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Short Summary
Main recommendation: Build the cleverest folding stool ever, a lightweight campfire seat made from scrap wood, 1x2 and 1x5 boards, and a 5/8-inch dowel, in about a couple of hours. Steve Ramsey presents a newly designed set of plans (the video notes the earlier version from about ten years ago had no plans to go with it) and walks through cutting, drilling, assembling, and finishing the seat.
Key Points
- Most of the material can come from scrap wood; off-the-rack 1x2 boards (about 1.5 inches wide) and a 1x5 can be used without ripping, just cross-cut to length.
- Only 12 pieces in four different sizes are needed, so the speaker recommends cutting all of them at once.
- Drill holes at each end of the long and short boards on a drill press, and use a curved template to shape the ends rather than a bandsaw or jigsaw.
- Assembly is described as tricky to visualize, so following the plans closely is advised.
- The seat is finished with a linseed oil finish after any sticking dowels are sanded smooth.
Details Worth Noting
- Concrete instructions:
- Cut 12 pieces in four sizes from scrap or 1x2 and 1x5 stock, plus a 5/8-inch dowel.
- On a drill press, drill a hole at one end of each long and short board; slide a stop block and drill a hole in the center of each long piece.
- Make a curved template from a board, use it to draw curves on one end of each short piece and both ends of each long piece, then round over the corners on a disc sander.
- Cut the dowel into five pieces: one long and four short.
- Connect one long and one short piece with a pin; connect the other pair with the long dowel and a short piece.
- Keep the assembly straight by raising the middle section's two legs to about 45 degrees, placing the short pieces on the outside, then pinning.
- Keep in mind the four long pieces are the legs, and the ends without holes are the feet.
- Glue and tack the cross braces onto the legs, using a spacer board so both sides are equal; clamp the twisted cross piece until it holds.
- Attach the top starting with the two outside pieces, flush with the front and sides, then fit the top onto the two inner rails; let it dry before tweaking.
- If the seat sticks, sand down any protruding dowel and tweak the joints for a few minutes until they operate smoothly.
- Finish with linseed oil.
Bottom Line
A cheap, quick, scrap-friendly folding campfire seat is achievable in a couple of hours with careful attention to the assembly steps.
