Bent Lamination or straight cut for rocking horse rockers....

I would think that a solid piece would be a lot faster and easier. It’s not like a rocking chair for a 120+ pound
adult. Almost all I have seen use a solid piece. That’s exactly what I am going to use when I build one.

If you were to laminate them the amount of spring back would depend on the thickness of your
veneers. The thinner they are the less the spring back. It’s impossible to give you a number.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

I have glued up some backs for chairs and always had spring back of about 1/4” or more. Don’t forget the back of the rockers should extend a little and be flat to keep from tipping over backwards and causing a trip to the emergency room for stitches. Always account for CG’s

-- Just another day in paradise.

I wouldn’t think springback would be an issue on this project. You could just adjust the build to the radius. That being said, Gary is right the thinner the veneer, or slats, the less spring back. AND the tighter the radius the more the springback. I used to work at a shop that did alot (I mean alot) of radius cased openings. 6” wide, 3 ft radius, mahogany, 3/16” slats would spring approx 3/4”. It really is trial and error. But again, on your project I wouldn’t think springback would be an issue.

-- Chris ( Eaglewoods@sbcglobal.net )

You could try to add some “gusset plates” on one side of each end of the rocker- where the grain is the “shortest”. If you use a contrasting 1/4” type plywood piece (birch on walnut) and shape the gussets to mimic the rocker shape it will really increase the strength and looks nice as well. If the rocker is 36” long, each gusset would be about 8” long and if the rocker is 4” wide the gusset would be about 3” wide.

Unless the rockers are a relatively small radius, you would probably be better off cutting the out of solid stock.
The rule on rockers is: the flatter the rocker the faster it rocks. Also, if the radius on both rockers is not the same it will rock around in a circle (you would have to have your spring back on both rockers to come out the same)
If you use an epoxy type glue, you won’t have much spring back. Titebond type glues will let the wood “creep”

-- Tim -- http://tmuli.com

How bout cutting your rockers from the plank and then laminate 1 or 2 thin strips on the runners, you could even use a contrasting wood to add alittle contrast. You would be using the runner as your form, so you wouldn’t need a jig set up or anything.

-- If knowledge is not shared, it is forgotten.