3-in-1 Crib Questions

wbarnes

Will
Corporate Member
I’m getting ready to build a 3-in-1 crib based on the WOOD magazine plans that several members have used in the past. I’m planning on using ash with either a Rubio Monocoat or Odies Oil finish (recently made a chair using ash and Rubio and I really like how it turned out…post and pics coming soon).

A few questions to those that have used these plans before:

The plans call for using three 3/4” boards glued together for the headboard/footboard legs. It seems they do this with notches cut in the middle board to create a type of mortise. Would it be better? easier? to make the legs out of a solid piece of wood and use a “regular” mortise? Is there a reason I should use three 3/4” boards glued together instead?

The plans also call for using 3/4” plywood for the headboard/footboard rails and the full size bed rails. Would I have any issues using solid 3/4” wood instead of plywood?

Thanks I’m advance for any and all input.
 

Berta

Berta
Corporate Member
I have not built the crib. I HAVE built several Wood Magazine furniture plans. Including the Morris Chair, Nesting Tables and patio set. They all use the same type of mortis. Their plans are more for the beginning woodworker, like me, and they work fine. If you are more comfortable with a more elegant style, go for it. As for the headboard, I have no clue.
 

JimD

Jim
Senior User
I am working from memory but I built the crib portion of these plans about 2 years ago for my youngest grandson. She wanted it painted white. I used maple and maple plywood to build it. I see no reason at all to glue up the legs if you have wood sufficiently thick. I also see no reason to make the tenons the way they did, I am pretty sure I did not. I am pretty sure I used my domino but I seem to remember making larger mortises than even the 14mm cutter makes so I could use a tenon as thick as the 3/4 maple plywood I was using. Bed rails out of solid wood will be stronger than plywood ones but I am pretty sure I used plywood and it works fine. I really liked the way you do the slats and adapted that same method to a cherry bed I built more recently.

The one thing I will not do again is the way they have you attaching the bed rails to the headboard and footboard. Those round threaded dowels with bolts. I found it terribly difficult to get the holes to line up for assembly. Terrible nasty stupid way to make anything in my opinion. If I build another one which seems unlikely at this point I think I would just use normal bed rail hardware. It is stronger and much easier to assemble. If you make a little jig for your router it is super simple to make the mortises for the hardware. I've used it on several beds and even used two sets on a bunk beds with no similar difficulties.

The original plan was for me to make the pieces to convert the crib to a youth bed and then full size bed but my son and daughter in law told me over the weekend they plan to just use the crib for their second child and my grandson will probably just use a bed they already have. If i remember right the hardware I do not like is partially for convertability which now will not occur in my case.

Good luck with your project.
 

wbarnes

Will
Corporate Member
I have not built the crib. I HAVE built several Wood Magazine furniture plans. Including the Morris Chair, Nesting Tables and patio set. They all use the same type of mortis. Their plans are more for the beginning woodworker, like me, and they work fine. If you are more comfortable with a more elegant style, go for it. As for the headboard, I have no clue.

That was my thought, but I wanted to make sure I wasn’t overlooking something. Thanks for the info.
 

wbarnes

Will
Corporate Member
I really liked the way you do the slats and adapted that same method to a cherry bed I built more recently.

Are you referring to the vertical slats for the headboard/footboard or the horizontal slats when converted into a full size bed?

I plan to use dowel joinery as much as possible since I don’t have a domino and I’m not a fan of all of the tenons that the plans call for. Dowels/dominos seem much faster and easier without losing much joint strength.

I have seen other threads where people also complain about the threaded dowel joinery for the rails. I am still exploring other options for this.
 

wbarnes

Will
Corporate Member
Threaded dowels are not that bad. Reggie and I built the same thing out of white oak

After looking into some different options I feel like the threaded dowels might be my best bet. Thanks for the reassurance. I considered using white oak as well, but I already have some ash in the shop and ash is about $2 less/bdft at the Hardwood Store of NC.

Do you have any pictures of the crib you made with white oak that you could post or send me?
 

Skymaster

New User
Jack
LOL two answers yes and yes however gotta find them :}:}:} PATIENCE is needed in quantity. If you wood PM me your email I will gladly send them
 

wbarnes

Will
Corporate Member
LOL two answers yes and yes however gotta find them :}:}:} PATIENCE is needed in quantity. If you wood PM me your email I will gladly send them

I’m still a new user for a few more days and not able to start a PM. If you will PM me first I will gladly send you my email.
 

gamiller3rd

Pappy
Senior User
Here’s one I designed to also convert to a headboard. The mattress is held up by 3/4’ dowels inserted vertically into rails along the head and foot, 3 at each end. when it’s time to lower the mattress you just remove the dowels and it rests on the support rails. I guess you could have an assortment of lengths but I think a high and low setting is sufficient.
0F531A08-D41F-4978-A925-703F99ECA30E.jpeg4E2A4128-10D1-4989-81D8-D40FFD0BA3B9.jpeg
 

JimD

Jim
Senior User
I like the way the plans have you putting in the vertical slats. I find it much easier than other methods I've used. I just used the same method today to make a gate. All you do is make a dado in the horizontal pieces of, in the case of the crib, the headboard and footboard. Then cut the slats slightly thinner than the dado, the angle them for insertion - they only have to be slightly less than the bottom of the groove to bottom of groove distance and then put in little spacers to get the in the right place. I pin nail the spacers in place.

I hope you have better luck than I did with the threaded dowels. I have several decades experience in making furniture and I consider my experience with that portion of this project to be amongst the most frustrating. It was VERY hard to align the two holes. Maybe knowing this is a possible difficulty point will help you.
 

Skymaster

New User
Jack
AGREE with Jim, we didnt use dowels, slats and blocks, same as Jim. NO alignment issues,simpler and imho way better looking
 

wbarnes

Will
Corporate Member
I finished making the crib in November, but was finally able to get it set up and take pictures to share. Thanks @Skymaster for helping me get started on this.

After finishing it I wish I would have made the headboard taller to differentiate it more from the footboard, but overall still happy with how it turned out (especially being my fist major project).
 

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Canuck

Wayne
Corporate Member
Very nice work! Will span many, many wee ones.

Well done and thanks for sharing this awesome work!
 

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