Wheel Stool

Step 5 Tourniquet

If you have read any of my other instructables, you may have noticed a propensity for adding this turnbuckle-type system on the legs. It achieves a couple things -- the tension element tightens the top screw joints by pulling against them, the strings prevent the tendency for the legs to spread when loaded, and the amount of torque you can put into it helps level the slight differences in the legs so that the stool with sit evenly on the floor.

Drill a hole in each leg about 1" up from the end. Loop string through opposite legs, hiding the knots in the hole. I used nylon string -- you want something really strong. It may be hard to see in the photo, but I weaved the string through one another, then inserted a nail and twisted it on the diagonal. Trim or blunt the sharp end of the nail first. Once it's tight enough to strum a tune on, tie it off.