skip to content
Designed for Comfort and Built to Last
Gary Weeks & Co. - Furnituremakers

Craftsmanship

In the body of this website we have a Craftsmanship Section.  It's deep. It answers the questions below and more:

  • What makes a handmade rocking chair different from those that are mass-produced?
  • Are handmade rocking chairs worth the cost and worthy of investment?
  • What woods make the best rocking chairs?
  • What do you look for and how do you evaluate joinery, wood, finish, ergonomics?

There is a subsection on How We Make a Rocking Chair and pages on Mortise and Tenon, Finishing, the organization of the shop, and more.

We are dedicated.  Our patrons notice and often write about it.

Gary,

I just returned from G's house and I must say the rocker is beautiful and sits like a dream. What is amazing about the ergonomics is the chair fits G. – who is 6'-7" as well as L. – who is about 5' tall (Mutt and Jeff). That is truly a well designed chair. The finish is beautiful. I can say that the kids are so excited about their Rocker and for that I say thank you.

All the best . . .
B.H.

Hi Gary,

We are impressed by the beautiful craftsmanship of rocker and stool! My husband and I have enjoyed rocking our baby to sleep. The rocking chair is very comfortable!

Sincerely,
E. and S.

Dear Gary & Austin,

Thank you for the follow up e-mail.

I love my rocker — it is the center piece of my main living room.

Also, wanted to let you know your catalog just arrived — very nice. It is put together beautifully and I will share with family and friends as I travel.

I appreciate your art and craftsmanship — I can not stop admiring my rocker. It is a joy to sit in.

Thanks for everything,
M.

Austin, chairs are awesome and made for some fun on Christmas morning — my wife walked through the dinning rm a few times getting all things wonderful for our little girl then saw them — it was excellent — really appreciate your alls work and ethic — keep it up — would love to come by the shop for a coffee nxt time . . .

J.

PS: our house is my wife's painting show rm and to date one of the comments I always hear is wow who made the rocker . . . so I expect some wow who made the chairs. I will be sure to send u some orders!

Hey Gary:

Just wanted to let you know that my Christmas mahogany rocking chair is fantastic and I was quite surprised when it showed up at the house! I know you hear this all the time, but this is the most comfortable rocking chair I have ever sat on and the workmanship is outstanding. We will need some dining chairs in the future and yours will be at the top of our list. Also, I think that one of your side tables would be nice to have as I rock away . . . .

Thanks for a great chair and I hope you and yours have a very safe, happy and prosperous New Year.

Take care and best regards,
S.

The rocker arrived an hour ago and I have placed it in our living room. I appreciate the way you matched the grain in the arms of the rocker and the smooth finish of the wood. I know I'll enjoy it in my lifetime and hopefully if will stay in the family and be used long after I'm gone.

Thank you and Merry Christmas,
B.
A thing of beauty is a joy forever: Its loveliness increases; it will never Pass into nothingness; but still will keep A bower quiet for us, and a sleep Full of sweet dreams, and health and quiet breathing. Keats, Endymion Book I

Thank you Gary, and we wish you all a blessed Christmas. C.

Hi Gary

Your most amazing rocker just arrived and we are delighted. It is just remarkable how somebody can produce such perfection — don't think I have been this close to the concept before.

We are exhausted after a long day, and stayed up waiting on the customs clearance, the chair arriving at 10pm. We can't go to bed — can't stop running our hands over the grains and taking turns to sit in it.

Austin did a marvelous job with the inlay and the engraving — so rewarding. E. was speechless, still is. She is also blown away by it's magnificance and she just loves the Rimu inlay!!

I am genuinely humbled.

Thank you.

Kind regards
W.

Gary, I just received it and all is beautiful! The delivery people called and kept in contact all day — it was dreadful traffic today in Miami with the VP here and freeways closed — poor guys, they were very careful and communicated with me.

The table is the perfect size for the area and the chairs and the table are pieces of art — however, the rocker beats all!! I love it — thank you for such wonderful and comfortable work.

Take care. And thank you again.
K.

Hello Gary,

We received the (very well packed!) delivery yesterday, and spent the rest of the evening confirming its great comfort. I knew the chair was going to be lovely, but it really took my breath away when we unpacked it. I'd like to thank you for the wonderful craftsmanship and attention to detail, and the excellent customer service.

