Replies

1. 
   BRichardso2 | Mar 21, 2002 03:56pm | #1

   There are many types or styles of rockers out there but I would look around at: a. what my friends/woodworkers have that I like in a rocker, or, b. what my local furniture store has that I like in a rocker. When you find the rocker you like, and depending upon the location and their sense of humor, tip that baby on its side on top of some tracing paper, newspaper, or taped together bond paper, etc. and whip out your freshly sharpened #2 pencil and make a tracing. May not sound or look pretty to get this swoop tracing, its the end result that is important. Good luck.

1. 
   railbeau | Mar 21, 2002 04:23pm | #2

   I already tried that, but somebody must have made the first one for everybody to trace.  Thanks, but I need another answer.

1. 
   Seth_Frankel | Mar 21, 2002 04:28pm | #3

   Tom,

   Experiment! Cut some plywood forms and try them out on the rocker by clamping them to the legs (leave the legs a bit long from the beginning to allow you to cut them down as needed). The center of gravity plays an important role as well as the length of the legs. This is the only way to know for sure for your particular design.

   Best,

   Seth

2. 
   PaulReuter | Mar 22, 2002 03:31am | #4

   Tom,

   You may be a day late & a dollar short.  There was an excellent thread on rocking chairs in the Gallery by Bill Lindau, dated Jul 1,2001.  I tried to access the thread but had no luck.  I can't remember if Tim said the whole Gallery would be lost, or just the pictures.

   Regardless, the most important information was in a reply by David A. Brown, Jul 8, 2001.  The gist of the reply was that a seated person's center of gravity (CoG) is approx. at belly button height & slightly in front of the belly.  A rocker should be a constant arc whose center is at or above the CoG.  A rocker with the center of it's arc will roll over,  A rocker with the center of it's arc at or slightly above the CoG will have the slowest rocking rate.  As the radius of arc is lengthed, the center of arc rises & the rocking rate will quicken.

   I haven't included all the information given, but this may get you started.  If David A. Brown sees this perhaps he can elaborate some more.  Unfortunatly, I don't have a scanner & it's taken me quite a while to get this far with my two-finger typing.

   Another good article is the one by Brian Boggs on building rockers FWW Sept 1989 78:40-45.

   Good luck,

   Paul

   888