# Bracing on three legged stool....



## UncannyValleyWoods (Apr 18, 2013)

I'm building a three legged stool and have a photo of the bracing system I want to use. However, I'm having a hard time visualizing how to properly cut the dados. Here is the photo:









Now, I'm not gonna make anyone do the math for the angles, I'm just looking for some help visualizing the cuts. If looking at the legs left to right, I'll call the front left leg #1, the front right #2 and the rear #3. I'm guessing that the brace for #1 has a single, angled dado on the top. Then #2 has an angled dado on the bottom and an opposing angled dado on the top, making a funky + ....and #3 essentially has the same angled dado as #1… I know my description and terminology is probably all jeffed up, but does that sound mostly accurate??

Any advice is welcome. Thanks..


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

The stretchers are in tension so the joint does not need massive strength. I would half lap #1and #2, glue them up and then half lap (more like quarter lap) #3 in as if the first two were a single piece (which they are now if your glue is up to snuff).


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## UncannyValleyWoods (Apr 18, 2013)

Holy moley James! That's it! I made a model a few minutes ago and it looks like I did everything according to your drawing except that extra dado on the blue piece! That was the part that was making my brain leak out of my ears! AWESOME! I really appreciate this!


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## UncannyValleyWoods (Apr 18, 2013)

James, I think I may owe you a case of beer. Here are some visualized results.














































I've never cut joints that intense…kinda felt like a little Japanese man when I realized how tight and solid they were. It was mind altering to say the least. I've saved every scrap of info I have on those joints, just so I can replicate it. Honestly, the angles (once I had my math genius neighbor decode them) were not really that crazy. Mainly 30 degrees all the way around…working on 120 quarters. There may have been a 60 in there…but I digress.

So, the seat still needs to be attached and this thing is going to get oiled and waxed… It's a birthday present for my dad. Thanks again for all your help man. I'll post photos again when it's complete.


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## doordude (Mar 26, 2010)

that's a cool stool . the cross members look as though you're making a puzzle.
thanks to the sketchs from james101


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## crank49 (Apr 7, 2010)

Great looking little stool.
How did you attach the legs to the seat?


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## UncannyValleyWoods (Apr 18, 2013)

Crank, I'll post a photo of the finished seat so that you can see… I actually used lag bolts and then hid them with dowels. In the future I will likely turn the end of the legs round and mount the seat that way, but I was pressed for time this go around. The seat is not attached in the photo above.


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## UncannyValleyWoods (Apr 18, 2013)




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## camps764 (Dec 9, 2011)

holy buckets this is a cool thread!


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## woodNfish (Jan 10, 2010)

Sweet!


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Seen at a local store window, while out on a walk-about









in case you would like a bigger seat


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

Brandon,

I'm curious how you ended up cutting the joints. did you make a sled with stops or sneak up on it or how did you end up getting these just right?

Thanks, Charles


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## BurlyBob (Mar 13, 2012)

That my friend is some very impressive joinery. My hat is off to you.


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## allenfoster (Oct 4, 2015)

I like the idea how this chair was made, really unique.


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## Litruck (Feb 26, 2016)

Awesome looking joint


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## Nimon (Apr 18, 2016)

I think I'm missing something where are the sketches?

And this a cool looking stool


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## Woodbum (Jan 3, 2010)

What happened to James 101 sketches that you referenced?


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## Mattzzzz (Jul 4, 2016)

Awesome stool! 
@UncannyValleyWoods Is it possible to see a copy of the sketches?


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## leeplane (Feb 15, 2017)

yes where are the drawings


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

He is no longer here!


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## fivecodys (Dec 2, 2013)

That is one of the coolest things I have ever seen on this forum!


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

I adapted this joint for a couple of baptismal fonts I built a couple of years ago. This thread and the pics were invaluable.


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

Anybody interested that has Sketchup, I uploaded a drawing to the Sketchup Warehouse.
Search: Intersecting Stool Brace and it should come up.


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## fivecodys (Dec 2, 2013)

> Anybody interested that has Sketchup, I uploaded a drawing to the Sketchup Warehouse.
> Search: Intersecting Stool Brace and it should come up.
> 
> - jbay


I just went and downloaded it. Thank you very much!


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

Your Welcome,
I hope it helps.


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

> Anybody interested that has Sketchup, I uploaded a drawing to the Sketchup Warehouse.
> Search: Intersecting Stool Brace and it should come up.
> 
> - jbay


jbay,

It looks like the Warehouse got rid of the file when the purged the older formats. Any chance of getting a copy of the file in current format?

Thanks.

Herb


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

Herb,
Give me a few and I will go see whats up.

I see it, try it again. It's drawn in SU 17 (not sure if that matters when it comes from the warehouse?)


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## kelvancra (May 4, 2010)

To me, it looks like they just made the three mortise and tenons at different heights. For example, the first one was down, say, six inches. The next was down so it touched the bottom of the first. The third repeated the second, touching the bottom of the second.

Which route you go would depend on how finished you want it. Of course, you could go everywhere in between what I described and the beautiful joint others showed.


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

> Herb,
> Give me a few and I will go see whats up.
> 
> I see it, try it again. It s drawn in SU 17 (not sure if that matters when it comes from the warehouse?)
> ...


Got it! Don't know why I couldn't see it before.

Thanks for the help and thanks for creating the file.

Herb


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