Rocking Chair: Q&A Episode 1
Posted 9 December 2016
This is an episode in a free series. Want to watch it? It is free to do so, you just need to log into the site, and you can enjoy this video and many other videos we think you will love.
In this first Rocking Chair Q&A, Paul addresses questions that have been asked in relation to the first half of the project. He discusses material choice and selection, adapting the design for specific circumstances and working practises. Paul then addresses a few measurement clarifications and corrections as well as discussing some of the new filming techniques employed.
Questions
Here is a list of the various questions asked:
Material Choice
0:42 Greg asks: What species of wood would you recommend for this project? Are their any to avoid?
2:48 Nick asks: Is maple a good wood choice for this chair?
4:10 Stephen asks: Is the timber you purchased a quarter-sawn board or have you selected a board that allows you to orient the grain in a certain way?
5:52 Ted asks: What material is used for the seat pan/base of the upholstered seat? I assume it will be made from lower-cost stock or sheet goods.
The Process of Making
7:04 Mitch asks: Would a rocking chair from this new series be feasible with no chair arms, like the earlier (armless) Dining Chair project?
8:24 Charles asks: Ive got a silly question regarding the mortise jig. Is it facing the camera for our visual benefit. It seems like it would be easier for me as a beginner to use it the opposite way so I can see more clearly?
Clarification of Dimensions
9:27 Karey asks: I was making a pattern for the back Post (leg) from page 3 and after I completed it I saw that the dimensions were different from page 1. Page 3 shows the length of the knee to be 11 3/4″ but page 1 totals 12 3/4″. Please let me know which is correct.
10:03 Julian asks: Looking at the dimensions of the bottom part of the back leg, on the drawing the dimension given from the knee to the bottom is 11 3/4″ or 298.5mm but in episode 3 paul mentions 14 1/2″ or 367.5mm I was wondering which is correct?
10:50 Al asks questions about the drawings:
Page 3 – Re the “knee line” on the back leg, on the drawing it shows 31-3/4″ from the top end of leg to the knee line. However in the video Paul says and measures 31-1/4″.
Page 3 – What is the radius of the arc on bottom of Top Rear Seat Rail?
Page 1 – What is the radius of the arc on bottom of Top Side Rail?
Page 3 – Cut list says the slats are 9/16″ (14mm) square. Note at the top of page reads 1/2″ (12mm) square slats.
13:26 Dusty says: Unless I’m measuring incorrectly, the piece of stock you are using is longer than the 45″ shown in the cut list.
Filming Technique
14:41 Joseph asks: Out of curiosity, during the time lapsed stuff are you also still talking what you are doing? How much do faster can you work when not narrating?
Improved Cut List & Drawing
Click here for the updated technical drawing and cut list for the Rocking Chair. (Also updated on the Project Information page.)
Thanks Paul and team, that helps and is informative with questions I didn’t think to ask or had no idea about.
Cheers
Thank You! This is so valuable!
Thanks Paul. This once again solidifies the fact you are an excellent and patient teacher.
How do I go about getting the project plans to which Mr Sellers refers in his videos?
Hi Mark
there should be a link under the improved cutting plans on this page or under the info page
https://woodworkingmasterclasses.com/2016/10/rocking-chair-info-page/
Cheers
Glenn
What a pleasant surprise to see you’ve made a Q&A video to address our queries. Great idea and I thank you very much for answering our questions. Have a wonderful Christmas.
Paul (and the team),
Thank you for clarifying the thickness of the material. As you know, we cannot get the 7/8 inch or 1-3/4 inch material thickness here in the U.S., unless we special order it (and that would cost a lot more). We have to work with 3/4 inch and 1-1/2 inch material. I was unsure if this thickness would be sufficient or stong enough and I was worried that I would have to special order the material to do this project. You not only helped save my wallet from complete desolation, but also my sanity from having an unhappy wife! 😉
Thank’s again!
Keith W.
I have a serious question, but no idea where I should be asking this things…
Well, in my country the stores don’t seem to specify what kind of cut they make to the tree, and I’m a bit worried about it for this project, because this one seems to be much more delicate than the others, Will it be of too much importance, or is there anything I can do to avoid this problem (like buying an 8×8 piece and cut it myself… or something like that)?
Hello Claudio,
They don’t often specify that in the UK either. It is more a matter of having a look at the stock and looking at the grain orientation. We usually machine the stock to size ourselves from the standard stock sizes available. However, there shouldn’t be a problem with stock cut to size for you. It may just be harder to match it up visually.
Great Q&A, Thanks, Paul!
Good to see your forehead healing 🙂
As usual I enjoy all the projects presented by Paul and the entire team involved. I’ve built several, but not in parallel. This is the case with the rocking chair which I am about to embark on building for a birthday present for my Mother turning 90 this coming Valentines Day.
I’ve studied all the videos and have read through the cut list and plan drawings. One question I have that does not seem to have been asked or addressed during the revised drawings is should the measurements for the rear post leg (pg 3/3) read Qty 2 and W 1 3/4 as opposed to Qty 1 and W 7 1/2 as reflected?
It seems intuitive, but I just wanted to confirm.
Thank you all,
bob
Hi Bob,
Paul says the idea is that by stacking two legs side by side, the two can be cut from one section of wood 7 ¼ “ wide.
Kind Regards,
Izzy
Thanks Izzy
I was looking at it from the point of view it’s 2 legs each 1 3/4 by 1 3/4 and not by the cut list perspective where getting 2 legs from one board! I know I would be getting both from one, but wasn’t looking at it that way.
Thanks for pointing that out. It didn’t prevent me from moving forward, but I will tell you I did keep trying to figure out why it was written as such! hahaha
Happy wood working,
bob