Casual Cardboard Stool

So what I tried to make was a casual stool with recycled materials whose form comfortably receive the body. I used six plotter tubes and some old corrugated cardboard. Although the structure is made only with cardboard, the result was a very resistant and solid stool. The Rhinoceros model and the templates are at the end of the instructable.

Step 1: Find the Materials

We will need some corrugated cardboard and six plotter tubes, five of them must have the common radio (5,3 cms) and the other must be larger (but if you have only small plotter tubes you can change the templates.

Print the frontal face template and cut it in the border so you can use it later as a stencil.

Step 2: Mark the Cardboard

Use a pen to mark the borders of the frontal face. For the circules I marked the radio and then I used a compass with the measures to make more exactly marks. Cut eight layers.

TIP: the waves of the cardboard have directions, cut half the layers with horizontal way and half with vertical way.

Step 3: CUT!!!!

Use a cutter and patiently cut the eight layers, I used a compass cutter for the circular holes (of course if you have a laser cutter it is much simple). Then, cut the plotter tubes with a saw.

Step 4: Stick the Layers

When you have the eight layers, apply a gentle cape of wooden glue and make a kind of sandwich alternating the layers who has horizontal and vertical way direction. use some books as weight and press everything in its place.

Leave the cardboard layers dry about ten hours. Past time, join the plotter tubes and the layer sandwiches and your stool is ready to use it.

Step 5: Enjoy

Hope you like it !!! :P

Step 6: Templates and 3dm. Model

Comments

[Heavy_Crafter]

can you tech how to cut cardboard with olfa circle cuter ? i tried alot but faild

[Buggybog]

lol hes tottaly doing what i think hes doing

[Avocadoes]

Nice chair, I made it and spray painted it silver and black. Thanks for the instructable.

[ivan_s]

Industrial Design :)

[regularbasscase]

Cool idea. I think I'll try it using bamboo rather than the Plotter's tubes. Would make a really fun bench.

[MicaelaUndiks]

great idea!

[nancyjohns]

Nice. I wonder how that tube seat would feel though...

[Catley]

I love the looks of this one and probably will try to make it, but please tell me what on earth "plotter tubes" are!

[Raven63]

Plotter tubes are the stiff core for large paper rolls for Plotters. Think of giant paper towel rolls. If you still cant imagine what a plotter is look here:

https://www.google.de/search?q=hp+1050c&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-SearchBox&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=mk2OVZawMOfW7QaYn6Zo&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAg&biw=1280&bih=683&dpr=1.5

[Catley]

Thanks for the link. I never dreamed that such machines existed. Sort of a mix of computer and printer, but on a huge scale, and it makes, not “copies,” but ink-drawn “originals”. Ingenious! Ah well, I do not foresee any empty plotter rolls falling into my hands, so I guess I
won’t be building that stool any time soon. But it IS a great idea.

[Albannach]

They may not be as hard to find as you think. You could try any engineering or architecture company or your local city hall engineering/works department, and of course commercial printing firms that service these activities. All will have tubes like this. The pen and ink plotters used to be common but now huge inkjets are in most engineering offices, but the paper still comes on sturdy cardboard tubes. For a bonus, the new rolls of paper are often delivered in nice long boxes and/or tough long plastic bags. The cats LOVE the long boxes if you cut a couple of holes in the sides!

[Catley]

Thanks for the suggestions.

[gnomonklater]

The bigger Fed Ex stores that have printing services, instead of mere copying or shipping services, typically have a plotter, and because they do all kinds of other types of printing, would probably have these kind of cardboard tubes available once printing medium rolls are exhausted. No doubt they either throw them out or recycle them. Go to the local store that has the expanded services and inquire. Get to know the manager, bring him/her a cup of coffee, and ask that the tubes be held for you. No doubt they will. Most people today are hip to people repurposing things, so they would probably hold on to them for you with no problem. Ask them to give you a call when some are ready for you, or better, try to get a handle on how frequently the tubes might be available. Just stop back in periodically to check. Don't forget to come back though, because if you do, they will just get rid of them and won't save them for you anymore.

[Questor]

most any heavy duty cardboard tube would work. tubes that carpet get rolled up on would work. I'm going to be using bamboo!

[jriofrio]

Hola

the tool u used to cut the holes, did u make it?

If you did, could you tell me how, please ?

Good job with the "chair?... ?

[MicaelaUndiks]

No, I didn't. I bought it at the art store

[gnomonklater]

Brilliant repurposing of materials. From an architectural pov, it's quit an exquisite design that is both functional and beautiful and with normal wear and tear, probably last a very long time. The tubes have an awesome cross section for loading, so probably support a lot of weight. Have you test loaded one to see how much weight one of these would take? Would be interesting to know.

[Questor]

you could use the larger tubes for 'storage'

[swaldo]

what's the guy rolling up;)

[ToddT]

Totally awesome idea. I am going to make this and add a ribbon of paper to the edges of the end pieces to cover the corrugations to keep out possible insects and whatnots. I will paint it as well so most will not know what it is made of.