There are some operations in the shop where being bent over the bench can start to wear on your back. Having a stool to sit on would be a great addition to the shop. I decided to make one using a piece of White Oak Slab, and Black Iron Pipe fittings. I’ve always liked the industrial look of the pipe fittings, and thought adding a chunk of slab would be a great combination.
I started by flattening the piece of slab by attaching it to a sled I made for use in my planer. It wouldn’t quite fit in my planer so I ended up using a hand plane and then running it through my drum sander. The result was a nice flat slab on both sides. With the piece cleaned up, it revealed a small crack in the piece. I decided to repair the crack using a wooden Bowtie, or Butterfly as its sometimes called. After cutting out the Bowtie, I made several test pieces to make sure I have the process down. Then using a straight cutting spiral bit in my router, I cut out the recess in the slab to accept the Bowtie, and glued it in. Finally I smoothed it out with a hand plane and sanded it smooth. I finished the wood with Danish Oil and set it aside to dry.
Next up was making the legs. After getting all the parts, I started assembling all the pipe fittings. This was a tricky assembly just because of all the parts. I had to make an additional run to the hardware store for some pieces that I forgot. Finally, I got it all assembled and tightened up. I sealed up the base with a couple coats of clear to protect it. After attaching the legs to the top, my stool was done.
This thing came out great. I like the height and industrial look of the legs. If you like the look of pipe fittings, they are great for projects. It might not be the most economical method for creating legs like this, but if this is a look you’re trying to achieve, then go for it. Just keep in mind that the cost of each fitting starts to add up. Let me know what you think of this project. Thanks for stopping by. Check out the video below.