When Grandma came out West to marry into this family she brought a table and this rocker. I have had the table since '79 but this is the first time I got my hands on the rocker. When Grandma passed on in the early '80s the rocker went to my sisters and was stored in a barn till she had to move into town. That's when she called me and said
"You should fix this up and preserve our history."
It has history alright; Grandma sat in it every day for nearly 70 years and so did every kid that ever came near it.The abuse was almost too much but Grandpa, and then my Pa, always got it patched up to last a little longer.
Keep in mind this chair went through the Dirty Thirtys and some Dang hard hillbilly times after that.
The question is how to fix it and still preserve the "Character"? Pics to follow
A metal plate splicing the broken rocker
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12371/2666/DSCN0765.JPG)
Screws holding the side of the seat on
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12371/2666/DSCN0766.JPG)
Wire gussets holding the arms and legs on
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12371/2666/DSCN0767.JPG)
Twigs replacing missing spindles
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12371/2666/DSCN0772.JPG)
Any comments and suggestions welcome.
If it is functional like it is, I wouldn't change a thing. Why take away all the history? There are some rather interesting repairs there. Maybe make a copy of it if you want a like new piece.
Problem is - its not quite functional. The seat is cracked right through across the back behind the cushioned center(that the springs are missing out of) and the only thing holding the arms on is the wire. The spindles are all loose. I wonder if I should just inject a 2-part epoxy into each fitting?
When I tried sitting in the rocker I was surprised how small it is, I remembered it being much bigger ;D
I like the repairs. ;D Looks like something my dad would do. I would remove all the wire and repair screws. I would leave the twigs and plate on the runner, they give the chair "character". The chair is probably glued with hide glue. Heat will soften the glue and the chair can be disasembled and glued back together with a modern glue. The joints need to cleaned of all the old glue. The cracked wood in the seat can be glued back together. I do not know how to the repair the seat bottom. I would not refinish the chair if it was mine.
I like Pigmans approach. Label all the pieces with masking tape then take pictures fo the chair with the labels so you know how to put it back together. It might take you a little head scratching on disassembly and assembly procedures if you have not worked on a chair before. But it's not difficult.
On tenons that are too small for their mortises, you can shim the tenon with veneer or a handplane shaving. Be careful with the cracked pieces while removing them from the chair. With any luck, they will clamp back together perfectly. You may need to remove a couple of internal splinters, though.
I love those twigs! :)
Yes, I would like to keep it as original as possible - even some of the wires :)
I think what I will try is ; laminate a piece of ply onto the bottom of the entire seat. Then I could fill the center hole with foam and tack on a new piece of leather.
I guess I will still have to disassemble the whole chair to refit the tenons?
I like the wire... Those "old timers" made due with what they had, and were probably just as happy, if not happier, than we are today :)
why not fix the bottom like the rest of it has been fixed? nail a board on the bottom of it :D
Quote from: Sprucegum on January 26, 2010, 09:41:01 AM
Yes, I would like to keep it as original as possible - even some of the wires :)
I think what I will try is ; laminate a piece of ply onto the bottom of the entire seat. Then I could fill the center hole with foam and tack on a new piece of leather.
I guess I will still have to disassemble the whole chair to refit the tenons?
We sort of inheireted sever old chairs., most with loose joints. I've had pretty good luck squirting gorilla glue in the loose joints. The stuff expands as it sets up.
I'm in awe of all the repairs done over the decades to this chair. Obviously used hard but your grandad and dad thought a lot of it to keep repairing it like this. This is a little spot of your family history.
I'd just clean it up as it is, wires and all, reglue what's loose, and let your family play on it and rest their weary bones in it for the next 100 years of life in this old rocker.
I finally did all I am going to.....
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12371/2666/DSCN0942.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12371/2666/DSCN0941.JPG)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/12371/2666/DSCN0940.JPG)
I really hated to cut the wire - it was all one wire threaded through the whole chair 3 times!! It had to come out so I could replace the spindles :(
The spindles are pieces salvaged from an arbor I made for my son's wedding so when I am tired of the chair he will HAVE TO take it. His bride is sentimental about that stuff ;D
The seat is done with scraps left over when I upholstered my D4 cat seat.
I spent $7.00 on Gorilla glue and $2.00 on upholstery tacks.
Granddad and Dad both would have admonished me for using more glue than necessary :)
The chair looks great. Your late grandma would have been proud of you. You did spend too much on the repairs. ;)
Nicely done, Sprucegum!
Make sure to add a little note and a couple of pics to the underside of the chair to let future generations understand the story behind this rocker. It will be a fun story for all to know. :)
Hey Spruce,
The chair looks good. Does it feel good to you? This kind of stuff lets us appreciate our ancestor's real physical size. They were'nt really giants , tho we kind of remember them that way.
My Grandpa's saddle was just right for a while when I was growing up. I don't think he ever had as many French Fries as I seem to have found. :D :D :D I still love the saddle. :D
I woodburned the story of a friend on the bottom of the table I built in his memory. Stays with the piece forever.