For about the last year I’ve been filling my sketchbook with drawings of staked furniture – applying the idea to a variety of forms.
Some of these ideas made it into “The Anarchist’s Design Book,” such as the bed. Others were dead ends or needed some more noodling. During the last three months several of these designs have really started to take shape, including an ottoman with a curved top, a dropleaf table and a settee (shown above in its still-rough form).
These ideas have all developed using a series of sketches made in about 45 seconds. If you haven’t tried making brief and rough sketches of your ideas, I think it’s worth a try. It’s faster than making a cup of coffee.
Later this month I hope to show some of these sketches on our forum and encourage others to try applying the ideas of staked furniture to other furniture forms. In fact, some woodworkers are already at work on this; Cody Carse showed his staked bookcase sketches here.
— Christopher Schwarz
Looking forward to seeing more. I’m really digging the aethetic.
I really like the bench at the top. I’ve been thinking about making a bench/step stool with staked legs. We’ll see if my wife is OK with everything in our house being staked furniture…
I’d buy that bench. Especially if you use fancy blacksmith nails to attach the back.
That is the plan. And they are going to be clenched on the backside
I was thinking those cool iron bolts blacksmiths make but big nails are cool.
So you’re going to get your knockers in a twist?
Sorry, had to take the cheap pun shot. 🙂
There is one serious question, though. Do you clench after fully seating the nail, or while seating it?
On small stuff, I do it while driving, and larger stuff I do it after. The determining factor being if I can lay the piece on the metal plate while hammering, or not.