Need Charles Brock (Maloof Rocker) mentor

[Joe Cowan]

I am about 1/3 the way through this rocker project and all is going well. I hit a few spots here and there that is not explained well in the book or the DVD. Just wondering if there was someone that has built this rocker, by Charles Brock's plan, that I could ask some questions as problems come up. Right now I am looking at the headrest area and am confused by his 9 degree cuts on both sides of the headrest area.

[Prashun Patel]

Joe-

A few of us did a group build from the Brock plans a couple years back.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?124002-Maloof-Inspired-Rocker-Plans&highlight=maloof+rocker+plans

Specifically, what are your questions? I hope I can help; this was a really fun project.

[Joe Cowan]

I read the old post that you had contributed to about your rocker. It is hard for me to cut this old reclaimed Walnut (expensive) before I can visualize how the cut affects the wood around it. I do make mistakes!! I am now started to look at cutting the headrest out of 8/4 wood, planning on cutting the curve and gluing the waste piece on the back to form the headrest. In the book and video, he shows cutting a 9 degree angle on both inside and outside of the back leg to accept the headrest and let it flow together. I can see how the inside cut would work, but the 9 degree cut on the outside of the back leg could possibly extend down to the bottom of the leg if you kept cutting. I do not see how the bottom of this cut ends or transitions into the leg below the headrest. I have watched the video twice and am getting ready to view it again, but am stumped on this one.

[Prashun Patel]

Ok, I'm a little rusty on this, but I'll try.

I don't remember having to futz with the 9 degrees... Is this a change in his design or am I not remembering properly. IIRC, the goal is to get that headrest to fit between the straight legs. I believe the legs are splayed at 6 degrees, so I had to cut a miter off the HEADREST on each side at 6 degrees. The I just kept holding it up and scribing and trimming until it fit. I don't believe I had to do anything to the leg transitions except make them flat

Also, what does the outside of the leg have to do with the joint?

[Gary Venable]

I have not made the rocker myself, but I did get to meet Charles at WWIA last year. He mentioned several times that he reply's to questions and e-mails from people who bought his DVD or plans. You might just contact the man himself http://www.charlesbrockchairmaker.com/contact-me/

-Gary

[Joe Cowan]

Ok, I'm a little rusty on this, but I'll try.

I don't remember having to futz with the 9 degrees... Is this a change in his design or am I not remembering properly. IIRC, the goal is to get that headrest to fit between the straight legs. I believe the legs are splayed at 6 degrees, so I had to cut a miter off the HEADREST on each side at 6 degrees. The I just kept holding it up and scribing and trimming until it fit. I don't believe I had to do anything to the leg transitions except make them flat

Also, what does the outside of the leg have to do with the joint?


Nothing, it is purely the look he is trying to achieve. I am going to quote directly from the book that comes with the DVD. "Let's finish up the back legs by cutting 9 degrees off the front and back of the leg in the headrest area. Tilt your bandsaw table to 9 degrees to allow the front and back of the leg to sweep into the headrest radii." He is trying to copy the arc of the headrest into the top of both back legs. I just cannot see how you transition on the bottom of the cuts as the legs keep going down past the seat. Where do I stop with the cut?

[Prashun Patel]

AHA! Now I remember. The transition is gradual. When it's all smoothed out, you won't even notice it. I suggest you leave it on. Don't cut it yet. Screw it together after the radius on the HR is cut. Then determine how much you need to shave.

Honestly, I didn't do a lot of 'shaping' on the bandsaw. It felt dangerous on my saw. I did a lot of shaping with the grinder. In this manner, you can even wait until glue up, and just grind off bumps around the transitions and keep doing it until it feels right.

This was the biggest revelation for me: the lines and transitions reveal themselves as you sneak up on them.

[Joe Cowan]

So, if I was to do this cut, I would cut down just below the bottom of the headrest and let the blade curve out of the wood?

[Joe Cowan]

I have not made the rocker myself, but I did get to meet Charles at WWIA last year. He mentioned several times that he reply's to questions and e-mails from people who bought his DVD or plans. You might just contact the man himself http://www.charlesbrockchairmaker.com/contact-me/

-Gary

I tried that last week with another question and still have not gotten a reply. Possibly he is in a week long class and not caught up yet.

[Prashun Patel]

Yes. You can do that, and then later smooth the transition to your liking
OR
you can just glue it up and grind off the edges of the legs later.

[Dan Barber1]

Prashun:

Slightly off topic. I haven't built a chair yet but hope to before long. I have a copy of the Scott Morrison DVD and remember that you said you liked the Morrison DVD but went with the Brock for your build. Morrison's looks pretty straight forward before you start to work when I'm sure some of the simple looking steps will turn out not so simple after all. What made you decide to go with Brock build over Morrison? Is it simpler and easier to follow? I did notice Morrison is really good with the band saw and does some things that look like could be challenging to someone with less experience. Was that a factor?

Dan Barber

[Prashun Patel]

I have built a couple chairs from Scott Morrison using his DVDs. Both he and Brock have wonderful, straightforward plans and both are very accessible and supportive via email or phone. I do believe morrisons DVDs to be more complete. He shows you everything as he's doing it. Brock's videos are slicker and better produced but shorter so there is details that are not explained as well as I wished. However, Brock's plans come with a book which you can take to the shop. With morrisons plans you'll be searching for specific measurements.

Perhaps each has remedied these perceived shortcomings in their more recent iterations.

I ultimately picked Brock's rocker because I liked his horns!

[Joe Cowan]

Agree that Brock's plans are short in places. He shows the cuts from a distance but it is hard to see how they match up in the actual construction. The book follows the DVD closely. I have gotten along pretty well for the most part, but am scratching my head after reading the book several times and watching the video several times, and still struggling to understand what he is trying to convey in a few places (so far). I guess that is why he offers a 7 day class on building the rocker.

[Dan Barber1]

Well, based on your responses (Joe and Prashun) I think I will go with Morrison for my first attempted chair build. I remember you said one time Prashun that you thought it was a good idea to build one of the simpler pieces first to help get the hang of it. I think you said you built the bar stool. I have a copy of the shop stool plans and think I will go with that as a start. I hope to pick up some two inch cherry from my friendly Amish sawmill tomorrow but probably won't start for a couple of months. I'm in the middle of upgrading my shop and need to finish that before I jump into something as challenging to my limited talents as these chairs. I don't know if anyone else noticed but there is a Sam Maloof show at the Huntington Library in Pasadena through the end of the month. Love to go but that's a long way from Tennessee.