I am coving out the arms to the Hal Taylor Rocker I am building.  I got one done yesterday, and I will do the other arm in just a few minutes.  This is the jig I built for this purpose.

It sure is messy, since the jig itself won't allow the dust collection to pick up the ejected shavings and dust, the shop gets messy really quick.  I will post more pics when I am done tonight.

how do you use that jig?  the angle of the  outrigger piece guide it along the fence at the right angle to get the concavity you want?

We look forward to seeing the pics.

Cliff, I clamp a board somewhat adjacent to the blade as in this picture here

Cliff said:

how do you use that jig?  the angle of the  outrigger piece guide it along the fence at the right angle to get the concavity you want?

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

Mike, here is what the arm looks like after about 20 passes raising the blade about a 1/16th each pass.

And as a side note, it is messy!!!!

Mike Dillen said:

We look forward to seeing the pics.

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

Cool jig.   Your invention John?

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Ron Dudelston
Site Administrator

Above and Beyond WoodWorks

That's a sweet jig John. It looks like you got pretty close to the "T" nut on the far end in the second pic. You do some very fine work and I look forward to seeing more inspirational work. Thanks for showing your process.

Cool,  did you arrive at the blade height and angle VIA trial & error with a measure of aesthetic judgment or was there a ton of math a green visor and a  bare  60  watt light bulb  involved?

I'm guessing the pix with the clamp  is just for demo and that the  real deal spanned the whole length of the table with two clamps one on each end.

Thanks Mike! It was a fun first chair!

Mike Dillen said:

That's a sweet jig John. It looks like you got pretty close to the "T" nut on the far end in the second pic. You do some very fine work and I look forward to seeing more inspirational work. Thanks for showing your process.

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

Cliff, I wish I could take the credit but no way sir, I learned everything I know about building these chairs from Hal Taylor's Rocking Chair Class. He provided all the templates etc and the instructions for making the multiple jigs needed. After my first chair I have started inserting some attitude and my own personality into our chairs, thus having to modify the jigs a bit. But the bases of my jigs and my knowledge to build these came from Mr Taylor. Thanks for the confidence!

Cliff said:

Cool,  did you arrive at the blade height and angle VIA trial & error with a measure of aesthetic judgment or was there a ton of math a green visor and a  bare  60  watt light bulb  involved?

I'm guessing the pix with the clamp  is just for demo and that the  real deal spanned the whole length of the table with two clamps one on each end.

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

I have his CD I haven't penetrated it yet though.

Joe, I actually have completed this chair over a year ago, I have done one since and I have third one now on my bench. The photos above were taken from a blog I did on a site back in 2010, long since gone, but I still have the remnants of the blog, it will take me some time to paste the blog back together but I'll see about getting it up here. Thanks for the interest.

Now Sam Maloof, his arms weren't as scooped out as ours are, but I think he free styled his arms with rasps files and sanding and of course his big Bertha band saw. He did a lot of his shaping free hand, I believe most of his shaping was done by rasps, you probably know more about that then I do. But the YouTube videos I have seen, he works a ton with his band saw and files.

Joe Lyddon said:

Very cool jig, John!

Are you going to start a Blog on your chair showing us how to make one?!  

I was wondering...  do you think Sam Maloof used a jig like that on his chairs?

... I picture him of just using the band saw to make the sweeping cut(s) to get it... then finishing it up with sanders, etc.

I really don't know how he did it...  just wondering...

I have to get started on my Dining Chairs...  maybe this weekend...  It has been SO HOT!  Like a Sauna in the garage (shop)!

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops

Cliff, you must get into it, you'll love it! He's a great guy too.

Cliff said:

I have his CD I haven't penetrated it yet though.

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John Morris
The Patriot Woodworker
Proud Supporter of Wounded Warrior Project and Homes For Our Troops