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Finally got the messy bit of my latest project out the way -
Its a stool. To have an upholstered top.
Was out at local shop a couple of months ago, and one of the other shops that has been empty a long time was being refitted and they'd skipped all the junk.
From it i secured(with permission) two old IrnBru crates.
Basically as they no longer make them so would be nice to use in some other fashion recycle style.
Obvious is two together is the height of a barstool type(usually start at 620-640mm mark) as the crate height is about 310mm.
A bit of foam and instant seat, that is large cumbersome and otherwise useless.
SO. Plan was to make a stool, using one or more crates and when you drop one of the crates and have set heights you need to work to- standard chair/stool heights you have to think elsewhere, mainly to lift it to a usable comfortable height, and maybe give it a 2nd purpose, a lifting seat for storage or something.
So what I eventually decided upon was using Barr's cans to lift it to between chair and stool height, which is more suitable to my long legs.
So we would have 4 tin cans, with a crate on top, and an upholstered pad on top of that, which allows a lid to be made.
I looked at the standard can, its height and then the 500ml can which proved better as the height of the seating pad and sub feet would lift it nearer to stool height, without going too high or to low.
I also looked at varying the can height by partly crushing it, but despite 20 attempts I couldnt get a can to crush without the metal splitting as the metal is wafer thin and doesnt like crimping. Reasoning was to adjust the height, but also to add a strong visual.
Construction
Obviously an empty irn bru can is too flimsy to support anything so it needed filled, original thinking epoxy, but way too expensive so settled on concrete, the fast set stuff.
To allow the can feet to attach to the crate I used M14 threaded rod, set in, with bolts and large washers placed at intervals along it so to add support inside the can. I was concerned the rod would still turn as it needed to be able to hold it steady,prevent turning and add a bit of weight for stability, but turns out the concrete is heavy enough@about 3lb a can.
To ensure the rod stays exactly vertical i first drilled and threaded a hole into one end of each rod(oh fun) which allowed me to drill a centralized hole in the base of the can and temp bolt the rod to the bottom of the tin. the top i made some wooden washers in oak that fitted exactly to the top of the can, centralizing it there.
The bolt on the bottom can then be removed and another used to hold a wooden foot ill make to fit in the concave dimple in the base, which is handy as it can be sanded on a board to ensure all are the same, then capped off with rubber to hide the bolt and act non slip.
PROBLEM.
The crate itself is X wide and the feet would need to be on the extreme corners to ensure stability. I feel 10" (one way, 14" the other) but 10"is too narrow. So they need to sit further apart.
But PROBLEM 2
Problem 2 is if the feet sit on the outside edge, the wooden blocks that will be fitted inside the crate the rod bolts through wont be centralized but will be right on the end mere mm's from the plastic side. Sure as fate it will try to tear through and needs to be more in the middle of the block to allow a big washer and bolt.
That then becomes PROBLEM 3
Problem 3 is back to problem 1 in that to allow the feet to sit inwards and use more of their mounting block, the footprint indicates to me it would have a tendency to tilt. You could easily rock back on it.
So it must be wider.
SOLUTION
Fit sub feet that are wider than the base of the can foot.
This can raise height a bit, make it more adjustable when making, nice to have options to add or remove and at a wider footprint.
Had a brainwave for that last night. Tea Coasters
Not unusual to see a can sitting on a mat, so why not use that, thicken them to allow for the bolt to work and hold the entire lot to the foot plus ad at least 3 maybe 4" to the width to eliminate tilt.
Look a bit daft though, maybe odd in the crate, the upholstered top(same blue as the irn bru bottle tops(Im even thinking of having BARR embroidered into it) sitting on 4 square wooden blocks.
But then I thought to disguise these as effectively the coaster by laminating a pic on top, even though most will be obscured.
So tartan, stags, pics of Glasgow crane or sure should hopefully make it lok like its sitting on coasters and less out of place.
The most part was the concreting, and the rest should go well from that. But still a few weeks before I can get the internal fittings and supports in place, and the upholstery il need this lockdown to be over so be time there.
To Add -
I've a length of helicopter tape to be delivered. Though it best to use it to put around the cans to protect the paint. Look a bit tatty otherwise
