Cutting & Installing Bed-rail Hardware

[Bob Carreiro]

Have some bed rails to make & match to another bed design. There's no problem duplicating the wood parts, but how do I cut those tiny slots(?) that hold the double hooks that stick out the rail ends, and the equally tiny slots (or mortises?) in the bed posts that have "whatever" hardware "inside" to receive the hooks? Have never seen them of know how those thin mortises are made!

Can anyone help out? How do I make these slots and where can I get this hardware? Gotta get this done in a couple of weeks.

I've seen hardware that screws to the inside face of the rails and slips its mate which is screwed onto the face of the bedposts and hidden by the rail after attached. I cannot use those here, as I must duplicate the original builds.


thx MUCH guys (& gals),
Bob

 

[Woodmolds]

The slots are generally cut with a smaller diameter saw blade(6"or<). The pins go through the wood.

More info here - http://www.rockler.com/findit.cfm?page=5289 Click the "More Info" tab.

Tony

 

[JimD]

I've used this type on three beds now:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10&filter=bed rail hardware

I made a jig for my router to cut the recess that shows. It is the same size on both pieces so you really only need one jig. I reused the jig on the next two beds. I tack the fence on with brads so I can pull it and reposition for legs as opposed to rails and for different rail thicknesses. The main part of the jig is just a square hole bigger than the metal plate by the amount the router bit is smaller than the template guide. For instance, if the template guide is 3/8 and the router bit is 1/4 inch, there is a 1/16 gap. If the plate is 5/8 wide, the opening must be 3/4 (5/8 plus two times 1/16) wide. Length has to be bigger by the same amount. You can practice on scrap to be sure the fit is good.

You also have to cut a recess for the head of the hooks on the rail bracket and for the hooks to go into on the leg. I usually do those on the drill press with a fortesner bit. You are not looking at the appearance in that case, just getting rid of the necessary material. On the rail, I don't really use the drill press, I use a hand held drill - it is the least critical dimensionally.

These brackets look good and are very strong. My bed has them and is around 10 years old with no issues. You need to check the fit of the two pieces, I've had to file some of them, but otherwise they are great. Making the jig is a little bit of additional work but once you have it, the recesses are very easy to make. I use 2 inch screws to attach the metal pieces to the bed. I have not needed cross dowels, the plates have not moved.

Jim

 

[Bob Carreiro]

Thanks guys.

Talked to Rockler, and although their specs call for a kerf width of 3/32" (.09375) for their bed rail hooks, they don't sell the blade required to install them! The traditional 6-1/2" blade "thin kerf" models range around .060" - way too narrow. Talked to Makita & their thickest is .0875."

Of course I could make two passes, but plunge-cutting into the end grain of 7' boards on a table saw isn't a desirable process in the first place, and making two passes into both ends of two boards is... well, just not the way to go IMO.

Wish there was another way!

 

[Woodmolds]

Something similar to this is what you're looking for.
http://www.amazon.com/Vermont-American-26741-6-Inch-Stacked/dp/B0002YU3Q0
The individual blade from this set should be close or over the right size kerf. Slitting saw blades are available in different diameters and kerfs, but are very pricey.

This is just an example to show that they are out there.
http://www.onlineindustrialsupply.com/7-284.html

 

[ehpoole]

Thanks guys.

Talked to Rockler, and although their specs call for a kerf width of 3/32" (.09375) for their bed rail hooks, they don't sell the blade required to install them! The traditional 6-1/2" blade "thin kerf" models range around .060" - way too narrow. Talked to Makita & their thickest is .0875."

...

Wish there was another way!

I'm not quite following what the 3/32" slit is for (the rockler kit I have seen appears to use a narrow mortise), but if it is near enough an edge and does not need to be terribly deep you could create such a slit using a 1/16" slot cutter in your router, then increase the depth by another 1/32" and make a second pass to get a true 3/32" slot (you might even be able to find a 3/32" cutter -- I just know that I have 1/16" and 1/8" cutters on hand).

If 5/32" were within acceptable limits then you could even use a biscuit joiner to create the slot.

HTH

 

[Bob Carreiro]

Ehpool: Rail depth is 1-1/8" (receiver depth in headboard is 1-3/8"). I only need to make the rails.
I too have an assortment of router slot cutters, but the deepest they go only 11/16".

Woodmolds: None of the blades shown have a 5/8" hole - common TS arbor size. Also, the dato blade sets have 1/8" kerf, not the 3/32" I need.

I'm convinced the blade is "out there" too, but I haven't found one and is the reson for the post.


I appreciate the help,
Bob

 

[ehpoole]

Ehpool: Rail depth is 1-1/8" (receiver depth in headboard is 1-3/8"). I only need to make the rails.
I too have an assortment of router slot cutters, but the deepest they go only 11/16".

Just a thought, but if it does not have to be pretty, you could go to town with a 3/32" brad-point drill bit at the drill press. Space each hole closely and make plenty of intermediate followup passes and you should have a reasonable 3/32" mortise -- may not be pretty but it may well be sufficiently functional. I guess it really comes down to whether you are mass producing bed frames or this is one off as to how much time to invest in researching alternatives.

Nonetheless, you have at least piqued my curiosity.

Best of luck!

 

[mshel]

I mount one of the outside blades from my dado set in the ts. To cut the slot, I mark the front and back of the blade at the depth I want the slot to be. Lower the blade counting the number of turns to lower the blade. Stand the rail vertically and clamp it to the fence, centering it within the marks. Start the motor and raise the blade again counting the number of turns to get to the depth you decided earlier. Turn off the motor, drop the blade, remove the clamp, remove the rail. Done. Works for me every time.

Mike

 

[Bob Carreiro]

Finished the job Thursday. Bought the Rockler Bed-rail Hooks (thanks Tony) for $12.99 with no shipping. They are stamp-cut plates 3/32" thick with a few additional pins included beyond what's needed. I thought it was odd to include in the online ad, "This Is Not For Original Construction!" for whatever that meant... even the guy I talked to on the phone didn't know and is why I phone-called the order in the first place!


Could not locate a 6-1/2" saw blade with a 3/32" kerf for under $35 +S&H, so I intended to sort through some 7-1/2" CS blades in the shop. These bed rails are 6" wide and the originals have an the end-grain kerf stop a half-inch from either side, yet the (installed) plates were "loose", wiggling around the pins that locked them in the mortice. This told me the arc-shaped mortice did not tightly surround the plates. So with THAT peice of information, I decided to cut through the entire width of the rail and no longer needed a 6-1/2" blade to do it with. I looked through my 10" TS blade pile and landed upon a pair of new Dewalt 10" thin kerf blades (they have "Construction Grade" stenciled on the outside - must have got a deal on them years back). Anyway, the kerf on these puppies were - you guessed it - 3/32"!


I set the 68" long boards (these are for a twin bed) vertically using my WoodTek TS Tenon Jig and ran the blade at the right depth (1-5/8") throughout the boards width. The revealed kerf on the edges are hidden because both edges covered with 1/4" Dia. bead 1" wide strips gluded over the boards length.


So thankyou everyone for your input and help, especially Tony. I'm still finding things I haven't done, and am enjoying my retirement years!


happy WWing fella's!
Bob