My entry into the SSBO. This was a great idea BTW.
I’m calling it the “Plate 11 Shop Stool”
The dimensions are 15 1/4″ wide by 8″ deep by 29 1/4″ tall.
The build includes rift sawn white oak, hide glue, and rosewood for the pegs.
The greatest challenge I faced was finishing the build. I had (and still have) intentions of sculpting the seat for more comfort. Cutting the infamous Roubo tenon as part of 16 total mortise and tenon joints was a huge all around challenge. I have never considered a Domino before, but part way through the day I was starting to have visions of Festool dance through my mind.
I was of course inspired by Roubo’s Plate 11 and a small amount of workbench envy I have, but over all I was inspired by a simple concept that I’ve been thinking on and working towards. Building furniture to fit in and compliment the environment its meant to occupy. The concept started one morning reading David Mathias’s “Poem’s of Wood and Light Greene and Greene furniture” and a picture showing a side table I had seen a hundred times before in a hundred incarnations and recreations. But this time I saw the table, in the house the Greene’s designed, in the spot the table was meant to sit and everything was perfect. The tables dimensions complimented the space and the design elements of the space echoed the elements found in the table. Where else could this table live.
I pondered this very concept as I cast about for a design for this build. I wanted a shop stool that obviously belonged in the space. The iconic image of the Plate 11 workbench has been popularly spun about in all directions in recent years. I decided to incorporate elements of that bench into a stool, including the joinery of the double tenon in the seat/top and holdfast holes in the legs.
The concept of a one day, free for all, build off is very cool and the idea of growing and continuing it is perfect. I would like to take up a challenge like this again. It’s tough to come up with something achievable in one shop day. Things that come to my mind immediately are side tables or coffee tables, but my mind wonders the possibility of turning people’s design abilities loose on a simple and iconic piece of furniture like a six board chest. At first you’d think all the entries would be straight forward, but then if you think about how you could twist tradition around into something unique. Well I guess it sounds pretty cool to me.
Thanks again Chris.
Sculptural Woodwork by Chris Wong 