# Furniture grade bar stools, fast'n easy



## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

Start with a 3D model, and manipulate until it looks OK.










Expand the parametric model for construction.










The legs need a bit of detail, rest is easy, so we do drawing for the legs, with a few mouse clicks from the model.










Now just follow the drawings, first cut the leg sticks and sink some mortise.










Gluem together.










Turn'em.










Cut them apart on the bandsaw and the rest is fast.










Bar stools as simple as this, we have to let the wood do the talking, I love Cherry.


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## steamfab (Jun 22, 2012)

What great looking bar stools! They compliment perfectly with the whole area. Like the design and build which show great craftsmanship.

_________________________
www.sawblade.com


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## KarlJUrban (Jan 2, 2013)

X2 on that Look great


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Great design!*

When you say "sink some mortises" how did you do that part?
They look drawn on in the photo....then what did you do?
Router? Mortise machine? That's the most tedious part of furniture making for me. I don't mind tenons, but don't care to mortise much. Nice to see you back here. :thumbsup:


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

woodnthings said:


> When you say "sink some mortises" how did you do that part?
> They look drawn on in the photo....then what did you do?
> Router? Mortise machine? That's the most tedious part of furniture making for me. I don't mind tenons, but don't care to mortise much. Nice to see you back here. :thumbsup:


Bill, I use the most hated machine in my shop for cutting mortises, being a little Shop-Fox (Grizzly) hollow chisel mortising machine. Once set up, it goes real fast though, much faster than the tenons.

IMHO, there are better and more efficient methods today, but a lot of folks prefer traditional methods, so I stick to something which closely resembles a hand tool joint but goes a lot faster.


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## STAR (Jan 1, 2008)

I am really impressed. I have never tried Sketch up or similar projects but I can see how they can conceptualise an idea. We are looking for three bar stools to finish off our kitchen remodel.

I had always thought they were beyond me, but lately, here on this forum their has been a few barstools builds which has got my attention even though pictures sometimes hide the techniques and craftsmanship behind the project.

What fascinates me about your build is the whole persona and background of where the stools are. Strangely, what you have is almost exactly the same as where our stools are going and what is different is really very close by.

We have put in a bench with a top and below having solid Tasmanian Oak wooden doors, a similar colour to yours. We have a Blackbutt wooden floor also not to disimilar to what you have. Our bench is along side a large window that overlooks our deck and outside entertaining area. 

While we have no bar area their, we do have a smaller bottle devider built into our above head cabinets close by . Your overhead cabinets blend in with ours.

To me, your area is near picture perfect to what we have and those bar stools top it off. I am going to blackbook this build, so any help and ideas will be appreciated. 

I will have to reread your thread and get my head around your build, and try to link some other ideas into it to simplfy the techniques. Some techniques, I struggle with like Mortises and dovetails, so I avoid them especially in fine quality furniture especially when they are on show.

Pete

Thanks for sharing


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

STAR said:


> I am really impressed. I have never tried Sketch up or similar projects but I can see how they can conceptualise an idea. We are looking for three bar stools to finish off our kitchen remodel.
> 
> I had always thought they were beyond me, but lately, here on this forum their has been a few barstools builds which has got my attention even though pictures sometimes hide the techniques and craftsmanship behind the project.
> 
> ...


Let me know by PM, I can send you executable files, legally distributed through E-Drawings, where you can look at each part in 3D, rotate it, look at it from any angle, including the assembly and dimensions. You can't edit, but they give you all the detail you need. Big files though, so your email needs to be open, or they need to go somewhere where you can download.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

As you said "Fast and easy".

Very nice design. :thumbsup:

I like the idea of the mortise before you glue them for turning.

I also love working with cherry.

Now with my luck, if I did this I would manage to get one or more pieces upside down. :blink:


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Looks nice. I wonder if you can do sketch up for rustic and log furniture? 
I'm guessing not. Nice work.


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

Dave Paine said:


> As you said "Fast and easy".
> 
> Very nice design. :thumbsup:
> 
> ...


LOL, I was afraid of exactly the same mistake, so to line things up I put loose temporary tenons in them before gluing together.


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## SeniorSitizen (May 2, 2012)

Very nice.

I would have to modify - gluem up - procedure just a bit. Because of the sawing apart step and my equipment, I would need to glue a few pieces of kraft paper between the legs so they could be popped apart after turning rather than sawing.


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

WillemJM, I like your production methods. You have a practical, production approach to WW. I like your stools and admire the craftsmanship. Your design and execution seems to have allowed your to get them built in a timely manner which I can appreciate.

You may have seen my post on the bar stools I am building. They are constructed very similar to yours from the seat down excluding the turned and quartered legs (clever idea BTW). From the seat up we have gone different directions.

I have a comment that is more of an editorial on my woodworking philosophy and coming from me, because I come from the production side of woodworking, may seem a bit hypocritical. The furniture we build is hand-made, a fact that I think adds value and desirability to our product. Your bar stools are built with precision and uniformity but to my eye they look "store bought" albeit very high quality. You might find my stools a bit rustic and crude because I intentionally include defects in the wood as well as showcase the unique qualities the wood might have. 

I hope you don't take my comments as negative toward your work. It is not meant to be. I would be proud to have your stools in my own home. I am simply making conversation about nuances in design and execution and why we vary our techniques. This is after all "Woodworking Talk".

Bret


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

The stools look very nice.



