Hello,
This is my first project and I am trying to make the Sam Malof chair. I have all of the tools or I think I do, the only component that I am missing is the wood.
I am unsure of how to order the wood and how much to order. I am interested in making the chair using Walnut but am unsure of the grade as well as the type of Walnut.
If you have did the chair before, I would appreciate any tips or ideas.
Thank you.
Moataz
Replies
He makes a lot of chairs, but I presume you are talking about the rocking chair. It is not a project for a beginner. Almost all of the shaping is done by hand with rasps etc. It also requires some specialized jigs and fixtures. In particular, the rockers are laminated from 1/4 thick strips of wood and a special form is required to hold them in place while the glue cures. This also requires a multitude of clamps. Further, I don't know of anyplace where you can find plans for the chair. In the class I discuss below, we worked from templates, that we made with guidance from the instructors, but I never saw a set of plans. I think Maloof works from templates made from full size drawings.
I would suggest taking some skill buildingclasses at a good school and then finding a class that teaches how to build the Maloof rocker. I took such a class last summer at the Marc Adams school. In seven very long days of that class you have all the parts roughed out and have done some of the prelimnary hand shaping. Adams also offers a second, follow- up class, to help students get through the remaining problems in finishing the chair.
Get hold of the book "Sam Maloof, Woodworker", It depicts a good bit of what is involved in making the rocker. Good luck.
I am interested in the rocking Chair
Reminds me of when I was a little boy and I wanted to speak Spanish. I thought (I was 5 or 6 years old) that all I had to do in order to speak Spanish was to learn a few easy principles and I would be speaking Spanish in a few days. I didn't know that you had to learn each word!
Sounds like a big bite to take for a first project! As I recall, even Sam Maloof started by making simple plywood furniture.
If you are intent on doing this as a first project, you would probably want 12/4 black walnut. Perhaps 300 bf or so. Not because the chair will require 300 bf, but because there will be screw ups. The reason you'll need 12/4 is because of all the twists and turns his chair parts make. There will be a lot of waste. The clearer the stock the better, FAS (firsts and seconds) would be great, but it will cost you. Your best bet is to look in the yellow pages for hardwood dealers if you don't know of any local folks that cut as a side business. You might take a look at a Sam Maloof book. I'm aware of at least a couple, one he wrote and one written about his work. Perhaps you've already done this.
Good luck!
http://www.ithacawoodworker.com
It's close to the Maloof chair, but different, and that is the Hal Taylor chair. He does offer instructions and sells plans. Visit his website here: http://www.haltaylor.com/
Bruce
Hi Moataz,
I'm going to agree with the earlier respondants; this would be an ambitious first project. I've not done one myself but have investigated and considered it as something I'd like to tackle down the road.
There are no fences, guides, bearings, stops or templates in this kind of work. You have to learn and practice the technique of shaping (Sam uses some pretty dramatic bandsaw techniques before getting to the more standard hand tools - and he has the abbreviated digits to show fir it too) the wood, creating the joinery, etc.
Even if you conservatively run through 200bf of walnut at around $7 a bf, you're talking $1400.
Take a look at the videos that can be found at http://www.thewoodworkingchannel.com
There are a series of videos there on Sam actually making a chair as part of a demonstration.
Good luck.
Frank
I have built 4 similar chairs; my own design but certainly similar. I really don't want to discourage you but if this is really your first project, it is probably beyond you. But to answer your question directly, the chair requires about 50 bf of 8/4 walnut. I purchased number 1 common from Hearne Hardwoods as the components are relatively short and can be cut from this grade of harwood. good luck if you take the leap. These chairs are not easy. pmm
I would tend to agree with the other posters, as this is a very ambitious project...especially as a first project. I have one on the list down the road. Don't let anyone tell you you can't do it, but why don't you first make a "practice" chair out of poplar? You will learn a ton, won't waste $500-$1000 on walnut for a project you might not be not happy with, will practice with unfamiliar tools and find out which additional ones you need and will end up with a rocker for the shop or garage or back porch (probably "ebonized" read: painted). I think that, armed with the knowledge and skills that a practice chair would provide, your "real" chair will turn out much better. I myself have not finished a single project to date in which I couldn't find flaws too many to count, and which I didn't immediately want to build another, better one. Trust me, you will say at least 10 times when building the first one, "I'm glad this is the practice chair." Good luck.
Joe
Edited 7/16/2008 11:29 pm ET by ThreePuttJoe
Haven't made one either but these may help you out.
http://americanart.si.edu/collections/exhibits/maloof/action/index.html
http://www.woodgen.com/woodwork/rocking_chair/chair.htm
http://www.dldundas.com/
Go for it. Like Joe suggested, I would first make a full-scale mock-up using cheaper wood than walnut. Work out the construction methods first. Take my hard-won wisdom and cut all the joinery BEFORE shaping the parts!
Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
- Success is not the key to happines. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer
I say go for it using cheaper wood too. The money you spend doing it yourself is better spent this way than paying for a teacher to drag you through the project in 7 days. You'll do fine. You may not impress Sam with your final project. However, you'll impress yourself, your wife will love it, and when you post the pictures here you'll have 10 people say they wish they could do something like that someday. Just make sure you think the process through thoroghly. Things like cutting the joinery before shaping aren't always obvious, but they'll work themselves out.
Moataz, I agree with what many of the previous posters have said. If you keep at it you can do it. It's not rocket science. The main thing is the Maloof (leg to seat) joint. If you have a nice pile of hardwood scraps, practice making this joint until the scrap pieces fit just about perfect. Then buy some No.1 or No.2 common 8/4 Walnut. You can cut around knots easily enough, and sap wood adds to the character of the chair. As long as you can find plenty of clear pieces that are 5" x 24" you can do most of the chair. If you want thicker wood say for the headrest, glue two pieces together. Only the rockers and the rear legs are around 48". I think it was Wineman who posted the address of the yahoo rocking chair group, that will be a big help. I have a link on my website that sends people to Hal's site to get plans. Or you could make full scale drawings, taking measurements from other chairs that seem to feel right and come up with your own design and templates, this is what I did. By the time you are finished with your first chair, your woodworking skills and knowledge will have increased many times. Good luck! Bill
Edited 7/20/2008 9:04 am ET by Lindau
These might help.
Thank you so much for your reply and I really appreciate that you have sent me the files. However, I can not open them. Could you please attach them to this email address [email protected] as an attachment
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled