That is very nice! It sounds like you've got a great shop there. (The main thing I have in common with you is the type of table that's holding the chair-bottom....)

you need larger castors

Of course that will change the way the entire lift works.

expect to make adjustments accordingly

Looks great! I like the simplicity of the frame design/backer. Very slick.

http://www.haltaylor.com/
Look under "Storytime Rocker"

Chicago houses a lot of very nice people who are woodworkers, but surprisingly, there is little to look at in terms of pure woodworking. Jeff Miller has a wonderful studio on the north side, but you would have to check to see if he is in town. There is no real woodworking school here, at least for hand tool users. If I was coming to Chicago for a short visit I would combine combine touring with woodworking and spend an afternoon in Oak Park looking at and touring Frank Lloyd-Wright homes, particularly his Home and Studio.

I should add that the class enables us to bring Freddy Roman into town to speak to our SAPFM chapter...we don't profit from the class in any other way.

One of our onsite painters at work tells me that this one product will work for the whole job. He says - no priming, just do a good prep job. http://www.homedepot.com/p/BEHR-1-gal-Wh.../id%3A203223466

From experience I can tell you NOT to waste your money on the Delta 14-650,1. Piece of crap is putting it mildly. Nothing but trouble from day 1.
1st one arrived with broken castings, Replacement arrived with broken castings.3rd try was not broken in carton. Flimsy pot metal splined tightening mechanism stripped out. Switch went kaput. Hydraulic cylinder quit working. Some parts are no longer available.
Did I mention it's a piece of crap?
Hope the PM works better for you. And thanks for the opportunity to once again rip Delta.

My suggestion, after applying the expensive UV inhibitor finish you get from a marine supply store (in other words, not Minwax Helmsman), is to store it in a dark place.

Yes, there are good engineering reasons for the vertcal stiles to be full height of the doors, and the horizontal rails to connect the stiles together.