# Rocking Chair: An Online Course



## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

*Need Reference to a Good Book on Chair Making*

Last week I surprised myself by signing up for an online woodworking course. I am expecting this course will help extend my woodworking skill set. Building a rocking chair will be a leap into unknown territory for me. I do not even know the terms or names given to chair parts. I am reassured that I will come out of this experience okay because I will get guidance from a master woodworker. I won't be alone in new territory.

I signed on a week late. I am expecting the full scale drawings to arrive soon in my mailbox. I have a good idea of how much lumber I need so I will be making my run for 4/4, 6/4 and 8/4 rough sawn lumber this morning. This way I can begin making templates and cutting chair parts right away when the plans arrive.

The rocking chair will look similar to the one in this photo I found on the internet.









CHAIR MAKING DESIGN BOOK

First, I am asking for help from experienced chair makers here on Lumberjocks for a references to a good woodworking design book on chair making. I have placed other good books in my library on tables, finishing, joint making, etc. I just never thought I would be into chair making this early in my woodworking experience.

GRAIN DIRECTION FOR LEG LAYOUT ON LUMBER

Another question or issue I need help with is understanding the best wood grain direction for a chair leg. When laying out a leg to cut from 8/4 lumber what grain direction issues should I be concerned about? Especially at its foot where the leg curves a bit before being connected or joined to the rocker? You can see that curve in the rear leg of the chair photo above.

These are the kind of answers I am hoping to find in a good library reference book on chair making. Help and advice would be much appreciated.


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## AandCstyle (Mar 21, 2012)

HappyHowie said:


> *Need Reference to a Good Book on Chair Making*
> 
> Last week I surprised myself by signing up for an online woodworking course. I am expecting this course will help extend my woodworking skill set. Building a rocking chair will be a leap into unknown territory for me. I do not even know the terms or names given to chair parts. I am reassured that I will come out of this experience okay because I will get guidance from a master woodworker. I won't be alone in new territory.
> 
> ...


Howie, I like Chairmaking & Design by Jeff Miller. When you select the stock for the legs, try to find pieces where the grain in the board bends in the same direction as the leg. That way you have maximal long grain where it is needed. Another option is to make a bending jig and glue laminates into the desired shape or you could steam bend straight stock. HTH


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

HappyHowie said:


> *Need Reference to a Good Book on Chair Making*
> 
> Last week I surprised myself by signing up for an online woodworking course. I am expecting this course will help extend my woodworking skill set. Building a rocking chair will be a leap into unknown territory for me. I do not even know the terms or names given to chair parts. I am reassured that I will come out of this experience okay because I will get guidance from a master woodworker. I won't be alone in new territory.
> 
> ...


Thanks Art. I will order Miller's book. I also saw on a search a Fine Woodworking Magazine book entitled Designing and Building Chairs. I will order that one too. Thanks for the help.

I will be making my rocking chair with cherry. I bought my lumber today. It rained in the valleys and snowed in the Wasatch Mountains, just the way we prefer it. Well, you can tell my lumber got wet.

I am expecting the full scale plans in my mailbox tomorrow. Then I will begin making my templates.


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## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

HappyHowie said:


> *Need Reference to a Good Book on Chair Making*
> 
> Last week I surprised myself by signing up for an online woodworking course. I am expecting this course will help extend my woodworking skill set. Building a rocking chair will be a leap into unknown territory for me. I do not even know the terms or names given to chair parts. I am reassured that I will come out of this experience okay because I will get guidance from a master woodworker. I won't be alone in new territory.
> 
> ...


I absolutely LOVE the design of that chair! Can you please share a link to the online course/source for plans?


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

HappyHowie said:


> *Need Reference to a Good Book on Chair Making*
> 
> Last week I surprised myself by signing up for an online woodworking course. I am expecting this course will help extend my woodworking skill set. Building a rocking chair will be a leap into unknown territory for me. I do not even know the terms or names given to chair parts. I am reassured that I will come out of this experience okay because I will get guidance from a master woodworker. I won't be alone in new territory.
> 
> ...


Captain Skully, you can find all you need at the following address. I have had a great experience with Kris and Tom. They have been very helpful to me. Good luck.

www.epicwoodworking.com


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## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

HappyHowie said:


> *Need Reference to a Good Book on Chair Making*
> 
> Last week I surprised myself by signing up for an online woodworking course. I am expecting this course will help extend my woodworking skill set. Building a rocking chair will be a leap into unknown territory for me. I do not even know the terms or names given to chair parts. I am reassured that I will come out of this experience okay because I will get guidance from a master woodworker. I won't be alone in new territory.
> 
> ...


Thank you very much Howie for getting back to me so soon. I wish I'd found these plans two years ago when my wife was pregnant. This would be perfect for my son's room! Better late than never, I guess. This will also help me scratch my Maloof itch for a while.

Also, thanks for taking the time to blog about your build. It's always very inspiration to see others' successes and share in the challenges, and learning from the mistakes we all make.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

HappyHowie said:


> *Need Reference to a Good Book on Chair Making*
> 
> Last week I surprised myself by signing up for an online woodworking course. I am expecting this course will help extend my woodworking skill set. Building a rocking chair will be a leap into unknown territory for me. I do not even know the terms or names given to chair parts. I am reassured that I will come out of this experience okay because I will get guidance from a master woodworker. I won't be alone in new territory.
> 
> ...


