Shop Stool: Build your woodworking skills with this basic technique.

Download my FREE GUIDE to setting up a shop for under $1000 ►► mytoollist.com/
................................
This shop stool is one a great project to really learn how to make lap joints. This is a very strong method for joining wood! After making one for your shop, you may want to make more for your home!
................................
Tired of frittering away your free time watching KZbin and playing video games? Want to learn a rewarding new hobby from the ground up? Check out my online course, THE WEEKEND WOODWORKER ► theweekendwood... You can get all the tools you need to get started for under $1000 and you don't need a huge space!
----------------
Equip your woodworking shop for under $1,000: theweekendwood...
PATREON ► / wwmm
INSTAGRAM► / steveramsey_wwmm
----------------
MAILING ADDRESS:
WWMM
448 Ignacio Blvd. # 237
Novato CA 94949
----------------
Woodworking for Mere Mortals® is a registered trademark of ZRAM Media, LLC.
#woodworking #powertools #WWMM
Category
Howto & Style
_
Music:
"Princess Meow-Meow's Theme" and all the cool music on WWMM is created by Per Almered. ----AWESOME!

[@SteveRamsey]

Just to clarify the dado cuts (the notches): it IS safe and common practice to use your miter gauge and your rip fence in combination when making non-through cuts since there is no cutoff piece to kick back and potentially fly toward you. However, notice that when I make my crosscuts at 2:00, I use a spacer block clamped to my rip fence. This prevents the wood from getting trapped between the blade and fence. If any of this seems confusing, please check out my Tablesaw Basics video where I go into kickback in more detail. Thanks for watching, everybody!

[@youtubecommentpolice2043]

Steve Ramsey - Woodworking for Mere Mortals certain builds require biscuits. Can dados work if they are done deeper?

[@loulouman]

Steve Ramsey - Woodworking for Mere Mortals .Pp

[@BigFatTonys]

I'm sure that the Self-Appointed You Tube Safety Committee (that never watches closely to the videos that it critiques) now approves of this video.

[@cowboyatthebebop]

Something to try next time, when doing the dado's for the legs set it to the far distance for the first cut. Then, use the stretcher as a stop block and it will put it at the correct distance to make it a perfect fit. Something to try instead of moving the fence in case the wood is not the very exact dimensions it is supposed to be.

[@pax1980]

Nice Tip!

[@faithscheetz5361]

Omg you're my new best friend I've never met. I just started caprentry and built a farmhouse table and it turned out awesome. Everyone laughed when I told then I was watching your videos and was going to build furniture. Then I built a beginner's farmhouse table and they're not laughing now! :-)

[@davecoates2308]

Faith Scheetz well done!! I love when people underestimate woman and then get proven wrong. Way to go!

[@loganpennington9104]

@@davecoates2308 simp

[@russellmckay8896]

Faith Scheetz, I know this is an old post, but it made me happy to see it. One of the best woodworkers I've seen is a lady, and she does some amazing work. I hope you're still building and enjoying.

[@fornello123]

You showed those bastards

[@Johnny-wy9lv]

Liar

[@andrebotha5684]

you need $8000 worth of clamps to build this shop chair lol

[@SpecificLove7]

Great video. I learn something new from almost every one of your videos. Thanks for sharing.

[@clfields0524]

Nice stool sample! I’ll see myself out now.

[@bluemoosewoodworking]

I wonder how many layers of spray lacquer are on Steve’s driveway by now?

[@SteveRamsey]

At least "several"! :D

[@SteveRamsey]

Hahaha!

[@kg4lod]

That driveway resurfacing technique will appear in a future video brought to you by Microjig.

[@jmad318]

Jonathan Friedman maker of the Grrrrripper Work safer Work smarter

[@truebluekit]

Setting up a woodwork shop for less than $1000? Some people might say that tools aren't the most important things when starting woodworking. However, for fumble handed, ham fisted people, such as myself, who need every help they could even cutting a straight line, I dare say good tools make all the difference. If you have good tools that are accurate, you minimize your errors, and, more importantly, don't dishearten you too much as you set out on your woodworking adventure. Consider that, with a good powerful circular saw with a good blade, you could do away the need for a table saw, with enough planning. Could you get sure-fire good results on a mediocre table saw? From experience, I would say luck has a lot to say in this, more than I am comfortable with. So, for anyone reading this, please note. Your personal mileage might vary.

