Just a little stepstool

Awfully pretty step stool. That pooch must really be special to rate ebony wedges and dovetails!

-- You can't get a hug from Facebook.

Nice job.

-- ~ Inspiring those who inspire me ~

Tastefully done. I like it.

-- If you are not living on the edge you are taking up to much room.

Looks too good for a dog’s claws to scratch up ;-)) Nice job.

-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.

Love it. Great job.

-- Alan, Prince George

Very nice one. I like through dovetail and tenon joints being exposed that way.
The dog must be wondering whom this beautiful stepstool belongs to.

-- masrol, kuala lumpur, MY.

Well, thanks for the comments. I wanted this piece to match the rest of my daughters bedroom set, but I did go a bit overboard on it. It was fun to build, and was great practice on dovetails, and my first attempt at wedged tennons. I sprayed it with laquer to help keep the little paws from scratching it up.

-- Julian, Park Forest, IL

Beautifully done. It’s quite an elegant, modern piece and I would definately consider something of this quality in my home. It looks to be quite sturdy too. A very marketable piece.

-- "They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~ Edgar Allan Poe

Beautiful hand work, very well done, congrats!

-- "You get what you inspect, not what you expect"

Beautiful stool…..hopefully the dog won’t slip on that slick finish : )

-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .

so nice great wood contrast

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

Really nice design.

-- Scott - Katy, Texas

and yes your right.. those one day projects are a great break from the projects that go on for months, great work. great choice of wood.. hand cut dovetails are a nice detail.. you can’t get a machine cut to look that good

-- It's not a sickness, i can stop buying tools anytime.

I love it!

Question: Did you literally drive the wedges in after the tenon was inserted into the mortise, or was it a “kinder and gentler” process of inserting the wedges into a cut groove prior to assembly with the sides? If you drove them in after the tenon was in the mortise, did you cut the tenons a little under-sized, knowing the wedges were eventually coming and would expand the length of the tenons?

The mortice had a slight angle to it, so when the wedges were put in , it expanded the tennon locking it into place. If you plan on trying it out, make sure to drill a hole at the end of the slot on the tennon to relieve stress when the shim is driven in. This will help to make sure it doesn’t crack.

-- Julian, Park Forest, IL

Julian:

So you cut slots for the wedges before assembly, and you drill a hold from the side along the bottom of that slot? Is it as though the drill bit is riding (drilling) along the floor of the valley (the slot)?

Like this.

-- Julian, Park Forest, IL

Nice job. I like the color combination. I used to sleep with my little dog when I was small, and it was just great feeling when the dog sneak in! Your daughter and her partner must be really happy with this.

-- Junji Sugita from Japan, http://tetra.blog12.fc2.com/

Sweet!!! Great job.

-- Dennis Zongker