Maloof Double Rocker "Grain Direction on the Seat"

[Andrew Joiner]

On Sam's chairs and even his long settee http://books.google.com/books?id=FrMj_wenLdcC&pg=PA228&lpg=PA228&dq=Maloof+settee&source=bl&ots=JMNx9iO8Gb&sig=ISzAX_cyfVkt_4uBtzvyhkT1aHg&hl=en&ei=qZYfTffDL4a4sQOJtsDrCg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CDwQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Maloof%20settee&f=false
the grain looks ready to split from the sitters weight.

I hate to question the master but why would you want the grain to run from front to back? Wouldn't it look just as good and be stronger with the grain running from left to right as you face the rocker?http://americanart.si.edu/collections/search/artwork/?id=33441

On his chairs it makes sense as the long grain on the edge of the seat connects the front and back legs.

Maybe the double rocker and settee have some hidden steel for support.

[Richard Gonzalez]

The seats are glued up with beveled edges (i.e. they look like a flattened W when first glued up). With the grain running front to back these are long grain glue joints (Maloof also used dowels for alignment). They are plenty strong. There are apparently some of his chairs in a museum that invited people to sit in them - apparently his chairs held up to something like a half million people using them over several years.

I wouldn't mess with a proven design.

[Brian Kent]

He also starts with 10/4 wood for the seats so there is a lot of mass.

[Andrew Joiner]

Interesting that all the windsor style settees I see have the grain running the long way. Sam says this in his book:

http://books.google.com/books?id=FMYjr5el0kMC&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=%22settee+that+has+a+large+span%22&source=bl&ots=ZYqje4Tfmi&sig=Hw45No_mZfoGHOTl3W7RC54zg28&hl=en&ei=xwEgTZDMIoH0swPCh9i5Cg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CB0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22settee%20that%20has%20a%20large%20span%22&f=false

so I guess the back helps keep the seat from splitting.

[Pat Barry]

Andrew, I tend to agree with you with regard to this settee design. I would think that this will break eventually due to being able to tolerate less load and the wood weakening with time. I know that Maloof disciples will see this as heresy, but reading the article you found just proves that his work is not designed or engineered but school of hard knocks and a very interesting personal style. That said, the settee looks way better with the grain running like he does it. I suspect that like Brian says he overcomes many potential problems by using the 10/4 slabs. Sam doesn't like the look that a support stretcher would create so he makes the best of a less robust design. How much load can a seat like this withstand? Anyone know how to figure this?

[Paul DeCarlo]

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

[Brian Penning]

Not sure how using 10/4 slabs makes a difference when in the end you're still left with relatively thin stock. Simply more wood to be removed.
(FWIW I think he uses 8/4)

I also think the seat gets support from the backslats because they are glued between the seat and headrest.