Lola Ranch said:


> I have a comment that is more of an editorial on my woodworking philosophy and coming from me, because I come from the production side of woodworking, may seem a bit hypocritical. The furniture we build is hand-made, a fact that I think adds value and desirability to our product. Your bar stools are built with precision and uniformity but to my eye they look "store bought" albeit very high quality. You might find my stools a bit rustic and crude because I intentionally include defects in the wood as well as showcase the unique qualities the wood might have.


+1. :yes: Like the difference between machined DT's and handcut.









 







.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Here's some other chairs by WillemJM*

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f13/chippendale-chairs-38430/

There's a lot more handwork in these Chippendale chairs. It's just a "style" thing I think rather than a philosophy. He's obviously capable of either type of woodworking and when the design call for it, he rises to the occasion. I think the style of the bar stools suits the rest of the environment in the photo just fine, clean lines, simple and beautiful wood. I also think backs would have intruded, obscuring the rest of the cabinetry, but I love a stool with a back personally....especially at a bar....just sayin' :blink: :drink::drink:


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## bob sacamano (Jan 24, 2012)

you do beautiful work


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

woodnthings said:


> http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f13/chippendale-chairs-38430/
> 
> There's a lot more handwork in these Chippendale chairs. It's just a "style" thing I think rather than a philosophy. He's obviously capable of either type of woodworking and when the design call for it, he rises to the occasion. I think the style of the bar stools suits the rest of the environment in the photo just fine, clean lines, simple and beautiful wood. I also think backs would have intruded, obscuring the rest of the cabinetry, but I love a stool with a back personally....especially at a bar....just sayin' :blink: :drink::drink:


Oh yeah, I remember those chairs. They are very nice. The man has talent!

Bret


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## WillemJM (Aug 18, 2011)

Lola Ranch said:


> WillemJM, I like your production methods. You have a practical, production approach to WW. I like your stools and admire the craftsmanship. Your design and execution seems to have allowed your to get them built in a timely manner which I can appreciate.
> 
> You may have seen my post on the bar stools I am building. They are constructed very similar to yours from the seat down excluding the turned and quartered legs (clever idea BTW). From the seat up we have gone different directions.
> 
> ...


Bret, I appreciate your input coming from a skilled woodworker. You are correct, they do look a little store purchased, and as custom woodworkers we should always try and make something which has no resemblance to the soulless mass production, US designed, manufactured in Asia as mass production and touched for the first time by American hands when unpacked in the store. So sad that most people don't know the difference.

For Bar stools, for the life of me I could not get to a simple design which I liked to fit where they go and I did not want to spend a lot of time on these. The chairs took me around 8 hours to build, the upholstery around 1 1/2 hours, spraying about 2 hours I guess. So, they are as the title suggests, Furniture grade, fast and easy.

I have a few more of those easy projects coming up, then I will get back to the real stuff which takes time. I enjoy doing true 18th century styles, more so European than American, but that takes a lot of time.

I like your bar stools, especially the Walnut selection, keep posting up, also once they are in place of use.


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## preacherman (Nov 29, 2011)

Those are some very nice stools. I am pretty sure if I tried that it wouldn't be so fast and easy. I would make some desinger firewood. I'd probably cut into the mortises on the lathe.


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## STAR (Jan 1, 2008)

WillemJM said:


> Bret, I appreciate your input coming from a skilled woodworker. You are correct, they do look a little store purchased, and as custom woodworkers we should always try and make something which has no resemblance to the soulless mass production, US designed, manufactured in Asia as mass production and touched for the first time by American hands when unpacked in the store. So sad that most people don't know the difference.
> 
> *For Bar stools, for the life of me I could not get to a simple design which I liked to fit where they go and I did not want to spend a lot of time on these. *The chairs took me around 8 hours to build, the upholstery around 1 1/2 hours, spraying about 2 hours I guess. So, they are as the title suggests, Furniture grade, fast and easy.
> 
> ...


 
I think the simple lines are what make these bar stools especially where they are going. I know for our home they are perfect because they are not over designed and have simple lines.

Certain homes lend themselves to certain period furniture. These ones suit the wooden floors, maybe I might be tempted to make the legs chunkier, I do not know. I will have to find some sacrifical pine and make some different stles of legs and see what happens. 

As far as Brett says I do not have to worry about being too perfect, that is the curse of the craftsman. I am sure distress marks and offsets will come natural for my build.

Thanks again


Pete


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## Tilaran (Dec 22, 2012)

You're confused. THESE are " furniture grade" bar stools.:yes:


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## STAR (Jan 1, 2008)

Tilaran said:


> You're confused. THESE are " furniture grade" bar stools.:yes:


 
Not for my home. They would definately suit another theme, but I cannot see them blending in seemlessly into the wooden decor that abounds in the original pics.

Horses for courses I would say.

Pete


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## STAR (Jan 1, 2008)

My thanks to Willem for sending me the 3D files for his bar stool build. I have no experience with these programs like E -Drawing and so had to try to get my head around how to download and then play with some of the features on it.

That is why I have taken so long to reply here. The 3 D effect is fantastic, the details and measurements are all their to see very clearly and even more so when you can rotate and focus in on the parts you need to see more of.

I have been fairly busy and have spent more time on the playing and getting used to the features then actually concentrating on the Bar Stools.

But I can say I am impressed with the work and files Willem sent to me.

Thanks Willem

Pete


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