I'm currently using the
Mainstays Folding Bar Stool which I bought at Walmart. Let me confess that my weight, over the past five years or so, has varied from 237 to 271 pounds, and is currently in the higher part of that range. I used the stool Mike E recommends for years, but honestly, two of them collapsed under me. The Mainstays is rated for 300 pounds, and also has a comfortable padded seat.
Now: about a month ago, two rivets holding the seat mechanism sheared off, and this stool also went down under me. (No, I haven't been injured in any of these falls, just embarrassed.) I investigated the situation, and was able to replace the rivets with a couple steel bolts inserted through the seat, and snugged up with nuts underneath. These are
tres more solid than the rivets, and I don't anticipate any further trouble, but I may buy a back-up stool just for insurance.
For those mandolinists out there who have weight issues, I'd recommend checking the rated capacity of any folding stool you're planning to buy. The non-folding "bar stool" models will probably support more weight, but there's always a bit of risk. It's bad enough to look foolish by collapsing a stool, especially in front of an audience, but the question of real injury is also worth considering.
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