The LYBAR Chair for Observing

Someone in my club today posted something about building an observing chair. The chair he shared was pretty nice... and not all that complex. But a lot of us have little to no skill with wood working. Or time to do it. Or money to buy the materials. But there's a simpler solution: the LYBAR chair.

Introducing the LYBAR chair: just Lift Yor Butt And Rotate!

Ok, calling this a chair is a bit generous. More of a stool. But a simple one to make, and easy to use.

The name LYBAR is short for Lift Your Butt And Rotate: meaning that you simply rotate the chair to whichever position you need it in. In one position, the seat is 16" high, in another, it's 20" high, and in a third it's 12" high. To switch heights you simply lift your butt and rotate the chair. No moving parts (other than the chair itself).

Three orientations offer three different seat heights: 12", 16", and 20"

The chair is made from four pieces of lumber and requires no more technical skill than the ability to measure and saw a relatively straight board and to drill a few holes, and screw a few screws. At this time, the total cost of the materials is about $10-15 (one 8' 2x6 plank and twelve #8 x 2 1/2" drywall screws).

The original plan from Craig Stark actually used 1x5 planks. You can still do so if you prefer, and it will be a little lighter (though not quite as sturdy), but using standard 2x6 framing boards is actually a little cheaper, and even makes the construction easier. That's becasue with the 1x5 boards, you have to cut two sizes (two cut to 17" and two cut to 18"), but with a 2x6, you cut everything to just one size: 17".

Once the boards are cut, you'll want to drill pilot holes for the screws. I recommend using 3 screws for each attachment, though you can probably get away with two. In my plan, after I cut the boards to 17" each, I then drill 3 holes at 1 3/4" from one end, and 5 3/4" from the other. I recommend countersinking them a bit.

Simple diagram of what you need: 1 2x6 board cut into four 17" lengths with two of them drilled for 6 screws each, and then an even dozen 2 1/2" drywall screws.

To assemble, simply screw the boards together as in my example:

Simply screw the two sides to the center boards and you're done!

Since this is a home-brew project, there's plenty of room for modification to meet your needs. Need it a bit taller? Change the dimensions. Need it a bit wider? use 2x8, 2x10, or 2x12 boards. You can stain or paint it if you like (actually, not a bad idea at all). If you want it padded, you can easilly attach a pad to the sides you sit on (you might need to adjust the 1" spacing on the one side to accomodate a pad). If you're worried about it being out in the elements, you can make it from pressure-treated lumber or just give it a good coating of Thompson's water seal. The base design is, as I said, between $10 and $15 worth of materials... but you can certainly add to that budget if you want.

Lastly, I cannot take credit for this, that goes to Craig Stark (creator of PHD and Nebulosity, among other things). You can read his description at his website Here.