I have been cutting my rockers with the band saw and then belt sanding to size. What are some other ways that you use? Does anybody have an easy way to plot the arc if the rocker based on the size of the chair to be built?
Roger
Laminate Bend
Bandsaw and then trim to size with a spoke shave.
Cut close to your pattern line at the band saw then re-attach pattern and use a pattern bit to take it to the line at the router.
Here is how I would do it: Use a pattern bit to route to the line with the pattern in place. If your rocker is wider then your pattern bit, remove the pattern and then finish with a flush trim bit (referencing off of the fresh cut made by the pattern bit). Let me know if this is not clear.
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I make a template from hardboard, cut close to the line and them stick the template on the work piece and use the router table with a bearing guided bit. This method results in perfectly matched rockers.
willimx
Sounds like a lot of unnecessary work to me. I cut them on a bandsaw and clean them up with a spokeshave. I do cut both rockers simultaneously on the bandsaw. I suppose if you have no handtool skills, you have to resort to the router.
Doing it with a template at the router sounds like more work then doing it by hand?
The added advantage of using a router and template is that both rockers will be identical. If you want to make another rocker in 6 months, grab the same template and you will have two more identical rockers.
The tricky part with doing it at the router is the changing grain as the wood curves. To tackle this all you have to do is flip the piece w/ template upside down and alternate bottom/top bearing pattern bits.
Piece of cake.
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I have templates I use for the rough cut, but the spoke shaves make easy work of it and I don't have all the noise.
I have 4 routers, and several pattern bits but they don't get much use. :-)
That's what I like about working wood, we all are free to do it how we want to. The OP said he uses a belt sander shape the rockers. You use the routers and I use the shaves.
As a matter of interest, I have a chair on the bench now. It is made of curly maple and will be spectacular after it is finished. My new grandson will be rocked in it.
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