Grandsons bed

Bob Gibson

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Merrimack, New Hampshire
My daughter Kathie finally decided on a style bed she wants me to build for my grandson T.C.

Looks like it will be a pretty fun project and not too difficult. It doesn't appear to allow for a box spring so I will have to adapt the side rails a bit in order to account for one. May have to adjust the height as well to figure for the thickness of the box spring and mattress.

The picture looks like it's made from pine. I'm going to use either maple or cherry. She likes the finish on the one in the picture so I'll probably have to darken whichever wood I choose. Also, not sure if I like the tenons protruding from the posts but they would be fun to make and certainly add some strength to the bed. Anyway, she can decide that.

I should be heading to my lumber guy on Friday to pick up the wood.

TC bed (708 x 625) post.jpg
 
Yeah, that's a great looking bed. Bob, you should ask her about the box spring thing. There is some kind of "short" (or thinner) box spring that's available now, or she may elect to go without one altogether. In our bed (store bought and I hate it) adding the box spring made the bed cover so high you got a nose bleed up there, so we took it out and just use the mattress.

I always wonder, in a bed like that, will it be made to be able to knock it down to move it?
 
bob, you dont need any advice from me, Ive seen your craftmanship, but when you draw up the measurements, leave an extra 3/4 of an inch on each side of the mattress so the person making the bed doesnt smash their fingers trying to do it.
Just a suggestion.
forget the boxspring, save money. Put a few slats and then cover the slats with mdf, particle board or plywood. Theres a platform and it will support a mattress fine.
 
Good idea on the extra 3/4" Allen. I'll add that in.
I've never had anything but both a box spring and mattress. :dunno:I'll ask her which she prefers. It would save her the extra cash by not having to buy the box.
Cynthia, The rails will be removable so it will break down into 4 pieces. the headboard, foot board and 2 rails.
 
looking at your picture, the bed posts will have the side bed rails in the center, so you already gain that. A twin bed is 39 inches wide, so if your headboard between posts is 39 or 39 and a 1/4, your fine.
 
I'd vote for cherry too. Just let it get a suntan and you won't have to darken the wood.

Probably be cherry then. I can buy rough 4/4 common KD cherry for $2.15 bf. Maple is $1.95bf.
I'm amazed at how much it darkens over time. Especially near a sunny window.

Thanks Allen, I probably would of missed that and made it too big:doh: :thumb::thumb:
 
If you can cut the mortise while the stock is stil square. Then cut the arch and from their you could finish plowing out the mortises to finished depth. For wood, lately I have been wanting to make something out of qts sycamore. Love the look of it.
 
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