Fixing a Metal Stool Pt. 5

I last left off my project on the Metal Stool Chair with the welding of the two legs. I knew that I wasn’t done yet. I had to make the foot rest ring that the stool chair needed.

Question: What did you have planned after welding the legs together?

Picture is from uline.com

Kelly: I wanted to keep the idea of a foot rest ring at the bottom of the stool.  However, I wanted to have it outside the stool’s legs. The problem was that the measurements of the tubed foot ring was meant to fit at the specific height and within the space allowed inside of the stool.

Question: What type of foot rest ring did you want to make?

Kelly: I wanted to make a similar tubing foot rest ring. Except, I had to make a new one that would fit on the outside of the legs and would align on the same height it was in with the original foot rest ring. So I had to assemble a new pipe bender that was in my shop class and make a circular tube.

Question: Did you have to take any measurements of the stool?

Kelly: Of course! I have to write the length of one leg to another. I also had to add the lengths of the diameter of the tubes.

Question: Did it turn out the way you expected it to?

Kelly: Not exactly. Unfortunately, when I tried to bend the tube I wanted to use for the foot rest ring, it eventually kinked and I couldn't use it anymore.

Question: Oh no that's a shame! Did you have a plan B?

Kelly: Yes! My second option was instead of making a circular shape with tube, I decided to make flats pieces out of steel that had a 90 degree angle bend. I used the measurements from before and figured Out the lengths. But I also had to remember that the stool's legs are at an angle so I have to make the top half of the flats pieces shorter than the bottom half.


Question: Did you immediately start cutting the pieces of steel you needed?

Kelly: No, I first had to make a cardboard version of the pieces to ensure that I would not make any mistakes on the actual pieces which will be made out of steel. Not only did I have to make two different lengths for four of the pieces, but I had to cut the bottom length it at the same angle as the stool's legs so there wouldn't be anything sticking out. I did this by using a square head metal protractor in order to find the angle of the stool's legs.


Question: What would happen if you made the whole pieces just one length?

Kelly: If I did that, then the bent flat pieces would not fit in due to the legs being at a 5 degree angle and make less space for the top length to not fit between the stool's legs. having it as one straight piece wouldn't be as stable as a piece that is bent at a 90 degree angle. After I cut out the pieces, was ready to mark out my pieces on steel.

Question: How did you make out the lines on the piece of steel since it's much harder to draw the measurements with a pencil?

Kelly: Well, I was taught by my teacher Mr. G about a technique I needed to use in this process. He told me about layout fluid which makes it easier for me to see the lines of the lengths of my pieces.


Question: How does it work?

Kelly: First I had to mark the lines but with a box cutting knife.Then I had to cover the lines with the layout fluid and mark the lines again. You can that the blue layout fluid emphasizes the lines due to the contrast of the steel color.

Question: That's cool! What did you use to cut the pieces out?

Kelly: I used a metal shear machine because it was easier than using hand shears and would make a more

Question: What did you have to do with the parts that are inner corners?

Kelly: For those parts I had to use hand shears since those sides were less than an inch long.

Question: Did you have to do anything else to the steel pieces before you weld it on to the stool??

Kelly: Yes! I had to radius the corners of the steel pieces. This was so I wouldn't get poked and hurt myself with the sharp corners. I used a circle stencil to figure which size would fit best with my pieces.


Question: Is there a way you can find the radius of an object by using the curve of the object itself?

Kelly: Yes there is! I learned about a tool called The Profiler which is known as a radius gauge which measures the length of a radius just by aligning with the curve of a circular surface.


Question: That's cool! And how did you start preparing to cut curves on the pieces?

Kelly: First, I had to outline the curves to have it as guide when I begin to cut.

Question: What did you use to radius the corners?

Kelly: I use hands shears. But, I had to use different types of shears. For example, there were shears I used to cut curves going to the left and going to the right. It made a big difference. It was easier for me to turn the piece of steel without using a lot of forcing and making a mistake.


Question: What did you have to do next? Did you begin to weld it onto the stool?

Kelly: Not just yet. I had to file and then sand all of the edges and have a nice clean finish on the pieces before I begin to weld the last pieces of my stool.

(To be continued...)