Poplar as bent lamination rocker rails

DesignerFirewood | Posted in New To Woodworking on March 8, 2011 03:45am

My neighbour is making a rocking chair and using Poplar laminations (5 ea x 3/16) to make the curved rockers. They seem to flex a lot to me – is poplar a good choice for rockers, I would have thought it too soft. The reason he is using Poplar is that he had some on hand.

Replies

AutumnWoods | Mar 08, 2011 10:33pm | #1
Not for me

I personally wouldn't recommend it. It might get the job done for now, but it's not going to wear well over time. I've seen rockers made of softwood on antique furniture and they tend to develop flat spots in them.
bduffin104 | Mar 09, 2011 12:17am | #2
I think he made a bad choice. Hope no one heavy sits in it.

Bret
Westchester | Mar 10, 2011 11:34am | #3
Deep Thought

I think I understand : Runners can be Rockers but Rockers are usually not Runners ?

SA
DesignerFirewood | Mar 12, 2011 11:47am | #4
Poplar Laminations

Many thanks Guys for your input.
joinerswork | Mar 14, 2011 08:55am | #5
terminology

Hi dusty,

I've seen rockers that walked across the floor when you rock on them, but never saw a runner on a rocker.

Here in VA, rockers(the chairs) have rockers (the curved component that rests on the floor).

It's the drawers hereabouts, that have runners (bearers, supports).

Whereabouts are you located? I find it interesting how common expressions are different in different areas of our country. A friend with ties to New England (I believe) calls drawers "draws". I thought for a long time she was adopting a real southern accent, "drawahs", until I asked her to spell it.

I found it highly amusing when I heard one of the wife's relations from OH say in relation to a...shall we say, digestive occurrance- that happened real fast, that it was "quicker than Grant went thru Richmond." Somehow, I'd never heard that before here in VA !... I always heard, "like a handful of BB's down a gutterspout."

Cheers,

Ray