Replies

1. 
   MBerger | May 16, 2005 08:38pm | #1

   I worked with Ernie Conover to put together the Shaker Rocking Chair article in the current issue of FW. I also used his plans to make one for my wife (and our new baby).

   His templates make for a comfortable rock, and I followed them pretty closely. However, I discovered that there is a lot of opportunity for fine tuning the rockers before you attach them to the chair. Using scrap lumber and clamps, make a pair of rockers (larger than you anticipate them being on the final version) and sand various parts of the curve, or cut off sections from either end, until the chair sits and feels right. Then use those to shape the finished parts.

   You also need to be concerned with the length of the front legs and back legs. On the Shaker Rocker, at least, the distances from chair rail to rocker are not equal; the distance is greater on the front legs than the back.

   hope that helps

   Matt Berger

   Taunton New Media

1. 
   bill5335 | Jun 30, 2006 07:42pm | #2

   That was a great article.

   I was thinking of making a child-sized version of that chair.  I calculated that I would reduce the size by 1/3.  Seems simple to me.

    

   My question is: If I do reduce every dimension by one third, will I run into any problems with fit or function?  I will reduce the diameters somewhat, but  probably not a full third.

   When the chair is "at rest" with no one sitting in it, should the rockers contact the floor behind the rear legs?

   Thanks and keep up the good work.

    

   Bill

    

1. 
   MBerger | Jun 30, 2006 08:43pm | #3

   Hi Bill,

   I can't think of any major issues to look out for when you reduce the scale of the chair. Here are my comments:

   - I agree that you shouldn't reduce the spindle diameters by a third or you'll compromise a lot of the chair's strength, especially at the joints.

   - Test the storysticks that have the post mortises marked on them just to make sure that all the stretchers line up properly, especially since the posts will be 1/3 the height, but the mortise diameters won't change that much. Remember that the front-to-back and side-to-side mortises overlap slightly to create locking joints.

   - As far as the rockers go, the chair should sit at a slight backwards cant when it is at rest. The rockers will be making contact with the floor between the front and back posts but closer to the back posts. Like I said early, play around with the position of the rockers. In retrospect, I found that the chair I built tends to lean too far back and feels a little off balance at times.

   Hope that helps. Post a picture when your done.

   Matt BergerFine Woodworking

1. 
   chairmannz | Jul 01, 2006 01:56pm | #4

   As a chair maker for a living I can only ad that with rockers you always have to play a round use scrap material for trying out . every change in dimension or size efects the ballance . I always try it out with second grade rockers find the ballance move it backwards to find the richt angle the chair is gotng to havr]e mark and try to sit in it ( carefully ) when richt to sit and for looks , that is also important, when not you can always cut a bit of the legs or modyfie the rocker.
   In chairs it is always what is important, the looks or good sitting and sometimes both?
   Have fun

2. 
   bill5335 | Oct 10, 2006 07:24pm | #6

   How long do you keep the back legs clamped into the back post bending jig?

   About how much "spring back" do you have when the piece is removed?

   Thanks again for your help.

    

   Bill

2. 
   notDusty | Jul 01, 2006 06:12pm | #5

     Hi 8/4 ,      

           What may be more important then the exact shape and layout of the runners as Matt has suggested is the way the chairs sits on the runners ( not rockers ) . The arc being what it is can only rock , the rear leg length and angle if any will determine the resting angle of the chair , and can contribute to the overall balance and comfort .

                         good   luck        dusty