Prototype #19 - poplar, unfinished, no cushion yet
In the Fall of 2021 I attended a two week chair making intensive at the Center for Furniture Craftsmanship in Maine. In the morning of first day we were tasked to come up with a concept for a chair that we could design, prototype, and build in our time there.
I chose to build a rocking chair. My parents had just retired a couple months earlier and I liked the idea of my mom sitting on her porch, drinking chardonnay, in a rocking chair I made for her. Little did I know at the time that rocking chairs are not simply chairs with round pieces screwed to the bottom. There are numerous variables to consider - seat height, seat angle, back angle, seat depth, rocker radius of curvature, rocker centerline, etc.
Design and layout
All in all I made 19 different prototypes before settling on something that is quite comfortable and inviting. It has a slow subtle rock that gives way to an effortless, restful and smooth seating experience. I’m still tweaking some aesthetics before I make a final version to deliver to my mother. I applaud her patience in waiting for something I promised her almost 4 years ago. She is the best.
It started as a plywood box to establish major dimensions
By screwing this back piece to the plywood side I was able to quickly adjust to the different layout lines to experiment with different back angles
Working with the rocker geometry. Notice where it contacts the floor. It wasn’t until about prototype #12 that this needed to be directly under the tailbone. This here was a very aggressive motion.
With the primary dimensions locked in I was moved on from the plywood to start figuring out the joinery and aesthetics (later versions would not be screwed together).
Testing the fit and feel in the sun. This was a good day.
This is the final prototype that shipped back to Seattle.
There are much worst ways to spend ones time than 2 weeks of chair camp in New England during the fall.