How to dish out stool?

[mcgrath4u]

I am in the process of making two 3-legged stools and I need to scoop out the middle. I was suppose to resaw to a decent shape, but it didnt end up like I wanted it in the end. So my question is: What is the best method of scooping out the dish in the stool seat?

Thanks in advance,
John

[ke4rdb]

Hand Asz (Hope correct spelling), curved drawplane, curved spokeplane (maybe), rough out with a plunge router finish with chisels & gouges, lots of sanding...in other words hand tools.

JW

[JR]

I saw an article recently, must have been in Fine Woodworking. They made a sled for the router to solve this problem.

The sled had two rail, both of which dipped in the middle. A custom router plate spanned the two rails. As you ran the router from one end of the rails to the othe, the bit dipped into the wood, carving out the seat.

If you're just looking for a dip in the seat, that's all there is to it. If you want to have a more complex shape, say one that has rise in the middle of the front part where your legs go, you need a more complex sled arrangement.

JR

[LarryG]

Gotta admit, I did a double-take when I read your Subject line ...

If you have a right-angle grinder, there are shaping wheels available that will make short work of this job. David Marks uses one on some of his "WoodWorks" projects. However, the one he uses is pretty spendy (upwards of $100, IIRC) and I don't know if there are cheaper models available.

[Ed62]

Gotta admit, I did a double-take when I read your Subject line ...

Yeah, me too.

Ed

[cabinetman]

You would make a line where the dish will end, and where the center is. You can use a convex spokeshave, convex drawknife, or a mini handplane, like the one pictured (Stanley 12-101).



A THING OF BEAUTY IS A JOY FOREVER - John Keats

[mcgrath4u]

Thanks for the tips. There was no way around the title. "How to scoop the stool" would of been worse.

[drumpriest]

There is a carbide cutter for angle grinders, that's what David Marks used. It's a bit pricy, but takes out the material in a hurry. I can envision the router jig also, basically a cradle, yeah?

[mcgrath4u]

The router cradle will work well. Everthing is dished scooped to the same slope.

Just came to me, instead of a cradle, use an angled board with stops. This will rotate around the stool chair to complete it . Far easier to build and will take only a little to sand the chair to a scoop.

Thanks for the great ideas!

John

[Pappy]

HF has one of the grinder cutter heads. I have one but haven't used it so I can't comment on the quality. Don't remember the price but it wasn't too much.

[sleddogg]

I recently saw a article on making arched top guitars where they marked lines around the perimeter of the guitar top and drilled holes to the desired different finish depths of each line (think of an elevation map) and then removed the material in between. Like connect the dots.

[Black wallnut]

This may be the hard way but.... when I made my youngest son's high chair I routed out most of the seat with the bit set deepest in the middle and gradually shallower towards the sides. Then I used my ROS to finish it. Progressing through grits until 220. The downside of this method is since it was all free hand there really was not much control of the final demensions. That is not as bad as it may seem as Inow have a "one-of-a-kind" heirloom highchair!

[mcgrath4u]

Pappy,

I also remembered seeing those in a harborfreight ad, but can no longer find them in the store, magazines, or online. Do you or does anyone else remember the number?

John

[Carpintero]

John,

I believe there is a way to do this if you build a square to serve as afence to your table saw, then place it off center, the amount of "scoop" depends of the amount the fence is offsett in combination to the amount the blade is rised, think of this as making cove molding, the blade is safely (when properly set up) under the seat itself thus posing a reduced danger to the operator.

I had a picture of this set up let me look it up, and i will post it upon finding it.

[WayneJ]

HF has one of the grinder cutter heads. I have one but haven't used it so I can't comment on the quality. Don't remember the price but it wasn't too much.

The one that harbor freight has is about 4 -41/2" in dia. Its made like a round chain saw. It should be in the power tool section, by the saw blades. Its called lancelot, The number on the package is 45822. HTH
Wayne