If you know what a sharp tool is and you have basic hand-eye coordination, then you have the skills to do basic leatherwork, such as the seat and strap for this folding campaign stool.
This weekend I built a couple of campaign stools – one in mahogany and one in teak. I can’t show you the teak one, though I wish I could. It’s part of a project in its early stages – new turnings and some new hardware. When it’s all worked out, I’ll definitely post it here.
While making the seats for these stools, I filmed a short video of the process to demonstrate just how simple the leatherworking is. Full plans are available, of course, in the book “Campaign Furniture.”
I also added a carrying strap to these stools. It’s a detail that I meant to add to the stool in the book but forgot. Here are the details.
The strap is 3/4” wide and 48” long. Attach a 3/4” buckle to one end. Loop the strap into the buckle like it’s a belt. Attach the loose end to the leg of the stool using two No. 10 x 1” brass screws and finishing washers.
Put the loop around the feet of the folded-up stool. Make the loop so it’s snug on the feet, but not tight. Mark a hole for the prong. Punch that hole, then add two more holes on either side of that hole (I put them on 1/2” centers). You are done and ready to take your stool to a Night Ranger concert at the roller rink.
— Christopher Schwarz