[@ZunarZulfiqar]

This is a great video, but where is the Microjig sponsor?

[@SteveRamsey]

They stopped sponsoring for a little while. Still a great product!

[@AttilaAsztalos]

Well it's still a fact that in the entire world there's only one mattress brand I can name explicitly, and it's your doing... :P

[@dfabeagle718]

Bummer. Tell them I was thinking about getting one based on your horrible product placement gags (which are pretty funny). No worries... If they don't want to sponsor, I don't want to buy. I would never have heard of them otherwise, and push sticks are pretty easy to make.

[@RyanBarnes]

I know right!! Was part of what I loved about the videos!

[@nancyfahey7518]

Subscribe, Like, and Comment and he will make enough money to keep teaching. And click on a commercial when you see a good one. I watch the commercials all the way thru on the end of the videos.

[@roycabalo]

Started watching your channel a couple of weeks ago and I really like how you explain things. I just got into woodworking less than a year ago and never understood how my Dad, who was a marine mechanic, ever got into it. Really long story short I see now how incredible it is to make something yourself, to appreciate the raw beginng and seeing the finished end.

[@lennyf1957]

Very nice handy shop project. I just watched your very first (9 yrs ago) video. Looks like you lost a lot of weight, and a little hair...LOL

[@SteveRamsey]

9 years does a lot to a man lol

[@Heath3250]

Be careful reading these plans. You will end up cutting half the 1.5 x 1.5 to 10 3/4” ... ALL braces need to be 11 1/2” and you cut 3/4” after the half laps are cut to get the 10 3/4” “green” boards. I just cut from the first pic with all the cuts measured by color. Don’t do it lol

[@BrandonMcCarty]

I was just about to say. It didn't make a lick of sense to have the upper braces be shorter than the lower braces but alas here I am, cutting new upper braces.....

[@LowVoltage_FPV]

I miss your Grrr-ripper adds. I actually looked forward to them.

[@wortheffort]

good project for demonstrating joint.

[@SteveRamsey]

Thanks!

[@IlanDavid]

Man, I had so much fun building this stool. I did make a few mistakes but I learned a lot.

[@PathinAZ]

There's a neat trick I saw concerning jointing two boards at the same time to make the seam perfect. Once you have the 2 boards next to each other (the way you want them together), you fold them accordion style so the 2 TOP faces are on the outside. You can run them over a jointer this way, or since I don't have one I did it on the table saw and it works amazingly. If they're different widths, just use the table saw jointing jig to lock them down and buzz the 2 sides at once. This will correct any Kant issue the saw blade might be off by. Hell, you could even cut both at 45 (or any) deg and they would fit perfectly ; glue slide might be an issue though.

[@Mark-ol2ll]

When. I think of the start of summer, I think of Microjig

[@TravisInCanada1]

The "Jenga" shop stool! Nicely done Steve. A neat little future project could be a WWMM sign for your back wall (instead of spray paint lol).

[@johnjohnoj6408]

That's why I love when you do WWMM cause I,m learning from you, you make it easy. Thank u

[@SteveRamsey]

Thanks so much!

[@eddiejrbation5095]

Hey Sir Steve. I am follow this method without any equipment. Using only hand tools which is more lengthy but fun process. I use Coconut Lumber because it is only the common wood here in the PH 😅.

[@dabeamer42]

You used more than 9 clamps in that glue-up, thus invalidating your "you only need 9 clamps" video. It's OK...I already own more than 9 clamps. More than a dozen. I've lost count.

[@jorgea.garzav4650]

pyramidal design and with wider base than the top table give stability (edit: and safety, if you sit or stand) to the stool, of course, is way more complicated to do.

[@billyjack3580]

Jorge A. Garza V I like a three-legged stool, even more difficult to build though.

[@jackblakeman3408]

Hey Steve I just completed the Adirondack chair from your plans thanks. I have to agree on setting up a wood shop for about 1000 bucks, I started last year buying sanders, planer, table saw, bandsaw. You just have to shop around I so enjoy learning from you.

