Thread: Help: making a bum shaped impression in bar stools

It may not be extremely helpful, but I have worn a bum impression into the odd barstool over the years. I find frequent use and the occasional splash of an alcohol based product should achieve an acceptable result.


But honestly, I don't really know. The woodwhisperer recently did a rocking chair with a moulded timber seat so that may be worth a look. I think he used carving chisels and sandpaper

A few different ways you could go.

You could go the hand tool route and using an adze, travisher, rasps, spokeshaves, card scrapers, etc.

Or go the power route with an Arbotech attachment on a grinder.

Google any of the above and many articles and videos will give you some more guidance.

cheers

Originally Posted by Eamon

I'm interested in making some bar stools that have a more accommodating profile than simple flat surface. Something similar to this:
images.jpg

Problem is I have no idea how to go about it short of a cnc machine.

Ideas, tips and suggestions welcome.

Eamon

The tool you're looking for is called a travisher, looks like a spoke shave with a sole that is convex along the axis between the handles. An alternative is a scorp or inshave.

Another approach is using a Kutzall dish wheel and an angle grinder. I use this, and once you get the hang of it and lose the initial hesitancy, it is quite fast. After the rough grinding, it's then just smoothing out with sandpaper, and possibly curved scrapers.

I bought several discs of varying coarseness from the Kutzall US online sales website, but I'm sure they'd be available from Australian stores.

A Canadian rocking chair maker has a video on making a chair seat here on YouTube. The actual grinding part is well towards the end, and this might give you an idea. The critical thing is accurately drilling the depth guides so you know how deep to grind in the different parts.

Des

A couple of design ideas.
Regards
John

Eamon,
This linked Youtube may be of assistance but I have only done it by hand before and therefore can't confirm that this method really works?


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5SveP71RLs4

fletty

I have been known to use my rotary chisel. Aka circular saw

Dave TTC
Turning Wood Into Art

Originally Posted by orraloon

A couple of design ideas.
Regards
John

I didn't know wood could be cast
Kryn

Thanks for all the tips guys, I'll watch those videos and see where it leaves me.

Originally Posted by orraloon

A couple of design ideas. RegardsJohn

John, nice ideas but pretty sure the WAF would be way too low

I reckon go the angle grinder to rough out the shape and clean up with spokeshaves, etc. Just make sure you've got a good way to hold it down. And some body armour just in case
How many are you making?

I think the angle grinder with a carbide tooth wheel is the way I'll go.

I want to make 4 for the house, might have a couple of practice runs first though.

Any suggestions on the best value wheel to get? Saburr tooth and Kutzall look the goods but price seems a little high. Also How long would they last given that I'm hoping to use blackwood for the stools?

Eamon

Can't recommend any particular disk, but Blackwood is quite soft, so it won't wear the disk too much. It is very fibrous/stringy, so make sure you're always cutting with the grain when using hand tools or you'll take chunks out of it. You may also find that it clogs the disk up, so have a wire brush handy.

Hope you'll put up some progress pics.

Fine Woodworking issue 245 has a bar stool and the seat is a bent lamination using thin plywood then upholstered. You can have two week free trial if you want to look at it.

Here's a nifty duplicator: https://www.woodworkforums.com/f44/carving-copier-jig-chair-seats-139879

Cheers,
Joe