The Made Series: Making Volley Rocker

THE MADE SERIES
Thanks for joining us in the second instalment of The Made Series, a rare behind-the-scenes to celebrate (and bring greater awareness to) Australian manufacturing. Step behind Tait’s Melbourne factory door and watch the journey of one of our most iconic pieces, Volley Rocker, as it comes to life in the hands of our talented craftspeople.

 

From its beginnings as a humble sheet of expanded steel mesh, Tait’s Volley Rocker goes through almost 40 processes before it evolves into the sculptural, playful, (and most-coveted) Tait icon it has become today. Bending, welding, finishing, laminating, sanding, corrosion-protection, powder-coating, rope detailing, assembly, and finally, packaging. With each rocker requiring a staggering 218 individually welded joins, each piece is a labour of love.

 

With each rocker requiring a staggering 218 individually welded joins, each piece is a labour of love

 

As each process is meticulously carried out, 5 quality checkpoints are signed-off throughout production. These quality checkpoints must be met before leaving the hands of each craftsperson and moving to the next department. It is the sheer number of processes, thorough quality checks, and use of beautiful, high-performance materials which precede a reputation of quality inherent in each rocker. A piece made to be well-loved for (and last for) a lifetime.

This film is not only an ode to a beautiful piece of design but an ode to the passionate work of each and every one of our pivotal craftspeople. We hope you enjoy.

 

Stay in the loop, over the next instalments we chat with some of our passionate craftspeople. Join us as we learn their stories, hear about the intricacies involved in what they do, and how they’ve honed their craft.

Film shot by Haydn Cattach.

Published 18 February 2021
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