MAKE A STAKE-LEG STOOL                                                               

Instructor:       Steve Poland

Coordinator:    Julie Niemeyer

Prerequisites: Intro To Guild Safety and Core Tool Certification

One hour will be scheduled as a lunch period.  Please bring your own lunch or obtain food locally.

In this class we will discuss various design options for your future stake-leg stool projects, and then you will create your own simple stool.  Instructor will describe a range of approaches to forming cylindrical tenons that the instructor worked through before arriving at methods for creating accurate and strong cylindrical mortise and tenon joints without use of a lathe. 

Basic operations will include:

 Use a table saw fixture to create 8 sided legs from square stock.

•      Use a router table jig to form precise diameter round tenons.
• Use band saw to slit wedge slot and drill to bore stress relief at bottom of slot.
•      Use an angled fixture on drill press to create splayed mortises.
•      Use band saw to cut wedges for locking the tenons in mortise
•      Use a flush-cut saw and block plane to trim tenon flush with seat.
•      Use a height marking fixture to set up leg length cut with Japanese saw.
•      Use block plane to chamfer edges of seat and bottom of legs.
•      Finish sanding with random orbit sander.

We will supply a milled slab of approximately 1-1/2” x 8” x 18” for the seat, and a similar slab to rip into the 4 legs.

For this pilot class we will not use “live underside segments” due to the significant additional time required to remove bark and prepare those uneven surfaces for finish, and bracing the uneven surface for mortising.

Students will also use these hand tools (and recommend bring your own if available):

• 6” rule & tape measure                            
• 45 deg. Sliding square (center marking)
• Center Punch                                            
• Digital caliper
• Pencil                                                        
• Block plane
• Smoothing plane (optional)                        
• Scraper (optional)
• Hammer to set wedges                                  
• Flush cut saw
• Japanese rip saw                                      
• Japanese crosscut saw           

Goals of the Class: Primary goal is for students to master the wedged cylindrical mortise & tenon joint.  To understand several seat form design options, and to gain confidence through constructing a basic stool.

Instructor will provide jigs:

• 8 siding jigs - 2 each
• Wedge cutting jig - 2 each
• Mortise angle drilling jig - 2 each
• Tenon turning jig & Dish/Tray router bits - 2each
• Leg length marking jig - 2 each

Check out the Guild Scholarship Program to see if you qualify for the various scholarship we offer.

The guild promotes and encourages all members to act responsibly in matters of health and safety by adhering to the following measures:

• Staying Home When Sick: Members are urged to prioritize their health and the health of others by refraining from attending guild events, workshops, or gatherings when experiencing symptoms of a contagious illness, especially those associated with COVID-19.
  Follow CDC guidelines: If you have tested positive for COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, you are expected to follow the current CDC guidelines.  

Class Cancellation Policy