shaker rocker

[Michelle Rich]

maple, shaker tape
I turn many objects, but chairs have to be my favorite. They are so darn hard, that when you get them done, you are so gosh darn proud of yourself, it makes your day/month/year! Conquering the beast is always fulfilling, ;)

[John Keeton]

Michelle, that is a classic piece of work!! You are a multi-talented lady, and this is proof positive. Very well done - perfectly clean lines, great detailing. It begs for a fireplace and a good cup of coffee.

[Faust M. Ruggiero]

Chairs are one of the most difficult projects we can take on. Odd angles and the necessity for perfect joints. Great looking chair, Michelle. You "rock".
faust

[Greg Just]

Nice job Michelle. I agree that chairs are very difficult to make. I made a simple stool last year and figuring out the angles and where to drill the holes was very hard. The turning pary was easy. Keep up the good work!

[Curt Fuller]

They are so darn hard,
And you make them look so darn easy!

As much as i like your negative space turnings, I think your chairs are still my favorites!

[Steve Schlumpf]

Beautiful work! You have quite the eye for detail and I applaud your ability to stick with it until finished! I made a rocker years ago and while I don't remember the process - I do remember the feeling of satisfaction once it was finished - and that was from a kit! To totally create your own - now that has my respect! Well done!

[Dan Cannon]

I can only imagine the difficulties you'd run into making a chair like this, as I've never approached or even thought about it yet. But this one is a beauty, I really like it! Thanks for sharing...
Dan

[Prashun Patel]

Really nice work. It's one thing to make a rocker; it's another to have to machine most of the parts on the lathe! Must have really taken some patience. I admire it. I really like the arms and the bridles @ the front leg/rocker joint.

Question, do you do yr own upholstery?

[Roger Chandler]

Beautifully done! That is inspirational..............a very functional work that has such purpose to it! Nice job on the turning, the webbing, and the perseverance it took to complete this fine shaker rocking chair. It looks so inviting, almost as it is asking one to come sit with me for awhile, and enjoy my company.

I really like the arm treatment, near the where your hands will rest..........did you carve this? Just superb work Michelle!

[Ron Stadler]

A real beauty Michelle, You do fine work.

[Don Nicholas]

Michelle, You have done a great job on this chair, It appears to be patterned after a Mt. Lebanon Shaker community chair.
Do you do other Shaker items? I am sure the members would like to see more photos of your work.
Very well done!!

[Michael James]

Congratulations.. You ROCK! That's a very nice job, well done and so far beyond my capabilities.... well, I'm very impressed. Thanks for sharing your expertixe with us!
mj

[Michelle Rich]

Hi Prashun : Yes, it is shaker tape. It comes in many colors and one just decides on a design one wants, and "weaves" it.

[Michelle Rich]

Hey Roger..the arms were bandsawed and many handtools were used to complete..the knobs on top of the arm were turned. they have a tenon that goes thru the arm into the top of the leg.
They are the most comfortable chair I make. I have a very bad back, and these rockers are wonderful for that. The Shakers, sure knew design & human sizing. I have yet to find anyone who does not find these comfortable.

[Michelle Rich]

thanks Don, appreciate your comment. I make Shaker rockers, Sackback Windsors, continuous arm windsors, and birdcage windsors. I believe I have posted a sackback here before (I think it was for the spindle contest & LOST :-) :-) )& a real fun carver type chair. I think you can access my "gallery".

[bob svoboda]

Super work! Way more than I am prepared to attempt. Nothing to critique-looks perfect.

[Dan Forman]

Very nice Michelle. I love shaker stuff, what is the most difficult aspect of making one of these chairs?

Dan

[Joe Little]

That is amazing!!

[Michelle Rich]

Golly Don, just 100's of things, from getting the right material (green) knowing how to bust it..understanding wood shrinkage..studying shaker design, figuring the angles, and getting them drilled perfectly..I could go on & on. The best way to understand what it takes to build chairs is to ask your library for books on the subject & study that. Learning about chairs & the tools needed to make them. if you want info on what books, get back to me & I will go thru my library, and tell you the best ones.

[Scott Hackler]

Nice job Michelle. Though my favorite is still your sadleback winsor. That one was awesome. Your chair postings makes me want to attempt making one one day. I saw a class advertised one time (east coast somewhere) where you spent 2-3 days with a master Winsor chair maker and made your own chair from start to finish. If I lived closer to the east coast I would have already attended that class!!

Out of curiousity, do to generally use one particular type of wood? I was thinnking that maple would be a good wood for this type of construction.

[Michelle Rich]

Yep, the rockers are rock maple. I would not make them out of any other wood. the shakers thinned the posts & other parts down to a bare minimum. (tho I suppose hickory wood be good too)The problem today is finding good straight wood with few problems. The back posts need to come from 4ft long perfect wood. The chair is so light I can lift very easily with one hand.
I have never attended a class, but I hear there are good ones for windsors. Why not try a simple footstool?(you could make from 1 1/2 inch dowels as a first try & see how it goes. Whet your whistle & see if chairmaking is for you. I still have my first stool I turned on a homemade springpole lathe. Grand fun. Good luck

[Rick Markham]

Michelle that is beautiful, would you mind taking a side view pic, I'd love to see the curves on it's rockers. It's interesting you posted this, I recently had someone ask me if I would consider building them a rocking chair.

[Michelle Rich]

Michelle that is beautiful, would you mind taking a side view pic, I'd love to see the curves on it's rockers. It's interesting you posted this, I recently had someone ask me if I would consider building them a rocking chair. Hi rick..I took a picture of the side of the rocker..the cat, who i disturbed was not amused! I tried 3 times to get it to load & could not get it to take. The rockers are flat-ish..not as much curve as one would think. But my curve is for that chair..it's back to front measurements and the center of gravity will affect the "rock"..Can you find rockers around at your friend's and draw a few from theirs & try them? They are pretty much individuals

[Rick Markham]

Yeah, I was just mainly interested in seeing your interpretation. I have some innate desire to try and do a Maloof style rocker, since I have a handtool/handplane fetish as well as this "turning bug". She told me she would be willing to wait 5 years for me to complete it, I laughed and told her it might take me that long to make it ;)

[Dan Forman]

Michelle---I never would have considered that green wood is used. If I ever tried such a thing, it would be with dry stock. I suppose that's cheating though. :)

[Michelle Rich]

I've seen those Maloof style rockers a lot recently. What is nice is that Highland Hardware carries a package of templates & text to help you make them. That sure would be a great help. Nice to know others love handtools as much as I do. I like the quiet woodworking. 20 yrs ago one had no choice in handtools, today there has been a great explosion, & we have great redesigned new ones that are fantastic. have fun

[Michelle Rich]

No it's not cheating Dan. It can be done with the glues today. The green wood is traditional. The rails are dried, and the posts are a tad green.(remember they have been bent) When the tenons are inserted in the mortise, the dried tenon swells a bit and the mortise shrinks down on it. That is the theory.

[Tim Thiebaut]

That is a very nice chair Michelle, you did a wonderful job on this!

[philip labre]

Beautiful chair Michelle. Thanks for sharing.