Tripod Stool You Can Build Yourself for Summer

I’ve owned a couple of metal and fabric stools like this over the years but I really love the idea of building one myself, out of materials I choose. If you’ve ever spent any amount of time hiking or camping, you quickly come to appreciate having SOMETHING to sit on other than the ground.

In honor of this month’s outdoor theme, why don’t 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.

Materials

three 1 1/8” Birch hardwood dowels (enough for three 24” pieces)
one brass 2.75” bolt
one 1.5” eye-hole 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 the seat