Inspiration 2.0 – Walnut and Old Growth Southern Yellow Pine

This sculpted rocking chair is built from 2” Canadian Black Walnut and OGSYP accented with Ebony plugs. This is a large version ( 5′ 8” – 6’2” ).

The leg/headrest design borrows more form the Maloof design with legs extending like horns, with a more stylized bottom curve to the headrest but still using a coopered headrest to keep the grain lines matched to the seat and arms. I used a beautiful piece of OGSYP with perfect straight grain. This piece is part of a small pile of lumber I have that was at some point barn beams that were milled up into 4/4 lumber. sliced it into 2.2mm thick grain matched pieces and use them as the front and back lamination to add a very unique contrast to the Walnut.

Features- grain matched OGSYP form fitting flexible back braces front and back- coopered headrest- exposed Maloof joinery- hand carved seat, arms, and joints

As with all my chairs I make this one was a joy to build, the Walnut I used was brought from log form all the way to finished piece 100% by myself, cut, dried, milled, sanded, sanded and sanded, finished and even pictured and now brought to the world via the internet.

I have much more detailed pictures on my site, here is a link to the page containing more pictures of this beautiful rocking chair.

You can also watch a few videos showing the build process of this chair and other pieces I build on my Canadian Woodworks Youtube channel.

I was taught by Hal Taylor how to build his version of a Maloof rocking chair, I’ve since added my own styling to his design inspired by Sam Maloof. The chair retains Hal’s main design features, coopered headrest, flexible back supports, arm to leg joint and angled joint at the arm to rear leg joint.

Keep your blade in the wood!

Launch Gallery