The rocking chair we are making will look like the photo shown above, but it will be five inches taller. That feature will make it more comfortable with a head rest for taller people ; those that are taller than six feet, for example. If you are six foot eight, then you may want to adjust the plan to be even taller than this new plan we are building.

This new plan will be just right for me since I am taller that six feet, but less than six eight… If I made a rocker for my son James, he would need a taller one. He is a big boy at almost 6' 8".


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

*Woodworking Begins*

USPS somehow lost the chair's full scale plans. They scanned them leaving the last main distribution center and then never got scanned again. They were packed in a shipping tube so it should have been unique enough to stand out. Eventually we worked things out to get a new set to me. That occurred yesterday, Thursday afternoon.

By Friday evening I have the plans mounted to 3 by 4 feet backer boards. I have used marker or masonite boards to etch the curved chair parts. That step was done by estimating the blank size needed to insert under the drawing. I used a scratch awl to punch holes through the lines every so often to leave marks on the white side of the 3/16" marker board. From thus I used a pencil or a pen along with French curves, straight rules and even thin strips of wood to outline the curves and lines.

This is the stage I am at this evening. Tomorrow after attending the third online instruction, I will cut the templates out on my bandsaw. From there I will use spokeshaves and card scrapers, etc to finish the parts to make them ready to cut mortises or tendons so the parts can be fitted together.

I am glad and excited now that I can start woodworking on this rocker.


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## NormG (Mar 5, 2010)

HappyHowie said:


> *Woodworking Begins*
> 
> USPS somehow lost the chair's full scale plans. They scanned them leaving the last main distribution center and then never got scanned again. They were packed in a shipping tube so it should have been unique enough to stand out. Eventually we worked things out to get a new set to me. That occurred yesterday, Thursday afternoon.
> 
> ...


This is going to be a wonderful chair.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

*Plans Finally Delivered: Lost in the Post Office*

Yeah, somehow my local post office had lost the plans for 10 days. In the meantime, I was able to get the full-sized plans printed at a location near me with the loss of just a few days. This remote printing allowed me to start cutting and shaping the chair part templates.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

HappyHowie said:


> *Plans Finally Delivered: Lost in the Post Office*
> 
> Yeah, somehow my local post office had lost the plans for 10 days. In the meantime, I was able to get the full-sized plans printed at a location near me with the loss of just a few days. This remote printing allowed me to start cutting and shaping the chair part templates.


Glad you got it worked Howie out,full-size plans simplify things.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

HappyHowie said:


> *Plans Finally Delivered: Lost in the Post Office*
> 
> Yeah, somehow my local post office had lost the plans for 10 days. In the meantime, I was able to get the full-sized plans printed at a location near me with the loss of just a few days. This remote printing allowed me to start cutting and shaping the chair part templates.


*"Yeah, somehow my local post office had lost the plans for 10 days."*

So HappyHowie isn't so happy today, is he? LOL


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

HappyHowie said:


> *Plans Finally Delivered: Lost in the Post Office*
> 
> Yeah, somehow my local post office had lost the plans for 10 days. In the meantime, I was able to get the full-sized plans printed at a location near me with the loss of just a few days. This remote printing allowed me to start cutting and shaping the chair part templates.


Hello Joe. I have been in Georgia on business, years ago.. A beautiful place with their pines and kudzu growing everywhere. What can you do with an organization that cannot be held accountable? Not much, can you? So you roll with what is dealt. In this situation I found Kris and Tom to be very good people and very helpful in correcting a delivery that went south.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

HappyHowie said:


> *Plans Finally Delivered: Lost in the Post Office*
> 
> Yeah, somehow my local post office had lost the plans for 10 days. In the meantime, I was able to get the full-sized plans printed at a location near me with the loss of just a few days. This remote printing allowed me to start cutting and shaping the chair part templates.


Well Howie, Utah is a pretty far piece from Georgia, but if you ever get back here, look me up!


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

*Convex Curves: Does Anyone Here Recommend Compass Planes?*

I am working on my back legs for this rocking chair. The concave or outside curves are straight forward in shaving and smoothing the curves; using a block plane or hand plane works great.

I initially used my pattern with a flush router bit. Now I am using hand planes, spokeshaves and card scrappers to match the two legs.










Where I need help is with the convex curves; those inside curves. My spokeshave has been helpful, but I am wondering if I should add a compass plane to my toolset. I like the ease of shaping a concave , an outside, curve with a block or hand plane. I would like to experience that same ease of shaping a convex or inside curve.

I am interested to hear comments from woodworkers with much more experience in chair making than myself. What do you say or recommend for best results? Do you own and use a compass plane? Have you had good experience using them?


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## bearkatwood (Aug 19, 2015)

HappyHowie said:


> *Convex Curves: Does Anyone Here Recommend Compass Planes?*
> 
> I am working on my back legs for this rocking chair. The concave or outside curves are straight forward in shaving and smoothing the curves; using a block plane or hand plane works great.
> 
> ...


Depending on the curve a compass plane works great. 80-90% of the time I just go with a spokeshave. For a compass plane it needs to be a long continuous curve, but if it changes arch it is better to fair it with spokeshves. Just my opinion.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

HappyHowie said:


> *Convex Curves: Does Anyone Here Recommend Compass Planes?*
> 
> I am working on my back legs for this rocking chair. The concave or outside curves are straight forward in shaving and smoothing the curves; using a block plane or hand plane works great.
> 
> ...