Please pass our thanks along to your entire team for their amazing work.

Warm regards,
E.

Hi Gary,

My wife received it and unpacked it. She says it’s nice and comfortable. Thanks!

S.

Dear Gary

We have received the chair and stool, both are intact and look completely magnificent.
Thank you for your craftsmanship!

A.

Hi Gary, the chair arrived and we love it! Your craftsmanship is so beautiful, and it arrived in perfect condition — thank you so much for packing it so securely. We will enjoy this rocker for years to come.

Take care!
S.

Dear Gary,

Yes I did receive my rocker and it is beautiful. The joinery is amazing. I am a dentist and precision fit is something I deal with on a daily basis. When I see the quality of your work it makes me proud to own something that was made by hand and done in a fashion that shows there are still craftsmen in America. I will treasure it always and pass it on to the next generation when my rocking days are through. The fit of the back rest could not be better unless you had made an impression of my back. Thank you and your entire crew for caring about what you do.

Warmest regards,
S., DDS

Good Morning Gary,

. . . We postponed dinner until the boxes were unwrapped (Superb packing job!). After dinner, we just rocked the night away! Thanks so much for your personable and professional guidance through every aspect of this purchase! We also want you to know that one unforeseen advantage of buying Weeks Rockers and Harris Stools for both of us is that as we are rocking we can look over each other's chair + stool and still enjoy the visual experience of Weeks Furnituremakers craftsmanship!

Well, I could go on & on with kudos for your design capabilities, wood selection and attention to detail! Yet I have to step away from this terminal now and head to town.

Sorry not to have written last night . . . We were unable to extricate ourselves from our wonderful new chairs . . .

Rock on!
M.

Dear Gary,

Our first son, R., was born on July 23 in Dallas. Already he is enjoying the pleasures of being rocked to sleep in our beautiful new Weeks rocker. It’s the perfect height for anyone who wants to hold and cuddle him and comfortable for the duration of long rocking sessions! We’ll send you a photograph as soon as we sort through the dozens taken since R. joined this world.

Thank you again for your wonderful craftsmanship. D. and I consider ourselves mere caretakers of a beautiful piece that others will enjoy for generations to come.

All best wishes,
A.

Gary -

The chairs did arrive and we are so happy with them. Having visited you, I knew what to expect; B. accepting my choice is so pleased with the workmanship and design. We will send you a picture of them in their new home, they really look nice. We are having my dad and my uncle over for lunch tomorrow to inaugurate them. The design is perfect for our little house and lifestyle.

Thank you once again for your good work and all your help in building and getting the chairs to our home.

All the best to you, your family and your crew.
J. and B.

Gary,

They delivered my rocker about 2:00 P.M. on Friday the 24th. The Rocker made the trip without any problems.

I must confess, I was like a little boy at Christmas time, full of excitement and unbelievable expectations. It felt great, I could hardly contain myself. With great speed and caution I immediately uncrated the box and removed the wrapping. I just sat down and admired this beautiful work of art. To think there is still a remnant of such craftsmanship still around. I feel so honored you have shared this masterpiece with me.

Also, I must inject at this time, the comfort of this rocker is just outstanding. Again, it images the rare craftsmanship displayed in your work.

The rocker is absolutely beautiful in my Den. It has added a new life and warmth which is hard to explain.

These words of appreciation are spoken from my heart.

May God bless you and your family in the days ahead.

J.

Dear Weeks Family,

Thank you for the hard work I am sure you put into my rocker. I especially want to thank Mr. Weeks for coming out during y'alls Fourth of July celebration so that we could pick up our chair. He seemed very concerned about our traveling plans, but I would like him to know his knots were secure the whole way and my husband and I made it home and had the chair inside just seconds before the rain we had been expecting all day hit town. My family was very impressed with the chair and all commented on how blessed I was to have gotten one. Again thank you for all your work.

Best Wishes,
J.

Gary,

On behalf of C. and myself, this is to inform you that the chair arrived here safe and sound about half an hour ago. It is sitting in our living room to compliment the other one. The package came though very well (without the slightest damage) and the chair is beautiful (a little darker than the one we have though they will age together well).

Thanks for your attention and the workmanship you do.

Sincerely,
F.W.

