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Reach for the sky...one step at a time.

Project by Zipsss posted 818 days ago 670 views 0 times favorited 27 comments Add to Favorites Watch

I made this stool with Walnut. I found that the contrast in between the hardwood and the sapwood adds to the beauty of the stool. Built with 11/4 inch thick and dovetailed . The finish is tung oil, shellac and a heavy coat of polyurethane.

-- Zipsss


27 comments so far

View Douglas Bordner's profile

Douglas Bordner

3427 posts in 963 days


posted 818 days ago

Beautiful. I really like the circle cutaway on the bottom.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

View Napaman's profile

Napaman

3495 posts in 977 days


posted 818 days ago

very nice…i love the shine on the dark wood…

-- Matt, Napa, CA...fun is beautiful...just trying to have some fun...

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

14188 posts in 1060 days


posted 818 days ago

a gorgeous stool.. Nicely done.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View DAN 's profile

DAN

6468 posts in 883 days


posted 818 days ago

Great looking piece.
I’m a walnut with sapwood lover myself. I’ve done some projects using that material too.
Shellac is the perfect finish too!!

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

View Marge's profile

Marge

144 posts in 853 days


posted 818 days ago

Looks good

-- Marge, Colorado

View Don's profile

Don

2590 posts in 1077 days


posted 818 days ago

Nice design, Zipsss! I built something similar, and it has proved to be the most often used project I’ve ever done. I’m sure that you will find the same.

-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.hilsbiblechurch.org/

View WayneC's profile

WayneC

6081 posts in 997 days


posted 818 days ago

I really like the dove tails. This would go great next to a nice 4 post bed.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

View TomFran's profile

TomFran

2517 posts in 894 days


posted 818 days ago

Really nice stool. The wood and finish are beautiful.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

View schroeder's profile

schroeder

514 posts in 1025 days


posted 818 days ago

Love it! – Looks Great, nice finish, I like the “ah-natural”

-- The Gnarly Wood Shoppe

View Lee A. Jesberger's profile

Lee A. Jesberger

3710 posts in 879 days


posted 818 days ago

Great looking stool.

I’m thinking of all the times in the shop when I just can’t quite reach!

Maybe I’ll build one of them!

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

View Karson's profile

Karson

25873 posts in 1300 days


posted 818 days ago

Great stool Zipsss, I like the contrast of the woods and the one massive dovetail is impressive. Bring it to Lee’s picnic and one of your twisted leg items.

I’s sure we’d all like to see them.

I need to talk to Lee about food arrangements and I’ll let you know.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View Christopher's profile

Christopher

563 posts in 820 days


posted 818 days ago

fantastic work! I have always loved the way walnut has a tendency to make any project beautiful, even simple and utilitarian items.

-- "That Government is Best that Governs The Least."-Jefferson

View relic's profile

relic

342 posts in 836 days


posted 818 days ago

Great looking stool, I like the way the joints stand out.

-- Andy Stark

View Thos. Angle's profile

Thos. Angle

4013 posts in 862 days


posted 818 days ago

Pretty and really useful as well.

-- Thos. Angle

View handi's profile

handi

41 posts in 1339 days


posted 818 days ago

I love step stools of any kind! One of my first magazine articles was for a reproduction Hosier Step Saver.

Nice work, and walnut is always a good choice for furniture.

Ralph

-- www.consultingwoodworker.com Look me up on Twitter as ConsultingWood

View cajunpen's profile

cajunpen

5968 posts in 966 days


posted 818 days ago

Everything that I like about the stool has already been mentioned above – so I’ll just say that I really like it.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

View snowdog's profile

snowdog

809 posts in 882 days


posted 817 days ago

I am with Cajunpen. It looks great.

-- "so much to learn and so little time"..

View CharlieM1958's profile

CharlieM1958

7697 posts in 1118 days


posted 817 days ago

Very pretty!

I made one very similar for my wife out of maple to match our kitchen. She complains that she has almost fallen off twice because she forgets that it has two steps. My reply was that some men poison their wives, but I just make killer stools.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

View Gary's profile

Gary

446 posts in 1224 days


posted 817 days ago

Superb. I love the use of the natural heart and sapwood. She’s a beauty.

-- Gary, Florida

View Christopher's profile

Christopher

563 posts in 820 days


posted 817 days ago

CharlieM1958. Do you think i can get the plans for your anti-wife stool?

-- "That Government is Best that Governs The Least."-Jefferson

View Ken's profile

Ken

6 posts in 837 days


posted 816 days ago

Very nice. Simple but the contrast in heart and sap really pretty.

View mot's profile

mot

4904 posts in 936 days


posted 816 days ago

I really like this. I have to make something for my son to brush his teeth. That is a really nice design!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

View WaywardHoosier's profile

WaywardHoosier

59 posts in 935 days


posted 815 days ago

I love the contrast in color and deep colors. I made this Shaker style stepstool as well. However, I used poplar and 6 coats of water based polyurethane. (I have finish issues but I am working on it) I have read about the technique of starting with tung oil and finishing with polyurethane. But why shelllac in the middle coat?

I am using shellac for the first time and I am evaluating it. I am trying rub on gel polurethane as well. I’m kind of all over the map with my finish techniques.

-- WaywardHoosier - Behind schedule and over budget, but who's counting?

View Zipsss's profile

Zipsss

112 posts in 1013 days


posted 814 days ago

The oil base helps to accentuate the grain and figure of the wood, a very important feature for me. I give enough coats of oil to saturate the wood until there are not more dry spots. Follow instructions on the container. A very important step is to let it dry for at least 4 days, I prefer 7 days. I do this on both sides of the wood. Next I seal the wood with clear shellac. I by the can type from HDepot. Usually one or two coats do the trick. If you don’t give enough time to the oil to dry, you will se the consequences after this step. No need to sand in between the shellac coats. Next comes the poly. I had very good results with the water base poly without diluting it. With a t-shirt rug I “feather” the poly nice and easy. Then, when dry I finish the finish with car body sandpaper 400-600-1000. Takes time, but is a good exercise on learning patience and savoring the end results.

-- Zipsss

View Drew1House's profile

Drew1House

425 posts in 988 days


posted 811 days ago

well the finish sure looks like glass…. Love it…

Drew

-- Drew, Pleasant Grove, Utah

View Beginningwoodworker's profile

Beginningwoodworker

4241 posts in 573 days


posted 357 days ago

Nice step stool.

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker

View Todd Thomas 's profile

Todd Thomas

4831 posts in 348 days


posted 311 days ago

nice looking stool…love the finish and coloring

-- Todd, Oak Ridge, TN, Hello my name is Todd and I'm a Toolholic, I bought my last tool 10 days, no 4 days, oh heck I bought a tool on the way here! †

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