Brian, I would bet your opinion comes from years of woodworking. So your opinion is coming from years of experience. Thanks. Howard.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

*JIGs Needed to Make This Chair*

There is always a need to make JIGs so you can make something in woodworking. To make this rocking chair there are many JIGs required. Here are a few I have made for this project. There will be others needed as I get into this build further.

A side slat sanding JIG. It was important to sand these side chair slats the same so that the tenons that would be cut later would be precisely the same size: 1/2 inches square.

Saw burns on cherry…









Orbit sander on seven slats at one time…









Sanded clean…









This same jig will be used to anchor a single slat so I can chamfer its four sharp edges…


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

*Jeff Miller's Router Mortising JIG*

To fasten the rockers to this rocking chair's four legs and to fasten the top of the back legs to the chair's crest rail, I need to make mortises so I can fit loose tenons. Making these mortises would be easy if I owned an expensive power tool: the Festool Domino. It on my wish list, but it is further down the list or at least below my top expensive priority, a Saw Stop cabinet table saw. I have already had a shop accident on my Porter Cable table saw. It was a silly act that damages two fingers on my left hand. I do not need to get into that here. I feel lucky that my accident wasn't worse. The fingers have healed so they do not look deformed, but the feeling on their tips will never be the same. I intend to get a Saw Stop before I buy a Domino so I am hoping this Jeff Miller plunge router mortising JIG will make do.

I need to drill the holes and fasten the wood fence to my Bosch router's fence. AFter that I will be ready to route mortises and make loose tenons.

Here, in this photo, I am gluing up the main block of hardwood. I will mill this cherry close to 3 1/2" by 3 1/2" to which I will bolt a spacer block and an outer fence. Those pieces are shown behind the clamps. A slot will be left between the outer fence and the shorter spacer block into which the router fence will fit. This will hold the router firmly so it will not wander off its line for cutting mortises.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

*Clamping Form for Bending 8 Strips to Make Rockers*

I have bought the 3/4 inch plywood I will need in order to make the bending form JIG to make this chair's two rockers. I got a clarification from Tom, my online instructor, for the undocumented radius for the outer form's radius.

The inner radius was clearly marked on the full sized plans to be 42 inches. I did not see any documentation for the outer's curve radius, but it could be deduced with math. The rockers are made from eight 1/8 inch thick strips plus two clamping cauls of 1/8 inch thick masonite waxed up would be inserted between the outside of the glued striips and between the clamping form. So do the math: eight 1/8" strips plus two 1/8" gluing cauls equals 1 1/4 inches. Thus, add that to the inner curves' 42 inch radius gives us a 43 1/4 inch radius to make the outer clamping form's curve.

I will make a compass that I can change the radii or radiuses. I'll strike the curve on a 1/4 inch masonite board where I can then cut out the pattern on my bandsaw. Tom, I believe used a plunge router and cut it the pattern that way. I can give that a try also.










The close-up view of these clamping forms to make the rockers.


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## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

HappyHowie said:


> *Clamping Form for Bending 8 Strips to Make Rockers*
> 
> I have bought the 3/4 inch plywood I will need in order to make the bending form JIG to make this chair's two rockers. I got a clarification from Tom, my online instructor, for the undocumented radius for the outer form's radius.
> 
> ...


Howie,

I'm following your build blog with great interest. You're doing an amazing job with both the build and the documentation. Thank you from those of us that are following your progress. I contacted Epic Woodworking regarding the plans, so once I have my shop setup, this is definitely on my bucket list. Thank you for bringing EP to my attention.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

*Router Circle JIG or Trammel Arm*

In order to make the rockers for this rocking chair I needed to make a pattern. From these patterns I would make a clamping form from plywood. I will cut eight 1/8" thick slats of my cherry hardwood for each rocker and glue them between these clamping forms. I will use gluing cauls on each side of the clamping form. They will be made from 1/8 inch masonite or hardboard. I will cover them with paste wax so glue will not adhere to them. Thus, the inner form will have a radius of 42 inches and the outer form will be made with a 43 1/4 inch radius curve.

To make these patterns I made a trammel arm from 1/2 inch baltic birch scraps. I used screws and glue to fasten the scrap pieces together along with the short circle JIG I had made earlier to mount my Bosch Colt plunge router.

The images below show the setup of my router and its trammel arm. I drilled a 1/8 inch diameter hole through the trammel arm at a distance of 42 inches and 43 1/4 inches from the inside edge of the 1/8 inch straight router bit I was going to use to cut these patterns.

I laid down a full 4 by 8 sheet of plywood on my garage floor. Then I laid down a half sheet of underlayment and on top of it I laid down my masonite board. From this 1/4 inch thick hardboard I would cut my two patterns so I could make the curved clamping forms.

I would have built that form today, but I had a bad night. I was not feeling that well today. Maybe tomorrow, or the next day I will have my chance.

This photo shows that I am ready to cut the first pattern at 43 1/4 inch radius. I have a black screw fastened at that pivot point.









This photo shows the 42 inch radius curved pattern. I moved the screw to that pivot point.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

*Glue Form for Rockers*

The instruction was to cut two patterns in order to glue and clamp the laminated rockers; one was for the inside curve that is a 42 inch radius and the other was the outside radius of the form. It would be the 43 1/4 inch radius form. I did cut the patterns, but then I questioned the need since I was going to cut three 3/4 inch plywood pieces for each pattern.