Dear Gary and family,

Thank you so much for the rocker. We received it today in an unscarred crate and it is beautiful. We're very pleased with it and have no doubt that we'll cherish it for a very, very long time. What a beautiful work of art and what talented, perfected craftmanship.

Thank you,
K.Q., T.W. and L.Q.W.

happy birthday!!! thanks for the chair!!! i love it, fits me perfectly. i look forward to collecting more of your pieces of art work. thank you again,

S.M.

Gary,

A long overdue follow, we love the chair, right size, comfortable, very well built and stylish, next on my list is a table from you!

Thanks
D.A.

Gary, I LOVE my rocker!!! I have been on the phone all day inviting people to come over to sit in it.

I was worried that it might not get here in time. I called the delivery people and they said Friday. Then day before yesterday, I was shopping and I got the call. It was at my door. I was at first annoyed because nobody told me about the change, but he waited and was so nice about it . . . and then when I opened that box . . .

No surprise. I knew it would be beautiful. But when I sat in it, it was like it was made for me. I wanted to cancel everything else I had going and just rock.

Thank you for making these terrific chairs, Gary. I've always believed that art should be functional. You prove that the functional can be art.

I might even share with guests. If they're nice.

Thank you. I will cherish it forever and give it to my new grand daughter as a wedding gift.

All the best to you and your talented family.
S.R.

To the Weeks Family and organization,

I took possession of Rocker #1753 in mid 2007. The rocker was impressive then and has improved over time. The workmanship is beyond enviable. It has survived the repeated assaults of my teenage son and his friends. I feel as though my rocker has adjusted to my body, or maybe vice versa, to the betterment of both. I can honestly say that it is my only material possession that I would grieve the loss of. Its true value far exceeds the purchase price.

Thank you,
S.G.

Dear Gary,

We received the rocker yesterday — in perfect condition. It is absolutely gorgeous! The expert craftsmanship is clear, and the monogramming really makes it special. Thank you!

Now, we can’t wait for our new baby to be born, so that we can put the chair to good use! Thank you again!

J.C.

Gary:

First, if I were to inform you that the rocker arrived but was a debacle of kindling with really nothing left to return, would you send me a new one with no questions asked? If that be the case, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Disregard the following.

We received the rocker in excellent shape on the 10th of December. I placed it in our living room and four days later my beloved discovered it — finally! That is less a comment on her powers of observation and more of a comment that our lives have been a bit hectic. I now find her sitting in it, rocking, with what I can only describe as a slightly goofy grin on her face. I believe that she likes it.

I must tell you that it is rare in my experience to find excellent artistic ability combined with superb craftsmanship and we couldn't be more pleased with the rocker, in spite of the fact that it was made with firewood. Thank you. It will be an heirloom to be passed on to the next generation.

Happy Holidays. I look forward to hearing from you. And if the first paragraph applies, please disregard the rest of this missive.

M.V.

Hello Mr Weeks and Company,

I just wanted to let you know that we got the chair and it's beautiful.

My wife hasn't seen your website, but her comments echo what others have already said:

"It's beautiful"
"A work of art"
"Looks like it belongs in a museum"

She especially made me smile when she sat in the chair and said, "It fits me so nice, is this made for short people?"

It felt great to give this to her from the whole family. Thanks for your quick, professional, and beautiful work!

Best Regards,
C.B.

Aubrey:

Our rocking chair arrived yesterday in great shape and we love it. Your craftsmanship is like a work of art. We hope to enjoy it for many years and pass it on to our children.

Thank you for your wonderful workmanship and customer service.
B.G.

Gary:

Many thanks for your email. Let me start by quoting my 12 year old son, who said about 2 days after the chair arrived, "you know Dad, this is the first time in my life that I have ever looked at a piece of furniture and thought it was truly beautiful."

The chair arrived in perfect condition and is, as my son noted, truly beautiful. I have been sitting in it every chance I get (often to the consternation of my family members who would like me to do some other things around the house). I typically am quite methodical about making purchases, but this was an extreme example. I contemplated ordering a rocking chair from you for about ten years. I'm sorry I waited so long, but I'm also at a point when I can truly appreciate the effort that went into making it. I like it more every time I sit in it.

You make a remarkable finished product, of which you should be very proud.

Best regards,
J.H.

Gary,

Yes, I'm rocking in it right now and marveling at its comfort. Actually, we're fighting over it. Good job: craftsmanship, finish, design, service. Thanks.

