MAKING STOOLS

In Austin, TX for the winter. My assignment is to make stools to practice traditional wood joinery, specifically the cylindrical (or conical) back-wedged mortise and tenon. With this joint we can make tables and chairs and more. It is traditional, vernacular, folk furniture we are after. And this joint is everywhere in that tradition. So I would like to master it. But first I have to get competent at it. So I’m practicing with softwoods and scrapwood and free wood.

I made a little workbench in the corner of the garage, ordered an old vise from eBay, got some hand tools, learned how to sharpen and started building stools. I’ve just finished my fourth stool. I use hand planes to make the legs, and i use an angle grinder for any seat carving. With my very small workspace I can make low stools, bar stools, end tables, benches, etc. So this will be my winter work-after-work for the next few years. This is my passion. I’m living the life.