| Project by Charles Brock | posted 44 days ago | 1524 views | 2 times favorited | 27 comments | ![]() |
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The title of this project post is from Proverbs 27:17. I was reminded of this verse by a wonderful friend. He is one of those people who makes everyone who is around him a better person. I reached the end of a journey this June that has blessed me many times over and seems to have been a mutual blessing to others.
This week we had pictures taken of five rockers in a group with their owners. It was the first time I had seen all five of the rockers together. They were crafted from slabs of a huge English walnut tree full of figure and curl purchased on a wood safari through Pennsylvania at Talarico Hardwoods. The first rocker was for his wife and then one for my fellow craftsman followed by one each for three grown daughters. Seeing the chairs together with three girls who love their father and exude a love and respect for what he had produced for them was just remarkable.
These rockers were born of a relationship between myself as a teacher and a new woodworker who had a dream of building rockers for his entire primary family. He asked me if I would help him with make the five rockers a reality. He is one those people whose association makes you a better person. Every Tuesday night for five years we got together in my shop and worked for an hour or two on the rockers one chair at a time. We usually began each session with a prayer of thanks. The woodworking sessions and prayer have reaped many blessings. The relationship helped us get through the passing of family, illnesses and struggles with life. We celebrated new grand children and other achievements.
The picture of the first finished rocker spawned the out of the blue request for me to begin teaching “Maloof Inspired” rocker classes at Highland Woodworking. We celebrated that event together as he assisted me in the weekend seminar. From the teaching at Highland grew my instructional bundle publishing business that has helped fine woodworkers all over the world build their Maloof inspired rocker.
-- Charles Brock






























27 comments so far
DocK16
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889 posts in 1266 days
#1 posted 44 days ago
Great story…........great rockers
-- DocK, WV
mtnwild
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2519 posts in 707 days
#2 posted 44 days ago
Great story, lucky guy. Those are beautiful rockers you have there, and the chairs are excellent too…......:]
-- mtnwild (Jack), It's not what you see, it's how you see it.
Cozmo35
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867 posts in 216 days
#3 posted 44 days ago
I can’t decide if I like the story or the rockers better! :-)
-- If you don't work, you don't eat!.....Garland, TX
CampD
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246 posts in 666 days
#4 posted 44 days ago
Great piece!
-- Doug,... Nicoll Carpentry LLC
Bob Kollman
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753 posts in 370 days
#5 posted 44 days ago
excellent story and rockers!!!!
-- Bob Kenosha Wi.
Kent Shepherd
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1786 posts in 466 days
#6 posted 44 days ago
Thanks for sharing
-- Kent Shepherd * The goal is-----More Tools!
huff
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2003 posts in 465 days
#7 posted 44 days ago
As the others have already said: Great story and a great set of Rockers.
-- John @ Myrtle Beach
CharlieM1958
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9854 posts in 1398 days
#8 posted 44 days ago
Great rockers and great photo!
At least on person should be standing, though, because for every five people at least one is off his rocker. :-)
-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"
Paul_From_Acton
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195 posts in 249 days
#9 posted 44 days ago
Great story and an even better picture
-- Paul Lemiski, Ontario Canada, Rocking chairs and tables http://www.canadianwoodworks.com
blackcherry
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1491 posts in 1003 days
#10 posted 44 days ago
Amen, just priceless and thanks for taking the time to share…BC
a1Jim
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37609 posts in 757 days
#11 posted 44 days ago
Cool photo
-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop, custom furniture maker, Riddle Oregon
childress
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355 posts in 721 days
#12 posted 44 days ago
Sounds like a true Authentic Relationship and real church life….Thanks for posting and beautiful rockers at that
-- Childress Woodworks
Rj
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991 posts in 811 days
#13 posted 44 days ago
A very touching story indeed! I would love to be able to share chairs like these with my family in
fact I can free up Tuesdays for the next 5 years how about it ….would you be willing to teach me :o)
-- Rj's Woodworks,San Jose & Weed Ca,
Maveric777
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890 posts in 256 days
#14 posted 44 days ago
Very inspirational work and story. Thanks for sharing…
-- Dan ~ Texarkana, Tx.
Charles Brock
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36 posts in 187 days
#15 posted 44 days ago
I have a fellow from CA coming in two weeks to build a chair with me in a Seven Day Class. The commute every Tuesday night would be a little rough I’m sure. Thanks for the kind words. The connections in life give everything the flavor.
My Best
Chuck
-- Charles Brock
tinnman65
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367 posts in 594 days
#16 posted 44 days ago
Great story Charles, You seem to be a very good teacher, the chairs look great!
-- Paul Sayre Creativity is a drug I cannot live without. Cecil B. DeMille (1881 - 1959)
Grant Libramento
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94 posts in 159 days
#17 posted 44 days ago
Very nice chairs, and a very heartwarming story. A perfect legacy by a woodworker to his family. Thanks for posting.
-- Grant, Tryon, NC
ND2ELK
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10749 posts in 954 days
#18 posted 44 days ago
Wonderful story and many blessings in return. Thank you so much for sharing.
God Bless
tom
-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa
chewbuddy13
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115 posts in 465 days
#19 posted 44 days ago
Very nice, I have become addicted to building rockers!
shavins
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55 posts in 339 days
#20 posted 44 days ago
Brilliant!Good luck with the chairs
-- shavins
matt garcia
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1093 posts in 852 days
#21 posted 44 days ago
I have mad respect for chair makers!! These are gorgeous!!
-- Matt Garcia Wannabe Period Furniture Maker, Houston TX
NormG
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380 posts in 183 days
#22 posted 44 days ago
I all has already been said. WOW
-- Norman
Kindlingmaker
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2179 posts in 706 days
#23 posted 44 days ago
The smiles Charles, tells the whole story very well! You have done well and have passed on much to many. Great job!
-- Never board, always knotty, lots of growth rings
F Dudak
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320 posts in 990 days
#24 posted 44 days ago
It doesn’t get any better than this!!
-- Fred.... Poconos, PA ---- Chairwright in the making ----
BTKS
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950 posts in 644 days
#25 posted 43 days ago
Thanks for the inspirational story. Your display of skill and compassion / comradery is heart warming. Thanks for the post, BTKS
-- "Man's ingenuity has outrun his intelligence" (Joseph Wood Krutch)
cobbler
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355 posts in 970 days
#26 posted 41 days ago
Beautiful family and story.
The rockers are exceptional. Good job.
-- ''Carry on my wayward son''
TopamaxSurvivor
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6441 posts in 855 days
#27 posted 34 days ago
Nice story and quite a picture:-) Beginning to wish I had gotten into wood working more seriously earlier in life, but it was a low priority. I would not have changed the activities I was interested in, just not enough hours in a day :”-)) I was thinking aobut that today roughing out some Cherry. This briings it more into focus. Guess I have beeen blessed with to many interests and abilities :-)) hard to use them all!!
-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.
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