I want to sculpt more but I didn’t really have a good spot to do it. Based on the sculpture stands I’ve seen I created my own.
I wanted something with adjustable height, fairly lightweight, easy to move, stable, and something I could make myself. I can’t weld but can handle power tools so the idea of using a wood stool came to mind.
I showed one of the guys at the hardware store what I wanted to do and he suggested a flange from the plumbing section. From there I just poked around the plumbing isle to see what else I could put together. I bounced some ideas off my husband too. He suggested alternating sides when drilling holes for the height adjustment, and found the old hex wrench to use as the peg. He also suggested the coupling to insert into the main hole to create stability for the stand’s neck. (Kids you’re going to need an adult if you decide to make one of these things).
Items used:
- a wood stool
- metal plumbing flange with 1.5″ hole
- 4 bolts with wingnuts, washers
- 2′ section of 1.5″ diameter pvc pipe
- 1.5″ diameter pvc coupling (I believe this is what it’s called. Basically it looks like a pvc collar without any threading)
- 1.5″ diameter pvc trap adapter
- PVC Primer and PVC Cement (Read the directions if you decide to use these things. Definitely not for kids.)
- Gorilla Glue (again, read the directions if you decide to use these things. Also definitely not for kids.)
- laminated particle board
- an old hex wrench
Tools:
- ruler
- pencil
- drill
- file (to even out the hole I cut in the stool)
- various drill bits (to make holes in the board for the bolts to fit through, to gouge out the top of the holes a bit so the bolt heads would sink below the board surface, and to drill holes in the pipe for the height adjustment peg)
- circular saw
- saw horses
- hole saw with arbor
- level
- rubber mallet
I had to cut down the board to a balanced square. Then I measured, and aligned marks for the bolt holes. I countersunk the bolts so when I put an armature on the stand, it’ll sit flat. Next I attached the flange to the board with the bolts, washers, and wing nuts.
Next I carefully drilled holes through the pvc pipe, alternating sides.
Then we used the PVC Primer, and PVC Cement to attach the trap adapter to the pipe. We let that set up. Then the PVC trap adapter/pipe combo screwed nicely into the flange.
I measured for center, and then cut a hole in the stool seat with the hole saw. We couldn’t find a blade the exact size I needed so I had to file down some of the wood to make the hole large enough for the pipe.
This is where I discovered that the pipe and platform weren’t very stable just sitting in the hole. My husband had the brilliant idea to get a pvc collar (turned out what we needed was a pvc coupling) to set into the hole. I sanded a bit more out of the hole in the stool so the coupling could fit in it. Then I prepped the interior of the wood hole and applied the glue to set the coupling. Working quickly I made sure it was level, making adjustments with gentle taps of the rubber mallet. I added a little more glue around the outer seam to make sure that the collar was nice and secure.
And done.
Now I just need to rejigger my studio a bit to make room for it. I’m excited! I wonder what I’ll make first…