Oliver the Step Stool

Oliver the Step Stool was created originally for a school assignment. The parameters were to create a "portable support platform" which had 2 steps, with the top one being 1ft, and the bottom one being 6.5"-9.5" high. My partner, Bella, and I created a little guy curled up to lend anyone a "hand" up. He's inspired by pop art and the human body, while being made completely of plywood.

1 spray can of primer

1 spray can of satin "apple" red paint

2 screws

Various grit sandpaper (up to 600)

Wood filled (optional, to cover screw heads if wanted)

Wood glue

2' x 4' x 3/4" plywood sheet

CNC machine, 1/4" bit (to cut plywood)

Drill + 3/8" bit (for screw holes)

Polyurethane (optional, but recommended)

Since this was a school project, we began by checking out around the available types of step stools you could get at Home Depot and ideating some different designs. Out of the 278 step stools that were sold, we found that most stools followed a rectangular, boxy design, resulting in a lack of standout features or distinctive character. We decided that the stool must weigh less than 8 pounds, be transportable, at least 1 foot tall, and have two steps. We wanted it to have personality, be easy to pick up, and have a pop art color to it. Attached to this step are the ideation drawings and an inspiration board.

Before committing fully to our design, we created a series of paper/cardboard models to flesh out our design ideas. This proved to be a great method as the design went through a couple of changes which ultimately pulled the idea together. Attached is an image with detailed descriptions of how the product changed. We also did joint testing to see what methods we wanted to use to join the pieces together and ultimately decided on a dog bone look.

After CNC'ing the plywood, (see attached layout for all pieces) we sanded down the whole project using up to 600 grit sandpaper, making sure the edges were smooth, especially where the joints connected. We made sure to flatten all the bottom pieces so that the project would be stable, as well as smooth out the male parts of the joints for a flush finish with the rest of the stool. We used a drill and a 3/8" bit to create holes under the ears and on the arms to hold supports for the steps, and screwed them in. We also reinforced most connected areas with wood glue, just in case. When drilling, make sure you keep a straight perpendicular angle to the wood.

After completion of building and drying of glue, we were finally ready to prime and paint. Our primer was an all-purpose spray on that only took one coat. The paint was "apple" red satin spray, which took a couple coats to apply to a level we wanted. We had a long debate whether to make the project yellow or red, but decided on red to make the step stool look less childlike.

Once the paint was dry, we covered it lightly with polyurethane (brushed on) to seal the color and preserve the build. The stool came out to weigh less than 8 pounds as wanted, and we are very satisfied with the overall design and how the wood held up. We're going to keep the stool in Bella's apartment, and we're so happy with the whimsicality of it.