Help with a rocking chair

[getoverit]

My Daughter has asked me to make a rocking chair for the new grand baby and I have a general plan in my head of how I want to build it. I want the seat of the chair to be about 2.5" thick (maybe 3" thick) but I dont want the chair to crack over time. This will be made out of oak, so I am wanting to know if any of you that have built rockers would suggest a solid piece of oak or would it be better to laminate several layers of oak for the seat?

If laminated, would it be better to do it butcher block style with a couple of 1" dowels holding it all together , or layered in the horizontal position?

[Sprucegum]

Most rockers I have seen are glued together butcher block style. I have also seen a few made of what appeared to be one solid piece - oak or ash.

Rocking chairs are a science/art all their own. I have yet to build a complete chair of my own, Like Mel Gibson in "the Patriot"  :D  :D

[metalspinner]

We have a chair maker here in Gatlinburg, TN that makes the most comfortable chairs I have ever sat in.  It rocks all by itself and has a pendulum type feel while rocking.  The transition from the forward motion to the backward motion is seamless.  His seats are slatted.  I'm not fond of that look, but the chair is just sooo comfortable.

Anyhow...

A laminated seat has the best chance of not cracking.  Just depends on how dry your single slab seat will be.

Butcherblock as in endgrain facing up?  I think laminated edge grain with the grain running front to back will be your best bet.

[beenthere]

Seems laminated would be a layer of veneer laminated to the top and back surface. Maybe you mean edge glued, as in side by each pieces glued in alternating grain patterns.  ??

The latter is better than solid, IMO. 

[Sprucegum]

  :-[  Yeah..THAT'S what I mean, edge glued with the grain running front to back. 

[Burlkraft]

We have a chair maker here in Gatlinburg, TN that makes the most comfortable chairs I have ever sat in.  It rocks all by itself and has a pendulum type feel while rocking.  The transition from the forward motion to the backward motion is seamless.  His seats are slatted.  I'm not fond of that look, but the chair is just sooo comfortable.

That wouldn't be a little place called The Chair Shop would it ?

When Jill and I went through there we stopped and ordered 2 rockers out of maple. Had no intention of buyin' any chairs. She dragged me around that Art's Tour or whatever it is ya'll call it. 500 galleries in 7 hours  :   :   :  (or it seemed like it anyway)
Then it was a stop at The Chair Shop. I sat in this rocker and I was all done. Me and owner and a couple of other old boys sat and talked for quite a while.
Absolutely "Thee" most comfortable rocker I've ever sat in.

Told me to call a couple o' weeks before the spring Bristol race and I could pick 'em up and the way home  ;D ;D

Had lunch at that little 50's themed diner at the end of his driveway   digin1    ;D    digin1

Now after I've totally hi-jacked this thread...Back to Getoverit's question.........    

[metalspinner]

That's the place!  I had a similar sittin' spell with Randy. Very nice guy.

[getoverit]

Thanks for the tips guys! I had a feeling that the butcher block style would be the better choice.

[DanG]

Ken, I'd be interested to know how you're going to figure the geometry of the chair.  That's what makes rockers so tricky to build successfully.  Do you have plans to go by, or copying an existing chair, or what?

[getoverit]

After much cogitating and some serious deep thinking, I have a rough idea of how to build one based on what I have seen in some other rockers.

I'm not sure I will have the geometry right, but I think I can come up with a pretty good representation. Know any good plans I should follow?

I want one with a carved seat that is about 2" thick and I have decided to use bent slats for the back and turned round dowels for the arm rests. A bent top for the slots.

My current occupation has made me pretty good at bending wood, so that part should be a piece of cake. The carved seat should be easy enough since I have a pretty good mold to go by. I recently bought a lathe, so turning the dowels should be easy enough. I still would rather have a solid seat rather than a butcher block style, but I may just have to go that route since I dont have a piece of 8/4+ wood big enough for the seat.

When it comes to actually making the chair rock, that is where the fun starts. I have no earthly idea escept trial and error.

Any suggestions are welcome

[ellmoe]

When it comes to actually making the chair rock, that is where the fun starts. I have no earthly idea escept trial and error.

   Heck, Ken most all the chairs I make rock...tables, too. :D

Mark

[DanG]

Mark, that's the exact reason I don't make much furniture.  I hate to put all that work in, then have to put a matchbook under one corner! : :D :D

Ken, the only thing I can think of it to find one you like the feel of, and try to duplicate the geometry.  That should cut down on the trial and error time.

[pigman]

Ken, you could just buy a Sam Maloof rocking chair and copy it. I uderstand some of the cheap ones can be had for $20,000  or a little less.

[metalspinner]

I made a Shaker rocker last year.  There are lots of books with plans for these rockers in them.  That may be a good starting point for angles and the curve of the rockers.  I've seen several Mission style rocker plans, as well.  I would suggest some sort of a curve in the back post to accomodate your back.  The Shaker design is straight. :(

[tyb525]

Wood magazine had an article with some plans for a simple but good looking rocker earlier this summer. I might attempt to make it some years from now.  :-\ Like DanG said, seems every time I attempt to make a (small) piece of furniture, something goes wrong.

[Burlkraft]

Mark, that's the exact reason I don't make much furniture.  I hate to put all that work in, then have to put a matchbook under one corner! : :D :D

You guy's gotta use the "WoodMizer Leg Leveler"  Mine is an LT 28  I'm not sure how well the Mobile Dimension works for that  ;) ;D ;D

[pigman]

Steve, I don't think the  " WoodMizer Leg Leveler" method" works real good on rocking chairs. On second thought, if you use a dull blade and go real fast, the method might work perfect. ;)