So instead of working from the pattern to cut the 3/4 inch three layers I decided to use my router circle jig and cut the three inside curve of the forms. Then I would also cut the outer curve of 43 1/4 inches using the same JIG but moving the pivot point.

This photo shows the three layers of the two forms; the inside and the outside forms. Tomorrow I will glue the three layers together. Later or afterwards I will rip the 1/8 inch thick strips at my table saw. I will but over sixteen of them in case any of them break in use. With an 1/8 inch piece of masonite and smothered in paste was, I will be ready to glue eight of the slats into one router between these forms and held in place with strong clamps.

The three layers on the left in the photo below is the outer stack with a curve cut to 43 1/4 inches in radius. The stack of three plywood curves in the inner curve cut to 42 inch radius. The rocker will be laminated with eight 1/8 inch thick strips with masonite glue cauls between the clamping form and the rockers.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

*Double-Sided Tape to Attach These Guide Rails?*

I need help from someone with more experience in using routers in special applications.

I am making a jig that will let my router slide along a sled type jig. The purpose is to smooth the bandsaw blade marks for the underside curve I will cut on the rocking chair's arm rest. This is so I can get a good fit for gluing the arm rests to the upper arm rail.

There are two guide rails that I need to mount to the bottom of my router's base plate. Initially I was thinking I would have to drill screw holes to mount these wood rails to it. However, after "sleeping" on this issue I realized that this is probably a good application for double-side tape. I have given a image of what these guide rails looks like in a similar application below.










Do you believe these wood guide rails are adhered to the bottom of this router's base plate with tape? Please let me know the best for me to fix similar guide rails to the base of my Bosh MRC23EVS plunge router base.


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## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

HappyHowie said:


> *Double-Sided Tape to Attach These Guide Rails?*
> 
> I need help from someone with more experience in using routers in special applications.
> 
> ...


Howie, the price of having a guide pop off is pretty expensive, even if you don't get injured. It looks like those could easily be attached with some countersunk screws. The holes would not interfere with normal operation when you're not making awesome rocking chairs. If you don't want to "ruin" your base, there are readily available after market bases that you can modify to your heart's content. I wouldn't risk the tape, plus you'll have to calibrate their location every time, which will be much more difficult with tape. With holes, the jig will always be located properly. Of course, part of the decision may be contingent on if you ever plan on making another chair. If once done, you've scratched that itch, then it may not be necessary. If, as I have a sneaking suspicion, once you get done with this one, people will want to buy them from you, you'll already be tooled up, which sometimes is half the battle. For example, cutting out the templates for my adirondack chair project took a third of the time to build that first chair. On the second chair, I didn't have to do that, so the second chair went together much faster.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

HappyHowie said:


> *Double-Sided Tape to Attach These Guide Rails?*
> 
> I need help from someone with more experience in using routers in special applications.
> 
> ...


Good safety tip Captain Skully. While I was searching for a universal base I did come across a centering pin base at Woodcraft. I will take a break and drive over there.

This is what a double-sided tape version looks like on my plunge router base.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

HappyHowie said:


> *Double-Sided Tape to Attach These Guide Rails?*
> 
> I need help from someone with more experience in using routers in special applications.
> 
> ...


All double sided tape is not created equal. This would work (or not) depending on the tape used. I have some from Staples that is permanent.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

HappyHowie said:


> *Double-Sided Tape to Attach These Guide Rails?*
> 
> I need help from someone with more experience in using routers in special applications.
> 
> ...


My double-sided tape has been good for me. However, I took that warning very seriously. I decided to stop at my local home center first before heading to Woodcraft. If I could find a 1/4 inch thick acrylic sheet, I would try making myself a router base plate to hold these guide rails. It made sense to me to give this safer method a try.

I must have looked like an old man in need of help because I was asked twice by separate store employees if I needed help. I did. First, I was directed to aisle 25 and then while trying to find a smaller size of near 1/4 inch acrylic another aide came by. He noticed an improperly placed thinner sheet hiding the 1/4 by 14 by 28 sheet that I was looking for…

I should be able to get three or more base plates made from this sheet.

Thanks for the advice and help.

Today I did not get the base plate made, but I have the acrylic sheet bought and ready to work on in my shop.

I did glue up the inner and outer plywood forms I will use to bend laminate the two rockers. I also flush trim routed the three layers of plywood that these forms are made from. This should give a surface that will fit nicely to the arm rest support rail. It should provide a great glue surface.

I am also making the JIG that I will use to smoothly shape the 8 foot radius curve on the underside of the arm rest plank. Before routing this curve smooth I will mark and then cut its curve with my bandsaw. Then as instructed I will place a 1/2 inch router bit into my plunge base router and with the two guide rails fastened to the router's base and the arm rest plank fastened securely in the JIG, I will ride the curvature of the jig with my plunge router just skimming the surface of the bandsaw cut I made on the arm rest.

I have the parts cut for this curve guide JIG. All I need to do is drill and countersink some screw holes. Then with glue and screws I can put it all together.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

HappyHowie said:


> *Double-Sided Tape to Attach These Guide Rails?*
> 
> I need help from someone with more experience in using routers in special applications.
> 
> ...


I just ordered some carpet double-side tape from Staples. I am going to give that product a tryout with my projects. Thanks for the tip…


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

*Followed Advice about Router Guide Rails*

I took the advice I got from Captain Sckully seriously. I have built a new base from acrylic and then from the topside drilled holes so I could fasten the guide rails in place on the base with screws. This will be a safer solution and it will be repeatable.










