It’s Here––Making the Craftsman-style Rocking Chair

This video series is the definitive step-by-step instructional guide to building your own Craftsman-style rocking chair so many of you have asked for. Through the years I have taught many a dozen woodworkers to build this famous chair and I am proud to announce that we finally did it, so here is the introduction for you to catch just a glimpse of how we teach and train woodworkers online and through our video work.

Not everyone wants to sign up for continued online membership so we have made this available as a one time purchase as well as through our normal membership on woodworkingmasterclasses. Here is the link.

16 Comments

  1. Thank you for sharing this with us! I’ve wanted to see this project for some time and am thrilled it’s finally here!

    1. Help us to promote this one with your woodworking friends and family if you will. I love the idea that people will be making their rocking chairs at last.

      1. Thanks Paul for sharing this. I’ve loved the look of this chair since the first time I seen it. I can’t wait to try and start this project. It will be a fantastic gift for family…. but not the first one. That one will stay with me. 🙂 In your opinion though. I’m still a beginner woodworker just working through your first book. I am feeling confident in my abilities so far. Is this a project that a beginner with decent knowledge should attempt or do you think it would be better to hone my skills more before taking on this adventure?

        1. In my courses over the past 25 years the students who have completed my six-day (USA) and nine-day (UK) Foundational course start this and complete it in six days in the USA and nine days in the UK. There is of course no hurry and it’s better to take your time and enjoy the whole process. Yes, I think most woodworkers who have been following our online work and then my other work will be able to make this chair.

  2. Thank you so much for this. This and the frame saw are why I got interested in your work to begin with. I am glad to see it come to fruition.

  3. I built the chair in the early 2000’s. There must have been about 12-15 students.

    It was a fun class. My son has the chair and I have built another of Paul’s chairs.

    1. Hello Lowell, Yes, I remember. You made yours in black walnut, which always looks lovely. I can’t recall how many hundreds I’ve taught making this chair to in classes but I recall almost all of the students because by the time they’d done my foundation course I knew everyone quite well.
      Kind regards,

      Paul

  4. Oooh, I have been interested in this chair. I’ve wanted a rocking chair and something different from the traditional Scandinavian designs we got here. I would probably make it from arctic silver birch, which is our native hardwood.

    I wonder is the chair also covered in your new book any?

    1. No, the book is about the types of tools essential to starting woodworking and then the next phase of progressing to more advanced levels too. As an instance this Craftsman style rocker is made using no more than 12 hand tools and they are all included in the book. For me the book provides the missing link between craftsmen working as artisans to earn their living and today’s woodworking searching for skills and knowledge they can advance their craft with. It’s a how-to of working with hand tools to gain more advanced skills in woodworking and then a guide to help you with the idiosyncrasies that make the tools work at optimum levels rather than mediocre so that’s why it’s not project oriented. Best is to sign in to woodworking masterclasses, follow the making, and then, if you want to, cease membership until you see another project you want.

  5. Paul, I’m really glad you are opening up your pricing options. Please consider doing the same for past and future projects. Your instructional videos blow everyone else out of the water — you actually TEACH.

  6. Is there a glider version of this chair?
    How would it be adjusted for someone with long legs or torso?

    1. On this type of rocker it is very much a one size fits all. By adjusting your position in the chair you find the sweet spot and rock. No need for gliders and so, no, no glider version.

  7. I much prefer reading shop drawings and associated instructions and tips, where needed, to watching video.
    Any chance you publish and sell such an animal for the rocking chair?
    Sincerely,
    Bob Hammer
    PS Now that you have taught me what a sharp plane iron or chisel edge really looks like and how to achieve the same, working with these tools has become a real pleasure. Those diamond stones work wonders.

    1. No, Bob, we don’t. You could consider joining woodworkingmasterclasses as a one timer and pay the £12 fee for a month and that will give you access to the plans though.

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