Design and proportion

[Prashun Patel]

Brian, what's wrong with his first side drawing? Isn't it a standard Shaker trestle design? James, if you go with that first drawing, are you planning to put a large vertical stretcher up against the bottom surface of the counter?

My office desk is exactly this design and is about 32" wide, so the cantilever on each side is about 16" It's fairly sturdy, but I will warn that with my elbows - even as I'm typing now, there is some minor 'give' that is not present in a 4-leg configuration. It's solid, but I can't say it's ROCK solid.

[James White]

Prashun,

Thank you for your input. I will be putting a stretcher either at the top or 1/3 down from the top. Perhaps even both locations. I think Brian knew that I was going to go with the second side profile. Putting the leg in the center of the base makes pulling the trash can out more difficult. However I am going to take his advise and move the leg 1/3 the base length toward the front.

James

[Brian Holcombe]

Prashun,

James is accurate, judging from his comments I expected he was leaning toward the cantilevered design.

This is how I've built a similar configuration to what Prashun mentions;



Not visible here, but important to the design are four stub tenons which integrate themselves into the top and use it to counter forces which would cause the bridle joint to splay.

If this were a desk I would make the battens taller to give them additional leverage over the forces that will be applied to them in use.

[John Roth]

I would not hesitate to do a full cantilever, so long as you get your joints strong. A full cantilever allows for a stretcher in the back, which in turn gives you room for your trash cans. I have a Domino, but I would not use it for this situation. I am a big fan of bridle and half lap joints for strength. A couple of years ago I did some kitchen counter stools using half lap joints at the seat and the feet (used the Domino for the stretchers). I don't have anywhere near the skills of Brian, but did spend some time making sure the critical joints were tight. I am 200 pounds and I have two active teenage boys. So far, so good.

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Because it's a hobby and I build it for my own use, as opposed to a client, perhaps I am less risk averse. I try to avoid overbuilding things and try to go for a lighter look. Anyway, for what it is worth. Best of luck.

[Brian Holcombe]

Those are cool John! Nice work.

[Prashun Patel]

That is a wonderful stool. In your design isn't the users weight over the support and not cantilevered ? It seems the user is facing backwards. Love it.

[John Roth]

Thanks for the kind words. I got the idea from Nakashima's conoid chair. Don't mean to highjack James' thread, just wanted to illustrate the strength of a half-lap or bridle joint (and waive him off the Domino for this application).

Prashun, yes the legs are in the "front" of the stool. In theory, an individual sitting at rest will have a good percentage of his weight over the legs. In reality, the force vectors are all over the place, particularly as one gets settled in and if there is a fair amount of squirming. (Teenage boys!) James' application is more static, although Brian's advice about how guests behave is well taken.