I have made more than a few rocking chairs by now and with each one I strive to make the most comfortable and beautiful rocking chair I can. The chair I make today bears little resemblance to the chairs I made in the beginning. I used to think that by the time I made 200 rocking chairs the design would have "settled". It seems that was not the case, as now that I am fast approaching 400 rocking chairs I still have changes I would like to incorporate, both for increased comfort and for beauty. All of my wood is hand selected by me. I may go through a pile of 100 boards or more in order to find three that I would like to make a chair from. It is a lot of work and it would, of course, be a lot easier to simply make a phone call and have the wood delivered but that's not the way I work.
When I was invited to participate in a chair show in England in 2004, the editor of Britain's premier woodworking magazine, "Furniture and Cabinetmaking" Colin Eden-Eadon, after sitting in my chair, wrote in his magazine that my chair was "The most comfortable wooden chair I have ever sat in." He is not alone in that opinion, most who sit in my chairs feel that they are truly a most remarkably comfortable rocking chair! There is no need for cushions or padding as the back braces are more flexible and resiliant than cushions could ever be.
In addition to making rocking chairs, I have been teaching the fine art of making them since 1990, so if you have a hankering to learn how to make these beautiful rocking chairs I am just the fellow to teach you. I have several options in my "Rocking Chair University" program that range from purchasing plans and videos to your coming to my shop in order to assist in the making of your own exquisitely comfortable rocking chair!
I'll leave the light on for you.