[@SteveRamsey]

I appreciate that, Jack!

[@calebhelbling5733]

If u go used and skip the table saw you can do it for less than 500

[@maniljoseph]

Anyone of you know , what is the wood Steve used for this project? I am very new to wood working.

[@prescotts.3235]

Thumbnail said Super Strong Joints. I feel I was mislead.

[@ShadowzGSD]

so easy to do lap joints if you live in a country that you can easily buy dado blades, i don't and the few i am able to find are insanely expensive. i have to use a thin blade and do loads of passes, now tell me European health and safety, what is safer, 2 passes with a dado blade or 50 with a standard blade?

[@northshorepx]

Good to see this. I loved the explanation on how to creep up on the cut. Came out as a nice project.

[@dustinweber1945]

What wood glue is used? I feel like the glue I use wouldn't hold anything alone, I have been using both glue and screws

[@81Lord-Nikon]

Looks like you need $500 in clamps for a $20 chair 😉. Good video!

[@artiet5982]

So excited this video is here. New video day! Miss ya Steve! Congrats on recent successes!

[@hotrodhog2170]

What are his recent successes? I think his health is declining because it looks like he is very thin.

[@SteveRamsey]

Thanks for watching!

[@artiet5982]

Steve Ramsey - Woodworking for Mere Mortals Steve, your a better man then me. These haters. Can’t just be happy for a guy that has given so much to the online woodworking community. Thanks again buddy.

[@llpp1283]

Ghost ffb The following link unsubs cribe,,,,

[@billyjack3580]

Hotrod Hog Thin just *looks* unhealthy, because we're conditioned to think people are supposed to thicken up as they age. (Of course, it can be a sign of a problem, too.)

[@andycrowley6442]

You only need 1000$ in clamps 😶

[@jasonowen5675]

You could use a piloted countersink and screw it together to hold it while the glue dries instead of clamping it

[@xl000]

@@jasonowen5675 or partially threaded self drilling / tapping screws, like spax or something

[@billyjack3580]

xl I think glue joints are stronger with a tighter fit, a screw might not have enough force to pull the pieces together.

[@Dwayne_Bearup]

$1,001. (You can never have too many clamps, while too few always causes problems.

[@FernandoSV]

i usually place a rail piece over the wood....

[@natashasurvivallady8021]

Glad to have your weekly videos back! It's been sad to not see them. Hail to the lap joints!!

[@frank_texas7400]

Nathanael Stuver monthly

[@SteveRamsey]

Thanks, Nathanael! Working on posting as often as possible while still making quality projects for you guys.

[@JustAnotherDayToday]

Hi Steve, would you cover some tips how to level chairs legs-in this case stool legs. I’ve seen some using the table saw but that technique seems aggressive and imprecise in my opinion. There has to be a simpler way. Thanks!

[@billyjack3580]

Get Me Out of Here I'd like to see that too, because a leveling session could leave you with a foot-stool. A three legged stool is probably the best solution.

[@noelv1976]

I’ll be back when I get a table saw

[@leemobai762]

Great video - which mitre gauge are you using?

[@Joy_67893]

Sir, am sorry for asking such a basic question. Which wood did you use for the legs and the top seat. Is it pine. I keep hearing of 2x4 timber and so on . But which wood falls under category of timber.

[@SteveRamsey]

Those are just 1x4 pine boards from Home Depot. They have a whole section of 3/4" thick boards of all widths. Usually "limber" and "timber" are interchangeably. Both refer to solid wood rather than plywood.

[@FromThe3PointLine]

How many of those big clamps did you use?

[@Mekchanoid]

Great video. Just wish the table saw was for mere mortals.

[@AndreaArzensek]

Your ''perfect'' fitting dado zero clearance insert is playing games with my OCD :D Nice to see projects on your channel again :)

[@fvids1603]

Funny joints like this were used in my 1800’s home to support the floor joists for the second floor . They simply notched a real 2x4 and used a 1x6 for the ledger. No sagging to this day, Imagine that . To think today’s codes would never allow that. 😂 a very strong joint.

[@JasonRSpenny]

Chamfer the feet!

