>

104
november 2007
|
Double Play
step stool that converts to a chair.

the rear legs become the chair back.

Classics
illustrations by thomas klenck
> by neal Barrett
S i m p l e D o - I t - Yo u r s e l f P ro j e c t s

P O P U L A RME C H A N I C S . C OM
Reach your book and read it, toowith a red-oak

comes to mind. But somewhere in between flying kites in storms and

diplomatic missions to Europe, the great man had a hand in furni-
Wood stoves, lightning rods, bifocalsand the founding of our coun-

home. Its a four-step design thats hinged at the middle step. When
tryare a few of the things we think of when Benjamin Franklin

ture design, including an innovative step stool that doubles as a

the top pivots down to the floor, the middle step opens into a seat and
chair. Weve created a version thats easy to build and ideal for any
>

104
NOVEMBER 2007
|
Double Play
step stool that converts to a chair.

the rear legs become the chair back.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY THOMAS KLENCK
> BY NEAL BARRETT
CLASSICS
S i m p l e D o - I t - Yo u r s e l f P ro j e c t s

POPUL ARMECHANICS.COM
Reach your book and read it, toowith a red-oak

comes to mind. But somewhere in between ying kites in storms and

the top pivots down to the oor, the middle step opens into a seat and
home. Its a four-step design thats hinged at the middle step. When
tryare a few of the things we think of when Benjamin Franklin
Wood stoves, lightning rods, bifocalsand the founding of our coun-

chair. Weve created a version thats easy to build and ideal for any
ture design, including an innovative step stool that doubles as a
diplomatic missions to Europe, the great man had a hand in furni-
P L E A S E C U T H E R E

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PULLOUT
$%04(
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PHOTOGRAPH BY CHAD HUNT

FREE STEP-BY-STEP PULLOUT INSIDE

P L E A S E C U T H E R E

Step Stool
O N T H E W E B /// Rotate, animate and zoom in on 3D animation
of this project at popularmechanics.com/3Dworkshop.

WOOD

Classics
We chose red oak
for this project
because its
strong, durable
and available at
most home
centers and
lumberyards. 3/4
Maple would also

g at e f o l d
work, but avoid a VIEW
sowood like pine.
e screw joints
rely on a tougher Except for the dado joints that support the
wood to hold the steps, all of the parts are assembled with
threads securely. simple screw-fastened butt joints. We
BASIC TOOLS used a wood glue along with the screws
Jigsaw if your joints are less than perfect, use
Router epoxy adhesive instead. This is a good gap
3
4-in.-dia.
straight bit ller and it works well on endgrain.
1
4-in. quarter- Weve counterbored the screwholes
round bit and covered the screwheads with 3 8-in.-
Drill/driver
Drill bits dia. wooden plugs. You can buy plugs, or
Chisel make them with a plug cutteror simply
Plane countersink the screwholes and leave the
Sander
heads ush.
HARDWARE
AND SUPPLIES ASSEMBLY SEQUENCE
112-in. No. 8 fh 1 Join side subassemblies with
screws screws and glue.
2-in. No. 8 fh 2 Rout step dadoes.
screws
112 x 2-in. butt 3 Join front step and seat rail to sides.
hinges 4 Join back step, slats and top
3
8-in. wooden step-stool step to sides.
plugs 5 Join seat halves with hinges.
Glue or epoxy
6 Attach seat to front and back
adhesive
subassemblies.

Tools
& Side
You can cut plugs ush with
Materials VIEW a sharp chisel, but take very
light cuts at rst to deter-
While the piece is simple to build, the mine grain direction.
parts must t together correctly so the Otherwise, you risk tearing
out a bit of the plug below
assembly works in both stool and chair
the surface of the
positions. To get everything right, its

Quick Tip
surrounding wood.
best to make a full-size drawing of the
side view from which you can transfer
the actual shapes and sizes of the parts.
For the curved parts, make templates
from 1 4-in.-thick plywood. Transfer the
Jigsaw shapes to the wood, cut to the lines
with a jigsaw and smooth the sawn
is tool handles edges. You can leave the lower ends
both curved and (chair position) of the rear side-frame
straight cuts. components long, then cut the bottom
to length after the parts are joined.
Similarly, the upper ends of the front
sides can be trimmed after assembly.

