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I couldn't find a plan for this little child's rocker so I winged it!

I found this photo of a rocker and use it to make one!

After starring at this photo for a few days in my shop I just started drawing shapes of what I thought might work on some 1/4" MDF.

Trial and error!
I wore out a large eraser as I drew lines and then erased the lines many times. I didn't give up and finally ended up with sketches I thought looked right. I know my dimensions are not exactly the same as the photo but it's close. I made templates and and used them to create this little child's rocker for my wife.

It's 21 1/2" H X 13" W x 12" D The rocker is 20 1/2" L
Pine with Cherry arm rest. No finish yet!

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You did a great job. Cute little rocker.
But, are you back to painting again?!? ;)
 

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You did a great job. Cute little rocker.
But, are you back to painting again?!? ;)

- BB1
Thanks BB…. Oh no there's that bad word again! Can't seem to shake that paint thing LOL! Well I think I'm just going to just give this one a coat of water base finish. I kind of like the way it looks in it's naked state! What do you think?
 

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I agree. I like the color contrast you have with the darker armrests. So relieved you aren't facing painting again!!!!
 

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I agree. I like the color contrast you have with the darker armrests. So relieved you aren t facing painting again!!!!

- BB1
Thank BB! Sometimes natural just looks good! Two votes :) my wife like it this way also!
 

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Cool item shaver but you might need another one for the other cheek.

Does it come with a drill, screws and a mallet so it can be dis' and re-assembled like your other rocker puzzle?
 

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Cool item shaver but you might need another one for the other cheek.

Does it come with a drill, screws and a mallet so it can be dis and re-assembled like your other rocker puzzle?

- LittleBlackDuck
Nope this is not a puzzle and it doesn't come with tools but I can leave out the glue up part and you can play with it all day long if you want.
 

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Hi Tony, Mate that is one really cool rocker.

I wouldn't worry about paint. It looks great a la naturale.

Bob
 

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I like yours more! Realy fantastic replica
 

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Nicely done Tony. A very fitting rocker for a king or queen. I like the natural finish also.

Hears a thought to add color, use a white wash which will allow the grain to pop through.
 

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LOVE this so awesome Tony,, great fun work.
 

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Good looking rocker, Tony. You duplicated that photo right on!!!!!! Better than a plan because you make the dimensions!!!!!!!!!

Cheers, Jim
 

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Hi Tony, Mate that is one really cool rocker.

I wouldn t worry about paint. It looks great a la naturale.

Bob

- BobWemm
Thanks Bob!
I agree! maybe a little sanding sealer and a coat of clear finish will do the trick!

I like yours more! Really fantastic replica

- Ivan
Thanks Ivan!
I really strained my brain on this one!

Nicely done Tony. A very fitting rocker for a king or queen. I like the natural finish also.

Hears a thought to add color, use a white wash which will allow the grain to pop through.

- Eric
Thanks Eric,
I like your idea of white wash and I might try your suggestion on a 2nd rocker!

LOVE this so awesome Tony,, great fun work.

- Ken90712
Thanks Ken,
I had no idea on how to even start this project. Some how it magically came together!

Good looking rocker, Tony. You duplicated that photo right on!!!!!! Better than a plan because you make the dimensions!!!!!!!!!

Cheers, Jim

- Jim Jakosh
Thanks Jim,
After I got started drawing on that MDF like a 1st grader it took a few hours for the puzzled look on my face vanish! LOL! I'm still trying to remember how I got this far!
 

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The main problem I had was trying to determine how to set the chair onto the rockers and have it balanced correctly.
The photo helped a little but I was still just guessing at what angle do I cut the bottom of the legs? Axes adjustments over and over again!
 

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Beautiful Chair Tony. The best directions to follow are your own. I still very much think this can be a Disney version with the Mickey mouse ear looking top. I bet getting the right balance could be a chore, I wonder if there is a formula for that out there. I could use a few extra chairs over here right now. LOL.
 

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Hi Tony
Great job of winging it, (what I call designing on the fly) I really like the look and finished rocker.
 

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Beautiful Chair Tony. The best directions to follow are your own. I still very much think this can be a Disney version with the Mickey mouse ear looking top. I bet getting the right balance could be a chore, I wonder if there is a formula for that out there. I could use a few extra chairs over here right now. LOL.

- doubleDD
Thanks Dave,
You could be right about the Disney version! I have yet to see one with any Disney logo's on them though. I emailed the person that posted that green chair on Etsy and asked if they would sell me the plan. She said her step father made the plan and if she found it she would share it with me but that was weeks ago. What puzzles me is they have more than one for sale on Etsy (all different prices and colors) so who's making them and are they using a plan?

Yes absolutely a formula would have helped… what I did to help with the angle is I set the rocker down next to my puzzle rocking chair to match the "sitting idle angle" and that work ok. There is always a way!

Anyway…. I got one now and I made templates to all the parts! ho ho ho!
PS. I wish I knew how to make a PDF so I could share.
 

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another vote for natural nice design GREAT JOB :<)))) GRATZ TOP 3

- GR8HUNTER
Thanks Tony,
Yes natural just look so clean and fresh! Hope you wife is dong better!

Hi Tony
Great job of winging it, (what I call designing on the fly) I really like the look and finished rocker.

- a1Jim
Hi Jim, Thank you!
Yes "designing on the fly" A good way to say it! Sometimes we just need to think more to get what we want.
 

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Nice looking rocker. Kids seem to love them

I made one of those rockers where the parts interlock like a puzzle. All I had was a photo and in making the drawings the problem was the balance point of the rocker curve so I understand you challenge. What I did was make a prototype from MDF and when I got the curve correct I had a template for my final product. Ended up making 6…two were painted. Someone else recently posted their version of a similar chair.

 

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Nice looking rocker. Kids seem to love them

I made one of those rockers where the parts interlock like a puzzle. All I had was a photo and in making the drawings the problem was the balance point of the rocker curve so I understand you challenge. What I did was make a prototype from MDF and when I got the curve correct I had a template for my final product. Ended up making 6…two were painted. Someone else recently posted their version of a similar chair.



- LesB
Thanks LesB,
I did the same thing made a prototype with MDF and when I got it the way I thought it should be I used it as a template also.
I posted this puzzle rocker a few days ago it's similar to the one you show here.
Many years ago at a street fair a lady let me trace out her puzzle chair parts on paper that she had for sale. You can find plans for this one all over the web.
 

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