Wheel Stool

I made this chair from a wheelbarrow a couple weeks ago. Like Indians using every scrap of the bison for something, I saved the wheel for some unspecified future project. It eventually struck me that the tire could make a nice stool. Unfortunately, I thought of the idea on the way back from the dump, where I had just thrown away the handles from the former wheelbarrow. They could have been used for the legs, making the circle of life a little more complete. In lieu of handle-legs, I was able to use the leftover 2x4 scrap from the legs on the Wheelbarrow Chair to make the legs for the stool.

The form is kind of a knock-off of the claw-foot, wooden screw type of organ stools. It would also make a nice stool for a drummer, or considered a post-modern commentary on Marcel Duchamp's famous "readymade" mash-up of a stool and a bicycle wheel.

The wheel still spins, and a little red paint gives it a jaunty air, perfect for the living room, porch, or basement.

For sale here.

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Step 1: Core & Legs

The core of the stool is made from some scraps of 3/4" bamboo plywood. I cut the shapes shown on a bandsaw, then laminated two of each together with urethane glue, which is good for non-porous surfaces. Bamboo plywood is very hard and very dense, which makes it difficult to work and glue, but exceptionally strong. Lacking access to bamboo plywood, just make the pieces out of regular plywood or a dense hardwood like oak. The pieces have a 37 degree angle to the sides, and are approximately 4" from top to bottom. The width at the top is 1-1/2", same as the width of each piece and each leg. The bottom plate is 1/4" bamboo plywood.

The legs were also cut on a bandsaw, at 15" long, tapering from 2-1/4" to 1-1/4" at the bottom. They are pine, from old 2x4 scrap.

Once the pieces are cut, slather them up with some more urethane glue and stick 'em together. Screw on the base plate to hold everything in place as the glue cures, or use big clamps. Make sure everything is square before you screw them together. Urethane glue (Gorilla Glue) need water to work properly, so dampen the wood first with a sponge. It also expands a tremendous amount as it cures, so either wipe it off as it comes out, or cut it away with a razor after.

makijim says: Feb 6, 2012. 5:53 PM

What do you know about the piano stool with the clawed feet in your instructable? I received one just like it from a fellow freecycler and stripped off so many layers of paint but restoring it was worth the effort. There was no tag, label or makers' mark on the stool I refinished but it looks exactly like yours. Thanks for any info you might have. Jim