| Project by Todd A. Clippinger | posted 954 days ago | 2613 views | 8 times favorited | 24 comments |  |
 |
This folding stepstool is an old project I did in ‘02. Our kitchen cupboards go clear to the ceiling, and we have 8’6” ceilings, making it difficult for my wife to reach the upper storage. This is something she needs to do more than most, she is an artist with food and does personal meals and catering.
But the stool has been a great experiment in finish endurance for me. I usually spray pre-cat lacquers as a professional, you can’t beat the dry time. I can shoot 4 coats in an hour on a project, 3 coats even in the winter.
On this I did not want a film finish because it folds, and pre-cat lacquers will not hold up to foot traffic, food spills, and water areas. (It is excellent for all the furniture I have done.) I have read many times that Danish oil is not very durable or protective, but I was curious to try it myself. I warmed the can in a shallow bucket of hot water, and generously fed oil to the wood. I had to continually wipe all the oil bleeding out of the pores until it stopped. The stool gets a new coat of oil once a year since, and it has held up very well.
It gets used everyday, gets food all over it, gets wiped off, stepped on, chipped, and the finish has worked out wonderfully. A little oil and 600 grit wet-dry sandpaper will take off the grime, and a few shop towels to apply a fresh coat of oil and wipe off the excess. Just like new!
The stool plans came from a Taunton book, “Classic Kitchen Projects”, by Niall Barrett.
Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, the black walnut was a salvaged handrail, and I did not have enough of it so I used scrap ash to make up the difference.
-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com
24 comments so far
Karson
home | projects | blog
25274 posts in 1279 days
posted 954 days ago
Todd. This is a great design. What is the wood. Nice heartwood and sap wood contrasts.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
DrSawdust
home | projects | blog
230 posts in 976 days
posted 954 days ago
This is pure talent.
-- Making sawdust is what I do best
Roger Strautman
home | projects | blog
534 posts in 1012 days
posted 954 days ago
Todd, this stool is a very nice example of how a small project can have the same challenges as a big project can. Well done!
-- " All Things At First Appear Difficult"
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
14090 posts in 1039 days
posted 954 days ago
what kind of lacquer??
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Todd A. Clippinger
home | projects | blog
5590 posts in 978 days
posted 954 days ago
MsDeb,
I use a pre-catalyzed lacquer. It is a lacquer that has a catalyst drying agent added right before it leaves the store. It has a pot life of about 6 months. It offers more protection than the nitrocelulose lacqers off the shelf at the box stores. It has a greater level of application performance too.
-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com
MsDebbieP
home | projects | blog
14090 posts in 1039 days
posted 954 days ago
ah!! Thanks for the info
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Todd A. Clippinger
home | projects | blog
5590 posts in 978 days
posted 954 days ago
Posting the stool was actually to share the experience with the oil finish. I hope I did this in time for Chellar to help with his decision.
-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com
Outnmbrd
home | projects | blog
11 posts in 955 days
posted 954 days ago
Nice work! It’s not often that I see a stool like this that the wife would want to have on display. I think she would use this one everywhere.
-- time, there's never enough time...
Dick, & Barb Cain
home | projects | blog
6991 posts in 1178 days
posted 954 days ago
Walnut & Ash look great together. The Ash has some beautiful figure in the grain.
-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1
Chip
home | projects | blog
1058 posts in 971 days
posted 953 days ago
I wholeheartedly agree with Rog and Dan about turning an otherwise mundane piece into something very special. Beautiful job Todd.
-- Better to say nothing and be thought the fool... then to speak and erase all doubt.
cheller
home | projects | blog
248 posts in 988 days
posted 953 days ago
Very nice work. What does heating the oil do?
Chelle
-- Chelle http://artsgranddaughter.blogspot.com
Todd A. Clippinger
home | projects | blog
5590 posts in 978 days
posted 953 days ago
Warming the oil helps it penetrate the wood. I have done it cold too. On reapplying I just do it cold, it does not require much to redo it anyway. Initially, I think it makes a difference. A small bucket of water is safe too, no flames or burners.
-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com
cheller
home | projects | blog
248 posts in 988 days
posted 953 days ago
I’ll have to give that a try. But first I have a little more sawdust to make and then I have to clean up…
-- Chelle http://artsgranddaughter.blogspot.com
Don
home | projects | blog
2590 posts in 1055 days
posted 853 days ago
Todd, I missed this one when it first came up. I like all of the projects that you’ve shown us. This one is more to the scale of the project that I build, so I’ve added to my favorites list as a possible future project.
Nice work.
-- CanuckDon "I just love small wooden boxes!" http://www.hilsbiblechurch.org/
scottb
home | projects | blog
3391 posts in 1205 days
posted 853 days ago
good information on the finish, I like the ease of re-application versus stripping and starting over. there’s plenty of spots in the house the cats have ruined the finish on… (windowsills, etc…) this info will sure come in handy down the road.
-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/
PanamaJack
home | projects | blog
4447 posts in 956 days
posted 853 days ago
Great piece of work Todd, well made.
-- Carpe Lignum - Seize The Wood,
oscorner
home | projects | blog
4572 posts in 1189 days
posted 853 days ago
The wood is beautiful.
-- Jesus is Lord!
DAN
home | projects | blog
6396 posts in 861 days
posted 726 days ago
Very nice step stool. Great christmas idea !!
-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever
woodgrain411
home | projects | blog
139 posts in 731 days
posted 717 days ago
very nice i preffer oil finishes myself
-- I love this site !
Jiri Parkman
home | projects | blog
602 posts in 691 days
posted 689 days ago
Very nice.
-- Jiri
rikkor
home | projects | blog
11338 posts in 753 days
posted 689 days ago
Todd, everything I’ve seen from you has been wonderful, this is no exception.
Blake
home | projects | blog
2715 posts in 753 days
posted 667 days ago
Now that is really attractive. This is going on my favorites list!
-- Check out my new website! http://www.blakeweberwoodworking.com
jwarner75
home | projects | blog
249 posts in 353 days
posted 351 days ago
Very nice.
I always wanted to build one for my house, that way for anyone that is over to help with changing the Light bulbs since I’m in a Wheelchair, it would make it easier for them to access the bulbs lol
May have to check into that…
Handi
-- Jimmy "Handi" Warner, http://jwarner75.etsy.com, http://handisworkshop.blogspot.com
Grumpy
home | projects | blog
14852 posts in 729 days
posted 350 days ago
Practical & great on the eyes Todd. I like the idea of the quick finish.
-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python