How do I Build Leg Stilts?

Cutting the Stilts

• 1

  Put on your safety goggles. Cut the 2x4s to a length of 5 feet. Place the 1-foot pieces to the side. Discard the other one.

• 2

  Mark the midpoints of the lumber pieces' ends. With a pencil, label the stilts' bottom, top, inside and outside. Using the L-square and straight edge, draw a 24-inch line from each stilt's top. Make sure the line is perfectly parallel to the lumber's edges. Use the L-square to draw a line from the end of the 24-inch line to each stilt's inside edge. This line marks the position of the foot supports, so precision is critical.

• 3

  Position the lumber with the band saw's fence. Secure the fence. Make your cuts along your pencil lines.

• 4

  Place pencil marks on each stilt's outside 32 inches from the top. Use the straight edge to draw a pencil line from that mark to the halfway mark on each stilt's bottom. Measure the angle with a protractor. Set the bad saw's fence to that angle. Secure it tightly. Make your cuts. Sand all surfaces until smooth to the touch.

Attaching the Foot Supports

• 5

  Label the front, back, inside and outside of the plywood pieces with your pencil. These are your foot supports. Make a pencil mark 5 inches from the back of each foot support. Use the L-square to draw a pencil line across the foot supports. Measuring from the inside, make pencil marks at 3/4 inches and 2 1/2 inches.

• 6

  Cut one of the 1-foot pieces of lumber into two 6-inch lengths. Use the L-square to ensure that the cut is perfectly straight. Draw a diagonal line across one of the 6-inch pieces. Discard the other one. Make a cut along the diagonal so you have two 6-inch-long triangles. These triangular braces will provide added stability to your foot supports. Sand all surfaces until smooth to the touch.

• 7

  Secure each brace to the stilts' insides with two 2 1/2-inch wood screws. Countersink all screws.

• 8

  Drill pilot holes through the foot supports' 3/4-inch and 2 1/2-inch marks. Secure the foot supports to the triangular braces with 2 1/2-inch wood screws. For added stability, secure the front and back of the foot support to the triangular brackets with 1-inch angle brackets.

Attaching the Leg Straps

• 9

  Place four pencil marks on the inside of your stilts. Measuring from the top, they need to be centered at 1 inch, 4 inches, 16 1/2 inches and 18 1/2 inches.

• 10

  Center pencil marks on the leather straps, 1/2 inch from each end.

• 11

  Center the denim straps on the insides of the stilts. Align them with the pencil marks. Place the leather straps on the denim with the pencil marks facing up. Fasten the leather and denim straps with 1-inch wood screws.