Posted at the request of Yonak Hawkins

[Jim Tabor]

Yonak, As you requested, here are some pictures of my avatar. It is pretty much a standard country style rocker. I call this a "Tabor Family Rocker" because it is a copy of the rockers my ancestors made in the Cumberland Mountains of Tennessee for more than 150 years. This one is made from walnut except for the seat rungs which are white oak. The seat is woven with 1/2" oak splint in a three over/three under pattern. I have made several styles of rockers over the years but this is my favorite because of the family ties. The last Tabor to make chairs and rockers in Tennessee was my Great Uncle Frank Tabor who died in the early 1960's. Uncle Frank was such a chair making legend that the state used his picture in a tourist travel guide and he has been mentioned in several books on Tennessee history. His shop was a log structure without electricity so all of his chairs and rockers were made with hand tools and the seats were corn husk rope or hickory splint. Attached are pictures of Uncle Frank in a new pair of Blue Bell overalls, his Sunday shirt and shoes, posing for the pictures used in the travel guide.

[Yonak Hawkins]

Thanks for responding, Jim .. and thanks for the great story and picture of your uncle Frank. That's quite a family chairmaking tradition !

It's great that you have picked up the tradition with this fine rocker. The seat and back are what attracted me and the walnut is beautifully worked, as well. That's cool to have a "family rocker" style.

[Jim Matthews]

Wow.

Look at all those long shavings.
I suppose he had a few more tools than shown,
but probably didn't need many.