New Bed WIP pics

[DavidF]

Boring at the moment, but I have started some WIP pics of the bed in the gallery under "bed" will update as the project progresses.

 

[DaveO]

That's some nice looking Cherry you got. Sorry about the twist:crybaby2: How come you got all 8/4 stock? Thanks for starting a WIP photo history, they are always very helpful to people wanting to learn (me :-D )

Dave

 

[DavidF]

That's some nice looking Cherry you got. Sorry about the twist:crybaby2: How come you got all 8/4 stock? Thanks for starting a WIP photo history, they are always very helpful to people wanting to learn (me :-D )

Dave

The main bed rails are 30mm thick (1 1/4) so really wanted 6/4 but 6/4 is not available near me. Hardwoods of NC had 8/4 in 12' lengths so I was able to get a long and short rail out of one piece. The other long piece will be used to laminate up the legs which start at 80mm (3 1/2) square before tapering. The rest was 5/4 for the parts that will make up the head board. With the twist I am thankful for the extra thickness anyway.

I have made one jig for what will be the most difficult cut in the whole job and that is the dovetail joint between the rails and the front legs. These are are full width 175mm on a face angled at 1.5 Degs. A large DT bit is on order from MLCS.

Will post pics of the jig in use as the jig it's self is very boring.

 

[DaveO]

I will be very interested in seeing that dovetail joint. I can't picture it right now, but once I see it in action, I am sure it will be crystal clear.

Dave

 

[Monty]

That's a cool looking design. Looking forward to the updates...

 

[DavidF]

I will be very interested in seeing that dovetail joint. I can't picture it right now, but once I see it in action, I am sure it will be crystal clear.

Dave

Does this help to visualize it?

 

[DaveO]

Yes, thanks. The 175mm aspect was throwing me. That is the width (height) of the rails. I was trying to attribute it to the legs :eusa_doh:

Dave

 

[DavidF]

Yes, thanks. The 175mm aspect was throwing me. That is the width (height) of the rails. I was trying to attribute it to the legs :eusa_doh:

Dave

you got it. DT length is 22mm so a deep cutter is on the way. I think I am going to have to have the rails clamped vertically to the bench and route it with me standing on the bench top! legs DT will be done on the RT.

 

[mshel]

Does this help to visualize it?

David,

Help me out, is this going to be a knock down design or will it be glued up? Please keep this in mind, anything I say is just my thoughts and nothing else so don't take any offense.

A single dovetail in that position to me would seem to be a weak point given that the bottom of the stretcher is not fastened; at least from the picture perspective. Is this the case or is there some other fastener not shown? I am sure you have this all thought out and my comments are most likely just drivvel but I would like to know more about the design.

Mike

 

[Dutchman]

David,
I like your renderings of the platform bed. Are you going with the slatted head or the oriental design? Do you work in millimeters?
Just a suggestion, but we use bolts and inserts for our side rail attachment. Thier are several options available and they are very strong! How high are you making your headboard?

 

[DavidF]

David,

Help me out, is this going to be a knock down design or will it be glued up? Please keep this in mind, anything I say is just my thoughts and nothing else so don't take any offense.

A single dovetail in that position to me would seem to be a weak point given that the bottom of the stretcher is not fastened; at least from the picture perspective. Is this the case or is there some other fastener not shown? I am sure you have this all thought out and my comments are most likely just drivvel but I would like to know more about the design.

Mike

No problem Mike, The head board is a glued up assembly for starters and the two front legs and the bottom rail are glued up as an assembly. The sliding DT's in the front legs are the full width of the rails, 175mm, they are large - 22mm deep x 25mm wide so plenty of meat. The long rails are joined to the rear legs by loose MT joins; glued into the rail but just draw pinned into the leg with the pins being metal, covered with removeable decorative plugs. That leaves the front sliding DT's on the long side rails. These will not be glued, but of course must be a perfect fit. In addition, and the part that brings it all together is the base. The mattress is a temper-pedic type that requires a fixed non-sprung base. I have restricted room underneath the matress as I don't want anything showing under the bed so I am using a 1" thick torsion box that will fit into a dado in all four rails in addition to sitting on a ledger strip fixed to the rails. It will be assembled from the back a bit like a drawer bottom. It will be screwed to the ledger strips forming a box section with the frame and providing all the rigidity; taking the presure off the front leg sliding DT's. That's the theory anyway:eusa_thin

Don't worry about questioning my designs; we all miss something:BangHead: no offense taken.
Let me know if all that makes sense or if in fact, I have missed something

 

[DavidF]

David,
I like your renderings of the platform bed. Are you going with the slatted head or the oriental design? Do you work in millimeters?
Just a suggestion, but we use bolts and inserts for our side rail attachment. Thier are several options available and they are very strong! How high are you making your headboard?

It's the oriental design, the other came a close second.

I work equally in both metric and English. My TS has an English scale so most things sawn are to inches. other are in Metric. I use which ever scale is convenient really; it's just a division of space after all. I use the side of the tape which is best suited to make the mark!

The top of the head rail is 950mm above the floor (37") the top of the front legs is 400mm (16")

The head rail is wide and deep enough to have swival spots inserted on the out side ends for reading lights.

I had looked at bed rail fasteners, but dismissed them for this design.