Combination Bit
Top CUTTING THE
If you opt for STEP JOINTS
counterbored
screwholes VIEW e best time to rout the dadoes for the
covered with steps is aer the side components have
plugs, you should
been joined. Use a straight board to guide
invest in a Cut the seat shapes with a jigsaw, clean
combination bit. the router, and clamp the board and the
up the saw marks and plane 221 2-degree
e best ones side assembly to your bench. For extra
have a tapered bevels on the adjacent edges. Use a chisel router support, secure a piece of scrap
twist bit, an to cut the hinge mortises and join both wood between the legs of the stool with
adjustable seat halves with the hinges. Then rout
counterbore double-sided tape.
cutter and a a 1 4-in. round along the ends of the seat
depth stop. pieces and around the front.

pullout

Photograph by chad hunt

Free Step-by-step pullout inside
 Step Stool
Help: Using the 3D Interface

Click Activate 3D to the left. Then

use the toolbar above this text to
play animations, change the look of
models, and use other tools.

Close Help

Activate 3D
 p l e a s e c u t h e r e

Step Stool
O N TH E W E B /// Rotate, animate and zoom in on 3D animation
Classics

of this project at popularmechanics.com/3Dworkshop.

wood
We chose red oak
for this project
because its
strong, durable
and available at
most home
centers and
lumberyards. 3/4
Maple would also
work, but avoid a View
softwood like pine.
The screw joints
rely on a tougher Except for the dado joints that support the
wood to hold the steps, all of the parts are assembled with
threads securely. simple screw-fastened butt joints. We
BASIC TOOLS used a wood glue along with the screws
Jigsaw if your joints are less than perfect, use
Router epoxy adhesive instead. This is a good gap
3
4-in.-dia.
straight bit filler and it works well on endgrain.
1
4-in. quarter- Weve counterbored the screwholes
round bit and covered the screwheads with 3 8-in.-
Drill/driver
Drill bits dia. wooden plugs. You can buy plugs, or
Chisel make them with a plug cutteror simply
Plane countersink the screwholes and leave the
Sander
heads flush.
HARDWARE
AND SUPPLIES ASSEMBLY SEQUENCE
112-in. No. 8 fh 1 Join side subassemblies with
screws screws and glue.
2-in. No. 8 fh 2 Rout step dadoes.
screws
112 x 2-in. butt 3 Join front step and seat rail to sides.
hinges 4 Join back step, slats and top
3
8-in. wooden step-stool step to sides.
plugs 5 Join seat halves with hinges.
Glue or epoxy
6 Attach seat to front and back
adhesive
subassemblies.
 Tools
& Side
You can cut plugs flush with
Materials

Quick Tip
View a sharp chisel, but take very
light cuts at first to deter-
While the piece is simple to build, the mine grain direction.
parts must fit together correctly so the Otherwise, you risk tearing
out a bit of the plug below
assembly works in both stool and chair
the surface of the
positions. To get everything right, its
surrounding wood.
best to make a full-size drawing of the
side view from which you can transfer
the actual shapes and sizes of the parts.
For the curved parts, make templates
from 1 4-in.-thick plywood. Transfer the
Jigsaw shapes to the wood, cut to the lines
with a jigsaw and smooth the sawn
This tool handles edges. You can leave the lower ends
both curved and (chair position) of the rear side-frame
straight cuts. components long, then cut the bottom
to length after the parts are joined.
Similarly, the upper ends of the front
sides can be trimmed after assembly.

Combination Bit
Top CUTTING THE
If you opt for
counterbored
STEP JOINTS
screwholes View The best time to rout the dadoes for the
covered with steps is after the side components have
plugs, you should
been joined. Use a straight board to guide
invest in a Cut the seat shapes with a jigsaw, clean
combination bit. the router, and clamp the board and the
up the saw marks and plane 221 2-degree
The best ones side assembly to your bench. For extra
have a tapered bevels on the adjacent edges. Use a chisel router support, secure a piece of scrap
twist bit, an to cut the hinge mortises and join both wood between the legs of the stool with
adjustable seat halves with the hinges. Then rout
counterbore double-sided tape.
cutter and a a 1 4-in. round along the ends of the seat
depth stop. pieces and around the front.