Make a traditional milking stool. Limited tools. No Bench.

Take five tools and some construction furniture and make a REAL piece of furniture.
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[@RexKrueger]

There's a small mistake in this video. I said the resultant angle of the legs was 5 degrees, but it's actually 15 degrees. You can experiment with angles; it's a flexible project.

[@dylansfirewood6852]

Rex Krueger Hey great video I think you should make some sort of storage for all the tools on the joiners bench or some sort of storage system for all the tools we have

[@maximilianmorris1630]

Dammit Rex I cut it at 5 and came back and watched the video again and I was like "I did nothing wrong!" All good, it's good practice to fix it. Thanks for the videos!

[@Struthio_Camelus]

Why does a milking stool only have three legs? Because the cow has the udder!

[@shaunsiz.itsbetterbytube2858]

Moo lol

[@brendanstrasburger9766]

3 legs make it very stable on an irregular surface, dirt floors

[@paulhoulihan8711]

Brendan Strasburger I prefer the udder answer !!

[@justingilbert3667]

You know, I support Rex via Patreon because I got sick of him constantly begging for money ;) but gotta say I get more joy out of these videos and his approach than should be legal. Can we get some shirts in the Patreon store saying "Proud supporter of Rex's antics?"

Now you have to make a Pole lathe, to make the legs round.

[@tatepishepard]

Thank you very much for the metric system data conversion. If it makes any sense. English isn't my native language. Great video as always. Cheers

[@kluzz]

Five tools. One cow. Let's Go.

[@thunderusnight]

She told me I can't refer to her as that unless I want to sleep in the shed. She also threatened to take away the tools.

[@jbtallullah7009]

The best part of woodwork for humans in my opinion is it helps you to understand the greater utility of the tools Rex is avoiding and also it strips down the geometry of woodworking to it's simplest form. It really takes a master to reduce everything to such a basic form. I love it.

[@adrienrenaux6211]

I feel like it's a new thing, (I might have missed it in the past) but even if it's not, THANK YOU for putting metric units in the video!

[@jfh400]

15:38 ... or "choperations" as I like to call them...

[@RexKrueger]

Ha!

[@mrstijntje]

You're called Steve Wood? Nice!

[@TheFireMage100]

Hey Rex I have a pretty interesting bit of geometry for you. 6 equally spaced points on a circle are actually spaced the same distance as the radius. This means you can use that same piece of string to make 6 points and join them like you did here

[@MyUnquenchableThirst]

The bestagons!

[@canobenitez]

no need to use a string then! use tthe speedsquare to mark 6 60ª degrees lines (360/60 = 6 lines just like Rex did)

[@ve1708]

Well, there is no need for a try-square to mark the legs position. After drawing inner circle just put the center of the 'compass' onto one of points where the former diagonal cross it. Then draw another circle from this new center with the same string length. Points of crossing of this two circles and the opposite point of crossing the line and inner circle will be the legs positions. Minus one tool, and still simple and perfect.

[@danceswithaardvarks3284]

That thought crossed my mind too : )

[@thomashverring9484]

Great video, Rex! Looking forward to the next one!

[@RexKrueger]

Thank you! I'm looking forward to making it!

[@TheMrAshley2010]

Same. I absolutely love your approach, seeing what you can accomplish with the least 'equipment'. So good for those of us on a budget. So much better than when the presenter says '..then go to the band saw...then go to the drill press...' etc.

[@KelikakuCoutin]

I've been subscribed for quite some time, but I just joined your team. You've done so much for me. You have really gotten me started on wood working and I hope that you continue with much success!!! Thanks for the content. Keep up the good work. בס״ד

[@1965gracebug]

Thank you! This was by far the best milking stool video I have watched. Very simple instructions and thorough, especially for a beginner like myself.

[@eb282]

I use a simple rope vise on my stump-bench. Works pretty good and helps with stability when sawing. Great video

[@helltanner3722]

I don't do much woodwork but when you show me tricks with basic tools I find it must more enjoyable and useful than watching someone with a $10,000 bench. I tend to make do with a saw and a hammer

[@hankjones5233]

Way behind on my Woodwork for Humans projects. Maybe after I finish my porch. 🤔

[@RexKrueger]

There is no "behind"! Just do the ones you like!

[@vittocrazi]

im making a super crude work desk. looks good by now. but i have yet to fit the legs. (also doing a bed because toy are expensive as F where i live.)

