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This is the classic director's-stool folding mechanism scaled down to a simple camp stool: two ladder-shaped frames, pinned together at a single bolt on each side, with a canvas sling that both makes the seat and locks the X open when you sit on it. There's no other hardware holding the fold shape — the tension of the fabric and your weight is what keeps it from collapsing, so the sling has to be sewn snug, not loose.
Build the two frames as near-identical twins (one is slightly wider so it nests inside the other when folded), predrill the pivot holes before assembly so they line up, and don't skip pre-finishing the wood before you attach the fabric — you can't sand around a sewn-in dowel afterward.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x2 board, 8 ft | 2 each |
| 5/16" dowel, 2 ft | 1 each |
| Canvas or heavy fabric for slingNeeds to be sturdy — this is what you sit on and what holds the frame open. | 1 yard |
| Bolts, 1/4" x 2" | 2 each |
| Nuts, 1/4" | 2 each |
| Washers, 1/4" | 6 each |
| Wood screws, 2" | 16 each |
| Wood glue | 2 oz |
Overall cost: $. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Legs1x2 | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 24" |
| Top rails1x2Overhang 1/2" past the legs on each end. | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 15" |
| Outer stretcher (top and bottom)1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 12 1/4" |
| Inner stretcher (top and bottom)1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 10 1/2" |
| Outer sling dowelDowel | 1 | 5/16" × 5/16" × 13 1/2" |
| Inner sling dowelDowel | 1 | 5/16" × 5/16" × 11 1/4" |
Buy 3 boards at 8 ft.
2 boards
1 board
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Build two identical-looking rectangular frames from legs, top rail, and stretchers — one uses the outer (wider) stretchers, the other the inner (narrower) ones, so the frames nest together when folded. Predrill and countersink for 2" screws, glue every joint, and keep the top rail overhanging 1/2" past the legs on each end.
Drill the 1/4" pivot hole through both legs of each frame now, at the same height on both, before you go further — it's much easier to line up on a flat frame than after everything is 3D.
Lay the narrower frame inside the wider one so the predrilled pivot holes line up, then run a bolt through with a washer against each side of the joint and a nut on the end, finger-tight enough to pivot freely but not sloppy. Do this on both sides. This single bolt on each side is the entire folding hinge — it should swing smoothly with no binding.
Cut and hem a piece of canvas to the width of the top rails plus a few inches of wrap allowance, and sew a pocket at each end sized to slide over a dowel. The sling needs to fit snug enough that, once installed, it pulls the two frames taut against each other when you sit — a loose sling won't hold the stool open.
Slide the outer dowel through its sling pocket and set it into the outer frame, then the inner dowel into the inner frame the same way. Once both dowels are seated, the sling holds the whole X-frame under tension — the dowels stay hidden underneath the fabric.
Sand and finish the wood before this step if you haven't already; there's no going back once the sling is on.
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