I’ve just completed a prototype “Franklin” style rocking chair which is my very first attempt at chair construction so I’m very much a novice. I had no prints, just some pics and a few general dimensions from the manufacturers.
Here’s the spin. I chose to make the rockers 38″l x 2″h x 1 1/2″ thick with a 3″ rise at each end. The “best” fit for joining the frame to the rockers was to cut the tenon shoulders at 8-9 degrees so that the joint didn’t have any gaps. That jives with the trigonometry since the tangent 3/19=8.5 degrees. The chair is comfortable and looks pretty good, but the visual effect is that it still sets a little too vertical and lacks that “laid back” appearance typical of a rocker. A 4″ rise over the same span may have been a better choice because the tangent 4/19=18.4 degrees.
Am I on the right/wrong track here? Are there other ways to accomplish the same end? I found very little on-line info about rocking chair design and construction, but maybe I’ve missed some informative links.
Thanks in advance for the help.
Replies
Nice work..
I have only made one rocking chair. For my granddaughter. I think I posted it in here some time back. Making one is NOT as easy at it seems at first thought.
Mine turned out well as far a construction of joints Etc. but I was a little bit disappointed that it did not rock that well. Fun for her because as she rocked it would move backwards a bit. The faster she rocked the faster she went backwards! She loved it... I was just OK with it...
I made the rockers with flattened ends so it was not easy to tip over (forward or backward).
I looked but I cannot find my old post with the little rocker.. Oh well, maybe not up to Tauntons things to Archive :>)
Edited 6/23/2009 7:45 pm by WillGeorge
Edited 6/23/2009 7:48 pm by WillGeorge
I too completed my first rocker 2 years ago and it rocks great. The back section of the chair is leaned back about 5-8 degrees which does not give it the vertical look. The rockers themselves are not a thick as yours. I would post a picture here but have had no luck in the past, always need to resize it.
Greg
Thanks for your reply. Here's another pic for you folks to view if that helps.
Not what you are asking about, but I think that the rails that support the seat slats look a little thin in the middle. I would cut them from wider stock and cut a matching curve on the bottom.
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
and now www.flairwoodworks.com)
- Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
I thought the same thing, but the thinnest point in the middle is still a full 1". It hasn't collapsed yet, but I'll probably beef it up a bit in the future.Thanks for the observation and comments.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled