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• Design flaw
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  The pattern for this stool repeats a common mistake: cutting notches in the aprons (the horizontal pieces). This creates a high likelihood of short-grain failure (splitting along the grain), it's unnecessary, and is more work than the method used to make the original stools from the 16th and 17th centuries. Instead, cut a slot only in the legs, and make it deep enough to accept the full width of the apron.
  
  Then instead of gluing the joint, which will only be a temporary solution (in terms of the expected 500-year lifespan of properly made stools), pin it. Assemble the four pieces and hold everything together with whatever is handy - tape, a helper, clamps... Now drill two 1/4" holes through each joint, one high and one low, going from the ouside edge of the leg through the apron and at least 1/2" beyond. Pound in a 1/4" oak dowel and cut it off flush. (basically the same technique the author uses to affix the seat to the aprons in Step 4.) The result will be a rock-solid frame that you can expect to hold up at least a lifetime, if not 500 years!
  
  This is how all the surviving boarded stolls that I have examined were made. It's not only more authentic, it's easier (only 4 slots to cut, not 8, and they don't have to fit tightly since they won't be glued) and faster (no waiting for glue to dry) and much, much stronger.
  
  See also: http://albionworks.com/Stools/STOOLS.htm

  Posted by Tim in Albion on May 09, 2011 at 08:40:59 Pacific Time

• Design flaw
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  Tim,
  
  Thanks for your note. We liked it so much that we published in the Reader Comments section of Volume 27! http://www.make-digital.com/make/vol27/?pg=14&pm=2&u1=friend
  
  - Laura Cochrane

  Posted by Laura Cochrane on September 08, 2011 at 14:56:48 Pacific Time