a little out my price range? and loving his dovetails, makes the ones on this wee stool look like they were done by a child

Check his website, very inspirational and he rents benchspace / teaches!

 

[OPJ]

Yeah, it's not always easy knowing which wood to work with... Is there anything you haven't worked with and would like to try? Would it be suitable for your chair? If you're also planning to do lots of shaped work, you'll want something that has stability and strong grain (which can mean open as well as tight).

Those dovetails do look excellent, as do the shaped drawer fronts! :shock:

 

[Imperial]

I'd like to find a timber which is like the colour of american black walnut but not it, if you know what I mean? Saw some Laburnum which was fantastic but its difficult to get in big sizes. I had been offered some Ripple sycamore but its only 1" thick and I'd need some 2" for legs. Dont like glueing stock together for thickness. I've used all the obvious stuff already :roll: perhaps tiger or brown oak?