Hexagon Inlayed Shop Stool Build

Following are the material required to build this shop stool:-

1. 1” X1” Square Tube

2. 1½” Thick and 18”X18” wood piece

3. furniture leg cap

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4. Wood screw

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5. 16-gauge stainless steel sheet

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6. 22-gauge brass sheet

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7. 2-part epoxy resin

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Tools Used

Following are the tools used in this build: -

1. Angle Grinder

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2. hand Drill Machine

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3. Drill Bits

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4. Paint gun

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5. Jigsaw

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6. C clamps

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7. Router

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8. ½” round bit

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9. Welding Machine

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10. Dermal

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11. Needle Files

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12. Tin snipper

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13. Flap Disks

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There are a bunch of shop stool designs. Since our Logo is in a hexagonal shape we decided to build our shop stool in a hexagonal shape. I think it’s a unique shape and also looks very ergonomic and I personally think during welding this shape creates a lot of problems. Although you are free to use any shape you want.

1. 6 pieces of 1” X 1” square tube length 6” for top hexagon

2. 6 pieces of 1” X 1” square tube length 30” for leg

3. 6 pieces of 1” X 1” square tube length 7¾” for bottom brace

4. 1½” Thick and 21”X21” wood piece

5. 16-gauge stainless steel sheet (10”X10”)

6. 22-gauge brass sheet (5”X5”)

Here are the cutting angles at which those pipes are cut to form a basic shape of our hexagon shop stool.

1. 6” long piece cut both sides at an angle of 30-deg.

2. 24” long piece one side cut at an angle of 7.5-deg.

3. Middle braces cut according to this drawing.

I must say that without the jigs you can’t even make this shop stool because of the awkward design in perfect shape. It’s always quite difficult to weld same thing at same angle repeatedly by only measuring it. Same thing happened to us in this build. The jig which I made during the construction time was not looking good because I am not sure about it. That’s why I made it whatever I got at that time. But you can improve the jig design. The more time you spend in making the jig the better result you will get in your project.

Jig for the Hexagonal Shape Or Stool top: -

Since I cut all the pieces with the angle grinder that’s why the angle wasn’t perfect but I make sure that my length was accurate. For jig, you have to cut the scrap piece of wood and cut it at an angle of 30-deg. You need two of them. Then screwed those pieces on a scrap piece of ply make sure that ply dimension is enough so that when you are welding pieces together to form a hexagon that will rest on a plain surface So that you get a perfect shape. Check the SketchUp file for the drawing.

Jig two: -

The second jig is the modified version of the first jig. Since we have to weld legs at an angle that’s why in a vertical position where the two angled pieces of the wood meet we screwed two pieces of wood in the vertical direction and the wood have cut at an angle of 7.5 deg. You can increase or decrease the angle. The more angle you take wider the stool legs spread. The gap between those wooden pieces is 1” which I vertically attached. Behind those pieces I screwed piece which provide support to the pipe during welding. See the SketchUp image for complete reference.

Some of the welding videos and pictures are lost but I am trying my best to instruct you what we have done. After cutting all hexagon pieces I placed two pieces on m jig and start welding make sure to clamp your pipe with the jig so that they didn’t move. First, I tack weld on all the sides and make a hexagon shape. After I completely satisfied with the shape and its angle I complete my weld and make the strong joint.

Then I move to my second jig in which I placed the hexagon top underneath the jig and place the leg over it between two wooden pieces as shown in the video. Also, take some reference from the SketchUp file. By repeating this procedure, I complete all the 6 legs of my stool. After completing my welds, I found that the legs I weld are slightly warped, So to correct that thing I placed some scrap piece of ply and hammered it between the stool legs. By doing this the legs are equally spaced. I check this by measuring the distance from all sides of stool diagonally and in-between legs. Then I measure from the top and marked the area where I needed to weld the braces which can also be used for keeping the legs over them.

After that, I make this stool ready for makeup. With the help of spray gun I spray two layers of primer over it and allow it to dry for 2 hrs then I sprayed two coats of golden color over it and it looks really fantastic after the paint job. After that I allow the paint to cure for almost 2 days of sunlight. Then I spray 1 coat of clear varnish. Since I am using spray gun the outcomes I got really good but I personally think that it’s not economical good when the surface area is too small brush is a really good option when your surface area is too less.

I had a left-over piece from my previous CNC build which I am using to create a seat for my shop stool. Since the wood wasn’t wide enough that why I decided to square the edge and glued both pieces to make a 21” wide piece. I clamped these pieces onto a piece of ply to make it flat as possible until the glue dries. The piece formed have dimensions 21”X21”. After that, I placed this wood stock onto my CNC and mill down ½” down hexagon shape. After that to speed up my work I take it out from the CNC and with help of jigsaw I cut the hexagon shape. I cut it roughly because I am going to finish it with the router having the flush trim router bit 1½” long. The hexagon shape which is partially cut with the help of CNC helps in finishing the overall piece. The bit took reference from that area and clean that area. Then with the help of router round over bit round the edges of hexagon top. After that, I sanded this piece up to 220 grit sandpaper.

Since the stool is made up for our workshop that’s why it has hexagonal shape but it still looks incomplete that’s why I decided to make an inlay for the top. But I think if you are going to cover this with epoxy than there should be no need for inlay. Just place your cutouts with some superglue and pour some epoxy over it. To make inlay I print our shop logo and cut it. After that, I trace the mammoth head on 18 gauge stainless steel sheet an then with the help of angle grinder cut it. The small curves are cut with the help of dermal. After that, there is a lot of filing work done on those steel pieces. The Same thing is done with the Logo initials. I decided to make those teeth looks different than steel that’s why I decided to make those teeth with brass. The golden silver contrast makes it more beautiful. The teeth template glued on brass sheet and trace the outlines. Then with the help of tin snipper the teeth are cut down and with the help of needle files give it clean and smooth profile.

After that, I placed those metal logo over the stool top and place it in the center and glued it securely at its place so that it will not move during tracing. Then trace outlines on that, by doing this there is exact outline I get on the workpiece. After that with dermal router assembly milled down the area equal to the depth of material. Since we are using two different sheets that’s why there is a different thickness to mill down. After few hours of work the logo completely inlaid in our stool top and looks very clean and beautiful. Then glued the logo to the top with two-part epoxy.

For finishing the stool top we decided to stain the wood in walnut color. Our first plan is to apply a clear coat over that but it didn’t look good that’s why I decided to cover that portion with thin layers of epoxy which gives a glass finish over it. Then with the help of painters tape, I made a boundary all around the top and pour the epoxy into it. With the help of dryer remove the air bubbles from the resin so that we get a crystal-clear epoxy top. After that removed that tape but there are sharp edges produces because of that tape. Then with the help of ½” roundover bit in router remove that edge and make it round and comfortable. I cover the bottom of the top and all sides cover with three coats of varnish.

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