Folding Tripod Camp Stool

June 15, 2011
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You’ll need some tools:
  • Sander
  • Center-finder (optional, but helps)
  • Drill
  • Screwdriver
  • Small socket wrench to fit acorn nuts
  • Rags
  • Knife
You’ll need a few materials:
  • Three 1 1/8” Birch hardwood dowels - enough for three 24” pieces
  • One steel 2.75” bolt - UPDATED, the brass is too soft for structural stress
  • One 1.5” eyehole bolt
  • Two brass acorn nuts
  • Three brass washers
  • Three brass finishing washers
  • Three brass 1” wood screws (big enough not to slip through the finishing washer)
  • Finish - I used Osmo PolyX-Oil
  • Leather or other heavy material for seat

In honor of this month’s Design*Sponge theme of the outdoors, how about we build an old-fashioned camping stool? First of all, have you seen modern folding tripod stools? They are ugly as sin and your grandpa would be ASHAMED if you bought one. With the help of some hefty dowels, a little hardware and a piece of leather or heavy canvas – you’ll be sitting by the campfire in style. Also, the materials will only set you back about $25.

In addition, I’ve got to give proper respect to the super creative Kate Pruitt at Design*Sponge for sparking this idea… It’s great to work with her and the D*S crew.

Instructions:

1. Start by cutting your dowels to 24” or closest to that. I bought two 48” dowels, so each leg is about 23 7/8 after the saw blade’s share. Drill a hole completely through each one, 10.5” from the top of each leg. Find the center of each leg’s top, and drill a small pilot hole for your seat mounting screws. You’ll need this pilot hole to prevent your legs from splitting. Sand each of the legs smooth, and a little around the edge of the tops, and a good amount on each bottom to round it out more. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just make sure you don’t shorten any leg with too much rounding.

2. After the legs are cut, drilled and sanded, apply your choice of finish and set aside to dry. As they are drying, you can work on the seat material. I’m including a downloadable template for you to create your seat with. I chose leather because I have plenty of it around, but you could sew up a heavy canvas seat or any number of materials. Make sure it’s heavy and sufficiently reinforced since there will be a good amount of stress on each corner.

On one corner of the seat, I left a tab for the carry strap, but this is optional. Mine’s attached to a closure strap, which I recommend having regardless of a carry strap. It’ll keep your stool from popping open in storage or carrying. I edged my leather pieces and treated the smooth surfaces with carnauba wax.

3. Once the legs are dry, assemble the structure assembly by threading two of the legs together with the bolt, with the eyehole bolt in the middle. Use washers on both ends, and attach the acorn nut. I actually cut my bolt down a little bit with a hacksaw, so it fit close. You’ll need a little play in the assembly to move, but it shouldn’t be gaping. Once those two legs are secure, feed the eyehole bolt (which I cut down a little too) into the third leg and attach with a washer and acorn nut. Tighten both acorns securely with a socket wrench.

4. After the base is complete, attach your seat to each leg using a large finishing washer and the wood screw. Don’t over-tighten and strip out your holes, for you’ll need all the strength on these mounting points. After everything is secure, you can take a seat. The main bolt might bend a little to the stress, but that’s fine, it keep its bend permanently and that shape will aid in the folding-up state. Now you’re ready for your next campfire sitting in distinguished comfort.

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filed as: brass, camp stool, camping, chair, DesignSponge, diy, dowel, leather, project, sit, tripod, wood   ||   80 Comments

80 Responses to “Folding Tripod Camp Stool”

  1. spacer megan says:
    June 15, 2011 at 9:40 am

    Having some of these for extra seating by the firepit would be awesome. You’re so talented!

  2. spacer Zachary Gray says:
    June 15, 2011 at 10:10 am

    This is perfect. The strap makes it that much better.

  3. spacer Justine says:
    June 15, 2011 at 10:17 am

    These are so great! I would love to have them around my backyard bonfires!

  4. spacer chairsmith says:
    June 15, 2011 at 10:18 am

    Swoon!

  5. spacer lau says:
    June 15, 2011 at 3:41 pm

    brilliant, as always.

  6. spacer MMP says:
    June 15, 2011 at 3:53 pm

    Thanks everybody. I was really happy with the turnout.

  7. spacer Logan says:
    June 15, 2011 at 7:55 pm

    Are you kidding me? We just went to Zion, these would have been so buff! Great job dude!

  8. spacer KjC says:
    June 15, 2011 at 10:51 pm

    So beautiful, it would make a great Fathers Day gift! Do you sell these, I love some??

    • spacer MMP says:
      June 17, 2011 at 1:04 pm

      Sorry, no plans to sell them as of yet. Thanks for asking.

  9. spacer Hayley says:
    June 16, 2011 at 1:38 pm

    Love this project! You should market these to museums- they have those awful aluminum & blue tarp ones for patrons.
    Well done.

  10. spacer Jim says:
    June 16, 2011 at 9:01 pm

    This is a thing of beauty! Thanks for the inspiration!

  11. spacer JES says:
    June 17, 2011 at 2:30 pm

    I was just thinking of these– beautiful, and it will only get better with age. And your instructions are so clear (a real art)! Can you recommend a good leather supplier?

    • spacer MMP says:
      June 21, 2011 at 1:30 pm

      Thanks JES. I get all of my leather through Oregon Leather Co. Give them a call, or check your local saddle/tack shop possibly.

      • spacer JES says:
        June 23, 2011 at 2:43 pm

        Thanks!

  12. spacer SN says:
    June 22, 2011 at 11:55 pm

    Really a fantastic project if you’ve got some time to kill. Took me only two hours to put one together (well… excluding the extra trip to the local DIY store because I botched the emperial to metric conversion). I made mine slightly taller, so I can use it as a desk chair by pretending it’s ergonomic. Please do more of these!