[@ClaimingChristianity]

What are the chances of getting a router bit video. I got alot out of your router basics and "frame build up" video...but as a beginner...getting the correct router bits and setting them up properly is a bit daunting. I seem to have a hard time setting up basic round over's properly and maybe how to set up a fence if you don't have a table just yet? Thanks!!!

[@PawPawsWorkShop]

Thanks for sharing. I can tell you enjoy what you do.

[@Bender1138]

I stumbled on your channel last month and have been fascinated by all the projects in your videos, Steve. I keep seeing projects and think, "I could do that!" So, I went out, bought some used tools, borrowed some from a friend, and even signed up for the Weekend Woodworker course! I start this weekend. And, I'm adding this stool to my project list! Thanks for the inspiration and instruction! Quick beginner's question: what kind of wood would you use for this? Just regular pine 2x4s?

[@walkercarroll9923]

I’m not seeing the plans for this awesome shop stool....

[@quincylancto7731]

“When Americans think about summer they think... mattresses” you and I know we were thinking beer😅

[@HBF88]

How would I do this without dado blades?

[@tabhorian]

One of my very first projects was to make a stool. I still have it. But I honestly don't use it all that much. I wish I did, but in a tiny shop like mine, I find it gets in the way. I know I should use it more though... at least she who rubs my feet says say. I'm a little torn.

[@EpicATrain]

Whoops, the page you're looking for doesn't seem to exist. 404

[@fmatic8404]

How to learn the basic techniques: Step 1: Buy all the sophisticated powertools

[@robertfoedisch]

where is the plan for this stool?

[@_i_m_]

is it possible to make those notches with a router, not with a circular saw table?

[@billyjack3580]

i m yes, it can be done many ways. A handsaw and chisels will work, if that's all you have.

[@oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164]

If a mattress can be folded like that, it's not a mattress, it's a cushion.

[@JuliusHiiden]

great instruction, no table saw in my shop yet, planning to use jigsaw and chisel on those notches

[@steveelves3499]

I recently bought a Japanese "pull" saw - they're awesome! I'd use that rather than a jigsaw, because they make dead-straight cuts and you can control the depth very accurately. They're also incredibly easy to use - there's almost no force involved. Best of all, they're quite inexpensive!

[@CaptainSloose]

I just wanted to say, I’ve made this stool 3 times now out of oak (4 times if you count the one I screwed up and it fell apart) and every time I make this stool I get just a little bit better at my joinery. What I’ve learned is to measure, Mark everything, and take your time. Having the plans in front of me to check and recheck is also a huge thing for me. This stool is handsome, rugged, easy to make and strong!

[@slavashuma4385]

Like to watch your videos , Steve ! The beauty which means a combination of qualities , such as shape , color , or form , that pleases the aesthetic senses , especially a sight. My son is asking me to teach , I'm a good worker , but very bad teacher . Thanks to you I'm telling him how to and why using your methods and simple explanation. We are going to HD to get a lumber and replicate that stool . Thank you , Steve Ramsey!👍👍👍

[@davva360]

Cool project but I bet I would screw all those cuts up a couple of times lol

[@dkbuilds]

Great video Steve! How big would the top have to be before you would start worrying about wood movement?

[@SteveRamsey]

I'm not sure what the size would be. Definitely bigger than any butt for this stool!

[@chicox37]

Please do more videos about join, easy and limited equipment joining techniques. This is a great video of wood joins, but this join not is a fast and easy join. But good star.

[@chuckmaddox6725]

That was like $1000 in clamps alone lol

[@Parkhead_workshop]

"you don't need a lot of woodworking equipment to build this stool!" *uses four hundred clamps to glue it up*

[@skankyscout]

I have 4 clamps and just do it in stages. Takes longer but end result is the same.

[@yalamsito]

clamps ARE cheap if you know where to look.

[@migliacciom]

@@yalamsito harbor freight? Goodwill?

[@carbon1255]

You can use rope and stuff like that too. You don't HAVE to clamp. You could just hold it and wait too xD

[@AerialEscape]

I came across one of your videos a few days ago and now I'm a binge watcher... Cant get enough!!

[@UlisesBarrera]

I swear next time i need a mattress ill buy a Casper, thank you so much for your videos! Saludos desde Mexico amigo!

[@shamong9]

Steve the free plans does not work.

