Franklin Rocking Chair Prototype

[Jeff]

Nearly finished, but I have some questions for you folks because this is being made out of SPF.

The joinery is mortise & tenon with the following specs:

Tenons are 1 1/4" width x 3/8" thick x 1" length. The stock is 2" x 1 1/2".

I plan to pin most of the tenons with 1 1/4" x 8 screws after glue-up. Is this thing gonna be safe to sit in or will it collapse like a stack of dominos once an arse parks in it? :help:

I don't mind doing the glue-up and finishing for practice. I just don't want a someone to get hurt if it collapses because it's made from soft wood. The real thing will be made from Lyptus or Ash.

Maybe a novelty book rack or plant stand? Kindling wood at the end of the day, but good practice?

:BangHead:

 

[DaveO]

SPF isn't that soft, you're house is standing up with it. It sounds like your joinery is significantly strong to hold almost any arse that might sit in the chair. Although I do have to question why you would pin the M&T joints with screws :eusa_thin Dowels will suit the purpose much better and you won't have a bunch of screws showing. In that note there have been studies that have shown that a pinned M&T joint is actually weaker than and non-pinned one. With modern woodworking glues you should need nothing more than a well fitting M&T joint and some good yellow glue.

MTCW,
Dave

 

[Jeff]

SPF isn't that soft, you're house is standing up with it. It sounds like your joinery is significantly strong to hold almost any arse that might sit in the chair. Although I do have to question why you would pin the M&T joints with screws :eusa_thin Dowels will suit the purpose much better and you won't have a bunch of screws showing. In that note there have been studies that have shown that a pinned M&T joint is actually weaker than and non-pinned one. With modern woodworking glues you should need nothing more than a well fitting M&T joint and some good yellow glue.

MTCW,
Dave

Good points. The intense racking while rocking on a hot summer day is what prompted the idea. I'll rethink the idea of pinning the tenons. I've already countersunk the intended pin positions (3/8" Forstner bit) on the inside faces of the frame and I was gonna plug them after pinning. Maybe I'll just glue up the frames and see how they hold up to the arse test. They could be pinned later if needed. :icon_scra

 

[Travis Porter]

Pictures???