Final Project: Steel Stool

Choose one material and showcase its qualities with an art piece or functional project.

My material:

Steel

I chose to make a stool for this project. I have made another stool in the past, which was my first welding project. Since then, I have improved my welding a lot, and I wanted to make a new stool that challenged me in a new way and gave me a chance to see how much I have improved. I also needed a project that would be fairly simple to complete but also leave me with a clean end product I could be proud of. I like for my projects to be useful, and stools are an accessible way to make something that can be used for a long time after it is made.

I initially planned to make my stool with a metal top and wooden legs, the opposite to how a stool would normally be made, and to how I made my first stool, using 1 inch box tube to fit the legs into. But when I made a 3D model, the legs looked too thin to hold weight properly, and I decided I didn't like the look of it. I chose instead to make the stool entirely metal. Not only was this simpler, stronger, and more aesthetically pleasing, but I think it also works with the purpose of the assignment better, which is to showcase qualities of one specific material.

Metal is one of my favorite materials to work with. It can be shiny or dull, painted or rusted, smooth or sharp, and different metals take on different colors. It bends, conducts electricity, and can be incredibly strong. And with the right tools (such as a welder) pieces of metal can be joined together seamlessly, stronger than it was before. I chose steel because it is the most common metal for simple welding construction, and I have access to a lot of scrap steel. I used 1 x 1 inch box tube, a 12 x 18 inch rectangle of sheet metal, and 1 x 2 inch box tube.

After making a quick sketch, I cut out the legs and rectangle structure, all angled cuts that I made on a cold cut saw. I used an already-cut piece of sheet metal.

I first welded the rectangle that supports the seat, then welded the sheet metal onto the rectangle. Finally, I added the legs, at ten degrees away from the base.

To create a unified surface look, I used the grinder to rub marks into the metal across the entire piece. This pattern adds a unique quality to the stool, since the light reflects differently on the marks as a viewer's perspective changes.

Welding adds material into the seams between two pieces of metal. By grinding the welds down to remove all excess material with an angle grinder, I made the structure look as if it were made of one piece instead of several pieces joined together.

Before grinding

After grinding

I added a wooden foot to each leg by cutting some pine 2x4s down until they fit snuggly into the box tube legs. I made sure the stool was level, then screwed the wood feet into the legs.

The biggest challenge with this project was making the seams hidden. By grinding away the welds, I revealed holes in the seams that I had failed to cover, and so I had to reweld the seams several times. This was also my first time welding with sheet metal, which proved to be difficult to work with. I melted holes through it very easily, and had to weld over holes without making more holes. The metal also warped as I was welding (this happens because the process puts a lot of heat into the material) and so the seat is not completely flat anymore.

Eventually, I was able to create a continuous seam along the entire edge of the seat.

Final product:

The finished stool is not very tall, but it is sturdy and not completely uncomfortable to sit on. I plan to put felt on the bottoms of the wooded feet so that the stool can be used without scratching floors. I made sure that all parts of the surface are smooth so that no one will be cut by it when using or carrying it. It is also lighter than I expected, and can be moved without much difficulty.

Page updated

Google Sites

Report abuse