I have also completed the construction of the clamping forms in which I will glue and clamp the rockers for this chair. This bent lamination is based on the 42 inch inner radius and the 43 1/4 inch outer radius specified in the plans.










In addition I have built the routing jig that I will use with my router to get the under-side of the arm rest completely smooth to fit the eight foot radius.


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## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

HappyHowie said:


> *Followed Advice about Router Guide Rails*
> 
> I took the advice I got from Captain Sckully seriously. I have built a new base from acrylic and then from the topside drilled holes so I could fasten the guide rails in place on the base with screws. This will be a safer solution and it will be repeatable.
> 
> ...


Sweet jig! What about putting stops on the cross pieces so you can't accidentally route the jig?


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

HappyHowie said:


> *Followed Advice about Router Guide Rails*
> 
> I took the advice I got from Captain Sckully seriously. I have built a new base from acrylic and then from the topside drilled holes so I could fasten the guide rails in place on the base with screws. This will be a safer solution and it will be repeatable.
> 
> ...


The way this works is that I cut close to the line at my bandsaw. Then after mounting the board upside down in the JIG, I shave the curve smooth with a router bit in my plunge router. This process should give me a great fitting glue line with the arm support rail.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

*Bandsaw Finger JIG or Push Point*

My rocking chair instructor used a large block of wood in which he cut a Vee pointy end to cut his back slats for the chair. He clamped this block that he called a "push point" to the table of his bandsaw at a distance of 3/4 inch from the blade. With the initial patterned curve on a wide board cutout he held that curved side against the Vee and thus cut off each slat on the bandsaw.

I attempted to make my own push point, but I had difficulties with it. First, I did not have far reaching clamps so I could securely fasten it tightly to the bandsaw's table, but I could not even after several practice cuts to get a consistent curved cut of the splats. This experience is what lead me to find a better solution for myself.

I did a lot of searching on the internet and in my woodworking library. I discovered that Michael C Fortune had done an article for Fine Woodworking Magazine in which he demonstrated a pattern cutting JIG for the bandsaw. I am not sure if he or someone else called it a "finger JIG". I went ahead and built one of these JIGs for my bandsaw. It had a few different twists to the JIG. Those changes were more to use what things I already had on hand in my shop so I did not have to make another trip to a home center or to my local Woodcraft store. What I came up with is shown in the photos below.

I still need to tweak it some. Like I need a way to hold the tip of the JIG tightly to the bandsaw's table surface. Also I need to cut the length of the board sized to the thickness of the board I will be cutting the back slats from. In order to cut 3/4 inch wide slats I need to take into account the width of the bandsaw blade's kerf; thus this matched thickness board under the plywood top of the JIG needs to be trimmed down in its length.

Notice the clamps holding this JIG to the back of my bandsaw's table.









To cut my slats I have used double-side tape to hold my slat pattern to the board I will get my slats from. As I hold the pattern's edge agains the tip of the "finger JIG" I will get the bandsaw to replicate the curve in my board. After setting the pattern back by an offest of 3/4 inch plus the width of blade's kerf I can then make another cut on my bandsaw.










Note: I am not satisfied with the pattern cuts I get with this jig. I will perform some other tests.


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## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

HappyHowie said:


> *Bandsaw Finger JIG or Push Point*
> 
> My rocking chair instructor used a large block of wood in which he cut a Vee pointy end to cut his back slats for the chair. He clamped this block that he called a "push point" to the table of his bandsaw at a distance of 3/4 inch from the blade. With the initial patterned curve on a wide board cutout he held that curved side against the Vee and thus cut off each slat on the bandsaw.
> 
> ...


Nice! Then you can use the exact same jig on the spindle sander to sweeten up the curves and remove the bandsaw blade marks.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

HappyHowie said:


> *Bandsaw Finger JIG or Push Point*
> 
> My rocking chair instructor used a large block of wood in which he cut a Vee pointy end to cut his back slats for the chair. He clamped this block that he called a "push point" to the table of his bandsaw at a distance of 3/4 inch from the blade. With the initial patterned curve on a wide board cutout he held that curved side against the Vee and thus cut off each slat on the bandsaw.
> 
> ...


Yep, between a flush cut router bit and the pattern and a spindle sander or even some hand tools such as my block plane and spokeshaves, I should get the blade marks and any small defects cleaned up well.

You can see here how well I got the first curve cut. Run this on my router table with a flush cut straight bit should have it ready for the next cut in no time.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

*Pattern JIG for Bandsaw Completed*

I finally got this pattern JIG for my bandsaw made and setup correctly. I have run several test pieces so I am satisfied that I can cut the rocking chair's back slats correctly. I am comfortable that I can cut all of the back slats so the curves will be done correctly and smoothly; so they all will be the same.

Part of that setup was changing my 1/2 inch bandsaw blade to my 1/4 inch blade. The curves are not that difficult but in order to follow the pattern in a smooth motion it required that I have a 1/4 inch blade in my bandsaw.

I also had to find a way to clamp the finger of the jig so it would be held tightly flush to the bandsaw's table top.










