Staked stool #2

I’m teaching myself (with the help of books and videos) how to make staked furniture – that is, furniture where the leg is driven into a flat surface, usually the seat or table top. This style of building is very, very old.

This is the second stool I have made, and I didn’t use someone else’s plans, so that’s cool. For posterity, I used a 15 degree leg angle, a 1 inch leg tenon, and hide glue. The stool is made of Southern Yellow Pine (from a 2×12!) and has red oak wedges. The seat is 14 inches from the floor. I don’t think I would have liked it much lower.

The legs are a bit clunky – they were octagonalized from 1.5 inch SYP, and tenon turned on the lathe. Next time I will taper the legs, wide part near the floor, to lighten it visually.

For my second effort, I’m quite pleased, honestly.

Stool number 1

I built my first staked stool today. It’s based on one designed by Christopher Schwarz – I first saw it in his rejected designs in The Anarchists Design Book.

When learning how to do something, I like to make a lot of them, quickly, to accelerate the mistake making. Like when I made 30 wooden spoons in 30 days.

I’m at odds right now, so I will make some more. I ordered some tools that should make things easier. But this is stool number 1.