Anyone made a Maloof Rocker?

[leehljp]

Last week i purchased the DVD and profile plans for a Maloof rocker from LeeValley (on sale). It came with a booklet also. My mind is running amuck thinking about making one. I have plenty of cherry, not quite enough walnut (2" thick), plenty of oak. I probably will make it of cherry.

It will probably be a few months before I can get started, but this has been my dream since the first time I saw the rocker years ago.

Has anyone here (on this forum) made a Maloof style rocker? Comments on the difficulties or ease?

[atgcpaul]

"Oh, it's you!"

That's the running joke my wife and I have whenever I enter a piece of furniture into the county fair. My short term (hopefully) goal in life is to win the "Gentlemen of the Fair" ribbon--sexist name, I know. It's awarded to the best overall item in a certain category. In this case, woodworking.

I've entered in two non-consecutive years. Both years, I've gotten blue ribbons but then someone enters a Maloof rocker and there goes the big ribbon! And I know this sounds cocky, but the years I don't enter, no rocker and the competition is meh.

Anyway, I'm entering this year and I know someone like you is going to have a beautiful Maloof rocker on display. I'm not bitter.


My WWing teacher at Palomar said the most critical part of the rocker is the rocker. He specializes in ladderback chairs but also makes rockers. He said if you don't make the two rockers symmetrical and attach them symmetrically, you're rocker will "walk" around.

Sam Maloof demonstrated cutting the leg to seat joint using a handheld router for our class on a tour. That and the sculpting of the seat would be my biggest challenges.

Please post lots of pics of the process. The people who entered them deserved to win hands down. I've met the rocker's namesake; he let me sit in his rocker; you won't regret building it. It is the most comfortable rocker to sit in and touch.

[leehljp]

Thanks for the information. That was interesting. I never met S.M. but talked with several who did, including some instructors/teachers at Palomar when they came to Japan one year. One of my Japanese neighbors was given Sam's book by Sam himself and he (Sam) wrote a personal letter to my friend - who could not understand even written English very well.

AS to the rockers and symetrical - the booklet shows a jig for making sure they are aligned symetrically.

My dream is more than one chair. First out of Cherry, probably, and then one out of Bloodwood, if I can find some 2 in bloodwood. Bloodwood can be brittle, so that will have to be taken into account.

[chopnhack]

That is a really exciting prospect Lee! Congrats on your journey the finished product is such a show stopper and begs to be touched and sat in. Reason enough for a piece to be built!