    • spacer MMP says:
      June 23, 2011 at 9:25 am

      Great! Makes me happy to hear you put one together.

  13. spacer justin says:
    June 24, 2011 at 9:43 am

    Love it! Thanks for sharing these project ideas. I owe you a beer if I ever see you out and about.

  14. spacer sean says:
    July 1, 2011 at 7:32 am

    awesome, id love to have one straped to my bike permanantly. im definatelly going to try this one, maybe with some canvas so I could do more.

  15. spacer Celia says:
    July 8, 2011 at 6:48 pm

    Since Tandy Leather discontinued this kit I have been searching for instructions to make one of these stools. I sent your page to our friend who does leather work and he made a pirate stool for my husband’s birthday. I have pictures and would like to send them to you. Thank you for sharing.

    • spacer MMP says:
      July 13, 2011 at 9:55 am

      Great! I’d love to see your rendition. mmp{at}woodandfaulk.com

  16. spacer Alison says:
    July 21, 2011 at 8:36 am

    Thanks so much for this instruction! I made my own out of a piece of recycled vinyl banner mesh. I reinforced the corners. I blogged about it at vinally.blogspot.com/2011/07/tripod-camp-stool.html
    I really love this design because I really don’t like the ones at the medical supply stores. But I really need one for situations where I’m standing in lines.

    • spacer MMP says:
      July 21, 2011 at 9:27 am

      Brilliant work! I like the choice of materials, and having dowels already is a definite plus… happy to see it come together.

  17. spacer fine little home says:
    September 2, 2011 at 4:15 pm

    thanks for sharing this with all of us. i have been trying to “borrow” my friends vintage leather stool (via her grandpa who would be impressed w/your handy work) for years, now i can make my own ; )

    hope you don’t mind that i re-posted this diy on my bloggity blog, please let me know if you do.

    ps your pics are amazing!

    • spacer MMP says:
      September 19, 2011 at 5:35 pm

      Thanks, and I appreciate the repost too!

  18. spacer Laura says:
    September 19, 2011 at 11:23 am

    I haven’t had any luck finding the 2.75″ brass bolt. Can you suggest a supplier?
    Thanks!

    • spacer MMP says:
      September 19, 2011 at 5:34 pm

      Laura, I believe I had to cut that one down from a 3″. Should just take short work with a hacksaw or grinder if you have one available. Good luck on your build!

  19. spacer Sarah Kidmose says:
    September 22, 2011 at 11:00 am

    Wow, you are like the most awesome handy man!! ;)

  20. spacer Kara says:
    October 6, 2011 at 5:37 am

    This is great and I plan on making it but I have never worked with leather before. I was wondering what type of leather that you use. Is there a certain grade, thickness, cut? I am a real novice! Also, what hardware do you use for the strap? Thank You!

    • spacer MMP says:
      October 6, 2011 at 12:33 pm

      Hi Kara, that was natural vegetable tanned leather in about a 10oz weight. It came from a side, but if you’re not buying a whole hide, I’d get it as a piece from the back. Hardware on the strap was just some chicago screws and a loose buckle. Hope that helps!

  21. spacer Pat says:
    November 1, 2011 at 3:43 am

    Love it! What size punch did you use?

    • spacer MMP says:
      November 1, 2011 at 7:08 am

      Thanks. On the corners, it’s a #5 or a 11/64. On the chicago screw holes, it’s a #6 or 3/16.

  22. spacer ALLEN says:
    December 16, 2011 at 7:30 pm

    Great looking design, but I might recommend one change. My leather seat (fairly heavy veg) just ripped out at the wood screw. When I remake the seat, I’m going to put a grommet in those corner holes to spread the load of those screws. I’d be interested to hear what changes you made for your upgraded store model, or would that be revealing trade secrets?

    • spacer MMP says:
      December 16, 2011 at 10:47 pm

      Hey Allen, sorry to hear about the rip. What weight leather were you using? Did you use finishing washers to help disperse some of the stress? For the store model, I’m sewing double thickness 12oz leather together, so that should hold up for the life of the stool.

  23. spacer Marc says:
    May 11, 2012 at 2:44 pm

    I couldn’t figure out how to print the seat template in “tile” format. I made sure the image on the screen was set to 100% or actual size, however it seems as though the printer took it upon itself to re-format it smaller. Any chance you could provide the dimensions??

    Thanks!

    Marc

    • spacer MMP says:
      May 11, 2012 at 7:22 pm

      Hi Marc. The sides are each 14″ and the radius on the corners is 1 1/8″. Hope that helps!

      • spacer Marc says:
        May 14, 2012 at 10:33 am

        that 14″ would be measured from the very center of each rounded edge, would it?
        Thanks for the prompt reply!

    • spacer Kevin says:
      May 31, 2012 at 1:17 pm

      Hey Marc,

      I had an issue with this too. I ended up finding “Poster Mode” in Adobe Reader that worked like a charm. This may help you.

  24. spacer Croft says:
    November 23, 2012 at 8:13 pm

    Going to do this with a Cub Scout Webelos den. What length did you use for the strap? The boys are excited to do the project because they will be taking them with them to Boy Scouts. Thanks for the project, and great process and images.

    • spacer MMP says:
      November 24, 2012 at 11:17 am

      The strap is about 36″, but you can change it to fit each maker. Good luck, hope they enjoy!

      • spacer Croft says:
        December 1, 2012 at 8:23 pm

        Thank you for such a great project. We just finished this with 5 Webolos for their final Cub Scout project. They loved it, and I could get you pictures at our next meeting. Thanks again.