How We Build a Rocking Chair — Front Legs

We select front legs from the stock so that the grain is straight and parallel to the length.  Front legs begin as 2" x 2" squares — they are usually cut and always marked as pairs.

We cut notches on two sides of the leg to interlock with the front notch on the rocking chair seat.  We bore holes for the screws that reinforce this joint.  Then we cut shallow X's in the top and bottom of the leg  (#1) to secure it on the lathe.

The turning is the fun part  (#2).  Almost everyone likes to see the square become round on the lathe, a lot happens fast.  It is fun, but not casual.  We do not use guides or duplicators.  The top and bottom ends are turned to round tenons.  The top tenon will pass through the arm and the bottom tenon will pass through the rocker.  Although we drive a wedge into a kerf in these through tenons to spread and mechanically fasten them, the tenons must fit.

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