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| After
clamping the rockers on to the legs, I drilled through
both the rockers and the legs using a 3/4" forstner
bit. I aligned the drill by eye, so that it would go straight
into each leg. I used blind, or foxtail, wedges on the
inside end of the dowel, so I expanded the bottom of each
hole a little bit to make room for this. Thus, when I
pounded the dowel into the leg, it was held in |
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place mechanically in addition to being held in place
by the good long-grain glue surface. I gave the outside
of each dowel a single wedge, aligned perpendicular to
the grain of the rocker to prevent splitting. This enabled
me to tap these wedges in deeper and more tightly than
those in the arms. I cut the dowels and wedges flush using
a saw, then smoothed them with a chisel and sandpaper.
Even though these joints are visible only if the chair
is upside down, I think they are both attractive and structurally
sound. Along with the wedged-arm tenons, to me they convey
the craftsmanship of this chair. |
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Wedged
leg tenon |
I
finished the rocking chair with a home-brewed blend of tung
oil and natural resin varnish. It now sits proudly in our
living room. Given the solid joinery and careful construction,
I'm confident that it will continue to sit, and rock, proudly
for many years to come.
Andy
Newhouse
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