[@thegreatmoa]

This is very much like a no-tools version of the Creepie stool from the Anarchist's Design Book from Lost Art Press, which I recently made myself. Great execution and very accessible for beginners. Keep up the great work!

[@zbnmth]

you can get the 60° angles by re-using your small diameter string and put the tack on the intersection opposite of the initial starred intersection. ...this is for the more mathematically inclined, namely exactly 60 degrees in theory.

[@suburiboy]

In case anyone mathy cares, the “resultant angle” name is because it is the result of “adding” rake and splay angles. (“Resultant” means that you are adding two vectors) The “sight line and resultant” system is basically like “spherical coordinates”. While “rake and splay” is separate rotations about the x-axis and the y-axis (assuming z to be the vertical 3D axis)

[@shaunsiz.itsbetterbytube2858]

I really wanted to know that .after a few beers it makes sense .I got more rake the more beers I had then I fell off my stool

[@danceswithaardvarks3284]

Math nerd approved : )

[@adrianabshire]

You just put me soundly to sleep... lol Thanks!

[@suburiboy]

Adrian Abshire you ok? Most people take more than that to fall asleep.

[@mcswordfish]

Nice work as always, and thanks for including metric measurements onscreen. Feet and Inches I can understand, but once you get to fractions of an inch, I lose all sense of perspective.

[@zyamadeadborn1785]

There is an even simpler way to evenly space the three legs. Just take the same string, that you've drawn your inner circle with, put a thumbknack on the opposite side of the straight line from that star you marked your first leg and them just mark two points on the circle with a pencil and string. =)

[@upsidedowndog1256]

That explains much of the old furniture I see in Arkansas. Brilliant but crude. Nice job, Rex!

[@RochelleCooley-s4o]

Another thing that is good, a three leg stool never rocks, no matter how bad the floor is!

[@theidlehandsworkshop3884]

Holy crap on a poopstick Batman !!! I learned something !!! Many thanks Rex, this was another great video and I loved the in depth aspect of everything even though you brought geometry out... that made my head hurt. You rock !!!

[@Samcrowe123]

Ha he's a coward get it cause he made a milking stool

[@TheLyrad1]

Doubt you received my praise from re-adjusting an out of the box awhile back because it was an older video, but, step by step I made it through planing this oak mantle for my flip house and its beautiful. Thanks for all the great intel on your videos!!

[@DeafMaker]

I am totally gutted there are no auto captions for deaf people on this one.

[@suzisaintjames]

Cute stool, but where I come from, milking stools only have one, center leg. ❤🌅🌵😷

[@roynielsen1911]

I was thinking the same. I guess this has double redundancy.

[@johanneswerner1140]

And the stool is strapped to your behind and you drag it with you as you move from cow to cow. But still a good project. Did that with my kids a few months ago :)

[@zaredshawver9496]

I am working on a project with wedged round tenons I am cutting by hand. I figured out the method for using the same drill bit to define the circumference of the tenon. I felt so vindicated to see that solution again here!

[@moebius2288]

I built this stool, and it's the first thing bigger than a breadbox I've made out of wood since I was in middle school. I can't think of any other way to describe what I felt when I sat on it the first time other than to say, I felt happy to be alive.

[@naormovshovitz1676]

Thanks! I've been wanting to make a milking stool since you briefly showed one on screen on an unrelated video :) Question: how come some stools/chairs have stretchers connecting the legs at the bottom, and some don't. Aren't those required for stability?

[@michaeldorman]

“Just down to the details”...like legs. 😀

[@johnt2443]

Hey Rex, just wanted to say what a great resource your channel is, i’ve made two of these stools, very happy with them and really cool to learn about those mortise tenon joints. Will attempt one of your work benches next. Thanks again - John

[@rhyskenny6429]

Gotta say man I love your videos! Perfect mix of info and humour! :)

[@thunderusnight]

I'm sorry if this comes off as rude or annoying but the audio is just s l i g h t l y off. It's not bad but tgis kinda thought just drives me crazy. But this video is definitely worth watching either way.

[@donniebrown2896]

Count your blessings, try hearing impaired and no CC

[@thunderusnight]

@@donniebrown2896 I'm sorry for your situation I was merely pointing out a fact and hoping it could be used for future improvements, however KZbin has auto-generated captions on the vast majority of videos although they sometimes take a day or two to appear so I hope that may be of some help to you. And if you reach out to Rex I'm sure he would find a way to fix it so he would have captions. I wish you well, have a good day.