[@crystalsoulslayer]

For my fellow uBlock Origin users: if you want the tool list and it won't go through, you might need to disable uBlock on that site. I'm guessing they're using a third-party service to handle the sign up process, and uBlock could prevent the request from being sent.

[@scott8351]

Hi Steve, long time fan, making the stool and it’s coming along nicely, One mention It looks like the cut list is wrong, The cross pieces should be 8 @ 11 1/2 in and 4 of them get cut to 10 3/4 in on the final cuts, I was able to get around it by cutting three-quarter in half laps at the end, I also used a number 4 and 5 hand plane to round over edges, chamfer the feet, smooth out all faces, and for the seat I’ll probably use a number 4 plane to round over the sides, I have a router but I need to build a router table and it’s amazing what a hand plane can do with very little set up

[@davethomas1480]

Yup. I cut 4 - 10 3/4" cross pieces for the top. Have to make new ones.

[@robertstricker8535]

Why did you glue the top on? What about wood movement?

[@ashwathpro]

Had the same question. Was this answered anywhere in other comments?

[@sergiosotolongo7286]

Made one of these for the garage so I don't have to sit on a bucket. However, I can't keep it in the garage. The wife and kids love it. The wife wants me to make a couple for the bar. She even put it on instagram.

[@theburnetts]

One thing you didn’t really show is how you determined the height to set your blade when making the half lap dado cuts. This is EXTREMELY important. These cuts must be EXACTLY half way or the joint won’t work. From your video it looked like you just eyeballed it.

[@ashvinekedarnathsampat3322]

Hello sir, can you please give me a plan with dimensions of the stool. Thanks.

[@spinav]

i need more clamps i guess :(

[@OORAH659]

thanks fot the lesson and method for building a wooden stool. .... remember without free speech, we learn nothing ..OORAH!!

[@cesarvillaloboscastro7759]

Hi Steve. I've been watching your videos for some years now, they are awesome!. Even built some of the projects. I can´t find the plans for this stool. Are they available?

[@StationaryNomad361]

Hey Steve I got a question. I am in the process of building a small coffee table and chose to use white wood 1x6s if I’m not mistaken. I cut all the pieces to length (except the table top) and assembled them using glue and dowel rods only. Well, I completed the bottom portion of the table and one of the legs are about 1/4” off of the ground. It seems maybe the table is under some stress due to warping maybe? Or I’m out of square somewhere? But squares are showing me that I’m within 1/32” accuracy. Any possible advice you could give me? I planned on gifting it to someone now idk how to fix it!

[@ChattanoogaDan]

These types of joints are where brad nails and pin nails come in really handy. Any reason why you do not use them?

[@29floridaguy]

See I tried doing these cuts on scrap wood for when I did my work bench. I did something wrong where they didnt sit flush. To deep maybe like 1/4 inch. Next time I tried it was good till I ran a screw in and the it wasn't flush but wasn't as big of a gap. I didnt have that blade tho. Was making cuts

[@MeansWoodshop]

This was an enjoyable video, Steve! I know you’ve had a full plate with the weekend woodworker (which is awesome too!) but I really love your regular KZbin videos the most. This was refreshing. You’re probably my favorite KZbin woodworker.

[@BlessedLaymanNC]

When building shop furniture, I try not to glue anything since I am subject to making changes. But it looks like using these joints will make using screws that much better. The strength really isn't in the screw, but in the joints themselves. I'm watching this video because I'm interested in setting up and using these joints for most of my shop builds, and maybe even for production builds.

[@DrLoverLover]

1000$ is alot of money

[@davidhuckaby832]

I'm glad you explained kick back danger as I am an expert on a kick back blunder that taught me a lesson. I was pushing a square piece through but my push was more out side the blade instead of pushing between the blade. A bind took cut piece like a led frisbee skimming my belly and through the door window behind me. My piece was found outside garage. Yes! I was an idiot! Cutting datos and rabbets w/miter is a different story as you don't have a wild piece flopping around between blade and fence. I had a bad red mark on my belly for my payment for my lesson. (And a broken window with a traumatized dog). 😜

[@flowoodpiano717]

I can't afford to buy a proper dado blade right now. I assume I can stack a few old saw blades together, but I'm concerned about safety and the fact that my table saw is a portable job site machine, not a proper woodworking shop machine. Where is using replaced dull blades as a dado stack on the spectrum between "for the love of fingers DON'T" and "nah, it'll be fine"?

