CollieFeathers Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 This is the current project. It is a rocking chair from "A Cabinet Maker's Guide for Dollhouse Furniture, Volume 5" by Helen and James Dorsett. Turn of the Century Oak Furniture. If anyone has any info on this rocker, I'd appreciate it. First, I could not find ANY real rocker like it on an internet search. Some of them similar, but all children's rockers. And all with rush seats. It dawned on me that THIS rocker was a child's rocker, being only 41 inches high. It says it is from the 1897 Montgomery ward catalog. This project is going to be a donation for the auction at the Guild show in September in Windsor, CT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CollieFeathers Posted August 9, 2017 Author Share Posted August 9, 2017 So, then I had to find my lumber. Had some pieces of white oak from the chess board project and started to mill them, then thought - these are boring and the grain is a bit big. And since I've always loved the idea of going out on my wooded portion of property (an acre) and finding my own timber from this gorgeous area of the country, that's what I did. I cannot believe how much FUN I had doing this. There are oak trees everywhere, some very old and very large. They drop dry branches all the time. So, I picked one of these up and took it to the shop. And sliced the entire branch down into lumber. (Used the bandsaw for this.) It was like opening geode stones. With every cut, I got so excited with what I was seeing. What's in that one? How about if I cut it the other way? Oh, that's pretty TOO. I was worried I wouldn't be able to cut the lumber thin enough, but I could make paper thin cuts. Realized I could make veneers! Actually, at one point, had a problem cutting it THICK enough. lol. The grain of the lumber is very tight and in scale. There are worm holes to scale! And beautiful colors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CollieFeathers Posted August 9, 2017 Author Share Posted August 9, 2017 Look at THIS! Laughing witches, complete with bat wings, spider's web and a gorgeous background. This will HAVE to be the doors of a wardrobe for a haunted dollhouse one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CollieFeathers Posted August 9, 2017 Author Share Posted August 9, 2017 These knots could be turned into miniature bowls! (Add another project.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CollieFeathers Posted August 9, 2017 Author Share Posted August 9, 2017 And some of the pieces I cut yesterday. Plus a really pretty piece of timber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CollieFeathers Posted August 9, 2017 Author Share Posted August 9, 2017 So, then had a dilemma. Tried to turn some pieces on the metal lathe and it wasn't working well. For one thing, I do not have ANY wood turning tools whatsoever, much less mini turning tools. The lathe rest I've been using for the chess pieces is NOT made for this lathe. It's very floppy and you can't get close to the work at all. Since the chess pieces are VERY short, it worked for those. I could wedge the rest tightly and just use the gravers and diamond files to turn the antler. The tail stock had to be put on the lathe, which made using the metal carbide tools very difficult to move back and forth - not much room. Learned about being able to do that with this machine, but still not so useful for wood. My dear husband decided to give me my Christmas gift early and I have the Micro Mark wood lathe coming with the mini set of turning tools. Was able to use the Promo code from this forum, too, for a discount. YAY! Then went back out to the shop and cut some blanks from the same branch to turn when the lathe gets here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeekendMiniaturist Posted August 9, 2017 Share Posted August 9, 2017 I imagine hundreds of miniaturists slicing tree branches tonite to find witches in the cross cuts. That is amazing find. You definitely had me with these knots can be turned into miniature bowls! Congrats on your new equipment acquisition! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElgaKoster Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 They did make rocker chairs that low, google antique sewing rocker chairs. Love your wood finds and the withches are just fantastic! Enjoy your new lathe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeekendMiniaturist Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 I know i have an old Montgomery Wards Catalog, and an old Sears Catalog... it is like entering a time machine... but I don't know where they are; they are not in my bookshelves, they are somewhere in the piles for projects reference, which could be anyplace in our home... I would suggest eBay or interlibrary loan search for a catalog reprint. You can also purchase the original catalogs. If it is important, to have an original catalog, expect to pay more, or be very patient... I hunted a circa 1917 Sears Catalog for years, because that was the year our home was built. If I find my catalogs, before you are able to find another resource, I will look at the rocking chairs for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CollieFeathers Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 Hi Elga, Did the google search. I have never seen a rocking chair with a drawer. Mental note for a future project. Hi WeekendMiniaturist. It's not that necessary to find the exact rocker but thank you so much for looking. I've decided just to have fun with this project and do it to my taste. Found some excellent sources for material with small print for upholstering small pieces. Men's ties - eBay. And fabric swatches ($1-$2) - eBay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeekendMiniaturist Posted August 12, 2017 Share Posted August 12, 2017 Did the lathe and lathe tools arrive ? Based upon my out of the box experience with my micro mark mini turning tools, they had to be sharpened. My gravers arrived sharp from GRS Tools.... being new to turning, I admit I didn't understand what sharp was, until my fearless instructor told me that those tools need to be sharpened... Another, oh my god, when-will-i-stop-being-clueless- moment. But thankfully he was quite gracious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CollieFeathers Posted August 12, 2017 Author Share Posted August 12, 2017 2 minutes ago, WeekendMiniaturist said: Did the lathe and lathe tools arrive ? Yes. We are acquiring the hardware to bolt it to the worktable and set it up today (I hope). