Geometric Stool

A geometric stool inspired by Google Drive™.

Step 1: Making the Parts

Materials

1. Timber: Totara - A New Zealand hard wood or what ever you have around!
2. Dimensions: 40mm x 140mm x approximately 2000mm
3. Gorilla grip glue
4. 24 10mm dowels
5. Ruler
6. Pencil
7. Extra wood for when you put in the vice
8. 10mm spade drill bit
9. Dowel markers or small nails
10. Clamps
11. Safety gear
12. A drop saw
13. Cordless drill
14. A protractor or 30 degree angle

Cutting the wood

Legs 40mm x 140mm x 310mm (3 of these)

1. To create a leg that narrows, mark 50mm down one side and 50mm across on the opposite corner and rule a line between the two points. Cut off the wedge.
2. Down the outer length of the leg cut a 30 degree angle from a marked halfway point at the top with the drop saw.

Seat: 40mm x 140mm x 215mm cut on a 30 degree angle (3 of these)

1. Using the protractor mark a 30 degree angle at the end of the wood (or set the drop saw to 30 degrees.
2. Measure and cut one piece of the seat.
3. Place that piece on the remaining length and mark the next piece to cut.

Step 2: Assembling the Seat

Sorry, I forgot to get many photos of this bit

1. Assemble your three seat pieces together to check they fit more or less. The shape can be trimmed if necessary later on.
2. With a pencil, mark out evenly between the pieces where the dowels will be between the seat pieces. I used 4 dowels per joint e.g. 12 dowels for the seat.
3. Drill dowel holes and test the fit.
4. Glue and clamp. Try to get the joints as tight as possible.
5. If the outer opposite edges are not parallel, then trim to shape. Ensure the joints end at the points.
6. Sand the seat.

Step 3: Fitting the Legs to the Seat

1. Number each leg against the seat.
2. Align the edges and trace the edge.
3. Mark out the dowel holes on the seat. Either use dowel markers or small nails to align the centres. I used 4 dowels per leg joint.
4. Drill the holes. Use tape on the drill to ensure you don't drill too deep.
5. Test the holes. Glue and clamp

Step 4: Finishing It

Give the stool a thorough sanding to ensure there are no sharp corners and the surfaces are smooth. Then polyurethane or oil the stool. My preference is oil based polyurethane as it's very hard wearing and won't leave any marks on your white disco pants.

Comments

[doing2much]

What an interesting concept, sleek and simple too!
I've voted for a couple of projects and yours is one of them...

[kongbunce123]

Hi! super cool :)

[Andyv34]

Thanks kongbunce

[Tura Street]

Wow. This looks great. I think I may have to make one of these stools. I love it. Thank you so much for sharing.

[tjzboyda]

Hello - That stool looks very good. I think I will try to make one or two. Quick note, under Materials, number 2 the last dimension is listed as "approximately 2000mm", should that be 200mm? :-)

[tjzboyda]

My bad - your were giving the material length for the wood - not the dimensions of the seat. Still like the stool. Thank you for the good instructions.

[Andyv34]

Thanks!

[perryb]

This is the kind of instructable I come to this site for.

I think I understand where you used the dowels, but not for the life of me can I figure out how you would use 4 on a 3 part, 3 leg stool. And the comment above about entering it in a contest was right. I would vote the heck out of this one.

[Andyv34]

Thanks for the feedback. I have just updated the description.

There are 4 dowels in each joint of the seat. So the seat has 12 dowels in total.

The legs also use 4 dowels each. It should be pretty strong.

[Eccles98]

That is a great looking stool. Good instructions too. I want one!

[DIY Hacks and How Tos]

That looks really nice. You should enter this into the furniture contest.

[Andyv34]

Thanks for the idea. I just did. No expecting much - pretty amazing stuff in there.