Prototype Revealed: Tiny Legs for Tiny Legs

My daughter has been asking for a step stool to reach the sink, and now I have finally gotten to it!

Here are five members from my old pile of 2x4 cutoffs, arranged as three legs attached to two planks.

The feet are attached with deep-sunk wood screws.

The pre-drilled holes on each side are given a healthy bubble of wood glue and six dowels are inserted 3" deep into one plank.

With a hammer, the two sides are tapped gently together. If much force needs to be applied, it is best to use another block of wood as a beater to avoid marring the edges of the finished piece.

In a few hours the two sides of the doweled step stool will be firmly fixed in place.

Full curing time depends on the wood glue used, but usually takes 24 - 48 hours. I like the results: a simple sturdy child's step stool or comfy adult bench. If I can work out some of the kinks, a prettified version should be on sale soon -you know where - Hip Thrift.


And in completely unrelated news, this mess blessed me in front of my house in the morning . . .

What madness can I contrive from a broken exercise bike? The future remains unknown, though I certainly had a good time disassembling it!

FOUND: Tiny Legs!

You may remember my little floor table assembled from uncut upcycled deck board cutoffs.

 At the end of that post, I vowed to be vigilant in search of tiny  legs to make the table more ergonomic and functional. And vigilant I was.

As evidenced above, I found suitable material quite awhile back. It was the last haul in the old reliable Ford Ranger. These cutoffs were left over from making massive stakes and braces from lineal 2x4s.

I have finally gotten around to Project Tiny Legs, by the simple virtue of procrastination: I was able to put off another project by completing this one! I firmly hold that both designing and making are visual processes, so I always organize available materials visually before selection and layout.

Even for something as simple as attaching three legs, this exercise ensures that I think everything through before I start screwing it all . . . together . . .

With the legs attached, I turn my attention to the final detail: feet. The idea behind a three point base is to avoid rocking, regardless of the levelness of the floor. This is best achieved if the feet can end in a ball joint, allowing 3D rotation, or a single* point. (*theoretically)

 Opting for the simpler solution, I used an electric sheet sander to shape the feet. A sanding block or sandpaper would have worked just as well, only taking longer. This could also be done with a chisel, band saw, or jig saw. The curved facet is as close to a single point as it needs to be, ensuring that each leg lands on a relatively small surface area. Since a tangent is preferable to a sharp point, wooden spheres make excellent feet for furniture.

The table takes wing!

Now that I have finished a prototype, I'm itching to make a more refined variation . . .

Secret Obsession: Reclaiming Cutoffs

It sounds like I'm talking about making a new pair of shorts, but I'm not.
That's fun too - my best pair of cutoffs used to be black corduroy pants.
In carpentry, cutoffs are scraps left over from a project, usually cut from dimensional lumber like two-bys or decking boards.  The most exciting scraps come from larger lumber and timbers.
(bookshelf from found wood)

(Interesting . . . not only is my phone filled with sawdust -note fuzzballs- it has also started suffering from some serious data transfer disturbances.  YAY!)

So, I'm eying a stack of material by the driveway behind my new apartment, cutoffs from a deck project.  With only a drafting table and no chair
I need to build a floor-sitting table for reading, eating, writing, and surfing.
A three-point base is best since reclaimed material is often irregular.
Additional challenge: use the scraps as found - no cutting or sanding allowed.

On closer inspection the wood is older and moldier than expected.
Even so, digging around yields results.
I come away with only an armload and leave the rest to the elements
(or someone more desperate than myself).
Some of the pieces I've chosen have tiny mold spots, but these boards are pressure treated so a wipe-down with mineral spirits should keep spores at bay.
Turpentine and other solvents are great for cleaning off dirt, grease and grime.
Plus they penetrate and then evaporate to expel much of the moisture gathered while sitting outside.
Downside: this also off-gases the harmful chemicals from your material
and of course the solvents themselves are mild neurotoxins.
I soak the endgrains and knotholes in case critters have gone in to lay eggs.
After the very thorough cleaning, I arrange the boards into a rough design layout.

"I love it when a plan comes together!"

—Colonel John 'Hannibal' Smith, The A-Team

I've banned cutting and the only leftover is 72" long, so finish nails are out of the question without material for nailers or blocking.

Pilots and countersinks are drilled to receive screws.

Assembly provides a few hiccups but I get through it.

Technology failure continues to haunt me: the NiCad batteries are finally showing signs of memory burn and hold almost no charge at all.

Looks like I need to buy a new drill and upgrade to Lithium Ion.

Now I have a place to sit and eat oatmeal at 5:30 every morning!

EDIT:
It's a better bench than a table.  Tiny legs are in order; I will be vigilant.
Carpe lignum!