Gary Weeks
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Rocking Chairs and Dining Furniture
Designed for Comfort and Built to Last
Since 1992.

Gary Weeks
Autumn and Audra clamping rocker laminations

Rockers

The rockers on a Weeks Rocking Chair are bent laminations. The grain of the wood follows the curve, making them very strong for their cross section.


We saw the strips for laminating on the table saw.  We use an extended fence, an extended table, a wooden tool for holding and guiding, and a special saw blade with a stiffener. 

Table saw set up for sawing rocker laminations Austin sawing rocker laminations

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    We sand them to .280".

    John Michael sanding rocker laminations Audra measuring rocker strips rocker lamination in the dial caliper

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      We glue the laminations and clamp them between forms on a table we built for the purpose that provides vertical pressure to line them up.

      Audra gluing rocker laminations
      Audra and Autumn lining up the laminations
      Audra and Autumn clamping the laminations
      rocker laminations in the forms

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        We profile the top and sides at the shaper using a fixture.

        Gary and Autumn profiling rockers at the shaper
        Gary building the rocker shaping fixture

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          Among the other steps of boring and sanding, we profile the ends on the pump sander.

          Austin profiling rocker ends at the pump sander rocker end shape

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            Because we glue these strips together just as they were sawn, book-matching the top surfaces, the laminations almost disappear.  Most patrons haven't seen them after years of rocking.


            • Art & Craft
            • Craftsmanship
            • How We Make a Rocking Chair
            • Layout
            • Seats
            • Back Legs
            • Arms
            • Crest Rails
            • Splats
            • Front Legs
            • Rockers
            • Assembly
            • Sculpting and Sanding
            • The Finish
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            Gary Weeks seal

            112 West Spoke Hill Road
            Wimberley, Texas 78676
            phone: 512-847-3187

            photos and text by Gary Weeks
            ©2019
            Site Map

            • Furniture
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                  • Is the Weeks Rocker a Copy of the Maloof Rocker?
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                • Houston Family Magazine, November 2018
                • PEC: Heart of the Hill Country, March 2018
                • Hill Country View, May 2018
                • Wimberley Visitor's Guide, Spring and Summer 2018
                • Esquire, April 2016
                • Dallas Modern Luxury, Fall 2010
                • Edible Austin, Fall 2010
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                • Practical Ecommerce, March/April 2008
                • Ranch & Rural Living, January 2007
                • Northwest Certified Forestry, Spring 2006
                • Denver Post, June 2006
                • Southern Living, June 2006
                • Dallas Morning News, December 2005
                • Furniture & Cabinet Maker, April 2004
                • Woodshop News, March 2004
                • The Australian Woodworker, June 2003
                • New Texas, November 2001
                • Texas Co-op Power, December 1999
                • The Art of Living, May 1999
                • Texas Monthly, May 1999
                • Cabinet Maker, April 1999
                • Lake & Country Living, March 1999
                • The Woodworker, March 1999 (Great Britain)
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                • Interiors & Sources, January/February 1999
                • Custom Woodworking Business, January 1999
                • Life & Arts, December 1998
                • Modern Woodworking, December 1998
                • Wimberley View, 1998
                • Wimberley View, March 1993
              • Press Kit
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                • How We Make a Rocking Chair
                  • Layout
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