Simple Furniture Designs
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child’s wood stool
#61 Round stacking tables
Friday, May 11, 2012
This is a 16” high stacking table. I’ve made a couple versions of this and think this is probably the best to make. I’m not so sure about going 18” high using this design. Perhaps if you were to use a stiffer hardwood rather than a stock 2x2 softwood that might work. Going to four legs would also help. People also have a tendency to sit on round things 18” high so I used 1/2” MDF (or ply) for the top to imply the thinness of a table rather than the sturdiness of a stool.
Assembly notes:
Step #1: Cut pieces for three identical leg units using 2x2’s for each stacking table you are going to make. (The closes metric size stock should also work.)
Step #2: Bevel the ends of the legs and clean up the sides.
Step #3: Countersink and drill the holes at the 60 degree end of the arm. Notice that each one is drilled at a different level so as not to interfere withe the adjacent screw. Adjust the location for the length of screws you are using. Do a test to make sure you don’t go out the side.
Step #4: Decide if you are going to use pocket hole screws or wood dowels. I found that the pocket hole screws and jig worked nicely. After drilling the pocket holes, I clamped some wood scraps to the work table to locate the leg and arm pieces properly. Clamp the pieces. You want to make sure that when you are screwing (and glueing) the arm to the leg that you are exerting force against pieces that will not move and that means screwing against blocking. I found that clamps by themselves didn’t do the job. Clean up the glue as you go since I think a natural finished leg looks best. I used a wipe on polyurethane. I also plugged the pocket hole on the bottom using a 3/8” dowel cut to fit.
Step #5: When the leg units are dry, turn them upside-down on to a 3/4” wood scrap and block/clamp each arm as you screw and glue them together. Use the wipe-on poly after the glue connection dries.
Step #6: Make the tops using 1/2” MDF or plywood. Countersink and drill a clearance hole for the screws. I used 8 x 1 5/8” stainless steel flat head deck screws with a square drive (for appearance). Use a countersink and drill combination for best results. Ease over the edges, sand and finish. I primed and painted mine and put on two coats of clear polyurethane for durability.
Step #7: Locate the top on the assembled frame using thin spacer blocks for alignment. Mark and drill the pilot holes then fasten on the top. No need for glue here. Now add bumper pads to the underside of the arms.
Here is a variation at 14” high. The softwood arms flex too much to go much higher.