L.P.

Gary,

Thank you so much! We love the beautiful chair and stool, and look forward to all our future years of happy rocking. They are so comfortable, good to touch, and elegant from every angle! We will treasure them. Your website is fantastic and gives a very true impression of the quality of your work, but the furniture itself really is more than we could have hoped for.

Gary,

The rocking chair is absolutely great! It is very clear that it was made with a lot of care and attention to detail. Thank you very much for checking in!

Best regards,
G.R.

Good afternoon Gary,

Our beautiful rocker arrived safely today. Hats off to you for the incredible attention to detail and workmanship!!! It's a beautiful and extremely comfortable rocker that we will enjoy for years and pass on to our children.

C.R.

Hi We received our chair today. I came home early today to be there for the delivery. The chair arrived in perfect shape and it is now "installed" in a place of honor in our living room. I was privileged to have the first session of sitting and rocking. The chair is so comfortable and fits me like it was custom designed just for me. The only chair I have ever sat in that is comparable was a Sam Maloof rocker at a Smithsonian exhibit a few years ago that was set up so visitors could sit in it. The workmanship is lovely, each joint perfect and the overall look and feel perfection. Thanks so much. I am looking forward to seeing how my wife M. likes sitting in the rocker. I hope she doesn't like it too much or we will have to order a second one!.

B.H.

Then later . . .

My wife M. loves the chair and thinks it is beautiful. You have heard it before I am sure but it is such a pleasure to buy something where you can talk to the "manufacturer". I am sure it is hard work but it must be fun to make something of beauty and practical value with your own hands. I am an aspiring woodworker and have made a few pieces so I appreciate how hard it is.

thanks again,
B.H.

Gary —

The furniture was delivered yesterday at 4:00. The delivery men took care of unwrapping and setting up the table and chairs. Your work is museum quality. Each piece is a work of art that I will cherish and proudly pass on to my children. And, as advertised, the chairs are unbelievably comfortable.

Thank you,
D.S.

Howdy. I phoned Portland Oregon this morning and spoke with the dispatcher. The delivery was made to my farm around two or three pm today. Your packing job and shipping were excellent. The cherry rocking chair purchased as a gift for me is outstanding in every way. I am most appreciative of this wonderful gift, your wonderful workmanship and communications. Boy this is a beautiful and comfortable chair of the highest quality. Lucky, lucky me.

J.L.

Gary,

After reading practically all of your website and my wife none of it, I had to laugh when the first thing she said after sitting in our new cherry rocker was "It fits me perfectly." We moved it into the completed nursery today; it looks beautiful. We look forward to rocking even more when the baby arrives in a couple of weeks.

As someone who dabbles in woodworking, the craftsmanship is inspiring.

Sincerely,
P.R.

Gary — Chair arrived with no problems with the shipping container. It is truly beautiful — a work of art. So very comfortable — I know we will put a lot of rocking miles on it.

M.L.

Gary,

They love it. The chair fits nicely with their furnishings and they are amazed at the craftmanship. THanks so much for working with us on this. They now have a lifelong piece of furniture that will outlast cribs, carseats, etc. etc. and can be passed down to another generation.

C.S.

Dear Gary,

I am happily enjoying my new walnut rocker. It is not only fine and beautiful, but also extremely comfortable. My cousin had predicted disaster — that I would regret changing from the recliner because of the lack of padding and the inability to lean back with one’s feet up. My old recliner, named Big Blue, has gone to that Great Recliner in the Sky, and I sit like a queen in my chair where I read, knit, and watch television. I can report that my hips and legs do not hurt any more with the nerve pain that seemed to arise after about two hours. I think I can safely attribute this to the gentle curve of the rocker back as it supports the spine.

I also want to tell you how much I enjoyed the hour and a half during which we visited on the front porch of your showroom. You are a true artist and artisan, and I feel honored to enjoy one of your creations. It is an example of the integrity you build into your work, and that can only come from your own ethic of industry and honesty. I look forward to visiting you again sometime.

When I was a child, we had rocking chairs. I grew up with them, and I believe that if everyone in the world had a rocking chair, we would have less violence and trouble. They are restful to the body and soothing to the soul.

As ever,
T.J..

