Video Instruction
The entire Rocker Video Series is on my YouTube Channel, Charles Brock the Rocknchairman for you to learn to build this project. It is very comprehensive. Between the patterns and the video instruction you should be able to build this project. It will take time, patience and figuring many things out to suit your interpretation of my instruction. You must adapt this instruction to your shop’s resources and your knowledge.
Book
The book is based on the original rocker video published in 2009. You can find it on my website under Companion Books. Do not use any measurements from the book unless they are in alignment with the videos. The Appendix measurements for the 8 degree jig may be helpful.
https://charlesbrockchairmaker.com/project-companion-books/
Getting Started:
Tools – You will see the tools I use on the video but they are not the only choices. On my website at https://charlesbrockchairmaker.com/rocker-tool-list-revised-february-2022/ you will find a tool list.
Wood Choices – Hardwoods are required for this project. Domestic Walnut, Maple, Cherry are best because they can take the carving and stress. This project is not about the wood, it about the chair’s lines.
Seat Choice – You should make the “Big Smile Seat” That video along with the original seat video are both on the channel. Either will use these seat board measurements Using the Full-Size Paper Patterns. Make a set of permanent patterns from the paper. Do not try to use the paper patterns on your stock. Glue (Glue Stick is Good) them to whatever material you want to use realizing some need to be flexible and some rigid. Leave a little margin around the black line. Using a bandsaw cut on or slightly to the black line, then sand away the blackline leaving the size of the pattern part.
Using your permanent pattern set, trace the patterns on the candidate boards. Look for clarity (knots, bark inclusions, voids), flow of the grain and color, when deciding suitability for chair parts.
Prepare Your Stock
Below are appropriate dimensions: (All edges and surfaces jointed and ends square unless otherwise noted!) Approximately 50 Board Feet of Stock Necessary
2 Adder Blocks @ 7/8 x 3 x 5″
5 Seat Boards @ 1 3/4 x 4 1/4 x 21″
2 Arms @ 1 7/8 to 10/4 Thick x 5 1/4 x 20″
1 Headrest @ 1 7/8 to 10/4 thick x 7 x 23″
2 Back Legs @ 1 3/4 x 5 3/4 x 48″ Edges not jointed and ends not perfectly square
2 Front Legs @ 1 7/8″ Thick x 2 13/16 x 19 1/2″ Leave one edge unjointed.
Spindle Board Stock 1 1/2″ thick x wide enough to yield 7 – 30 long spindles drawn
nested on their sides using the pattern for layout. Make sure the boards are face jointed
and planed to thickness.
Transition Blocks Cut 20 @1/8″ laminations from 1 1/2 x 6 x 6″ board
Rocker Sled Laminations Cut 18 @1/8 x 6 x 50″
Video Instruction
All of the Videos for this Project are Streaming for FREE on YouTube at Charlesbrock the Rocknchairman. Go to Playlist on the Channel and find the entire Project Video Series. Watch all of the project’s videos and decide if you want to build it, then purchase the full-size paper patterns from this webpage. I will ship them to you with FREE shipping in the USA and at my cost internationally.
Book – Online under Companion Books. Do not use seat dimensions!
These videos and the full-size patterns provide everything you need to complete your sculptured low-back dining chair.
Quick Start Guide:
Working with Full- Size Paper Patterns
- Make a set of permanent patterns from the paper patterns. Do not try to use the paper patterns on your stock. Glue (a Glue Stick is a good adhesive for this) them to whatever material you want to use realizing some patterns need to bend and some can be rigid. Leave a little margin around the black line when cutting them apart. After gluing, use a bandsaw to cut on or slightly to the black line, then sand away the black line, leaving the correct size of the pattern for tracing your parts.
- To use your permanent pattern set, trace the patterns on the candidate boards. Trace around the pattern carefully with a Sharpie. When deciding suitability for chair parts, look for clarity (knots, bark inclusions, voids), grain flow, and color. Each factor should weigh into the pattern placement decision. If you have doubts concerning an overall part measurement, trust the pattern size. Use the video instructions to lay out joint measurements.
Wood Choices
American hardwoods are best. I like Walnut, Maple and Cherry. Oak is too stringy for this project. Some exotics are good, especially Rosewood and Bocote’. Requires approximately 25 board feet
Buillder’s Notes:
- I prefer to make the seat 20×20” instead of the 22” deep by 20” wide seat given in the original video. The Low Back offers two seat choices: The Original Coopered Seat or The Big Smile Seat (BSS). The BSS will teach you to make a generic coopered seat that is deeper than the original. Note: Making the BSS 20″deep for the low back requires changing the dimension for laying out the back of the dado (or front leg notch) on seat boards 1 and 5. Measuring from the back of the board, subtract two inches from the measurement provided for the 22″ seat board. It should be 16″ instead of 18″.
- Because of this sculptural project’s nature, a cut list is not practical. If possible, lay the patterns on the candidate stock to check not only size but also color and especially grain patterns to validate the stock’s usefulness.
- The full-size paper patterns we are shipping to you make a 20” deep seat. Do not make the 22” seat. Patterns will yield parts that provide ample stock to cut and fit joints, and shape the chair.
Please!
NEVER TEACH OTHERS FROM MY VIDEOS OR PATTERNS. YOU WILL BE IN VIOLATION OF COPYRIGHT LAWS AND SUBJECT TO PENALTY.
CHARLES BROCK