[@PeteLewisWoodwork]

This is the most recent project I could find that utilises the round tenon joint. I looked for it for a reason. Has nobody ever wondered why the legs are BOTH glued in with a wedged tenon...AND...the intention of the leg sliding up and tightening into the circular mortise hole? I mean, which is it to be - fixed (wedged and glued) or sliding (tightening under pressure). It can't be both. I've always wondered about that in previous projects. I'm not having a go at this or any previous projects that have this method of construction; I'm just doubting that glue on the tenons is necessary if the legs are expected to eventually seat themselves under pressure. In fact, I think it would prohibit it because it would hold for a time and eventually the glue would crack, at which point only then would the leg taper settling start. It would be better to assemble this joint with no glue at all and make the wedge slots much deeper so that they can be tapped further home as required with settling movement, while also planeing flat the leg tops as required before reseating the wedges. If you know what I mean...???

[@andrewkrahn2629]

when you're planing big flats with your knife, this grip can be even nicer kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZpnKcq2BpJp6brs (around 2:10) You sit holding your knife in more of a dagger grip, palm-up, with the point of your knife angled back toward your navel and the sharp edge away from you. You start cutting at the close and of the material (where you're holding the wood against/along your thigh) and push away from yourself. It ends up giving you a very flat, straight cut.

[@mattdoliver1984]

What are your thoughts on overpriced tools Rex would you pay £100-£200 for a titanium speed sqaure when you can get an identical looking aluminium one for a tenna?? Love your videos mate. Matt

[@riccardo-964]

Hi Rex. Don't know if you read this, but here it comes: I found your latest series interesting, but quite frankly, they don't resonate with me. I know I know, you could use just an axe and a pocket knife and a saw and some raw material and build things, ok, I get that. However, I think it would be more interesting to explore what you were doing right before this: using simple tools and tools devised by you to build beautiful and useful furniture. I find hard to believe that someone does not own a pair of chisels or even the will to make a low bench (like the one you did). Well, that's what I'd like to write. I really like your videos, keep up the good job! Cheers

[@bobrees4363]

I have to laugh every time I see three legged stool labeled "Milking stool". I milked a lot of cows by hand in my younger years, what we used was a simple T made of 2x4's, your two legs provided the other two legs for stability. Simple in use, one hand for the bucket, on hand for the stool when the cow wanted to move. Put your head into her flank for a fourth point of contact. Nice bit of furniture though. Handy in the house, not so much in a milking parlor.

[@tammyt3434]

"Before you go looking for a compass, just use a thumb tack and string." I have a beautiful brass compass on my shelf. I'm not sure where the thumb tacks are...

[@carterfinch2027]

Rex, what carving knife do you use? Is it a certain brand/type?

[@thegreatmoa]

Looks like a morakniv 106. They're amazing knives for the price!

[@jlinkels]

I don't believe in a workshop with $250 planes and $120 back saws. But this frugal tool set might be too much on the other side. I get the point though, the video and explanation is excellent. I just would not recommend it.

[@weedeater64]

Around 10:15 , need tool.. How about doing a video making a tapered tenon cutter and matching tapered mortise reamer? Also a froe from a junkyard leafspring would be a great video. Include the trip to the junkyard and removing it yourself if possible. The above, along with a drawknife and shavehorse attachment for your roman bench would pretty much round out a shaker furniture kit. Then do some primitive bending with fire and wiping water on workpeice, rather than a more complex steam unit.

[@ongridself-reliantfamily1751]

Great Video. I am loving the simple, accessible approach. I am in the situation where I don't have much indoor space, so this outdoor work space approach is great for me. Thanks so much

[@wookieefaced1595]

Excellent video, but I'm wondering: as a 3 legged stool, is cutting the legs to length to level them really necessary for stability? If it were 4 legged, I could see the need for that, but with three legs, it should be stable regardless of any difference in leg length.

[@thoughtnox]

actually the chopping block only needs it's center of gravity shifted further to the bottom... either a longer piece of block or a concrete block, suspended with a rope from the bottom of the block should do just fine... spreading the legs would increase the chance of tripping over them and falling into..tools.

[@knutzzl]

Speedsquare?!?!?!?!??? Dummy's! Use the short string. Left&right from te bottom end of the line.

[@Ravedave5]

I literally made one of these last week! I screwed up the angles a little, the guide block is a good tip.

[@oslogutt80]

Great content as always Rex. Thank you. 🤩

[@NathanielLNewton]

I feel like, at this point, you should do a collab with how to make everything. He makes you the primitive tools, you have to build a piece of furniture out of them.

[@donniebrown2896]

Like primitive tools and woodwooking. Try mr. Chickadee.

[@mightyporky]

Love all that hand work, good job. Can't hear and CC does not workedly for me, just on this video....

[@Johnsmith-fr9qd]

The equivalent of telling a chef who wants to open a restaurant that all he needs is a firepit and skillet. Depends if you want to make money or just do it for a hobby.

[@horseblinderson4747]

If you have the money but not the time, power hand planer. I'd never thought I'd endorse one of those but I just got one and it's awesome for flattening up a split stool top and for rounding and trueing up the legs.

[@jossfitzsimons]

The cows in US must be very tall if this is a milking stool. Mine was about 12" high and I still had to bend.

[@tommasters8229]

Sorry to bother you but although I'm subscribed I no long get notified about you new uploads?

[@naormovshovitz1676]

Rex I use the same carving knife and I love it too much to let it stay in that cheap ugly plastic sheath it comes with. Want to show us how to make a wooden one?

[@John-yt5zr]

Looks like Rex is phoning it end, this video is basically like the 3 other videos. #redundant

[@MCsCreations]

Pretty beautiful work, Rex! The stool looks great! 😃 Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

[@philippthecat9098]

Thats not what came to my mind when I read Milking stool..

[@martyjenkins3631]

Was it intentional that the latest project in this series is essentially the same as the first?

[@BarryinFredonia]

You are so clever and use such common sense methods. Cheers!

[@howardcameron2551]

Have you abandoned your $60 work bench?

[@tommoores1531]

I thought you were more of the Lex Luther of woodworking

[@barmillsmodels]

Rex, I thought I was supporting you through Patreon..... now I’m not sure. Art Fahie, Maine

[@Asdayasman]

Up until very recently, I didn't have a driveway. I wonder, can you push this to "need a workshop? I'm gonna do it in my bedroom"...

[@geraldkoth654]

In 1946 my dairy farmer uncles made a one legged stool from four pieces of real 2x4 lumber. A seat piece about 12 inches wide. A vertical leg about 12 inches long and two pieces 4 inches long to lay alongside the leg so that the seat portion had more support side to side. All nailed together. Fit anywhere, moved with your butt and economical.

[@kam70111]

Reminds me of an old idiom, "a bad carpenter blames his tools If someone performs a job or task poorly or unsuccessfully, they will usually lay the blame on external factors, such as the quality of their equipment, rather than take responsibility for their own failure."

[@urbanlumberjack]

That is so awesome! Do the legs wiggle over time?

[@MartinMMeiss-mj6li]

Pretty neat. I like this guy's approach. He could have laid out the position of the legs with the radius string of the inner circle just by marking the points of hexagon by stretching the string six times around the circle. I also think he should have made the lower tapers on the legs longer for a more graceful look. But still, a nice project.

[@leifhietala8074]

The big upside of a three-legged stool is that three points define a plane - no wobble. If there's a solid surface to stand it on, it won't rock. BUT it also has a significant downside: the coverage under the load isn't as wide as the load itself. It's pretty easy to tip it over. If you have wood tough enough to take the load - both in the mortises AND the tenons, because the leverage applied to both elements goes up quickly with the angle - splaying them wider will make the stool a lot more stable.

[@dunstalker]

Great video Rex! I'm following through on your basic woodworking videos. I would really appreciate building some modern looking furniture, using only hand tools, or few power tools. Thanks!

[@dquad]

Your stool is a bit pale mate, you should see a doctor about that

[@theeddorian]

You can reduce the size of your tool set by one, if you use your string compass to set the sight lines. Pick a point on your second circle directly opposite where one of the legs will go (across the diameter of the circle from where you want the leg), and mark both the leg location and the opposite point in the far side of the circle. Set the tack in the wood at the point opposite your leg location. Make sure the string length is still equal to the radius of the second circle. Swing arcs to each side of your point marking where the arcs intersect your second circle. Those two points plus the first location you chose are your leg locations. Use a straight edge to run lines from the center of the circle to each of the points and you have the sight lines. This is probably a little easier if you do the layout before you do any shaping of the seat. Prior to the 19th century, most of the layout work was done using dividers, straight edges, and a marker of some type. Graduated rulers or protractors were scarce until industrialization started to seriously get under way. George Walker and Jim Tolpin's By Hand and Eye is an excellent discussion.