This is a sample of a back slat I cut during my testing phase of this pattern jig.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

*Twin-Blade Joinery*

My instructor for this project suggested that I use spacer blocks to cut the second shoulder for the tenons to fit the mortises needed for this rocking chair. I was about to make those spacers when I received a new issue of Woodcraft Magazine. The article in the Feb/Mar 2016 issue was entitled Twin-Blade Joinery. With this method I would use twin RIP saw blades with disks or shims between the blades. With the right combination of shims I could cut tenons for the following mortise sizes cut with my Powermatic mortiser and hollow mortise chisels: 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, and 1/2 inches.

IMAGES:
These are the aluminum disks I made and will use with the existing 8" Diablo DADO set I own. I had already cut sample mortises in a block of wood: 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", and 1/2". I will later determine the shims needed to fit a tenon to a 5/8 inch mortise.










I labeled all the shims including those from the Diablo DADO set. From the combinations needed for these mortise sizes I have written a log to record the shim combinations for each of the mortise sizes.









I believe this will speed up my tenon cutting and mortise fitting process…


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## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

HappyHowie said:


> *Twin-Blade Joinery*
> 
> My instructor for this project suggested that I use spacer blocks to cut the second shoulder for the tenons to fit the mortises needed for this rocking chair. I was about to make those spacers when I received a new issue of Woodcraft Magazine. The article in the Feb/Mar 2016 issue was entitled Twin-Blade Joinery. With this method I would use twin RIP saw blades with disks or shims between the blades. With the right combination of shims I could cut tenons for the following mortise sizes cut with my Powermatic mortiser and hollow mortise chisels: 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, and 1/2 inches.
> 
> ...


That's an interesting technique and would be very useful for doing lots of non-centered tenons. If your tenons are centered, why not just adjust the fence the right distance from a dado stack and flip the piece? Am I missing something?


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

HappyHowie said:


> *Twin-Blade Joinery*
> 
> My instructor for this project suggested that I use spacer blocks to cut the second shoulder for the tenons to fit the mortises needed for this rocking chair. I was about to make those spacers when I received a new issue of Woodcraft Magazine. The article in the Feb/Mar 2016 issue was entitled Twin-Blade Joinery. With this method I would use twin RIP saw blades with disks or shims between the blades. With the right combination of shims I could cut tenons for the following mortise sizes cut with my Powermatic mortiser and hollow mortise chisels: 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, and 1/2 inches.
> 
> ...


With this twin blades and shims technique or with a spacer block technique, I am expecting the result to be repeatable thickness of the tenons to within thousandths of an inch, every time.

When I cut centered tenons with my table saw miter slot jig I cannot hit the starting mark exactly correctll every time. I do not know how to hit the mark within thousandths of an inch every time. However, with this technique or a spacer block, i believe I can be quaranteed a exact thickness so the tenon will fit into the mortise each time. Well, maybe a small amount of filing or sanding would be needed if it is too tight.

I have a couple shoulder planes but i expect these tenons to be so close that they won't be needed to remove that much material.

This will be a new technique for me . I am hopeful that it will give me great results besides speeding up the process.

I was going to make spacer blocks for use on my table saw, but when this Woodcraft Magazine article surfaced it made a lot of sense to me since I would be using specific metal shims for setup each time. It just seemed more difficult for me to create spacer blocks. For example, Tom McLaughlin, my rocking chair project instructor was gluing playing cards to his spacer blocks so to shim his out to the widths required. However, I still may make spacer blocks for similar work at my bandsaw. Furniture maker and instructor Timothy Rousseau uses spacer blocks for tenon cuts, etc made at his bandsaw.

Click on the link above to see Tim demonstrate his spacer block technique…

https://shar.es/1Y7fG9


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## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

HappyHowie said:


> *Twin-Blade Joinery*
> 
> My instructor for this project suggested that I use spacer blocks to cut the second shoulder for the tenons to fit the mortises needed for this rocking chair. I was about to make those spacers when I received a new issue of Woodcraft Magazine. The article in the Feb/Mar 2016 issue was entitled Twin-Blade Joinery. With this method I would use twin RIP saw blades with disks or shims between the blades. With the right combination of shims I could cut tenons for the following mortise sizes cut with my Powermatic mortiser and hollow mortise chisels: 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, and 1/2 inches.
> 
> ...


Right, but don't you still have to put the fence in the exact right place to center the tenon in the stock? With the flip technique, the tenon is automatically centered and you still have to place the fence in the exact right spot. I love learning stuff even after all these years…


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

HappyHowie said:


> *Twin-Blade Joinery*
> 
> My instructor for this project suggested that I use spacer blocks to cut the second shoulder for the tenons to fit the mortises needed for this rocking chair. I was about to make those spacers when I received a new issue of Woodcraft Magazine. The article in the Feb/Mar 2016 issue was entitled Twin-Blade Joinery. With this method I would use twin RIP saw blades with disks or shims between the blades. With the right combination of shims I could cut tenons for the following mortise sizes cut with my Powermatic mortiser and hollow mortise chisels: 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, and 1/2 inches.
> 
> ...


You are right about the tenon being centered, but what I am attempting to accomplish is to cut the tenon to an almost exact dimension so it fits into the mortise I made with my hollow chisel mortiser.

So let me turn your question back by asking how do you determine when cutting a center tenon that you have it sized to fit into the mortise? For me it usually meant that (as some describe the process) it is a multi-dimensioning process of using a file or in my case a shoulder plane to remove some of the material and then test it for fit. When it still is too thick, then I take more off, then test. Eventually, I will get it dimensioned so it fits well. This is probably the way it has been done for centuries: fitting tenons into mortises.

