How to Make a Wood Tripod Stool

Seats come in all shapes and sizes, from kingly thrones to humble wooden stools. A wooden tripod stool is a fairly simple project for a beginning woodworker, and it requires only four pieces of wood, some glue and a few basic tools. The legs are short and thick enough to support themselves without the addition of cross braces. You could paint or stain the finished stool as desired or keep its natural wood finish if you prefer.

2-by-12-inch wood board
Jigsaw or band saw
Marker
Measuring tape or ruler
Drill
1 1/2-inch drill bit
Wooden dowel, 1 1/2-inch diameter
Belt sander
120-grit sandpaper
Wood glue
Rubber mallet

Instructions

- 1
  Cut a circle out of a piece of 2-by-12-inch wood board with a jigsaw or band saw. The circle should use the full 11 1/4-inch width of the board.
- 2
  Mark three dots on the base of the wood circle with a marker. Make the dots form a triangle, and place each dot 2 inches from the wood circle's edge.
- 3
  Drill a 1-inch deep, 1 1/2-inch diameter hole at each dot. Angle the drill 10 degrees toward the outer edge of the wood circle as you drill to give the finished stool's legs more stability.
- 4
  Cut three 12-inch pieces from wooden dowel that is 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
- 5
  Hold one end of one of the dowels against a belt sander, and slowly rotate the dowel to make the end round. Make one end of each other dowel round with the belt sander.
- 6
  Sand all wood pieces with 120-grit sandpaper to remove splinters.
- 7
  Apply wood glue inside the three drilled holes in the wood circle.
- 8
  Insert the non-rounded ends of the dowels into the holes. Hammer them in place with a rubber mallet.
- 9
  Allow the glue to dry overnight.

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