Building the Footstool

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Introduction:

The footstool is made of the following 4 parts: Oak Legs (4) Oak Rails (4) Cleats (2) Plywood Top

Note that the legs are each made of 2 pieces glued together

You will learn to make the following 3 wood joints: Biscuit joint Rabbet joint Lap joint

You are required to supply the fabric/leather for the cushion

Paper work Before grabbing a piece of wood you must

complete 2 paper items:

A Cutting List A Cost Sheet

Marks:

Your project will be graded using the supplied rubric.

Emphasis for this project is placed on: Following correct breakout procedure Accuracy of all dimensions (length, width, thickness) Quality of wood joints Quality of finish (sanding, stain, clear) Safe practices in the wood shop

Take notes to use as instructions!

The Legs:

The legs are made by gluing 2 pieces at a right angle

Start by making these 8 pieces:

(4) – 12” X 2 ½” X ¾”

(4) – 12” X 1 ¾” X ¾”

Picking a Board

This project will be built using cabinet grade red oak

Oak is very heavy and will not dent easily. You can identify it by its hardness and the porous grain

Select a piece of oak that is 1” thick and a width that allows you to get several pieces without much waste

Mr. Huber will show you how to layout a board using chalk

Starting with the legs

Step 1: Mark the rough length

Mark the rough length 1/2” longer than finished size (12 1/2”)

Use chalk and a square Check the board for

cracks and staples

Step 2: Cut to rough length

Use the mitre saw to crosscut the rough pieces

Make sure you have enough material to make all 8 pieces

Be aware that a hardwood like oak will kickback easily

Step 3: Joint a reference face

Joint the each piece with the face down

Mark the reference face with a checkmark

Use a pushstick

Step 4: Plane to finished thickness

Plane each piece to ¾”

Plane all pieces at the same time to ensure they are all consistent

Step 5: Joint a reference edge

Joint 1 edge flat and smooth on each piece

Mark the jointed edge with a checkmark

Step 6: Rip to width

Use the table saw to rip the pieces down to the right width

(4) – 2 ½”

(4) – 1 ¾”

The jointed edge must go against the fence

Mr. Huber will supervise you while using the table saw

Step 7: Crosscut one end square

Use the crosscut sled on the table saw to cut 1 end square on each piece

Cut off as little as possible

Step 8: Crosscut to final length

The final length for the legs is 12”

Clamp a stop block precisely 12” from the blade

Cut each piece with the square end against the stop block