The twin blade method I am attempting to follow is a technique so that I can cut the tenon with one stroke over the blades and it should be very close to fitting, it is doesn't already. Positioning the apron (if it is for a table) over the blade as you would have had to do for a centered tenon is probably a matter of marking the starting point with a pencil and lining it up with the table saw blade for a centered tenon. If the mark is right and the width is precise (as I have tested the blades and the shims) it should be center, or very close.

So how do you guarantee that you do not cut the tenon too thin by positioning the piece too far into the blade? You will have the tenon centered, true. But, it may be cut too thin so it is too loose in its mortise… Of course, you can fudge the mark so the tenon is always too thick and then shave some of each side until it fits. It is just that part that i am trying to avoid in order to speed up the process by using two blades and the proper amount of shims so the tenon width is darn close to the mortise…


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

*Loose Tenons: Festool Domino or Mortising JiGs*

While viewing the rocking chair instruction, Tom McLaughlin stated that he used a three-slot router bit to make his mortises on the chair's back legs and the corresponding rockers and crest rail. That method was used for his first rocking chair. However, when he went to Tommy Mac's Rough Cut show they used instead Tommy Mac's Festool Domino mortising machine. They cut the mortises with his machine and then placed Festool's loose tenons in them. Festool calls these compressed wood pieces Dominos. If you already own a Festool Domino machine like Tommy Mac, then why not use it? The large Domino Xl costs about $1,400 before taxes. It is probably worth it if you have the cash to spend. I have other priorities. I intend to buy a Saw Stop cabinet table saw before any Festool equipment.

In the class instruction Tom McLaughlin stated that he had borrowed Tommy Mac's Domino machine. Tom demonstrated how to cut the mortises with the Domino mortiser. These mortises were on the back legs where the rockers where attached and the crest rail fastened to the top of the back legs.

My biggest concern was making the double mortises in the leg's end grain. Tom demonstrated for me how he used in router with a 3-slot bit to cut the first mortises in his first rocker build. I had asked that question because as I explained I did not intend to buy a Domino machine; instead I would use my Bosch plunge router to make those mortises.

Tom was kind enough to explain how to use a 3-cutter slot router bit. However, I doubt that my inexperience would give me as good a result as I would need.

Therefore, I began to look for better solutions for myself. What I decided to make for my shop was actually two router based mortising JIGs. I decided to follow two plans that I found on the Internet.

PLUNGE ROUTER MORTISING JIG

The first JIG was a Woodsmith Shop Notes plan that I can clamp to my workbench and use my Bosch plunge router with an upcut router bit sized for the mortises I would be cutting. With this JIG I could easily cut mortises in aprons and rails by holding them horizontally in the JIG's clamps. I could also reposition the JIG so I could cut mortising by holding the rocker's legs vertically.

The image below is from Woodsmith's web site for their mortising jig plan.









I nearly have my plunge router mortising JIG completed. I have the stops to add as well as the toggle clamps. I am planning to make a mounting block for my self-adjusting toggle clamp. I will bolt the toggle clamp to this block and then have a way to fasten that block to the front fence of the mortising JIG by screwing it down tightly with 1/4" -20 bolt stubbed knobs.

My nearly completed plunge router mortising JIG is shown in the image below.









SLOT MORTISER JIG

The other JIG I am building is a slot mortiser that I found in a Fine Woodworking article authored by Gregory Paolini. He also demonstrates an updated mortiser on YouTube. You can view that video by clicking here.

Gregory Paolini authored a Fine Woodworking Magazine article back in 2007 of this slot mortiser. That article had most of the part dimensions shown in a diagram. To view that article you may need to have an online membership. The magazine does offer a free 14-day trial.

In this photo you will see some of the parts I have milled and glued together for my slot mortiser. This photo has a mixed view of the slot mortiser parts as well as the plunge router mortising JIG parts. This photo was taken before I completed that JIG.









I went to my local Woodcraft store to buy the T-track and Ultra High Molecular Weight (UHMW) sheet. I noticed on Greg's web site that he also made a couple extra clamping blocks. So I have glued and cut new blocks from my MDF scrap pile. I will drill and route a couple of slots in these blocks so I can fasten them down to my T-track and then use the blocks either as stops or add a clamp or toggle clamps to hold my lumber for mortising.

;


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## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

HappyHowie said:


> *Loose Tenons: Festool Domino or Mortising JiGs*
> 
> While viewing the rocking chair instruction, Tom McLaughlin stated that he used a three-slot router bit to make his mortises on the chair's back legs and the corresponding rockers and crest rail. That method was used for his first rocking chair. However, when he went to Tommy Mac's Rough Cut show they used instead Tommy Mac's Festool Domino mortising machine. They cut the mortises with his machine and then placed Festool's loose tenons in them. Festool calls these compressed wood pieces Dominos. If you already own a Festool Domino machine like Tommy Mac, then why not use it? The large Domino Xl costs about $1,400 before taxes. It is probably worth it if you have the cash to spend. I have other priorities. I intend to buy a Saw Stop cabinet table saw before any Festool equipment.
> 
> ...


