The Crappy, Staked Stool that Started it All

“I Wasn’t Born With a Beard and a Set of Carpentry Tools”

I was talking to a friend and I mentioned how disheartened students get when their absolute first project in Carpentry 1 is usually shit. It’s not smooth. The joinery isn’t tight. Nothing is square if it’s supposed to be. And it took them several class periods to get to that point.

Usually they bring it to me and with a sad tone they say, “Mr. Stinson, this looks like crap.” And then a tear starts to form in their eye when I agree. I do continue (after I pause for effect) and tell them how proud I am of them and that it’s expected that the first few (or maybe many) projects aren’t going to be great. There’s a certain progression that happens from crappy stuff to great stuff when the maker sticks with it and continues to learn.

The students are at a disadvantage because the room and shop have examples built by me. And they’re good examples (why would I showcase my crappy stuff). Sometimes they try to compare their projects to mine. But that’s going to change.

This year, the crappy staked stool that started it all will be front and center.

• The stool where each leg is at a different angle and none of them are at the “correct” angle (I missed where they corrected the errant 11 degree sightline angle in the ADB).

• The stool where I placed the kerf parallel with the grain instead of perpendicular and it split.

• The stool where the feet aren’t perfectly flat.

• And most importantly, the stool that started me down this addictive journey to join the People of the Staked Furniture and Stick Chair Nation, PSFaSCN for short.sa

I try to remind my students that I didn’t come home from the hospital with a full beard and a set of carpentry tools when I was born. I didn’t come home and build my crib. It took me years of learning and trying and making crappy furniture at first before I got good and the stool will prove it.

I kept my crappy stool in the shop, not to hide it away but to remind myself where I’ve come from. And it actually comes in handy. I can’t sell it, so I used it. But now it’s going to have a new home.

So, I encourage you to do the same and showcase a piece of your crappy furniture in your shop so your students can see how human you are. So they can see the progression that can happen over time with dedication. So they don’t get too discouraged with their crappy projects.

Here is my crappy, staked stool:

Let me know what crappy furniture you built that inspired you.