post oak

Brother Stool

Below are some pictures of the second three legged stool of post oak.  They are a pair but with differences.  The rungs on this newest stool are in a “T” rather than forming a triangle  connecting  leg to leg as in the first.  Also, the legs in this stool are a bit more cantankerous.

The legs dry fit with rungs.

Reaming for the legs.

The seat.  I counted over 100 annual rings in this seat.

Fully assembled, and awaiting finishing touches.

Both stools together.  Here you can see the difference in the rung layout, the “T” on one and the triangle on the other.

 

The will of a 3-legged stool

The stool declared loudly by snapping every black walnut rung I made- that it must be white oak throughout.  OK, says I, you win.

Still much work to be done, however, as of yet the  most complete sense of a stool that has pretty much dictated itself, and made me sweat in the process, and I still have to build his hopefully less mercurial brother.

Below:  shaping the underside of the seat.

Workshop . Three Legged Stool

Photos in the workshop of one of a pair of three legged post oak stools.  Still in a very raw – and experimental state.

The busy bench top.

The bend and splay and stance of the legs.

Laying out for the black walnut rungs.

Post Oak seat.

Shaping tenons on the rungs.

Post-Oak Stool Legs

Below are some photographs from the process of the rough-shaping and bending (green) of post-oak, which is a variety of white oak, for use as legs in a pair of 3-legged stools -hopefully.

First the log was cut and split.  This one has quite a of twist, which I am hoping to integrate into the design of the stools.

Next the halves are split into quarters and then into eighths with froe at the brake (no photos), then the eighths were trimmed with the hatchet.

After trimming the pieces are shaped down with drawknife at the horse.

After this rough shaping each piece was place in a form and bent using clamps, the clamps were removed after a few days and were replaced with wire.  The legs will remain in the forms until they are dry and I am ready to shape them to final size.

For deep information on working with green wood please see Peter Follansbee’s blog.