Stool Challenge-For a school

[Chris S.]

Okay woodworkers I have a challenge for you. My wife is a principal at a school and has been expanding the science room to be something highly useful and a good learning environment. With the limited budget of schools she has been looking for some short stools for the tables the kids can sit on to work. Well, the metal ones she bought on Amazon are junk and already have 2 that have fallen apart and couple more about to. They only been sat on twice. Now the challenge.

Anyone have a design, or can make a design, that is super simple to build, inexpensive, and sturdy. Grades are up to 5th grade so some kids are more robust than others so need to handle a decent load. Looking for something about 18" tall. I working on idea myself but love to see what you all come up with. Ttying to keep cost under $10 a stool. If know of anyone that in Northern VA that can manufacture some for that price point be open to that also. Looking for 25-30 stools.

 

[FranklinWorkshops]

Good luck! Since you're really asking for a large donation, does it qualify for a tax deduction for someone?

 

[Sprung]

Chris, since it sounds like you're looking for plans, how about something like this? You'd have to adjust the plans a little and shorten it to achieve your desired bench height. Made with 2x4 material, they can be made cheaply. Or out of hardwood if you found a good deal on some thicker material. And they're made to support an adult - I've been looking at building a set of these for my shop, though probably out of hardwood. Looks like it would be easy to batch this one out too if you have a dado stack.

 

[FranklinWorkshops]

Chris, since it sounds like you're looking for plans, how about something like this? You'd have to adjust the plans a little and shorten it to achieve your desired bench height. Made with 2x4 material, they can be made cheaply. Or out of hardwood if you found a good deal on some thicker material. And they're made to support an adult - I've been looking at building a set of these for my shop, though probably out of hardwood. Looks like it would be easy to batch this one out too if you have a dado stack.

That's a nice design and looks sturdy. But just the materials to build these was more than $10 each according to the article.

 

[Sprung]

That's a nice design and looks sturdy. But just the materials to build these was more than $10 each according to the article.

His $21.50 covered the pair of stools - so cut in half, it's $10.75 per stool.

 

[rocky1]

Durable, under $10, for robust students, makes it kinda difficult.

 

[FranklinWorkshops]

His $21.50 covered the pair of stools - so cut in half, it's $10.75 per stool.

Exactly, that was my point. Chris would like to buy them from someone already made for $10, according to the way I read his OP.

 

[FranklinWorkshops]

Durable, under $10, for robust students, makes it kinda difficult.

View attachment 160443

Rocky, that is a glue up fashioned into a log-lookalike. Right? I have seen real log cuts in a local hardware store but they were too heavy to easily move, and they cost $45 each. You could put casters on them for another $35 if you wanted a rustic, roll-around log. With the new Green New Deal, we will all be going to work on these.

 

[rocky1]

Yeah, it kinda looks like it Larry. Google images is a little lax on "log standing on end" pictures!

 

[Sprung]

Exactly, that was my point. Chris would like to buy them from someone already made for $10, according to the way I read his OP.

I read it the other way around, lol. By stating that he's looking for a design "that is super simple to build, inexpensive, and sturdy", it reads to me like he's looking for a design he could build. But also states that he's open to buying something made by someone else - but I think that $10 per stool price point will be impossible to achieve in buying something made by someone else.

 

[Chris S.]

@Sprung 100% correct. Looking to build to keep cost down. Hard to buy at that orice point but put out there. No handouts needed unless someone wants to donate then sure is a way to make tax deductible. I will check out plans. Thanks for plans.

@rocky1 helpful as always.

 

[Steve in VA]

Hey Chris, what about making them out of pallets? You can always find them for free, so then it's just labor.

My son is a Boy Scout and there is a wood working merit badge. If you're up for it, I could see if several of them would be interested in participating. We could head out your way and bang them out in a day.

 

[Chris S.]

@Steve in VA the merit badge thing a great idea. Pallets to much pain in butt to work with but looking at plans linked above and some other ideas I thinking about a plan now. If end up going forward with this I will let you know. Could batch out all the cuts and meet up at school in manassas and kids could assemble and sand them all. They maybe even be able to do all the cuts too. I am seeing if can fasion up something super simple. Then just need to convince wife this is a good idea.

 

[gman2431]

Hey Chris, what about making them out of pallets? You can always find them for free, so then it's just labor.

My son is a Boy Scout and there is a wood working merit badge. If you're up for it, I could see if several of them would be interested in participating. We could head out your way and bang them out in a day.

Very cool offer!!