We have all been in those situations where there just aren’t enough seats.

Montreal-based designer Arthur Schmitt might have just changed all that, with his new prototype for a DIY stool that can be made at home. Inspired by this homemade $5 bucket stool, made from concrete and wooden legs, Schmitt set out to create his own version of a stool; one that involved using a 3D printed adaptor that he designed to hold the legs in place.

Instead of using concrete, Schmitt’s 3D printed stool was made with ice! Schmitt created and 3D printed an adaptor “core” to hold the wooden legs in place. He then dropped it into a bucket of water – and put it outside. The Montreal weather helped quite a bit, the 10 degree temperatures (-12c) helped to solidify the stool’s seat, effectively freezing the legs in place. About 32 hours later Schmitt turned the bucket upside down, and his frozen ice stool was ready to go.

With a 3D printed adaptor, a few basic supplies, and 32 hours of waiting, you too can have your very own, custom-made ice stool; assuming that you live in an area that gets sub-freezing temperatures, that is. The 3D design files for the adaptor are available on Thingiverse, and the adaptor can be customized to your specific dimensions, allowing you to customize the holes for the legs, the height of the supports, and thickness, as well as the angle of the legs.

If you are interested in a stool that lasts longer than the cold winter months, you could try making the $5 bucket stool out of wood and concrete. Or you could experiment with substituting resin for the ice. Either way, you have to admit that the ice stool is a simple and fun way to create extra seating for outdoor winter bonfires, as long as you don’t sit for too long that is!