Good call in all ways. SawStop and the router you already own. No need for big ticket fancy schmancy tools from Festool. I cringe whenever I hear people succumb to the marketing and drop $1,400 on a tool that only does one thing, yes really well, but still. I've got a $140 BeadLock Pro that does just about the same thing with a drill I already own and that's 10%. I can buy a lot of QSWO for $1300! BTW, I lost a finger my table saw, so safety is super important to me.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

HappyHowie said:


> *Loose Tenons: Festool Domino or Mortising JiGs*
> 
> While viewing the rocking chair instruction, Tom McLaughlin stated that he used a three-slot router bit to make his mortises on the chair's back legs and the corresponding rockers and crest rail. That method was used for his first rocking chair. However, when he went to Tommy Mac's Rough Cut show they used instead Tommy Mac's Festool Domino mortising machine. They cut the mortises with his machine and then placed Festool's loose tenons in them. Festool calls these compressed wood pieces Dominos. If you already own a Festool Domino machine like Tommy Mac, then why not use it? The large Domino Xl costs about $1,400 before taxes. It is probably worth it if you have the cash to spend. I have other priorities. I intend to buy a Saw Stop cabinet table saw before any Festool equipment.
> 
> ...


Ouch, for the lost finger.

The 10th will be the first anniversary of my table saw accident. I was lucky for such a foolish move on my part. I decided to move an offcut small piece with my left hand. There was no particular reason to do this; especially since I do not have depth perception. I felt compelled to do it. The devil made me do it.

I touched the moving blade with two fingers; my index and middle finger were cut through the nails. It did not hurt, at first. I was afraid I had damaged the bone tips. When I brought my hand up to look at the damage, the fingers were covered in my blood so I stuck them into my mouth to clean it. Later I learned I just cut the fleshy parts and the tips of my fingernails; no bones… lucky…

I believe the emergency room doctor did a good job of stitching me up. There were only one or two pieces he had to toss away. This incident was fateful in that it got me referred to a great hand doctor for a follow-up from the emergency room. That surgeon helped me with my carpal tunnel. Prior to that appointment no other hand surgeon would touch my carpal tunnel issues. I'm always looking for silver linings…










It actually healed up well so without close inspections the fingers look normal. The touch and feelings on the tips will never be the same. I am lucky for my stupid move.

My wife Ann is the one that went into shock. I had to coach her while driving me to the emergency room. She wanted me to buy a Saw Stop right away before I ever used that table saw again. It really was not the saw's fault. It was mine. I have to pay every bill, though, so I have been saving for the Saw Stop ever since. I have enough in my savings account now to buy their 3 hp pro cabinet model. However, I will wait a couple weeks to finish a family trip and to see if any unforeseen emergency pops up. My woodshop is in my 3-car garage so everything, I believe, should be mobile. I want the industrial mobile stand instead of the integrated mobile stand so their semi-annual sale for a free mobile stand or the overhead dust collector does not interest me. That removes the end of April deadline for me to make the purchase right away.

My contractor Porter Cable table saw is worth more to me or a family member than for which I could resell it. I will see if a son or a son-in-law would want to take it as a gift. They just need to be careful from making a stupid move like me.  All of my table saw JIGs will go with the saw. There may be two dozen jigs I made for this saw. Oh well, they helped me and they will still help the new owner. Giving these jigs away will pretty much clean my north wall where I hang my jigs. I can start new with a new Saw Stop table saw…

I do believe the plunge router mortising jig or the slot mortiser will make the dual end grain mortises just fine for the rocking chair I am building. I will practice on scrap pieces of wood to make sure I can do the job right every time before I work on the rocking chair's leg end grain where it fastens to the rockers and the crest rail.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

HappyHowie said:


> *Loose Tenons: Festool Domino or Mortising JiGs*
> 
> While viewing the rocking chair instruction, Tom McLaughlin stated that he used a three-slot router bit to make his mortises on the chair's back legs and the corresponding rockers and crest rail. That method was used for his first rocking chair. However, when he went to Tommy Mac's Rough Cut show they used instead Tommy Mac's Festool Domino mortising machine. They cut the mortises with his machine and then placed Festool's loose tenons in them. Festool calls these compressed wood pieces Dominos. If you already own a Festool Domino machine like Tommy Mac, then why not use it? The large Domino Xl costs about $1,400 before taxes. It is probably worth it if you have the cash to spend. I have other priorities. I intend to buy a Saw Stop cabinet table saw before any Festool equipment.
> 
> ...


This is my north wall where I store or hang my jigs.


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## HappyHowie (Jan 27, 2013)

*Guido Henn - Holzwerken*

I have seen on YouTube the German woodworker demonstrate the use of a European workbench and also routing JIGs. I did not know how many JIgs he has invented for the router until last evening. If he penetrated the United States market, I believe he could be a big hit here.

I liked his design of what I believe he calls his "Magic Box". It is a horizontal routing table with a second part that he can easily and precisely "set vertically the router in the "Z plane. It is quite ingenious.

I have placed a link above where he demonstrates the use of this routing JIG.


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## Ocelot (Mar 6, 2011)

HappyHowie said:


> *Guido Henn - Holzwerken*
> 
> I have seen on YouTube the German woodworker demonstrate the use of a European workbench and also routing JIGs. I did not know how many JIgs he has invented for the router until last evening. If he penetrated the United States market, I believe he could be a big hit here.
> 
> ...


Looks like cool stuff!


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## CaptainSkully (Aug 28, 2008)

HappyHowie said:


> *Guido Henn - Holzwerken*
> 
> I have seen on YouTube the German woodworker demonstrate the use of a European workbench and also routing JIGs. I did not know how many JIgs he has invented for the router until last evening. If he penetrated the United States market, I believe he could be a big hit here.
> 
> ...


Das ist gut!


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