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CollieFeathers Posted August 18, 2017 Author Share Posted August 18, 2017 Have been playing with the lathe. WeekendMiniaturist - you were right - the turning tools DID need to be sharpened. They worked MUCH better after sharpening. Watched a LOT of You Tube wood turning videos then went out and practiced. This leg is beginners luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CollieFeathers Posted August 18, 2017 Author Share Posted August 18, 2017 Here's the lathe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CollieFeathers Posted August 18, 2017 Author Share Posted August 18, 2017 Pieces of one of the rockers. Going to attempt mortise joints for the first time for the seat and the back rails. Also going to bend the back rails and I'm assuming you steam the wood for that and tie them around something round and let them dry. At least matching the turned pieces wasn't difficult because of the chess piece practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeekendMiniaturist Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 Hi CF, I think it is unfortunate that the Micro Mark Tools arrive in such an unsharpened state. My set is a little larger then what they currently sell, that includes some tools for hollowing bowls or vessels, and rookie me isn't terribly enthused about sharpening these different profiles myself, so I think these two will wait to be sharpened when I have more sharpening experience. I have sharpened the rest of them. >Also going to bend the back rails and I'm assuming you steam the wood for that and tie them around something round and let them dry. I'm not sure if you saw this post, but here is some history about Elga's first Guild School Class for 2017 where she is asking about this subject too. http://www.fineminiaturesforum.com/topic/912-how-to-bend-wood/ It looks like you are making great progress! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CollieFeathers Posted August 22, 2017 Author Share Posted August 22, 2017 First Parlor Rocker finished. Wine cork for scale. Working on the second one today. It's very well balanced and will rock with ceiling fan wind. Do you think this is good enough for a donation to the IMGA Guild Show auction in Windsor, CT in Sept.? Three will be made and I'll pick the best one to donate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeekendMiniaturist Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 I think it is fabulous! and Fearless instructor at Guild School brings the gravers for class complete with Wine Corks. They are great for using as caps to protect your gravers from damage. Now, I forgot... why don't we have wine in class again? Oh, I remember, it is that - do- not- operate- a- machine (while drinking) issue and all the sharp tools... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElgaKoster Posted August 23, 2017 Share Posted August 23, 2017 Your chair is beautiful! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CollieFeathers Posted September 4, 2017 Author Share Posted September 4, 2017 Thank you Elga and WeekendMiniaturist. This post is to wrap up this project. I found the real parlor rocker in the Mongomery Ward 1895 catalog. I could not find an 1897 catalog. This is the rocker though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CollieFeathers Posted September 4, 2017 Author Share Posted September 4, 2017 This is the second rocker I made. The back slats have a much better curve on them. Bending the slats took 6 minutes in boiling water and then tied tightly around a glass jar and left overnight to cool and dry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CollieFeathers Posted September 4, 2017 Author Share Posted September 4, 2017 And this rocker is like the one in the catalog. Had a hard time doing the mortise and tenon joints for the curved back slats - and get the back seat rail in there at the same time. Before the glue got tacky enough to make things stick together and hold, the rocker would explode all over the floor and table. And then the glue would be too dry, or too wet again and another explosion would happen. Tried doing butt joints instead of mortising for the seat rails and that didn't help. May have made things worse as it was very slippy. I'm going to give myself some credit as this rocker had NO right angles whatsoever. Learned a lot of new techniques though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeekendMiniaturist Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 The Rocker(s) look wonderful, and you found the catalog picture too! Great job on the finished project! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElgaKoster Posted September 5, 2017 Share Posted September 5, 2017 Great job, oh yes I know all aboit chair parts exploding! Chairs are one of the most difficult items to build in miniature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CollieFeathers Posted September 10, 2017 Author Share Posted September 10, 2017 The wind was blowing through the window today. The mini rockers on my work table were rocking away all by themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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