Off His Rocker

The problem with working with an old piece of furniture is that once you start to tear into it you never know where to stop.   That was the case with this rocker.     While one works towards trying to restore this old rocker so it looks like it did 70 or 80 years ago I tend to get carried away with the re-enforcement part of the restoration.  (It would be like restoring a "57" Chevy and when your done, it runs really good, but now it resembles an army tank rather than the collector's car it once was.)

          I took off the blue velvet dress material that I had written about last week and discovered that there was another covering underneath.    It was a fuzzy dark brown material that was also well worn.   The picture to the left shows the original cover which was leather.    That too was well worn.    So my attempt to cover this seat will have been the third time in the life of this chair that there is a new seat cover.




  I watched a video on how one is suppose to re-upholster the seat of a chair and I followed the technique that was shown.    In the process of doing this I had to run out and buy a stapler air hammer.  (I know, I know!   I broke a new year's resolution.   But, I did it before lent starts.  Does that still count?)    I folded and stapled the material just as the video suggested and then I cut off the excess material.

   To the right is the recovered seat.    It turned out nice thanks to my new 20 gauge pneumatic stapler.   (Every shop should have one.)    I mounted the seat into the rocker and I was a little disappointed.  Even though the seat pad looks nice - it still is not as soft as the newer versions of today's rockers.   (Of course if maybe I would have lost some weight my doctor suggested I lose, I would not have pushed the springs to their max.)

   All the loose joints have been tightened and in some cases new screws have been added.   Where new screws were added I covered them with oak plugs as you can see one at the bottom of the right hand corner.   I ended up adding six of those plugs to the rocker.   Also, on the bottom of the arm rest I installed some bronze corner brackets to add strength to those joints.   You can see those at the top of the picture on each of the corners.    I rubbed all the exposed wood with a dark scratch remover oil that helped clean and brighten up the wood grain.





    I had my little shop helper go around and rub down the finish.   Sort of buff up the gloss a little.   That lasted a minute or so and then she set her fat little body on the seat pad.   She didn't seem to complain about the springs being too hard at all.    I will have to return this rocker on the next trip down to central Iowa and hope they like it.

   Next week - working on building blocks.   Have a good Valentines day.