Dear Gary,

The chairs have arrived in fine condition and look beautiful. It seems that once they left Texas, there was no holding them back. (Is that a parable of some sort?)

The pads you attached are just the ones I've used for other pieces on this floor, and they will be easy to replace when the time comes.

So, a happy ending — at least of chapter one. These chairs are built for a long history, and this is just the start.

Thanks for your work, trust, and care,
D. and S.

Gary,

Have been travelling this week and just got home to find my 8 months pregnant wife rocking happily in her new chair. She loves it and I have to say its a beautiful piece of work by you. My wifes friend came around and commented "do you have a cushion for it" my wife told her it was so soft that you didn't need one and as soon as her friend sat it the chair she got the message.

Have to say the workmanship is outstanding and the chair has a nice modern feel about the look.

Both our mothers are coming to stay after the baby arrives so there may be some fighting over who gets the chair!

Thanks again.
E.D.

Yes, the rocker arrived in perfect condition, and I love it. It's like a graceful piece of sculpture that brings the whole room alive. Just as important, it fits me perfectly. I'm having hip-replacement surgery in September, after which I have to remain non-weight bearing for eight weeks (because of the particular type of surgery). Although I'd been coveting the rocker for some time, it was the prospect of spending two months off my feet (or rather off my left foot) that finally prompted me to order it. My reasoning is that the rocking movement will promote better circulation and help ward off the danger of blood clots. In conjunction with my physical therapy program, it will also help me maintain strength on the operated side. I noticed that the arms are well-placed for getting up from the chair. The clinics in my hospital have rockers in the waiting rooms (not as nice as yours), and I'd noticed how soothing it was to rock when I was feeling nervous or stressed before my appointments. Now I can have "rocker therapy" at home, too.

Thanks!
K.W.

Hi Gary,

The rocking chair has arrived and I am amazed at the fine workmanship. You and your team exemplify what "Made in America" used to look. The chair is so comfortable. Wow, very impressive!

The package came through undamaged. You really know how to protect your products. If anyone asks me about where to get a quality rocking chair, your name will be the first one (and only one) that comes out of my mouth. Thanks a million. It was well worth the wait and the price. I will enjoy this piece of furniture for many, many years to come.

D.S.

Gary –

I've been meaning to write to you about the surprise delivery. The note to call before delivery got covered by a routing sticker, so they just showed up. Fortunately, I was home and so have been enjoying my gorgeous and incredibly comfortable new rocker earlier than expected. The shipping process didn't even mark the cardboard, and the chair arrived in perfect condition.

The one downside is that I have significant competition for the seat, from any human who comes near it, but also from my little female cat who insists it's the perfect size and shape for her. She will, at least, let me sit between her and the chair.

I don't live in a mansion here, but rather in a tiny place that's almost all built by hand, with trim, decking and shelving made from site-milled cedar and fir. The wonderful description of your design and construction process on your web site helped me understand that your chair would be a perfect fit in my new mini house. Thank you so much for the marvelous rocker and for the seamless ordering and delivery process.

B.D.

Gary,

The chairs arrived in perfect condition yesterday afternoon. Many thanks to you and your team for the fine workmanship.

Best,
R.J.

Gary

I'm sorry you didn't receive my post directly. I am delighted! More so!! The chair is gorgeous, for the eyes, the hands, seat and back!

Cheers
P.C.

Hi Gary,

As promised, here is a picture of the set in its new home. D. and I think it is the most beautiful spot on earth, so to find furniture that matches that beauty . . . Well, we are just so very pleased with it. It is just lovely; even lovelier than the picture. We hope to enjoy it with our family for many years to come. Thanks so much for your care in creating such amazing pieces.

Best regards,
J.M.

Dear Gary,

The delivery truck driver asked me what was so special about these chairs — he delivers so many (I'm assuming he meant in the Washington, DC area where I live). So I told him all about them before I'd even unpacked mine.

I want you to know my rocker is everything I told him it was and more. I've never cried over a piece of furniture before, but I did over this. (Heck, truth be known, I cried over the website.) Of course it has to do with the beauty and comfort of the chair. But it's also the fact that it was crafted in West Texas, which is very special to me . . .

Next time I get to West Texas, I hope to come meet you and see your showroom. Thanks more than I can say.

N.M.

Page 7 of 12 (565 total)

Navigation
Gary Weeks & Co. - Furnituremakers