 

[mshel]

No problem Mike, The head board is a glued up assembly for starters and the two front legs and the bottom rail are glued up as an assembly. The sliding DT's in the front legs are the full width of the rails, 175mm, they are large - 22mm deep x 25mm wide so plenty of meat. The long rails are joined to the rear legs by loose MT joins; glued into the rail but just draw pinned into the leg with the pins being metal, covered with removeable decorative plugs. That leaves the front sliding DT's on the long side rails. These will not be glued, but of course must be a perfect fit. In addition, and the part that brings it all together is the base. The mattress is a temper-pedic type that requires a fixed non-sprung base. I have restricted room underneath the matress as I don't want anything showing under the bed so I am using a 1" thick torsion box that will fit into a dado in all four rails in addition to sitting on a ledger strip fixed to the rails. It will be assembled from the back a bit like a drawer bottom. It will be screwed to the ledger strips forming a box section with the frame and providing all the rigidity; taking the presure off the front leg sliding DT's. That's the theory anyway:eusa_thin

Don't worry about questioning my designs; we all miss something:BangHead: no offense taken.
Let me know if all that makes sense or if in fact, I have missed something

Thanks David,

I think the thing that threw me was the fact that I thought there was only a small dovetail on the end rail, not a full length one. My bad; as the youngun's say. Looks really cool and can't wait to see the finished product. I would love to have a temper-pedic but unfortunately, I have champagne taste and a beer budget. Heck we are so poor we have to sleep on a home made bed. :lol: Keep up the good work and thanks for the explanation.

Mike

 

[DavidF]

Thanks David,

I think the thing that threw me was the fact that I thought there was only a small dovetail on the end rail, not a full length one. My bad; as the youngun's say. Looks really cool and can't wait to see the finished product. I would love to have a temper-pedic but unfortunately, I have champagne taste and a beer budget. Heck we are so poor we have to sleep on a home made bed. :lol: Keep up the good work and thanks for the explanation.

Mike

Brookstones are discontinuing the 8" deep mattress so it's $1250 instead of $1750 with free delivery and disposal, normally $200. So we snapped up the chance.

We'll be sleeping on a home made bed too!! and I could probably buy one for less!!

 

[DavidF]

Weekends work was Saturday up at Bernards on his wonderful Felders. Face jointed and surface planed all the big parts. Sunday was spent glueing them all back together again, laminating the leg stock to 4" x 4" and the head rail to 4" x 3". Funny this wood working stuff, we buy big wood, we make it smaller only to glue it back together to make big wood - No wonder Carol thinks I'm crazy!

With all the changes in humidity going on at the moment, the wood is now being stored in the main hall in doors!!

Pics will follow soon.

 

[DavidF]

This week end saw the dimensioning of all the pieces for the bed after the glue ups. Handling those long rails is a chore in a small shop with equip that's a little undersized for it, but I'm not complaining! the rigid jointer and DW planer performed superbly. All those reviews regaling the short life of the DW planer blades must have been beating them to death! these blades have now done some serious work on the last two projects and still producing a flawless finish - highly recommended.

Posted some pics of the start of the joinery. Started with the back legs, as the joinery has to be done while the leg is square. Started with the long through tenon that will fix the head rail. These are 50mm long by 30mm square. Cut the shoulders on the ST with a stop block and then cut the cheeks on a home made tenoning jig that worked brilliantly. Next job is to mark out and cut the mortises that will take the tenons on the bed rails. When that's done the front and back legs can be tapered.

 

[chris99z71]

Remember our motto David, "no pictures = it didn't happen"!
Thanks for the progress updates on this. My wife already has the bed picked out that she wants me to build and I'm interested in how an expert would do the joinery .
This Pier One headboard is the one that she wants me to copy. I've seen theirs in the store and all I have to say is what a piece of s***! The joinery makes me want to cry, and not in a good way. The "raised panels" are simulated with moulding glued to the plywood panels. Everything looks like it was fitted together by a bunch of blind monkeys with brad nailers. All of this and the headboard alone is still $325.
I can't wait to see how yours looks! Like I said, I'm definately interested in how you do your head/footboard to rail joinery.

 

[DavidF]

Remember our motto David, "no pictures = it didn't happen"!
Thanks for the progress updates on this. My wife already has the bed picked out that she wants me to build and I'm interested in how an expert would do the joinery .
This Pier One headboard is the one that she wants me to copy. I've seen theirs in the store and all I have to say is what a piece of s***! The joinery makes me want to cry, and not in a good way. The "raised panels" are simulated with moulding glued to the plywood panels. Everything looks like it was fitted together by a bunch of blind monkeys with brad nailers. All of this and the headboard alone is still $325.
I can't wait to see how yours looks! Like I said, I'm definately interested in how you do your head/footboard to rail joinery.

Pics are in the gallery.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/gallery/browseimages.php?c=216

I know what you mean about the quality of these things for what they charge. Our total spend on the bed so far is about $450. No new tools required:crybaby2:

Looking at the pic it seems as though the inner face is square - too easy:lol: So dadoing the head board into the leg would seem an option and maybe copying my through tenon coming up through that head rail would make a nice detail. mine will be raised a couple mm above the surface of the rail and then champhered.

 

[D L Ames]

You WIP pix are looking good David.:icon_thum I like the tenoning jig you made. It looks like your adjustable assy table is paying off big dividends for you. Nice work!

D L

 

[DavidF]

You WIP pix are looking good David.:icon_thum I like the tenoning jig you made. It looks like your adjustable assy table is paying off big dividends for you. Nice work!

D L

Thanks DL. The jig actually started life as a crosscut sled for the router table and I just flipped it 90 deg for use as a tenoning - As Alton Brown on the food network would say " Only multitasking tools allowed here"!

That table has been a real boon - well worth the effort. Being able to adjust it in mm increments is fabulous