[@SirBlade666]

There is a much easier way to mark the locations of the legs. Once you've draw the smaller circle and marked the top and bottom on the line that bisects it, take your string compass and place it on the bottom mark. Draw a mark on the left and right of the bottom mark. Repeat the same for the top mark. You now have 6 marks along the circle, use a straight edge to connect the opposite marks. All lines should cross in the center. No measuring needed.

[@timwhite4301]

I don't need one but I really want to make one 😃

[@brantheman6486]

I have binge watched your channel. Such great, straight forward, videos. I believe I will be a patreon.

[@contra81]

awesome vid, I just finished reading/understanding about chairmaking in AWB book

[@AlbiesProductsOnline]

You could always just add an extension to your chopping block workbench like a 2 legged saw horse just enough to hold the other end of a piece of wood you have clamped to your chopping block then you can saw it at standing height

[@onceANexile]

The milking stool we used had 1 leg....

[@loucinci3922]

Very detailed (and humorous) explanation walking through the build. Nice job.

[@jimbenge9649]

Great video Rex, 🙌 I've been following your channel for a couple of months or so now and catching up on your earlier ones. It's a fantastic idea to get folk interested in doing things from the basics up. It really encourages us to adapt and utilise what we have instead of hanging around idle waiting until we've saved up for that must have tool. It also puts people in touch with traditional methods which are more sustainable and accessable. Based on your 'sitting' workbench, I've just made myself a carving bench which I'll be trying out next week when I've finished the holdfasts. I'll send a link to the video I'm making of that. 👍

[@luiscroft9103]

Really enjoying getting into your channel. It's cool to see something different. Love that you're making quality content and not just whatever is "popular". I look forward to seeing more

[@glencrandall7051]

Just goes to show that you don't need a shop full of machinery to do a useful project. On the other hand if you do have all that machine stuff, why not use it! Thanks for sharing Rex. Have a great day and please continue to stay healthy.

[@suzisaintjames]

Another way to sturdy up your chopping block would be to add feet similar to the low saw horses. ❤🌅🌵😷

[@gilbreathca]

You need a brilliant red white and blue leather suit to suggest you are the Evel Knievel of woodworking, Sir! Lol!

[@MarshmallowVogt]

i really love your videos but i honestly would use power tools for most of the projects you do and I don't have most of the traditional tools you use I would love it if you mixed in some more contemporary techniques with your old school builds maybe do another channel? your videos are super informative and always an enjoyable/educational viewing experience I just wish I could do more of the builds you do

[@aidanklapperich7090]

great video! Im currently making the chopping block workbench, so maybe this will be my first project with it

[@3x3-x3x-oXo]

Another way to get your 60 degrees right is to start from your diameter, find the center of the bottom radius, and draw a line square to it. The intersection points with the circle are then dead on.

[@beckytaul4355]

Still need to know what is height?

[@StripeyType]

this reminds me of the short "A Stool For Me" from Sesame Street when I was a kid. What's even more interesting is that my own daughter, who just turned four, had me make her such a stool over this past weekend. So, fewer operations, because the seat is just a round cut from a log, but the rest is the same.

[@spaghettisauce2773]

Find a flat piece of ground

[@timppamies85]

Thank you Rex, you have inspired me and showed a whole different attitude towards tools and workspace. I actiually made those sawhorses, modded them a bit and they made possible to work my way though a project with very basic tools, at outside with no power tools!

[@TheRealCAPerry]

It would be great to see how you step things up using your regular tools and workbench - maybe scale it up a bit to use alongside you workbench when need arises. For the few tools used though, this came out great.

[@jerryjohnsonii4181]

Awesome video !!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the knowledge on how to make a traditional milking stool , Rex !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@danceswithaardvarks3284]

That was a very enjoyable video. Thanks for sharing. I used a big oak chopping block as a chopping block and outside workbench for years and it gained that much character that it now is a stand for a fountain in a friends garden.

[@lordrichard8184]

I was thinking those short saw horses would be great to keep in the work truck to help break down long stock with a circular saw. Great video!!

[@TheIntermont]

You really need a giant compass, so you can feel like God in those William Blake paintings.

[@duceanahalf]

What about a pair of knee high saw benches, they sit lower than traditional saw horses, making hand sawing easier