Ben Franklin stepstool/chair design
Greg Fisher
I am looking for plans or a drawing of a stepstool/chair combo that is
attributed to Ben Franklin. Due to his short stature,he wanted a singular
piece of furniture to be used in his narrow library to retrive books from a
second or third shelf. When the chair back was folded down from a sitting
position, a three-or-four step-stool was formed.I have seen 2 or 3 variations
on this theme and they each had a nice economy of size and motion. Any help
with this design twould be gratefully appreciated.
Brian Ehrler
The official name for this piece of furniture is a library chair. There
was one in FWW some time back 2yrs or so. You might start there.
--
Brian Ehrler
E-mail: mailto:lbeh...@airmail.net
Home Page: http://web2.airmail.net/~lbehrler
Construction and Woodworking Questions
http://web2.airmail.net/~lbehrler/netquest.htm
Allen May
I just bought a house. I want to add a reading seat where the bay windows
are. The window caseings come pretty close to the floor. Any suggestions
on design, and/or how to get around how low the windows are?
Please mail any reply..
Thanks
-Allen
---
_____ Allen H. May
__...---'-----`---...__ LEXIS-NEXIS
_=============================== all...@lexis-nexis.com
______________,/' `---..._______...---'
(____________LL). . ,--'
/ /.---' `. /
'--------_ - - - - _/ Galaxy Class: USS Enterprise NCC1701-D
`~~~~~~~~'
Michael Stephenson
>Date: Mon, 13 May 1996 20:58:53 -0500
>From: Brian Ehrler <lbeh...@AIRMAIL.NET>
>Sender: Woodworking Discussions <WOOD...@VMB.IPFW.INDIANA.EDU>
>To: Multiple recipients of list WOODWORK
> <WOOD...@VMB.IPFW.INDIANA.EDU>
>Subject: Re: Ben Franklin stepstool/chair design
>
>Greg Fisher wrote:
>>
>> I am looking for plans or a drawing of a stepstool/chair combo that is
>> attributed to Ben Franklin. Due to his short stature,he wanted a
singular
>> piece of furniture to be used in his narrow library to retrive books
> from a
>> second or third shelf. When the chair back was folded down from a
sitting
>> position, a three-or-four step-stool was formed.I have seen 2 or 3
> variations
>> on this theme and they each had a nice economy of size and motion. Any
> help
>> with this design twould be gratefully appreciated.
The Woodworker's Journal has a similar plan that they call a 19th Century
Step Chair. The plan is based on a chair made in Denmark around 1890. The
chair converts to a 4 step stool. I don't know the original date published
but they included the plan in "Projects for Woodworkers Volume 2" on page
48. The publisher is Madrigal Publishing Company in New Milford CT.
ANNE B. WATSON
I have made 10 or 12 of these step/stools and though I got the plans from
Fine Woodworking. I did a search of my index and came up empty. Next time
I am over at my shop I will see if I can find a copy of the article.
--
This Q@A has been sent to http://www.aye.net/~hbk and http://
www.cnl.com.au/~hbk for inclusion in one of a host of FAQ's being
compiled on most every woodworking topic discussed here and in the
real world as I & the 11 other contributing pro's encounter them.
Richard Grimlund
On 15 May 1996, ANNE B. WATSON wrote:
> >>Greg Fisher wrote:
> >>>
> >>> I am looking for plans or a drawing of a stepstool/chair combo that is
> >>> attributed to Ben Franklin. Due to his short stature,he wanted a
> >singular
> >>> piece of furniture to be used in his narrow library to retrive books
> >> from a
> >>> second or third shelf. When the chair back was folded down from a
> >sitting
> >>> position, a three-or-four step-stool was formed.I have seen 2 or 3
> >> variations
> >>> on this theme and they each had a nice economy of size and motion. Any
> >> help
> >>> with this design twould be gratefully appreciated.
> >
> >The Woodworker's Journal has a similar plan that they call a 19th Century
> >Step Chair. The plan is based on a chair made in Denmark around 1890. The
> >chair converts to a 4 step stool. I don't know the original date published
> >but they included the plan in "Projects for Woodworkers Volume 2" on page
> >48. The publisher is Madrigal Publishing Company in New Milford CT.
> >
>
> I have made 10 or 12 of these step/stools and though I got the plans from
> Fine Woodworking. I did a search of my index and came up empty. Next time
> I am over at my shop I will see if I can find a copy of the article.
> --
It's listed on p. 168 of the FWW Issues 1-100 index: "Stools- library
step, student design vol 76 (May/June 1989) pp.80-81. My folks had one
years ago. It's real handy. Been thinking about making one for some time
now. Thanks for the tip on the FWW plans. Richard Grimlund
ANNE B. WATSON
In a previous article, MSTEP...@GNN.COM (Michael Stephenson) says:
>>Date: Mon, 13 May 1996 20:58:53 -0500
>>From: Brian Ehrler <lbeh...@AIRMAIL.NET>
>>Sender: Woodworking Discussions <WOOD...@VMB.IPFW.INDIANA.EDU>
>>To: Multiple recipients of list WOODWORK
>> <WOOD...@VMB.IPFW.INDIANA.EDU>
>>Subject: Re: Ben Franklin stepstool/chair design
>>
>>Greg Fisher wrote:
>>>
>>> I am looking for plans or a drawing of a stepstool/chair combo that is
>>> attributed to Ben Franklin. Due to his short stature,he wanted a
>singular
>>> piece of furniture to be used in his narrow library to retrive books
>> from a
>>> second or third shelf. When the chair back was folded down from a
>sitting
>>> position, a three-or-four step-stool was formed.I have seen 2 or 3
>> variations
>>> on this theme and they each had a nice economy of size and motion. Any
>> help
>>> with this design twould be gratefully appreciated.
>
>The Woodworker's Journal has a similar plan that they call a 19th Century
>Step Chair. The plan is based on a chair made in Denmark around 1890. The
>chair converts to a 4 step stool. I don't know the original date published
>but they included the plan in "Projects for Woodworkers Volume 2" on page
>48. The publisher is Madrigal Publishing Company in New Milford CT.
>
Found a copy of the plan for the library chair. February 1988.
I had the origional enlarged so I could make a pattern.