Lap Joint Slab Board Stool
Mary Ostler
Elizabethan Wood Butcher & Builder of Things
Mary Ostler’s Wood Butchery Blog
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Hoy there – came over this way from the Medieval Sawdust list, and got to browsing around. I’ve made a few of these stools and want to warn you about this design – the notches in the apron pieces (rails) create short-grain situations that will probably fail by splitting along the grain, sooner or later. There was an article in TI many years ago where the guy recommended using a drywall screw to prevent that! (In general if you find your medieval design needs a drywall screw… ur doin it rong)
Instead, cut no notches in the rails at all, but notch the end-pieces to accommodate the full depth of the rails. Then put in two pegs in each joint. That’s how the medieval versions were usually done.
What’s the “seat key”?
I am aware of this situation, and I decided to go half and half lap joint as the half circular cut outs on my original dictated the dimension of the bench. If I went with no cuts in the rail, the cut in the ends would run almost to the half circle cut outs. I decided it would be a weaker than the 50/50 cut. I try very hard to not to buy wood at all. I am a grade A scrounger, but often it leads to a less than perfect solution.
The seat Key (no idea if their is a better term) get attached to the bottom of the seat board. When the ends and rails are combined, the key slips in between them to keep the seat from sliding.
The chest bottom is just a board to slip into the end dado’s to make an small area to store items.
The idea was to make them cheap, portable, and somewhat periodesque.
Ah, now I see, you’re using plywood, so the short-grain situation isn’t as much of a concern.
The biggest problem I’ve had with knockdown stools is making them so they can be picked up by the seat. Trying to pick up and move a stool by its legs is always a PITA.
I really should included a link to the stool post on the plans page.
I drilled two small holes from the legs into the seat (key) and then insert a nail on each side. I then can pick up the stool by the seat and carry it anywhere.
da best. Keep it going! Thank you