Layout
Every part of a Weeks Rocker® has technical and artistic specifications.
We pull enough wood for the number of chairs we wish to make.
We spread the wood in the shop so we can walk around and find what we are looking for:
- Grain direction, the orientation of the growth rings, and the nature of any irregularities determine strength, longevity, and stability in each part.
- The composition of figure, color, and character in the part and in the chair deliver beauty and distinction.
We study the wood and mark each part with patterns or by rough dimension according to the technical and artistic considerations. We can see the top and bottom surface of the wood defined by the part, but what is inside to be revealed by sawing and sculpting must be visualized — illuminated by experience and intuition. Many parts are marked in pairs or sets to be tracked and assembled in the same chair.
Click on the image above and, if necessary, expand your browser window to see detail.
Having marked out a batch of wood, we cut the parts oversize to facilitate the subsequent production of accurate planes and dimensions.
Note how a pair of legs and arms are marked as a set. They will end up in a chair, consistent in color and figure.