[@canaldapoeira]

Simple and effective!

[@SteveRamsey]

Thanks!

[@katejoyce1503]

I am making this stool and I am confused by something: the finished dimensions of the 4 legs is what, 1 1/2 " by 1 1/2"? You said you cut them down to 2 x 2 but since a 2 x 4 doesn't have an actual two inch width, how did you end up with 2 x 2 dimensions? I am obviously new to this but would love an explanation, it seems like the legs would have to be 1 1/2 by 1 1/2. Thanks in advance.

[@spyhunter99]

i made about a dozen of them with PT lumber for outdoor use. The glue + nails was actually a poor choice and they are all really wobbly. I'd recommend different joinery and probably full 2x4s if you're doing the same

[@ricardodelacruz877]

Hey New Steve New Hair Color. You the man. Did I already said . That because of you i am now a part time driveway woodworking shopaholic.

[@SteveRamsey]

Same hair color my stylist has used for the past couple years. Maybe it's the lighting in the shop making it look different? Probably my poor color balancing skills! :D

[@saroshashraf3747]

Everything looks so easy with all those POWER tools!

[@Troy-Echo]

Nice build, but you skipped one step. Before you put the seat on the top, you forgot to come back with one last pass to make the legs equal length. At about 10:32 into the video, the stool is rocking when you take your hand off the base. or you could add adjustable legs to the bottom to adjust. I don't remember the router being on the

[@roachgr]

Hey Steve, the cutout sheet in the plans is wrong. The top pieces should be cut to the same size initially as the bottom cross pieces. But in the cut sheet they are initially cut to 10.75 which makes it wrong when you gut off the 3/4 after the lap joint cut. I wasted a lot of wood before I finally figured it out...

[@jerrypokerwinski6858]

Steve..... I was cutting my legs according to the cut diagram which state they should be 28 inches. I then started to measure where I was going to cut the tenons and I saw that the legs in that diagram show that the legs are 28 1/4 inches. At first I panicked and thought I ruined yet another piece of wood before I realized that 1/4 inch isn't going to kill me. But it did catch me by surprise.

[@brijlal973]

Nice work. I have no background in woodworking. But can you tell me about the cut made in 4:21. Will that piece lose its strength because much wood is lost from either side? The fibre running continously through that wood will now be only 25%.

[@haywoodyoudome]

3:12 Too tight is better than too loose. Those are words to live by for sure.

[@TNtoolman]

I found that in the "big box" stores 2x6 or 2x8 are much clearer than 2x4's. If they are being ripped on a table saw, the original width doesn't matter.

[@didanoff]

Hi, thanks for video. I am only starting woodworking and now read a book about woodworking basics. Based on the book, because of season temperature changes, such stool top connection will destroy the whole structure or I misunderstood something?

[@dbnoho]

Any jerk can use a bunch of screws and nails to smash together boards. A gentleman, makes everything with no metal. Joints, angles and ability. Like a gentleman.

[@aymmbmalooky9024]

Good morning/good afternoon dear Steve, I like the way you explained project's mistakes in works can you make traning video how to make dowel wood thread dice

[@geirkselim2697]

My shops worth about 500$ unless you count my 60$ circ saw and 100$ impact but I bought those to fix my house up not have a workshop

[@harrypowers9412]

Yours is one of the best woodworking videos I watch but why have you added music? It’s distracting when you want to just watch and listen to your great instruction…just saying.

[@serafinflorendo340]

What was the link to get the plan for this project?

[@richardhart7652]

Nice video good project but a bit of a problem we in the UK and most of Europe can't get hold of dado stacks as they are classed as extremely dangerous so how could we do the job as quickly and as accurately?

[@AndrewHelgeCox]

Anyone got recommendations for cutting these joints without a table saw? Very careful work with a hand saw and chisel?

[@Cowansburg]

Hey Steve. This looks like a fun project, but do you have plans for this stool? If you do, I can't seem to find them. It would help me out alot if you do.